Shetef
Local Hebrew voice dictation tool for Windows that transcribes speech to text in any app using Ctrl+Space, with no cloud upload or data retention.
100%
Local Processing
Free
Personal Use
Windows
Platform
Overview
Shetef (שטף) is a Hebrew voice dictation tool for Windows built by Israeli AI developer Aviel Sela. Press Ctrl+Space in any application — Word, WhatsApp, email, CRM, browsers — speak in Hebrew, and text appears at the cursor. All transcription runs locally on the user's device; no audio is uploaded or stored. The tool handles mixed Hebrew-English input and professional terminology, and includes a personal dictionary for names and domain-specific terms. An organizational version is available for businesses that need managed deployment and centralized term dictionaries.
The Verdict
Who Should Use Shetef?
Best For
- Hebrew speakers who want fast voice dictation without cloud exposure
- Professionals in law, accounting, or medicine dictating in Hebrew
- Organizations with strict data residency or privacy requirements
- Windows users frustrated by the lack of quality native Hebrew dictation
- Multilingual users who mix Hebrew and English mid-sentence
Not Ideal For
- Mac or mobile users — Windows 10/11 only
- Users with older hardware (requires 8 GB RAM and a recent CPU)
- Non-Hebrew languages — purpose-built for Hebrew
- Teams needing a self-service cloud dashboard or SaaS management portal
Pros & Cons
What's Great
- Fully local — no audio leaves the device, no cloud account required
- Free for personal use with no word limits
- Works in any Windows app with a text cursor (Ctrl+Space hotkey)
- Handles mixed Hebrew-English input and professional jargon
- Custom dictionary for names and domain-specific terms
- Offline after initial engine download (~1.6 GB, one-time)
Watch Out For
- Windows-only — no Mac, iOS, or Android support
- Requires 8 GB RAM and a CPU from the past five years
- 1.6 GB initial download for the transcription engine
- Enterprise pricing requires direct contact — no self-serve upgrade
- No published accuracy benchmarks against competing Hebrew STT solutions
Pricing
Personal
Free
Unlimited words, local processing, custom dictionary, works in any Windows app
Organizational
Contact
Managed deployment, centralized terminology dictionary, data containment for law firms, accounting practices, and businesses
View all features & details
Features
- Ctrl+Space hotkey — activates in any Windows app
- Local transcription engine — no internet required after install
- Mixed Hebrew-English dictation
- Personal terminology dictionary
- No audio recording or data retention
- Organizational terminology dictionary (enterprise tier)
- Managed deployment (enterprise tier)
System Requirements
- Windows 10 or Windows 11
- 8 GB RAM minimum
- ~2 GB free disk space
- CPU from the past five years
- ~1.6 GB one-time engine download on first run
Company
- Built by Aviel Sela, AI entrepreneur and developer
- Created initially for personal use; released publicly after early demand
- Based in Israel
- Contact: agentsela.com
How It Compares
| Feature | Shetef | Wispr Flow | Windows Built-in Dictation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hebrew support | Purpose-built | Limited | Not supported |
| Local processing | Yes | No | Yes |
| Mixed Hebrew-English | Yes | No | No |
| Cloud upload | None | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows only | Mac, Win, iOS, Android | Windows only |
| Pricing | Free (personal) | $15/mo | Free |
| Custom dictionary | Yes | Yes | No |
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