AI Buddy
AI Buddy is a free, menu-bar macOS utility for quick screenshots and real-time speech-to-text dictation, letting users capture regions, windows, or full screen and paste images or transcribed text from the clipboard with a single keystroke.
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Quick Overview
Best for: Productivity
What it does
Productivity software for decision-makers comparing workflow fit and alternatives.
Best fit
Productivity
Pricing snapshot
Free from $0
Next step
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AI Buddy
AI Buddy is a tiny, native macOS menu-bar app that provides quick screenshot capture and live dictation. With a single global hotkey you can capture any region, a window, or the full screen; every capture is copied straight to the clipboard for immediate pasting. It also supports speech-to-text dictation transcribed by the Gemini 3.5 Flash model, and is distributed as a free, universal build for Intel and Apple Silicon Macs with no sign-up required.
I created this tool because I honestly didn't want to pay a monthly subscription fee for other apps, and I also needed it to be a bit more reliable and wanted to be able to take screenshots in a particular way that's useful for working with Claude Code.
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Claim this listing for $29Key Features
Menu-bar, one-keystroke access
Lives in the macOS menu bar and is triggered with a global hotkey so it doesn't steal focus from other apps.
Capture any area
Drag to select a region and capture exactly what you need (region, window, or full screen).
Straight to clipboard
Every capture lands on the clipboard instantly, ready to paste into any app.
Save or share
Save captures as PNGs or drag them directly into other applications.
Global hotkeys
Trigger captures from anywhere on your Mac with configurable shortcuts.
Dictate to text (AI)
Live speech-to-text transcription powered by the Gemini 3.5 Flash model.
Pricing
Free forever — no trial, no credit card, no catch.
Free
$0- Free forever
- No sign-up, no trial, no credit card
- Universal macOS build (Intel & Apple Silicon)
Use Cases
Quick screenshots for documentation
Capture regions, windows, or full screen and paste images directly into documents, messages, or bug reports.
Live dictation and note-taking
Speak any text and have it transcribed in real time for quick notes, messages, or content entry.
Fast sharing and drag-and-drop
Instant clipboard placement and drag-to-app enable rapid sharing of visual information across apps.
Integrations
Gemini 3.5 Flash model
Used for on-the-fly speech-to-text transcription for the dictation feature.
macOS clipboard & drag-and-drop
Works with the system clipboard and macOS drag-and-drop to paste or move captures into other apps.
Benefits
Limitations
Frequently Asked Questions
No verified FAQs are available.
Getting Started
- 1 Download and install the AI Buddy macOS app (universal build for Intel & Apple Silicon).
- 2 Invoke AI Buddy from the menu bar or press the configured global hotkey.
- 3 Choose to drag-select a region, pick a window, or start dictating speech.
- 4 Paste the captured image or transcribed text from your clipboard into any app.
Support
Contact via the listed email address: [email protected].
website
Privacy Policy and cookie controls are available on the product page (site footer).
API
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