Yap

About Yap

Yap is an open-source voice dictation app for macOS that converts speech to text in any text field. It uses the on-device SpeechAnalyzer API introduced in macOS 26, so no internet connection or model download is required. The app is a 4 MB Swift binary, licensed under MIT, and built by Frigade.

Review

With Yap, you set a hotkey, talk, press it again, and the words land in whatever you were typing. The entire process stays on the Mac; no network calls happen. It's a stripped-down alternative to heavier dictation tools that often bundle browser engines or require subscriptions.

Key Features

• Hotkey toggles dictation on and off; transcribed text pastes directly into the focused text field.
• On-device speech recognition using Apple's SpeechAnalyzer - no model download, no internet required.
• Clipboard contents remain untouched; the app restores any previous clipboard after insertion.
• Small resource footprint: the app file is 4 MB, and memory usage idles around 60 MB.
• Open-source codebase (MIT license) and free to use.

Pricing and Value

Yap is free software. There is no paid version, subscription, or in-app purchase. You can download it from the project's GitHub page or website and use it without restrictions.

Pros

• Dictation works offline, and no audio data leaves the device.
• Hotkey-based insertion feels quick and doesn't disrupt the workflow.
• The app preserves the clipboard, so you won't lose copied content.
• Memory and storage usage are minimal, even on older Macs.
• The source code is available for anyone to audit or modify.

Cons

• Raw transcription lacks grammar or fluency editing; you get exactly what you said, including verbal pauses (though the latest update reduces some of them).
• Accuracy and language support are tied to Apple's on-device dictation; languages with weak offline support will produce less reliable results.
• Not well suited for dictating into password prompts, sudo dialogs, or other secure text fields where macOS blocks assistive paste.

Yap is a practical tool for quick notes, short messages, and emails where privacy and speed outweigh the need for polished text. Users who rely on dictation for long-form writing with automatic grammar correction or