Voice to text that feels like part of macOS.
Chirp is a dictation app built natively for the Mac. It lives in the notch, runs entirely on-device, and turns your voice into text in any app. Two modes, one price.
Built for the Mac, not ported to it.
Plenty of voice-to-text tools run the same cross-platform code on every OS. They work, but they never quite feel like a Mac app. Chirp is written in SwiftUI, and the recording indicator lives in your Mac's notch, animating in place when you start. Dictation feels like a system feature, not a separate program you switch to. It's a small thing, and it's most of why people say Chirp disappears into the way they already work.
It lives in the notch
The recording indicator sits in your Mac's notch and breathes while it listens. No floating window, no dock icon to hunt for.
On-device, always
Your voice is transcribed on your Mac and never uploaded. It works on a plane, in a locked room, anywhere offline.
Dictate anywhere
Press a key, talk, and the words land at your cursor in any app: Mail, Slack, Notes, your editor.
Meetings too
Record a call and Chirp writes the transcript with each speaker labeled. No bot joins the meeting.
Pay once
$39 for one Mac. Every feature, every future update. No subscription.
Tuned for Apple Silicon
Built for M-series chips, so it's quick and barely touches your battery.
Native, in practice
Press a key, talk, and the text lands in whatever app is in front of you.
Solo Mode pastes your words straight at the cursor.
Almost done, just wrapping up one last fix. Give me an hour and I'll head over.
Works with any app that has a cursor.
If you've tried the alternatives
Built-in macOS Dictation
Free and already there, and fine for a quick sentence. But it keeps no history, does nothing for meetings, and on older Macs and unsupported languages it leans on Apple's servers. Chirp runs fully on your Mac every time, keeps a searchable record, and adds Meeting Mode.
A cross-platform app
Works on any OS, but it never feels native, and many charge every month. Chirp is built for the Mac, and you pay once.
A GitHub script
Free and local if you're happy in the terminal and don't mind rough edges. Chirp is the same idea, finished: one-click install, lives in the notch, and kept up to date.
Questions
Is Chirp actually native, or another cross-platform app?
Chirp is built in SwiftUI as a real Mac app. No web view, no cross-platform wrapper. The recording indicator lives in your notch and behaves like a system feature.
How is it different from built-in macOS Dictation?
macOS Dictation is fine for short bursts, but it keeps no history, has nothing for meetings, and falls back to Apple's servers for some languages and older Macs. Chirp runs entirely on your Mac every time, keeps a searchable history, and adds Meeting Mode with speaker labels.
Does my voice stay on my Mac?
Yes. Every word is transcribed on-device. Nothing you say is uploaded, and Chirp works offline after the initial download.
Is there a subscription?
No. Chirp is a one-time purchase starting at $39 for one Mac, and that includes every feature and all future updates.
Which Macs work?
Any Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer) on macOS 15 or later.