v0.1 · now on GitHub
Your voice, typed locally.
Free and open-source alternative to Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, and Monologue. OpenBolo runs Whisper on your device (Mac, Windows, or Linux). Hold a shortcut, speak, and text appears where you type. No cloud, no API keys, no subscription.
Hero image or short demo loop: menu bar, waveform overlay, and text appearing in an app. Drop your asset here.
Built for real workflows
Swap in screenshots per use case when you’re ready. These are the stories OpenBolo shines in.
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Email & docs
Draft messages, Google Docs, and Notion without touching the keyboard, ideal for long-form thoughts.
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Developers
Speak commit messages, comments, and README snippets; paste into the terminal or IDE when you’re done.
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Accessibility
Reduce typing load for RSI, carpal tunnel, or motor difficulty: local inference, no cloud dependency.
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Privacy-first work
Legal, health, or finance contexts where sending audio to a third party is a non-starter.
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Meeting notes
Capture rough transcripts in your own editor; everything stays on disk you control.
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Creative writing
Brainstorm dialogue and prose in a natural flow, then edit the text that lands in your doc.
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Support & sales
Dictate replies in Zendesk, Intercom, or email, faster than typing repetitive explanations.
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Students & researchers
Outline essays and lab notes hands-free; pair with your favorite citation manager or editor.
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Slack & Discord
Rapid-fire channel updates from the menubar without context-switching to a separate dictation app.
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Multilingual input
Lean on Whisper’s language models locally, great when you mix languages or need a second pass in text.
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Social & content
Turn spoken ideas into posts for LinkedIn, X, or newsletters, then tighten wording before publishing.
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Coding with voice
Dictate variable names, docstrings, and SQL fragments; you stay in flow while the cursor stays put.
See it in action
A grid of shots or short clips. Drop in exports once you capture them.
Hold-to-talk shortcut with live level meter
Settings: mic pick, shortcuts, and model download
Processing state while Whisper runs locally
History or paste-last flow in your editor
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenBolo really free?+
How is this different from Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, or Monologue?+
Is my voice data sent anywhere?+
Which platforms are supported?+
Do I need an OpenAI API key?+
Why does macOS say the app is damaged?+
xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/OpenBolo.app You can copy it from the section above as well. Or right-click the app, choose Open the first time. Prefer signed or notarized builds when available.