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Free to use — no account required

Speak. It types.
Everywhere.

Voice dictation in every desktop app — offline, your keys, or Kalam Cloud. Free forever at its core. No data harvesting. Your voice, your words, your way.

Dictating
100% offline Private Kalam Cloud Sub-second
See it in action

Dictation that feels like magic

Press a hotkey, speak naturally, release — your words appear instantly wherever your cursor is.

4.9/5
User rating
17+
Apps integrated
200+
Words / min
$0
Core forever
Why Kalam

Everything you need.
Nothing you don't.

100% offline capable

Run a local Whisper model on your machine. Your audio never leaves your device — not even for a millisecond.

Hosted AI, zero setup

On Max, transcription and AI polish run through Kalam Cloud. No API keys, no configuration — it just works.

Smart privacy mode

Sensitive app detection auto-switches to local processing. Context awareness locks down, AI calls are blocked — your data stays on-device.

Profiles & Polish

Create unlimited dictation profiles — Email, Slack, Code Comments — each with its own AI instructions. Toggle Polish on any profile for grammar cleanup.

Notes inbox

Voice capture into Notes on the same dictation hotkey — say "new note" without leaving your flow. Snippets and history stay local.

Rust-powered speed

Built with Tauri and Rust. Sub-second startup, minimal memory footprint, and battery life your laptop will thank you for.

Up & running in a minute

Download & install

Grab the installer for your OS. One click, no account required, no sign-up wall.

Choose your engine

Go fully offline with the built-in Whisper model, bring your own API key, or let Kalam Cloud handle everything on Max.

Hold, speak, release

Press your hotkey, talk naturally, let go. Your words appear wherever your cursor is — any app, any field.

Product

The app in action

Dashboard, dictation history, notes, tasks, reminders, snippets, and settings — all designed to stay out of your way.

Privacy

Smart privacy in action

Watch Kalam's Auto mode switch from fast cloud transcription to fully local processing the moment you open a sensitive app. Your audio stays on your device — automatically.

Universal

Windows today — more platforms soon

Windows is available now; macOS and Linux builds are on the way. Dictate into Slack, Word, PowerPoint, or any application that accepts text input.

Works everywhere you do

Windows macOS Linux Slack Discord Teams Zoom Notion Obsidian Chrome VS Code Word PowerPoint Excel Outlook Figma Telegram Windows macOS Linux Slack Discord Teams Zoom Notion Obsidian Chrome VS Code Word PowerPoint Excel Outlook Figma Telegram
Comparison

See how Kalam stacks up

Kalam is free at its core, with paid tiers that stay cheaper than the competition — whether you bring your own keys or let Kalam host the AI. Here's how it compares to Wispr Flow and Superwhisper.

Feature
Kalam Free core
Wispr FlowSuperwhisper
Pricing modelFree · Pro $4.99 · Max $11.99 (hosted AI)$8.49/mo (includes compute)$8.49/mo (includes compute)
Free dictationUnlimited (local or BYOK)Limited free tierLimited (small models)
No API keys neededMax tier — Kalam-hosted STT + AIIncluded in subscriptionIncluded in subscription
Dictation profilesUnlimited custom profiles (Pro)No custom modes7 built-in + custom
Polish (AI cleanup)Toggle on any profile (Pro)Baked into each modeBaked into each mode
Context awarenessToggle on any profile (Pro)NoSuper Mode only
Voice-activated editingHighlight → speak (Pro)NoAvailable
Offline / local STT100% offline capablePrimarily cloudOffline available
BYOK (your API keys)Groq, OpenAI, moreBilled through WisprPro tier only
Notes, tasks & workspaceBuilt-in, freeNoNo
Multi-device sync + statsAll paid plansNoNo
Linux desktopPlanned (Windows available now)NoNo

Competitor features and pricing change — confirm on wisprflow.ai and superwhisper.com.

Testimonials

Loved by people who type a lot

Alex Chen
Alex Chen
Senior Software Engineer

"I used to pay $15/mo for Wispr Flow. Kalam gives me the exact same speed with my own Groq key, plus I can use it on my Linux machine at home. The offline mode is just icing on the cake."

Sarah Jenkins
Sarah Jenkins
Technical Writer

"Dragon was too clunky and Mac Voice Control wasn't accurate enough. Kalam's offline Whisper model is incredibly precise. I write 5,000+ words a day and it hasn't skipped a beat."

Dr. Emily Rostova
Dr. Emily Rostova
Clinical Researcher

"Privacy is non-negotiable in my field. The fact that Kalam runs 100% locally means I can dictate patient notes without violating compliance. A massive step up from cloud-only alternatives."

Marcus T.
Marcus T.
Product Manager

"Superwhisper is great but the premium tier is pricey. Kalam being completely free for everyday dictation is amazing. It occasionally misses a highly technical acronym, but otherwise flawless."

David L.
David L.
Accessibility Advocate

"For anyone with RSI, this is a lifesaver. The hotkey toggle makes hands-free typing across Windows seamless. A free tool that types anywhere on the desktop — this should be standard."

Priya Sharma
Priya Sharma
Freelance Copywriter

"I love the built-in snippets! Being able to dictate a shortcut and have it expand into a full email template saves me hours every week. Best free tool I've downloaded this year."

Alex Chen
Alex Chen
Senior Software Engineer

"I used to pay $15/mo for Wispr Flow. Kalam gives me the exact same speed with my own Groq key, plus I can use it on my Linux machine at home. The offline mode is just icing on the cake."

Dr. Emily Rostova
Dr. Emily Rostova
Clinical Researcher

"Privacy is non-negotiable in my field. The fact that Kalam runs 100% locally means I can dictate patient notes without violating compliance. A massive step up from cloud-only alternatives."

Priya Sharma
Priya Sharma
Freelance Copywriter

"I love the built-in snippets! Being able to dictate a shortcut and have it expand into a full email template saves me hours every week. Best free tool I've downloaded this year."

Pricing

Three tiers. Zero surprises.

Dictation is free — always. Pro adds the smart AI layer with your own keys. Max includes Kalam-hosted speech-to-text and AI, no keys needed.

Free

$0forever

Unlimited dictation with local or BYOK engines, one profile, and the full workspace.

Download free

Max

$11.99/mo · $119/yr

Everything in Pro plus Kalam-hosted STT and AI. No API keys, generous monthly limits.

Compare plans

Rolling out a team? See Kalam for Teams for volume licensing.

FAQ
Is Kalam really free?

Yes — core dictation is completely free, forever. Voice mode, local & BYOK transcription, notes, tasks, snippets, and the full workspace are all free. Pro ($4.99/mo) adds AI polish, unlimited dictation profiles, context awareness, and multi-device sync. Max ($11.99/mo) adds Kalam-hosted speech-to-text and AI — no API keys needed.

Does my audio leave my device?

Only if you choose a cloud mode. In Offline mode, everything is processed locally using Whisper. Kalam never stores your audio.

How does it compare to Wispr Flow?

Kalam has a genuinely free core, a $4.99/mo Pro tier (bring your own keys and control your AI costs), and an $11.99/mo Max tier with hosted AI included. Wispr charges $8.49/mo with compute bundled and no free unlimited dictation. See the comparison table.

Which platforms are supported?

Windows 10+ is available for download now. macOS and Linux installers are in development — coming soon. Desktop-first — no mobile apps. See the download page.

Do I need an API key?

No. Offline mode needs no key, and Max includes Kalam-hosted transcription and AI. BYOK (Groq, OpenAI) remains available on every plan if you prefer it.

How do I start dictating?

Press and hold your hotkey (default: Right Ctrl), speak, then release. Words appear wherever your cursor is.

Is my data safe?

Kalam stores history and workspace data locally. Audio is not written to disk. Read our privacy policy.

Type at the
speed of speech.

Download Kalam for free. No account, no credit card, no strings attached.