Juno
Free, open-source dictation app for Mac that writes cleaned-up text where you type, processed on-device.
Juno is a Mac dictation app from Cassini Research: press a shortcut, speak, and it writes cleaned-up text into the app you are using, rewrites text by voice and creates Apple Notes, Reminders and alarms, all processed on the Mac. It is free and open source, with no account, paid tier or usage cap.
About Juno
Click into a text field, press the shortcut (Fn / Globe by default), speak, and press it again: Juno inserts the final text, or shows Copy Ready when direct insertion is unsafe. A live HUD shows your words while you talk, and the final text drops filler, false starts and take-backs and writes numbers, dates, prices and links the way you would type them. Juno is not always listening; 'Hey Juno' is a phrase you say after starting a session when you want an action instead of text.
Beyond dictation, Juno rewrites selected or recent text when asked in plain English, making it shorter, warmer or more formal, turning it into bullets or translating it. Starting a phrase with 'Hey Juno' or 'Juno,' creates Apple Notes, Reminders and Calendar-backed alarms instead. Per-app rules let Mail, Slack, Notes, Cursor and other apps use different writing styles and privacy settings, and a local memory keeps vocabulary, replacements, snippets and learned corrections.
Juno is a Swift macOS app connected to a local Python voice engine, and its docs say there is no server component. After a one-time model download, everyday dictation and writing run on the Mac without a connection; Juno says audio, transcripts and corrections are not sent to a server or used for training. Password and other secure fields force capture, context, history, recordings, learning and paste off, and local history is kept for 90 days and recordings for 30 by default.
Juno needs no license key, account, subscription or card, and it has no trial timer. The homepage's comparison lists its price model as free forever with no paid tier and no usage cap, while the privacy docs describe it as free during the current period.
Sources: usejuno.co, docs.usejuno.co/docs/start/what-is-juno, docs.usejuno.co/docs/start/quickstart, docs.usejuno.co/docs/privacy-and-data/overview and docs.usejuno.co/docs/architecture/overview, read 2026-10-27
Juno pros and cons
Pros
- Normal use needs the network only for model downloads and updates, and the privacy docs say no transcripts, audio or telemetry are sent.
- Recent clipboard context is off by default, and history and recordings can be cleared at any time.
- It works in normal Mac text fields across apps such as Mail, Notes, Messages, Slack and browsers, and shows Blocked or Copy Ready instead of pasting when an app blocks safe insertion.
Cons
- It runs only on Apple Silicon Macs with macOS 15 or newer, and Juno says it is built for M2 or newer Macs with at least 24 GB of RAM.
- The first setup downloads model files of about 3–5 GB.
- It is not a meeting recorder or call bot: Juno is built for active writing on the Mac and local actions.
Tagged
- Supports Local Models
- Web-based
- Free
Juno alternatives
The closest alternatives to Juno.
Related reading
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</a>Frequently asked questions
- What is Juno?
- Juno is a free, open-source dictation app for Mac that writes cleaned-up text where you type, processed on-device.
- Is Juno free?
- Juno is free to use. There is no paid tier as of the last index update.
- What platforms does Juno support?
- Juno's own site lists it for macOS.
- What are the alternatives to Juno?
- The closest alternatives to Juno are Lispr, Voiskey, Wispro.
- What are the downsides of Juno?
- It runs only on Apple Silicon Macs with macOS 15 or newer, and Juno says it is built for M2 or newer Macs with at least 24 GB of RAM. The first setup downloads model files of about 3–5 GB. It is not a meeting recorder or call bot: Juno is built for active writing on the Mac and local actions.
- Is Juno free?
- Yes: Juno needs no license key, account, card or subscription, and the homepage lists its price model as free forever, with no paid tier and no usage cap. Its privacy docs word it as free during the current period, with no trial timer or usage meter.
- Does Juno work offline?
- Yes, after the one-time local model download: everyday dictation and writing then run on your Mac, and normal use needs the network only for model downloads and updates. Juno says audio, transcripts, corrections and local memory are not sent to a server or used for training.
- What Mac do I need for Juno?
- A Mac with Apple Silicon on macOS 15 or newer, with Microphone and Accessibility permissions granted during First Launch. Juno says it is built for M2 or newer Macs on macOS 15 Sequoia or newer with at least 24 GB of RAM.
- Is Juno always listening?
- No: you start each session with the shortcut, and saying 'Hey Juno' after starting a session turns your words into an action, such as a note, reminder or alarm, instead of inserted text.
- Who makes Juno?
- Juno is by Jaski and Paresh, through Cassini Research, which publishes its release notes and build updates. The app is fully open source and needs no account or sign-in.