TuxTalk
Dictation apps for Linux, compared
Every free dictation app for Linux I know of, side by side, as fairly as I can put it.
TuxTalk isn't the only one
A few years ago there was almost nothing for dictation on Linux. Now there are several good free apps, and most of them run offline. Here's how they line up, as fairly as I can put it.
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
| License | Runs on | Offline | Hold to talk on Wayland | Typing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TuxTalk | MIT | Linux: KDE, GNOME, Sway, Hyprland, X11 | Yes | Yes, any desktop, no shortcut to set up | Types into the app |
| Myna (Canonical) | AGPL-3.0 | Ubuntu 24.04 and newer, GNOME on Wayland | Yes | Toggle with a desktop shortcut | Types through IBus |
| Handy | MIT | Linux, Windows, Mac | Yes | Yes, set up through your desktop's shortcuts | Needs wtype, dotool or ydotool on Wayland |
| Speech Note | MPL-2.0 | Linux (Flathub), Sailfish OS | Yes | Shortcuts through the desktop portal | Needs ydotool on Wayland |
| Voxtype | MIT | Linux, with a Mac port | Yes | Yes on Hyprland, Sway and River; toggle on KDE | Types into the app |
| nerd-dictation | GPL-3.0 | Linux | Yes | You bind its start and stop to keys | ydotool, dotool or wtype |
| OpenWhispr | MIT | Linux, Windows, Mac | Local or cloud | Not stated | Types into the app |
Which one?
Myna is Canonical's own, still a preview, and likely to end up in Ubuntu. If you're on Ubuntu with GNOME and want the one Ubuntu supports, keep an eye on it.
Handy is a nice pick if you also use Windows or a Mac, since it runs on all three.
Speech Note also reads text aloud and translates, so it's more than dictation.
Voxtype fits right in on Hyprland, Sway and River.
nerd-dictation is a small script for people who like to wire things up themselves.
TuxTalk is for hold F8 and talk on whatever desktop you're on, with nothing to set up in your desktop's settings, and it types straight into the app. It has Your Words and Fix a Word for names it gets wrong, an optional local AI for "no wait" corrections, Transcribe a File, and voice editing and Type at pause in TuxTalk Labs. Only TuxTalk's small hotkey helper reads your keyboard. It's Linux only.
Coming from something else? There are pages for Dragon and for Wispr Flow and Superwhisper.
Prices and details are as of October 2026, from each product's own pages where I could find them. They change, so check there before you decide. If something here is out of date, tell me in Discussions and I'll fix it.
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