On-Device Processing
SpeakUp runs whisper.cpp directly on your Mac's GPU using Apple's Metal framework. Your voice is captured by the microphone, processed locally in milliseconds, and converted to text. The audio is immediately discarded. No network call is made, no server is contacted, no data leaves your Mac -- ever.
This is not a "privacy mode" you can toggle. It is the only mode. Your audio physically cannot leave your machine because there is no cloud infrastructure to send it to.
Multi-Language Support
SpeakUp supports 30+ languages with English, German, and Turkish fully optimised. The Whisper model auto-detects which language you are speaking, so you can switch between languages mid-workflow without changing any settings.
For German speakers, SpeakUp handles compound nouns, umlauts, and the specific cadence of German speech far better than Apple's cloud-based dictation. For English speakers, accuracy matches or exceeds leading cloud-based alternatives -- without the privacy cost.
Works in Every App
SpeakUp types text wherever your cursor is. Email, Slack, Notion, Word, Google Docs, your browser, VS Code, clinical software, legal practice management tools, CRM systems -- if you can type in it, you can dictate into it.
There is no special integration needed. SpeakUp simulates keyboard input, so it works with every macOS application automatically. No plugins, no extensions, no app-specific setup.
Push-to-Talk Hotkey
Press your hotkey to start recording. Speak. Press again to stop. Text appears at your cursor. That is the entire workflow.
The hotkey is fully configurable -- choose any key combination that fits your workflow. SpeakUp stays out of your way until you need it, then gets out of your way again the moment you are done.
Automatic Punctuation
Whisper AI understands sentence structure. Your dictation comes out with proper periods, commas, question marks, and capitalisation. You do not need to say "period" or "comma" -- the model infers punctuation from your speech patterns, just like a human listener would.
The result is text that reads naturally and needs minimal editing before sending.
No Internet Required
SpeakUp works everywhere your Mac goes. On a plane, in a hospital, in a basement office, on a train through a tunnel. No Wi-Fi, no cellular connection, no internet of any kind is needed -- ever.
This is a direct consequence of on-device processing. Because the Whisper model runs on your GPU, there is nothing to connect to. Your dictation works the same whether you have gigabit fibre or no signal at all.
Lightweight Menu Bar App
SpeakUp lives in your menu bar. It uses minimal system resources when idle and only activates your GPU during active dictation. For Macs with 8GB of RAM, Low Memory mode ensures SpeakUp plays nicely with your other applications.
No dock icon. No window cluttering your desktop. No background processes consuming battery. SpeakUp is designed to be invisible until you need it.
Lexicons — Domain Vocabulary
Whisper is good at general speech, but specialised terminology — medical, legal, software — needs help. SpeakUp ships with Lexicons: domain dictionaries that run after transcription to correct hard-to-recognise terms. The Medical (German) and Software Engineering (English) Lexicons are live; Legal is in progress.
Lexicons run after Whisper, on-device, gated by detected language. Speak English and the German medical Lexicon stays out of the way. Speak German and it lights up. Zero configuration once enabled.
Free iPhone Keyboard
SpeakUp for iPhone is free on the App Store. It is a full QWERTY keyboard with a built-in dictation mic button — the same on-device, private dictation you get on Mac, in your pocket. Press the mic in any app, speak, see text appear at your cursor. Multilingual (9 languages including German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese).
It works on its own, and it pairs naturally with the Mac app: dictate notes on the move with iPhone, finish long documents at your desk with Mac.
14-Day Free Trial
Try SpeakUp for 14 days with full access to every feature. No credit card required. No account to create. No email to verify. Download, open, and start dictating immediately.
After 14 days, SpeakUp is €29 once -- no subscription, no renewal, no price tiers. Pay once, use forever.
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