Things people ask about VoiceMerge
Short answers. If yours isn't here, write to [email protected].
Does anything leave my computer?
Not unless you choose it. Speech-to-text is always local. Cleanup is local by default. If you add your own API key or buy credits, the text of a request goes to that provider. Never the audio, never the screen context.
Do I need an account?
No. The apps work without one. An account (Sign in with Apple) is only needed to buy and use VoiceMerge credits.
Is VoiceMerge free?
Yes. The Mac and iPhone apps are free with on-device speech-to-text and cleanup, and there is no trial or feature gate. Credits are optional and pay for Claude through our service per request.
Do I need Ollama on the Mac?
Only for free cleanup on the Mac. Ollama is a free app that runs a small language model locally; Settings shows the two commands to install it and pull the model. Without it, dictation still works and you get the raw transcript, or you can use your own API key or credits.
How good is the on-device cleanup?
Good for ordinary dictation: fillers, punctuation, sentence fixes, matching tone. It is a small model, so long Distill briefs and meeting summaries are where Claude is noticeably better. The app shows which path ran on every dictation.
Which languages does it understand?
Parakeet handles English and 24 other European languages. Whisper covers around 99 languages. Cleanup follows the language you spoke.
Which Macs and iPhones does it run on?
Mac: macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon (M1 or later). iPhone and iPad: iOS 18 or later. On-device cleanup on iPhone needs a device that supports Apple Intelligence.
Why credits instead of a subscription?
Most people never need the cloud tier, and those who do use it unevenly. Credits mean a $10 pack lasts months for light use, and the ledger shows exactly where it went. Auto-refill is there if you'd rather not think about it.
What does a request cost?
Cleaning up a dictation costs a fraction of a cent on Claude Haiku. Editing, Distill and meeting summaries run on Claude Sonnet and cost from under a cent to a few cents. Each request's cost is on the ledger.
What happens to my old dictations?
They stay in a history database on your device. Search it, re-clean an entry, copy the raw words, delete one or all. Turn history off and nothing is kept. History is never synced or uploaded.
Why does the iPhone keyboard ask for Full Access?
Typing works without it. Dictation needs Full Access so the keyboard can read the text VoiceMerge left for it in the shared app container. Keyboard extensions can't use the microphone, which is why Dictate opens the app. The keyboard has no network code.
Can it hear the other side of a call in a meeting?
On the Mac, yes, on macOS 14.2 or later: it captures what the Mac plays through a system audio tap, and macOS asks once for System Audio Recording. On iPhone, meetings are microphone only.
Where do meeting notes go?
A Markdown file in ~/Documents/VoiceMerge Meetings on the Mac, with speakers told apart and a summary. It is a plain file you own; nothing is uploaded.
Is it open source?
Not at the moment. The Mac app is a signed, notarized download from this site, and everything it does with your speech happens on your device unless you turn on a cloud provider. The credit service is the part we run so you don't have to manage keys.
How do I delete my account?
In the app: Settings → Account & credits → Delete account. It removes the account and the ledger. Unused credits are forfeited, so spend them or ask for a refund first. You can also write to [email protected].
How do I update the Mac app?
Download the current disk image from the download page and replace the app in Applications. Settings, dictionary and history stay. Automatic updates are on the roadmap.