Amical is an open source AI dictation app for Mac and Windows. Its free plan includes unlimited local dictation, meaning your voice is transcribed on your own computer, plus 2,000 cloud words a week. Premium costs $84 a year. It suits anyone with a recent computer who wants free dictation and cares about privacy. It does not suit older machines, Linux users or anyone who needs a fully mature phone app today.
I use Amical every day. I ran the local mode first, then took a lifetime access and now use the cloud version. This review mixes that daily use with what Amical and its GitHub page state, and I mark which is which.
Disclosure: Solo Finds has no affiliate link with Amical, and earns nothing if you use it. This post also mentions Wispr Flow and VoiceDash, which are affiliate links. I still rank Amical first for cost, because it is free.
Table of Contents
Quick Verdict
Amical is the best-value dictation tool I have used: the free plan lets you dictate as much as you want on your own computer, and vocabulary training works there too. The trade-off is that you need a recent machine, and the phone apps are young.
If you dictate rarely, or you want the most polished experience across phone and computer, a paid cloud tool such as Wispr Flow may suit you better. Test Amical first, since it costs nothing.
âś… Pros
- Unlimited local dictation on the free plan
- Open source (MIT license)
- Custom vocabulary, including in local mode
- 100+ languages, with mixed-language dictation
- Audio can stay on your computer
- Premium is $84 a year
⚠️ Cons
- Local dictation needs macOS 15 or later on Mac
- Heavier models need a recent computer
- Not available on Linux
- Mobile apps are early (iOS is in beta)
- Pricing page is inconsistent on the monthly price
- Voice notes and meeting features are not released yet
What is Amical?
Amical turns your voice into formatted text in the app you are using: email, chat, notes, code editors. You press a shortcut, speak, and the text appears. Its site calls it open source, private and free, and says you can “run everything locally” or use cloud models. Its GitHub page states the code is released under the MIT license.
For local transcription, GitHub says Amical uses OpenAI’s Whisper. For text processing, the site names Ollama, OpenAI and OpenRouter as providers you can connect. It supports 100+ languages according to its site.
Amical is the free, local option in the dictation field. For the full ranking of free tools, see our guide to the best free AI dictation tools. More tools like this are in our AI writing tools section.
Who is Amical for?
- Solopreneurs on a budget who want dictation without a monthly subscription
- People who care about privacy and prefer audio to stay on their computer
- Multilingual writers, since it supports mixed-language dictation
- Anyone with a recent Mac or Windows computer
đź‘Ž Who should look elsewhere
- Owners of older computers. Heavier local models run poorly on them.
- Linux users. The GitHub page says Linux is not supported.
- People who dictate mostly on a phone. The mobile apps are younger than the desktop ones. Look at Wispr Flow, which lists iPhone and Android as available (see our Wispr Flow review).
Key Features
🖥️ Local dictation
Transcription runs on your own computer, with no word limit on the free plan and no internet needed for it.
đź“– Custom vocabulary
Add jargon, client names and product names so they are written correctly. It works in local mode too.
🧠Context-aware formatting
Amical adapts the formatting to the app you are in, such as email, messaging or code.
⌨️ Shortcuts and voice macros
Custom hotkeys and voice commands, plus a floating start and stop widget on screen.
🌍 100+ languages
Including dictation that mixes languages in the same sentence.
🔌 Your choice of models
Run local models or connect cloud providers such as OpenAI or OpenRouter.
According to its GitHub page, smart voice notes (summaries and tasks) are still in progress, and real-time meeting transcription is only planned. Do not choose Amical today for these.
How to start
- Check your computer. Local Whisper transcription requires macOS 15 or later, according to GitHub. Windows is supported too.
- Install. Download the app from the Amical site, or on Mac run
brew install --cask amicalin Terminal. - Choose a model. The app has one-click local model setup. Start with a lighter model if your computer is not recent, then try a heavier one for better accuracy.
- Add your vocabulary. Put your client names, product names and jargon in the custom vocabulary in your first session.
My experience
I started with a local model on my computer, and it worked very well for me. Recognition was accurate, and adding vocabulary made names and terms come out right, even in local mode. Since it is unlimited and free, that alone makes it a strong productivity tool.
I now have lifetime access, bought through an AppSumo deal, so I use the cloud version day to day. The experience is the same shortcut and the same flow, with cloud processing instead of my own machine.
How well local dictation runs depends on the model you install. Heavier models need a recent computer, and on an old one they will be slow. A third-party review also says local accuracy has a lower ceiling than cloud models, which matches the logic of running on your own hardware. Test it on your machine before you decide.
Privacy
- Local mode: GitHub says the app can run entirely on your machine, and works offline for local transcription. Your voice then does not go to a server.
- Cloud mode: your audio is processed by a cloud model. I did not find a clear privacy answer on Amical’s pricing page, where the “Is my data private?” question appears without a text answer. If your work is confidential, use local mode.
Pricing
Amical pricing (amical.ai, November 2026)
The monthly Premium price shows as $7 on the plan card and $10 in the comparison table, so check the live page. Lifetime deals have been sold on AppSumo (see below). Prices may have changed.
Amical has been sold as a lifetime deal on AppSumo, with tiers from $49 (200,000 cloud words a month and unlimited local words on the first tier) and a 60-day refund window. When I checked in November 2026 the listing was sold out, with a “notify me” option. This is how I got my own access. Deals change without notice, so read the listing first. View AppSumo →
Is the free plan worth it?
Yes, and it is the main reason to try Amical. Local dictation is unlimited and free, which no paid cloud tool offers. You only pay if you want unlimited cloud dictation.
Amical vs Alternatives
| Tool | Free plan | Paid plan | Platforms | Runs locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amical This review | Unlimited local + 2,000 cloud words/week | $84/year | Mac, Windows (mobile early) | Yes |
| Wispr Flow | 2,000 words/week | $12/mo yearly | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android | No |
| VoiceDash | 1,000 words/month | $12/mo yearly | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android | No |
Amical vs Wispr Flow
Wispr Flow has phone apps that are listed as available, and holds SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certifications. It costs $12 a month billed yearly. Amical wins on price and on keeping audio on your machine. Read the Wispr Flow review to compare in detail.
Amical vs VoiceDash
VoiceDash is a cloud tool with a small free plan (1,000 words a month) and a $12 yearly Pro price. Amical gives you unlimited local dictation for free. Choose VoiceDash only if you need a Linux download or its trial. See the VoiceDash review and the VoiceDash vs Wispr Flow comparison.
Final Verdict
Amical is where I would start. It costs nothing, it lets you dictate without a cap on your own computer, and vocabulary training works even there. If it runs well on your machine, you may never need a paid tool.
If you have an older computer, work mostly on a phone, or want the most polished product, try Wispr Flow’s free plan instead.
My own judgment after daily use. Points lost for hardware requirements and early mobile apps.
Try Amical first
It is free. If it does not run well on your computer, Wispr Flow has a free plan too.
→ See Amical Try Wispr Flow freeFAQ
Is Amical really free?
Yes. The free plan includes unlimited local dictation and 2,000 cloud words per week. Premium, for unlimited cloud dictation, costs $84 a year.
Does Amical work offline?
Local dictation does, according to its GitHub page. Cloud dictation needs an internet connection.
What computer do I need for local dictation?
On Mac, GitHub says local Whisper transcription needs macOS 15 or later. Beyond that, how it runs depends on the model: heavier models need a recent computer, and an old one will run them slowly.
Is Amical open source?
Yes. Its GitHub page says it is released under the MIT license.
Does Amical work on Windows and Linux?
It works on Mac and Windows. Linux is not supported, according to its GitHub page.
Is there an Amical lifetime deal?
Lifetime deals have been sold on AppSumo, starting at $49 for the first tier. When I checked in November 2026 the listing was sold out. Check AppSumo for the current status.
Can I add my own vocabulary?
Yes. Amical has custom vocabulary for jargon and names, and it works in local mode too.
Amical or Wispr Flow?
Start with Amical if you have a recent computer and want free dictation or more privacy. Choose Wispr Flow if you want phone apps listed as available and audited security certifications.
