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FromScratch vs Handy

Side-by-side comparison for macOS

FromScratch

7.0
Productivity

Autosaving Scratchpad. A simple but smart note-taking app

Handy

8.0
Productivity

Speech to text application

Metric FromScratch Handy
Category Productivity Productivity
AI Score 7.0 8.0
30-day Installs 2 1.4K
90-day Installs 7 4.2K
365-day Installs 37 5.2K
Version 1.4.3 0.8.3
Auto-updates No Yes
Deprecated Yes No
GitHub Stars 728 17.3K
GitHub Forks 67 1.3K
Open Issues 56 99
License MIT MIT
Language JavaScript Rust
Last GitHub Commit 3y ago 1mo ago
First Seen May 12, 2016 Sep 28, 2025

Reviews

FromScratch

FromScratch is a sleek, autosaving note-taking app designed for quick and reliable scratchpad use. Its simplicity and smart features make it ideal for developers and anyone needing a lightweight, distraction-free writing tool.

Provides an autosaving scratchpad for quick note-taking without manual saves.

Pros

  • + Automatic saving prevents data loss, ensuring notes are always preserved.
  • + Lightweight and distraction-free interface enhances productivity.
  • + Open-source with a supportive GitHub presence.

Cons

  • - No auto-update feature may lead to outdated installations.
  • - Low installation count suggests limited adoption.

Handy

Handy is a free, open-source speech-to-text application that works offline, making it ideal for content creators, professionals, and anyone needing real-time transcription. It offers extensibility and offline functionality, standing out in its category.

Converts spoken words into text in real-time, offline.

Pros

  • + Works completely offline, ensuring privacy and reliability.
  • + Open-source and extensible, allowing for customization.
  • + Supports multiple platforms, including macOS, Linux, and Windows.

Cons

  • - Keyboard shortcut functionality is buggy in some environments.
  • - Certain Whisper models cause crashes, limiting functionality.