Potok in brief

What is Potok and how does it work?

Potok is a desktop app for voice input. You hold Ctrl+Space, speak, release, and the text appears where the cursor was: in a chat, an email, a document, a code editor. It recognizes Russian speech on its own cloud model trained for Russian. There is no separate window to open: Potok works on top of any program.

Which systems does Potok run on?

Windows 10 and 11, macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon) and Linux. There are no phone apps: Potok is made for working at a computer.

Which hotkey starts voice input?

Ctrl+Space by default. Hold, speak, release: while the keys are held, Potok listens, and afterwards it inserts the recognized text into the active field. The press-and-hold logic works equally well for short replies and long passages.

Does Potok work in Telegram and other messengers?

Yes. Potok inserts text into the active input field, so it does not matter which program it is: Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack, Discord. Put the cursor in the message line, dictate, and the text is in place. You send it yourself, as usual.

Can I dictate in Word and other documents?

Yes. Word, Google Docs in the browser, notes, email: wherever there is a text field, Potok writes straight under the cursor. There is no need to copy from a separate window.

Is Potok suitable for working in an IDE and with code?

Yes, and this is one of the scenarios it is built for. Potok understands Russian mixed with English terms, which is what most often breaks ordinary recognizers. It is convenient for dictating prompts for AI assistants in Russian without switching to the keyboard. Writing code itself by voice is inconvenient, but comments, commit messages and prompts work well.

Where does my sound go and where is it processed?

The sound goes to servers in Russia, where the model turns it into text and returns the result. Recognition is cloud-based: it is not computed on the computer itself. The audio is not sent abroad: the servers and data stay in Russia.

Do I need the internet? Does Potok work offline?

The internet is required. Recognition runs in the cloud, so you cannot dictate text without a network. There is no offline mode at the moment. In return, the cloud gives a response time of about 0.4 seconds: the servers are in Russia, so the sound does not have to travel far.

How private is it? What about 152-FZ?

The data stays in Russia, and the audio does not leave the country. For companies there is a mode that follows 152-FZ, the Russian personal data law, and installation on your own servers (on-prem), so the data does not leave your perimeter. This is the business plan.

Can Potok be installed on my own servers?

Yes, on the business plan. On-prem installation, servers in Russia, 152-FZ mode, SSO and a shared team dictionary. The price is on request and depends on the setup. For personal use this is not needed: the ordinary cloud is enough.

How much does Potok cost?

There is a free plan: 2500 words per week on one device. Pro costs 690 ₽ per month (or 499 ₽ per month when paid yearly) and removes the limit: unlimited words, a personal dictionary, snippets, priority support. The first 14 days give full access for free, no card needed. For companies, a plan on request with on-prem and 152-FZ.

What is included in the free plan?

2500 words per week on one device, with no payment and no countdown trial. For notes, emails and correspondence this is usually enough. If you hit the limit all the time, it makes sense to look at Pro.

Can I pay from Russia?

Yes. Potok is a Russian service, payment is in rubles, with no foreign cards or workarounds. This is what sets it apart from some foreign analogs such as Wispr Flow, which have no standard way to pay with a Russian card. An iOS subscription used to help, but since April 1, 2026 Apple has stopped processing App Store payments in Russia, and mobile operators have stopped topping up Apple ID balances from phone accounts: gift cards and changing the account region remain.

How is Potok different from the Win+H built into Windows?

Win+H is free and already installed in the system; that is its advantage. But in Windows 10 it does not dictate in Russian, and in Windows 11 it switches off after a few minutes for some users. Potok is built for Russian speech, works reliably and recognizes more accurately: a WER of 2.1% against a noticeably higher one for the built-in engine.

How is Potok different from Wispr Flow?

Wispr Flow is a strong tool, but it is made for English: it understands Russian, but that is not its specialty, and it sometimes loses punctuation in Russian. You cannot pay for Wispr from Russia with a card in the standard way. The former workaround, an iOS subscription, has narrowed too: since April 1, 2026 Apple does not process App Store payments in Russia, and mobile operators have stopped topping up Apple ID from phone accounts; gift cards and changing the account region remain. Potok is built around Russian speech and its own engine, runs on Russian servers, and payment is in rubles. Our free limit is higher: 2500 words per week versus 2000 for Wispr.

How is Potok different from Yandex dictation, SpeechPad and other Russian programs?

Some of them are free or long familiar, which is a fair advantage. But many (SpeechPad, Voco, Laitis) were made before today's recognition models, and Yandex dictation lives inside Yandex services. Potok works on top of any app and recognizes speech on its own modern model for Russian, hence fewer errors in names and terms.

How accurately does Potok recognize Russian speech?

On the GolosTest benchmark the recognition error rate (WER) is 2.1% versus 4.8% for foreign analogs. In practice this means fewer corrections after dictation. Its own model is trained on Russian, so names and terms get confused less often than with engines tuned for English.

Is there a big delay? How much faster is it than typing?

The response time is about 0.4 seconds (for comparison, foreign analogs are closer to 1.2). In speed, dictation runs at about 900 characters per minute versus 200 when typing, roughly four times faster. It is most noticeable on long texts.

Does Potok understand names, terms and English words mixed in?

Yes, this is its strong point. The model handles Russian speech with English terms mixed in, which is common in IT and business. Frequently used names, brands and terms can be added to the personal dictionary so they are recognized more accurately.

What are the personal dictionary and snippets?

The personal dictionary is a list of your words: surnames, project names, terms. Potok inserts them correctly instead of guessing by ear. Snippets are text templates inserted by a short voice command: for example, you dictate a keyword and a whole template is inserted. Both features are part of the Pro plan.

Can I edit text or control programs by voice?

No. Potok turns speech into text and inserts it; that is its job. There are no voice commands (“delete the last sentence”, “open the folder”) or voice editing at the moment. You correct the typed text yourself, as usual.

Do I need to sign up to start?

Yes, you need to sign up by email; the confirmation arrives automatically, with no moderation to wait for. After that you download the app and use the free plan without entering a card.

How do I download and install Potok?

You can download it from potok.now/download; it is an installer file for Windows. The app updates itself, so you do not need to keep track of versions. After installation you sign up by email and start dictating right away.

Is Potok suitable if my hands get tired or I have RSI?

Yes. When typing is physically hard, dictation takes the load off your hands: you speak instead of typing, and the text appears by itself. Potok works in any app, so you can switch to voice not only in an editor but also in correspondence, email and notes.

Who is Potok for?

For those who write a lot at a computer. Product people and managers dictate emails and notes, developers dictate prompts for AI in Russian with English terms, copywriters and journalists dictate drafts, assistants and lawyers dictate long texts. And separately, those for whom typing by hand is hard.