Show HN: Free alternative to Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, and Monologue

Source: Hacker News

FreeFlow

Free and open‑source alternative to Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, and Monologue.

⬇ Download FreeFlow.dmg
Works on all Macs (Apple Silicon + Intel)

I like the concept of apps like Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, and Monologue that use AI to add accurate, easy‑to‑use transcription to your computer, but they all charge fees of ~$10 / month even though the underlying AI models are free or cost pennies.

So over the weekend I vibe‑coded my own free version! It’s called FreeFlow. Here’s how it works:

• Download the app from the link above or click here.
• Get a free Groq API key from groq.com.
• Press and hold Fn anytime to start recording; whatever you say will be pasted into the current text field.

One of the cool features is that it’s context‑aware. If you’re replying to an email, it reads the names of the people you’re replying to and makes sure to spell them correctly. The same applies when dictating into a terminal or another app—similar to Monologue’s “Deep Context” feature.

An added bonus: there’s no FreeFlow server, so no data is stored or retained, making it more privacy‑friendly than SaaS alternatives. The only information that leaves your computer are the API calls to Groq’s transcription and LLM endpoints (the LLM is used for post‑processing the transcription to adapt to context).

FAQ

Why does this use Groq instead of a local transcription model?

I originally planned to build FreeFlow with local models, but post‑processing (e.g., correctly spelling names when replying to emails) requires a local LLM as well. Running the full pipeline locally adds 5–10 seconds per transcription instead of < 1 second and raises battery‑life concerns. Maybe someday!

License

Licensed under the MIT license.