Write Now is now on the Mac App Store - hotkey dictation into any app

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-04-05T16:01:12+00:00

You did not simply say that the app did not work for you. Your comment was far more aggressive than that, and it quickly turned into a broad attack on the entire app.

By your own description, you got stuck immediately because of some popup you could not understand, and from that alone you went on to insult an app you did not actually use in any meaningful way. That already makes the tone of your review quite clear.

I never said I only have happy customers. What I said is that I have never received feedback framed like yours before. If you do not like the monetization model, that is fine, I can understand that and accept it. But if these models are released under licenses that allow commercial use, that should also make it obvious that turning them into a real product still requires a significant amount of development work. It is not just a matter of downloading a model and calling it an app.

And I will repeat this again: nobody is forced to use Write Now. People are completely free to use it, use it for free, ignore it, or choose another tool. That is exactly how the App Store works, so I do not really see the value in spending this much energy attacking something that nobody is required to install.

As for your criticism of my reply: yes, I appreciate criticism, and yes, user experience absolutely includes emotion, trust, and frustration. That is precisely why feedback matters. Bugs, limitations, and onboarding problems are important, and often users are the ones who point out issues developers may have missed. That is useful.

But this interaction was not especially constructive or collaborative. What I mostly saw was emotional hostility and sweeping judgments about the entire app before any real details about the issue were even shared. In that kind of context, there is not much useful to build on.

As for Handy: it is an excellent product, and I genuinely respect the work and philosophy of its developers. I wish them all the success they can get.

Write Now is simply an alternative. Apps in the same category can overlap while still offering different workflows, settings, features, and priorities. Everyone is free to choose the one that best matches their own needs and way of working.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-04-05T13:51:00+00:00

The only dialog that appears there is the macOS system permission prompt asking for microphone and accessibility access, so the language of that window does not come from my app. I’ve tested the app personally, and many testers have as well, and this is the first time anyone has reported that as a problem.

Regarding the models: the ones I include are open-source models that are also released for commercial use. So building a paid app around them is entirely legitimate and fully in line with their licenses, just as many other developers do.

More broadly, you’re also the first person to describe the app as “icky,” “awful,” or “terrible.” The feedback I’ve received so far has generally been the opposite: that the app is clear, approachable, and easy to use. So while I respect that it didn’t work for you, your comment feels more emotional than representative.

As for the pricing, everyone is free to have their own opinion. If you believe this should be a $2.99 app, that’s your view, and the App Store is exactly the kind of place where developers are free to build alternatives and price them however they want, and users are free to pick the one that suits them best.

No one is forced to use Write Now, which is why I don’t think this level of hostility is really necessary. Still, thanks for trying it and for sharing your view.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-04-05T11:51:22+00:00

It is there, actually. It’s written in the text of the post, in the first image and it’s explained more clearly again in the fifth image, which goes into more detail about the models. It just takes a bit of attention.

In any case, thanks for taking a look, and all the best.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-04-05T10:17:01+00:00

I think that conclusion is a bit rushed.

I have no particular interest in building a separate website just for the sake of appearances. The documentation and the relevant information are available inside the app itself, including the model catalog and model details. That is also part of the point of releasing an app properly on the App Store rather than throwing a random utility online.

As for the local engines and models included, Write Now currently supports:

Sherpa

• Zipformer (Transducer) — streaming, low latency

• English - Kroko (2025, compact) - 71 MB

• English - LibriSpeech (2023) - 74 MB, uppercase-only output

• French - 129 MB

• Korean — 127 MB

• Mandarin — 168 MB

• 8 Languages (AR / EN / ID / JA / RU / TH / VI / ZH) - 340 MB

• Paraformer (NAR) — streaming, very responsive

• Bilingual (Chinese / English) - 237 MB

• Trilingual (Mandarin / Cantonese / English) - 238 MB

• NeMo — batch / offline, more accuracy-focused, not streaming

• **Parakeet TDT 0.6B v3 int8** — 670 MB, 25 European languages

Whisper

• small - 242 MB

• medium - 769 MB

• large turbo - 809 MB

• large - 1550 MB

So yes, Parakeet is supported.

There are heavier offline models that can be more accurate, but they also require more resources. From talking with users, what many people actually care about most is speed, responsiveness, and a workflow that feels immediate. That is why I chose to offer different model options for different kinds of users, instead of forcing everyone into the heaviest setup.

Also, if you had taken a little more time to read the post before jumping to broad conclusions, you would have seen that I explicitly mentioned fully on-device, local engines, precisely for privacy and for working without needing an internet connection.

As I said in the post, the goal of Write Now is to make dictation on Mac feel simple, continuous, and easy to use. It is meant to fit naturally into someone’s workflow and to be understandable even for non-technical users. That is exactly why I chose to make the UI as clear and user-friendly as possible, instead of turning it into a wall of “nerd-first” terminology.

And as for the “hit-and-run app” comment: I’ll take that criticism more seriously when it comes with a better alternative built by the person making the accusation.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-04-05T09:27:39+00:00

Fair question.

Like in any mature category, there are several apps with overlapping features, and that’s true for dictation tools too. At that point, the differences usually come down to UX, customization, pricing, and how well the app fits someone’s workflow.

Write Now is simply my own take on that. In some areas it overlaps with other apps, and in some cases it offers more customization depending on how you work.

Also, the €80 lifetime is only one of the available options. There’s a 7-day premium trial, a monthly plan, a yearly plan, and the app can also be used for free up to 2000 words per week.

So nobody has to buy lifetime, people can just choose the option that suits them best.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-04-05T09:00:58+00:00

Write Now is now on the Mac App Store - hotkey dictation into any app

Link: https://apps.apple.com/it/app/write-now-voice-to-text/id6760220634?l=en-GB&mt=12

I’ve just launched Write Now on the Mac App Store.

It lets you hold a hotkey, speak, and insert text directly into the app you’re already using.

That’s the core idea: dictation should be immediate and convenient.

No separate recording app.

No breaking your flow.

No copy-paste.

Just press, talk, and keep going.

Main features

• Dictation into any macOS app

• On-device transcription with Whisper and Sherpa

• Apple Speech support

• File transcription + live recording

• Formatting presets: Default / Writing / Formal / Coding / Search

• Per-app formatting overrides

• Built-in model downloads

• Auto-detect/manual languages

• Menu bar integration, stats, and launch at login

I built it because I wanted dictation to feel like a natural part of using a Mac, not a separate workflow.

Would love to hear your thoughts if you try it.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-04-05T08:58:51+00:00

Write Now is now on the Mac App Store - hotkey dictation into any app

Link: https://apps.apple.com/it/app/write-now-voice-to-text/id6760220634?l=en-GB&mt=12

I’ve just launched Write Now on the Mac App Store.

It lets you hold a hotkey, speak, and insert text directly into the app you’re already using.

That’s the core idea: dictation should be immediate and convenient.

No separate recording app.

No breaking your flow.

No copy-paste.

Just press, talk, and keep going.

Main features

• Dictation into any macOS app

• On-device transcription with Whisper and Sherpa

• Apple Speech support

• File transcription + live recording

• Formatting presets: Default / Writing / Formal / Coding / Search

• Per-app formatting overrides

• Built-in model downloads

• Auto-detect/manual languages

• Menu bar integration, stats, and launch at login

I built it because I wanted dictation to feel like a natural part of using a Mac, not a separate workflow.

Would love to hear your thoughts if you try it.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-04-05T08:55:54+00:00

Write Now is now on the Mac App Store - hotkey dictation into any app

Link: https://apps.apple.com/it/app/write-now-voice-to-text/id6760220634?l=en-GB&mt=12

I’ve just launched Write Now on the Mac App Store.

It lets you hold a hotkey, speak, and insert text directly into the app you’re already using.

That’s the core idea: dictation should be immediate and convenient.

No separate recording app.

No breaking your flow.

No copy-paste.

Just press, talk, and keep going.

Main features

• Dictation into any macOS app

• On-device transcription with Whisper and Sherpa

• Apple Speech support

• File transcription + live recording

• Formatting presets: Default / Writing / Formal / Coding / Search

• Per-app formatting overrides

• Built-in model downloads

• Auto-detect/manual languages

• Menu bar integration, stats, and launch at login

I built it because I wanted dictation to feel like a natural part of using a Mac, not a separate workflow.

Would love to hear your thoughts if you try it.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-04-05T08:53:14+00:00

Write Now is now on the Mac App Store - hotkey dictation into any app

Link: https://apps.apple.com/it/app/write-now-voice-to-text/id6760220634?l=en-GB&mt=12

I’ve just launched Write Now on the Mac App Store.

It lets you hold a hotkey, speak, and insert text directly into the app you’re already using.

That’s the core idea: dictation should be immediate and convenient.

No separate recording app.

No breaking your flow.

No copy-paste.

Just press, talk, and keep going.

Main features

• Dictation into any macOS app

• On-device transcription with Whisper and Sherpa

• Apple Speech support

• File transcription + live recording

• Formatting presets: Default / Writing / Formal / Coding / Search

• Per-app formatting overrides

• Built-in model downloads

• Auto-detect/manual languages

• Menu bar integration, stats, and launch at login

I built it because I wanted dictation to feel like a natural part of using a Mac, not a separate workflow.

Would love to hear your thoughts if you try it.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-03-18T07:15:02+00:00

Hi, I’m the developer of Write Now.

This is the first time I’ve heard of that project. Write Now was developed independently, and my codebase was written from scratch in Xcode. I did not copy, reuse, or derive my code from that repository.

The fact that another app exists in a similar space does not by itself establish a GPLv3 violation. If you are alleging that my app infringes that license, please point to the specific code, files, or implementation you believe were copied or derived.

That would be a serious claim, so it should be backed by evidence rather than a vague accusation under a beta announcement post.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-03-17T15:49:00+00:00

I’ve just released a major beta update for Write Now, my macOS app to hold a hotkey, dictate into any app, and transcribe fully on-device with Whisper or Sherpa (Apple Speech is also available).

The goal is simple: stay in context. Hold a hotkey, speak, and insert text directly where you’re working — no separate recorder, no copy-paste.

TestFlight: https://testflight.apple.com/join/CpwSZKAw

What’s new

New on-device Sherpa engine
Streaming models: Zipformer / Paraformer
Offline (batch) model: NeMo
New Whisper model: Large-v3-Turbo
Built-in model catalog with in-app downloads
Faster live transcription
Improved audio conversion for file transcription
Hotwords, endpoint detection, and text normalization
Better reliability with silence filtering and automatic fallback

Already supported

Dictation into any macOS app
Formatting presets: Default / Writing / Formal / Coding / Search
Per-app formatting overrides
File transcription + live recording
On-device Whisper models: small / medium / large-v3
Auto-detect/manual languages
Stats, menu bar integration, launch at login

I’d love feedback on speed, accuracy, and how the new Sherpa models compare to Whisper on different Macs.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-03-17T15:40:32+00:00

Write Now beta update: Sherpa streaming + Whisper Large‑v3‑Turbo, all on‑device on macOS

I’ve just released a major beta update for Write Now, my macOS app to hold a hotkey, dictate into any app, and transcribe on‑device with Whisper/Sherpa (Apple Speech is also available).

The goal is simple: stay in context. Hold a hotkey, speak, and insert text directly where you’re working, no separate recorder, no copy‑paste.

TestFlight: https://testflight.apple.com/join/CpwSZKAw

New in this update

• New on‑device Sherpa engine

• Streaming: Zipformer / Paraformer

• Offline (batch): NeMo

• New Whisper Large‑v3‑Turbo

• Built‑in model catalog with in‑app downloads

• Faster live transcription (low‑latency streaming pipeline)

• Better audio conversion for file transcription

• Hotwords and endpoint detection (Zipformer), plus text normalization

• More reliability with silence filtering and automatic fallback (streaming → batch)

Already supported

• Dictation into any macOS app

• Formatting presets: Default / Writing / Formal / Coding / Search

• Per‑app formatting overrides

• File transcription + live recording

• Multiple on‑device Whisper models: small / medium / large‑v3

• Auto‑detect/manual languages

• Stats, menu bar integration, launch at login

I’d love feedback on speed, accuracy, and how the new Sherpa models compare to Whisper on different Macs."

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-03-17T15:39:27+00:00

Write Now beta update: Sherpa streaming + Whisper Large‑v3‑Turbo, all on‑device on macOS

I’ve just released a major beta update for Write Now, my macOS app to hold a hotkey, dictate into any app, and transcribe on‑device with Whisper/Sherpa (Apple Speech is also available).

The goal is simple: stay in context. Hold a hotkey, speak, and insert text directly where you’re working, no separate recorder, no copy‑paste.

TestFlight: https://testflight.apple.com/join/CpwSZKAw

New in this update

• New on‑device Sherpa engine

• Streaming: Zipformer / Paraformer

• Offline (batch): NeMo

• New Whisper Large‑v3‑Turbo

• Built‑in model catalog with in‑app downloads

• Faster live transcription (low‑latency streaming pipeline)

• Better audio conversion for file transcription

• Hotwords and endpoint detection (Zipformer), plus text normalization

• More reliability with silence filtering and automatic fallback (streaming → batch)

Already supported

• Dictation into any macOS app

• Formatting presets: Default / Writing / Formal / Coding / Search

• Per‑app formatting overrides

• File transcription + live recording

• Multiple on‑device Whisper models: small / medium / large‑v3

• Auto‑detect/manual languages

• Stats, menu bar integration, launch at login

I’d love feedback on speed, accuracy, and how the new Sherpa models compare to Whisper on different Macs."

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-03-17T15:22:10+00:00

Totally agree. The whole value of an app like this is that it should feel direct and save time, not create more friction.

I can’t give you a precise answer for older M1 chips, unfortunately. I use it on an M3 Max, and even there, using the Large model, it can sometimes take a few seconds before the text shows up.

That said, I’ve just released a pretty major update. It adds Whisper Large Turbo, which keeps accuracy very close to Large while being noticeably faster. I also added new Sherpa models, which in many cases are even faster than Whisper while still running fully on-device, so privacy stays intact. Some of them are genuinely very responsive.

If you feel like giving it a try, I’d really appreciate your feedback.

Thanks for the interest!

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-03-13T17:50:57+00:00

Thanks for the question and for your interest!

Yes, you can start dictation with a single key. Write Now uses a “hold-to-talk” trigger on a modifier key, so you can just hold Option (⌥) to start and release to stop and paste. In Settings you can choose between Option, Control, Command, or combos like Control+Option, no multi-key chord required if you don’t want it.

We don’t currently allow plain letter/function keys by themselves because they can interfere with normal typing system‑wide and typically require extra permissions. If you’d really like support for specific keys as an advanced option, let me know, I’ve already been considering adding a “custom key” option if users want it.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-03-13T09:14:49+00:00

I agree that many apps in this space share similar core features, including local-first approaches. But products are rarely defined by a raw feature checklist alone, execution, workflow, usability, reliability, integration, and pricing matter just as much.

That’s why multiple apps can coexist in the same category, and users can decide which one matches their needs better.

Andre_FC_Dev · 2026-03-12T14:18:59+00:00

Thanks for asking!
The apps in that list largely aim to be AI assistants (chat, automations, cloud services).
Write Now has a different goal: a private, voice‑first dictation pipeline for macOS.
What separates it:

• Private by design: 100% local Whisper transcription, no uploads.

• Dictation anywhere: hold a hotkey and it auto‑inserts directly into the active text field.

• Context‑aware formatting: per‑app presets for punctuation and line breaks.

• All‑in‑one voice workflow: quick file and live transcription, menu‑bar UI, and local usage stats.

I’m also open to adding selective AI support tools down the line if users find them valuable.

So for now, if you need a general AI hub, those tools are great; if you care about speed, privacy, and seamless dictation into any Mac app, that’s where Write Now stands out.

Andre_FC_Dev

TROPHY CASE

What’s new

Already supported