I stopped paying for Otter after setting up local Whisper dictation, and it understands my accent better

As a journalist, the author spends considerable time taking notes when writing articles or guides. They have previously used Otter for transcription, but found it struggled with their accent when speaking quickly. This led them to search for alternative solutions.

One such alternative is Handy, an open-source dictation app that runs speech recognition locally on the user's Mac. Unlike Otter, Handy allows the user to swap out AI models to find the best fit for their needs. The app is completely free and has worked better than many paid alternatives.

Handy takes a different approach to transcription than Otter. With Otter, the user has to copy-paste transcriptions into their text processor after waiting for the audio file to process. Handy, however, automatically inserts transcribed text into the application the user is currently using. This eliminates the need for constant copying and pasting, a feature the author finds particularly useful.

The app offers various customization options. Users can choose from dozens of transcription models, including those optimized for languages like Japanese or Korean. They can also adjust settings like keyboard shortcuts, auto-start on login, and toggle recording on and off.

Handy also allows for post-processing of transcripts. This can convert the text into structured notes, bullet lists, or other formats. While the author didn't use this feature, they appreciate the flexibility it offers.

Unlike Otter, Handy runs speech recognition models directly on the user's computer, not on remote servers. This means no internet connection is needed after the model is downloaded, which is beneficial for places with poor connectivity. This local approach also eliminates subscription fees or usage limits.

Handy is open-source and free, making it a cost-effective solution for those needing voice dictation. While it may not replace all functions of a transcription platform, it makes dictation available where needed. For the author, Handy proved to be the perfect tool for transcribing long passages at a time.