Kudu vs Kivi

Hold a key and talk.
Keep it on your Mac.

Kivi, from Sarvam AI, is a new dictation app for the Mac built around Indian languages. Kudu works the same way, hold a key and speak, and runs entirely on your computer.

KuduKivi
Where your voice is processedOn your computer. Audio never leaves it.Not stated; its privacy page says information is processed and stored in India
Works offlineYes, after a one-time model downloadNot stated
AccountNoneRequired
PriceFreeFree during alpha
Source codeOpen source (MIT)Closed
Learns your wordsYes, from your corrections, on-deviceYes: remembers corrected names, slang and jargon
Style per appYes: formal, casual or very casual for each kind of appYes: personas with plain-language instructions
Rewrite selected text by voiceYes: select text and say what to changeYes, with fn + Control
PlatformsmacOS (Apple Silicon); Windows and Linux in betaMac (macOS 14 or later); Windows waitlist
LanguagesEnglish22+ Indian languages, including Hindi and English mixed

Where Kivi is stronger

  • Indian languages

    Kivi handles 22+ Indian languages and switching between Hindi and English mid-sentence. Kudu is English-only for now.

  • Personas in your own words

    Kivi lets you describe each app’s tone in plain language. Kudu offers a fixed set of styles per kind of app.

Where Kudu is different

  • Runs on your computer

    Speech recognition and formatting happen on your machine. Nothing is uploaded, wherever you are.

  • No account

    No sign-up and nothing to log into. Your dictionary and history are files on your disk.

  • Windows and Linux today

    Kudu ships for Windows and Linux now, in beta, alongside the Mac app.

  • Open source and free

    MIT licensed, with nothing to unlock. Read the code or build it yourself.

Sources, checked October 2026

Kivi is a trademark of its owner; Kudu isn’t affiliated with it. Details about Kivi come only from its public website and may have changed since. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.

Try Kudu. It’s free.

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