A Handy alternative with profiles and AI formatting
Handy is a free, open source dictation app that transcribes entirely on your device, on Windows, macOS and Linux. If plain local speech to text is all you need, it is an excellent choice. OiPer offers the same free, local dictation and adds profiles, built-in formatting and optional cloud transcription.
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What OiPer adds
The same hold, speak and release workflow, with more control over the result.
Profiles for every task
Handy has one transcription shortcut and one for post-processing. In OiPer each profile has its own hotkeys, language, model, formatting and auto submit, so a fast local profile and an email profile can sit side by side.
Read about ProfilesBuilt-in formatting presets
Handy’s post-processing is an experimental feature where you write the prompt. OiPer ships Normal, Prompt, Email, Formal and Casual presets, and custom instructions when you want them.
Read about FormattingTranslate into any language
Speak in one language and have the text arrive in another. Formatting can translate into just under a hundred languages.
Read about FormattingCloud transcription when you want it
Handy transcribes locally only. OiPer can also send a profile to OpenAI, Groq, Fireworks or any OpenAI-compatible provider with your own key, or to OiPer’s hosted models on a paid plan.
Read about ModelsSnippets
Say a short shortcut and OiPer expands it into an address, a link or a full reply.
Read about SnippetsHistory you can debug
Each dictation shows the raw and formatted text, a timeline of every stage, the app you dictated into and the original audio, so a slow or wrong result is easy to trace.
Read about HistoryWhat stays the same
The parts of Handy people like are in OiPer too.
Free, local and offline
Local transcription is free and unlimited, needs no account and works without an internet connection.
Read about ModelsWindows, macOS and Linux
OiPer ships AppImage, .deb and .rpm builds and types on X11 and Wayland through wtype, kwtype, dotool, ydotool or xdotool.
Read about InstallationPush to talk or toggle
Hold the hotkey while you speak, or press once to start and again to stop for long dictation.
Read about ProfilesAuto submit
Press Enter or another combination automatically after the text is inserted, so a dictated message sends itself.
Read about ProfilesWhen Handy is the better fit
An honest look at where Handy is ahead.
Open source
Handy is open source under the MIT license, so you can read, change and build it yourself. OiPer is not open source.
More local model families
Handy offers Parakeet, Moonshine, Canary, Cohere Transcribe and others alongside Whisper. OiPer’s local models are Whisper only.
Custom words in local mode
Handy’s custom words work with its local models. OiPer’s dictionary applies to cloud and hosted transcription, and local mode relies on snippets to fix a misheard word.
OiPer vs Handy
Feature by feature. Based on public information, checked October 2026.
| Feature | OiPer | Handy |
|---|---|---|
| Windows, macOS and Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Local transcription free and unlimited | Free |
| Open source | No | Yes, MIT |
| Works offline | Yes | Yes |
| Local models | Whisper, Tiny to Large v3 Turbo | Whisper, Parakeet, Moonshine, Canary and more |
| Cloud transcription | Your own key or OiPer’s hosted models | No, local only |
| AI formatting | Built in, with presets | Experimental, custom prompts |
| Translation | Into just under a hundred languages | Some models translate |
| Multiple setups | Profiles, each with its own hotkeys | One transcription shortcut |
| Custom words | Cloud and hosted modes | Yes, local |
| Snippets | Yes | Not documented |
| History with audio playback | Yes | Yes |
| Wayland | wtype, kwtype, dotool or ydotool | Limited support |
Questions, answered
What people ask before they start dictating with OiPer.
Is Handy free?
Yes. Handy is free and open source under the MIT license. OiPer is also free for unlimited local transcription, but it is not open source.
What is the difference between OiPer and Handy?
Both transcribe locally and run on Windows, macOS and Linux. OiPer adds profiles with their own hotkeys, built-in formatting presets, translation, snippets and optional cloud transcription. Handy is open source and offers more local model families.
Does Handy support cloud transcription?
No. Handy transcribes on your device only, and only its optional post-processing can call a cloud language model. OiPer can transcribe locally or with your own API key for providers like OpenAI and Groq.
Does OiPer work offline like Handy?
Yes. In local mode OiPer transcribes on-device with a Whisper model stored on your computer, so dictation keeps working without an internet connection.
Does Handy work on Wayland?
Handy describes its Wayland support as limited and recommends wtype or dotool. OiPer types on Wayland with wtype, kwtype, dotool or ydotool, and on X11 with xdotool or ydotool.
Is OiPer open source?
No. OiPer Desktop is not open source. If open source is a requirement, Handy is a good choice. OiPer’s local transcription is free and unlimited and needs no account.