Speakpad
One-time purchase · No subscription
Talk instead of type. In any app on your computer.
Hold a key, speak, let go. Speakpad turns your voice into text right where your cursor is – privately, on your own Mac or Windows PC.
7-day free trial · No account needed · $19 once · System requirements
Three steps. No learning curve.
Hold your key
Hold Right Option on a Mac or Right Ctrl on Windows (you can change it). You'll hear a soft tick.
Say it naturally
Talk the way you'd talk to a person. No special commands to memorize.
Let go
Your words appear where your cursor is – email, Slack, docs, your browser, anywhere you can type.
Built to stay out of your way
Private by design
Speech is turned into text on your own computer. Your voice is never uploaded, stored or used to train anything.
Works in every app
Mail, Messages, Slack, Word, Google Docs, notes, code editors. If you can type in it, you can talk into it.
Fast
Runs right on your computer (on a Mac, the Neural Engine), so text shows up moments after you let go.
Optional AI polish
Add your own Anthropic API key and Speakpad removes "ums", fixes punctuation and handles "no wait, I mean…".
Your key, your choice
Pick the key you hold, and choose a faster or more accurate speech model.
Stays out of the way
It lives in the Mac menu bar or the Windows system tray. A small pill shows when it's listening, then disappears.
Pay once. Dictate forever.
Popular dictation apps charge $12–15 every month – up to $180 a year. Speakpad runs on your own computer, so there's no server bill to pass on to you.
Speakpad
$19one-time
- Unlimited dictation, all apps
- Runs privately on your Mac
- Use on up to 2 computers of the same type
- Free updates for version 1
- 14-day money-back guarantee
Get Speakpad
Mac
Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer), macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
Open the download and drag Speakpad into Applications.
Windows
Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit.
Unzip the download and run Speakpad.exe. If Windows shows "Windows protected your PC", click More info › Run anyway. Have an ARM laptop (Snapdragon)? Get the ARM version.
Questions
Does it need an internet connection?
Only to download the speech model the first time, and for the optional AI polish. Dictation itself works offline.
What computers does it run on?
Macs with Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) on macOS 14 Sonoma or later, and Windows 10 or 11 PCs. Downloads for both are here.
Does it work with AirPods or a Bluetooth headset?
Yes. Bluetooth microphones only send low-quality "phone call" audio, so Speakpad automatically listens with your computer's built-in microphone while your AirPods keep playing sound normally. Nothing to set up, on Mac or Windows. (You can turn this off in Speakpad's settings.)
Does one license cover Mac and Windows?
Each license is for one platform and works on up to 2 computers of that type. If you use both, buy Speakpad for Mac and Speakpad for Windows.
Is my voice recorded or stored?
No. Speakpad only listens while you hold the key, turns the audio into text on your computer, and then discards it.
What is AI polish, and does it cost extra?
It's optional. If you add your own Anthropic API key, Speakpad sends the text (never the audio) to Claude to tidy it up. You pay Anthropic directly for what you use, usually a tiny amount.
How does the free trial work?
Download it and use every feature for 7 days. No account or card needed. When you buy, you'll get a license key by email to paste into Speakpad's settings.
Can I get a refund?
Yes. If Speakpad isn't for you, email us within 14 days of buying and you'll get a full refund. No questions asked.