Ownvox

Ownvox is a private voice-to-text tool for Mac and Windows. It is built for people who want to dictate into any app without switching windows or copying text, and it also supports AI answers at the cursor.

The app runs system-wide on Mac and Windows, and it works wherever a text field is active, including email, browser, editor, notes, and team chat apps. Dictation works offline, and transcription is on-device by default, with cloud use available only when chosen. The page also says that users can bring their own API keys, and that the app uses a built-in privacy switch to turn off cloud features instantly.

Ownvox includes voice prompts and AI skills. Voice prompts let a user speak to an AI model from any app, with selected text passed as context automatically and the reply inserted at the cursor. AI skills are run from a radial menu after selecting text and pressing the hotkey; the output replaces the selection in place. The skills system supports templates, custom prompt chains, and drag-and-drop organization, and the examples named on the page include cleanups, summaries, and formatting. For transcription, the page mentions local models such as Whisper and Parakeet, as well as cloud transcription for faster performance on older hardware. For prompts and skills, it mentions local endpoints, cloud models, and bringing an API key via OpenRouter.

Pricing is subscription-based. A monthly plan is listed at €8.99 per month including VAT, and a yearly plan is listed at €84.99 per year including VAT. Both plans start with a 7-day free trial, both unlock the same complete product, and the subscription renews automatically unless cancelled. The page says the tool is made in Germany and describes it as designed to be GDPR-compliant.