An open-source Siri alternative that actually controls your Mac
Cursor Voice is free, open-source voice control for your Mac. Press a hotkey, talk in plain language, and it reads your screen, clicks and types for you, and answers back — powered by the OpenAI Realtime API. It's the missing middle between Siri, Apple's Voice Control, and ChatGPT's voice mode.
Cursor Voice vs. Siri vs. Voice Control vs. ChatGPT
Each existing option does part of the job. Siri is limited and can't see your screen. Apple's Voice Control can click things but only understands fixed commands. ChatGPT can see and talk but can't touch your Mac. Cursor Voice combines all three — and it's open source.
| Capability | Cursor Voice | Apple Siri | Apple Voice Control | ChatGPT voice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Understands natural intent (AI) | ✓ | Limited | ✗ fixed commands | ✓ |
| Sees & reasons about your screen | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Clicks, types & drives any app | ✓ | A few intents | ✓command-based | ✗ can't act |
| Runs AppleScript & shell | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Talks back conversationally | ✓ | Limited | ✗ | ✓ |
| Open source (MIT) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Price | Free + your OpenAI key | Free | Free | $20/mo (Plus) |
Comparison reflects general, publicly documented capabilities as of June 2026. Apple and OpenAI products change frequently — check their current docs. Cursor Voice is not affiliated with or endorsed by Apple or OpenAI.
Why people choose it as a Siri alternative
It sees, then acts
Most assistants answer questions. Cursor Voice looks at what's on screen and does the task — clicks the button, fills the form, opens the file.
Reliable targeting
It clicks native controls through the Accessibility tree (not fragile pixel-guessing), with OCR as a fallback — so voice control of your Mac actually works.
Yours to inspect
Open source under MIT and runs on your own API key — no hosted backend, no lock-in, nothing billed by the project.
Honest about who it's for
Cursor Voice is an early beta, Apple Silicon + macOS 14 only, and ad-hoc signed (Gatekeeper will prompt on first launch). It's a great fit if you're comfortable bringing an OpenAI API key and want real, scriptable voice control of your Mac. If you want a zero-setup, fully built-in assistant, Apple's Siri and Voice Control are already on your Mac — Cursor Voice is for when those aren't enough.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cursor Voice a free Siri alternative?
- Yes — free and open source (MIT). You bring your own OpenAI API key and pay OpenAI directly for usage; the project bills you nothing.
- Can it actually control my Mac by voice?
- Yes. It clicks controls by name via the Accessibility tree, types, scrolls, and runs AppleScript/shell, with on-screen OCR as a fallback.
- How is it different from Apple's Voice Control?
- Voice Control is a fixed command grammar. Cursor Voice uses an AI model that understands natural intent and reasons about your screen, instead of requiring exact phrases.
- How is it different from ChatGPT's voice mode?
- ChatGPT can see and talk but can't drive your Mac. Cursor Voice clicks, types, and runs tasks in addition to seeing and talking.
- Is my screen data private?
- Audio and screenshots stream to OpenAI's Realtime API only while the orb is active, on your own key. Nothing leaves your Mac when it's dismissed, and memory is stored locally.