Handy and Hedy AI are both AI meeting assistants for recording, transcription, and summaries, compared here on pricing, features, and workflow fit. Handy: Handy is a free, open-source, cross-platform push-to-talk app that transcribes your speech to text completely offline and pastes it into any text field. Hedy AI: Real-time meeting coaching and GDPR-compliant note taking They overlap on ai-meeting-assistants, so the right pick depends on team size, budget, and which meeting workflows you automate.
For ai-meeting-assistants workflows, shortlist Handy when hands-free dictation into emails, documents, chat apps, and code editors matters most, and Hedy AI when live help during meetings matters most. Both record across Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams; trial each on real meetings before committing.
Handy is a free, open-source, cross-platform push-to-talk app that transcribes your speech to text completely offline and pastes it into any text field.
Automatically pastes transcribed text into any active application text fieldCross-platform desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux) built with TauriFully offline, on-device transcription with no cloud uploads
Handy is open source (open source); Hedy AI is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
Push-to-talk and toggle dictation modes with a configurable global keyboard shortcut
Real-time meeting suggestions
Standout feature
Fully offline, on-device transcription with no cloud uploads
Transcription and AI summaries
Team usage
Multiple local speech models including Whisper (GPU-accelerated) and Parakeet V3 (CPU, auto language detection)
Action items and notes
Integrations
Silero Voice Activity Detection to filter silence and process only speech
Mobile and desktop support
Languages & capture
Automatically pastes transcribed text into any active application text field
Multi-language support
Best-fit workflow
Cross-platform desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux) built with Tauri
Real-time meeting suggestions
Best for
Handy
Choose Handy if you need hands-free dictation into emails, documents, chat apps, and code editors — strengths include completely free, open-source (mit) with no subscription or paywall.
Hedy AI
Choose Hedy AI if you need live help during meetings — strengths include live in-meeting assistance, not just notes.
Pros & cons
Handy
+ Completely free, open-source (MIT) with no subscription or paywall
+ Runs entirely offline for strong privacy and works without internet
- Designed for single-user dictation, not multi-speaker meeting or call recording with speaker labels
Hedy AI
+ Live in-meeting assistance, not just notes
+ Works on mobile and in person
- Personal focus rather than team analytics
FAQ
Is Handy or Hedy AI better for AI meeting notes?
It depends on your workflow. Handy is strong for hands-free dictation into emails, documents, chat apps, and code editors, while Hedy AI is strong for live help during meetings. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
How do Handy and Hedy AI compare on price?
Handy is open source and Hedy AI is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Can I use both Handy and Hedy AI?
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary and the budget is justified.