Download Hydra

Your iMessage, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Instagram messages in one local hub on your Mac. Nothing leaves the machine.

macOS · Apple Silicon (M1 or later) · v0.1.1 · private beta

Hydra for Mac
The desktop app contains the local SQLite hub, sync engine, and MCP server. Start here.
↓ Download .dmg
~28 MB
Browser extension
Reads LinkedIn & Instagram through your own browser session. Load unpacked in Chrome.
↓ Download .zip
~124 KB · unzip → Load unpacked
Supporter license

Hydra Pro

The local app stays free. Pro pays for official signed builds, managed adapter fixes, and one year of updates.

Buy Pro · $99Renew · $49

Setup takes about 5 minutes

  1. 1
    Install the app
    Open the .dmg, drag Hydra into your Applications folder, then eject the disk image. Launch it from Applications. The app is signed and notarized, so macOS should open it normally.
  2. 2
    Turn on iMessage (optional)
    To read iMessage, Hydra needs Full Disk Access. It'll walk you through it: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access → enable Hydra, then relaunch. Everything else works without this.
  3. 3
    Install the browser extension
    Unzip the extension somewhere permanent (e.g. ~/Applications/hydra-extension). In Chrome open chrome://extensions, turn on Developer mode (top-right), click Load unpacked, and choose that folder. Keep the folder in place because Chrome loses the extension when you move it.
  4. 4
    Connect your accounts
    Open Hydra → Connections. Link WhatsApp by scanning a QR with your phone. For LinkedIn / Instagram, open the site in Chrome and click Connect in the Hydra popup. Messages start flowing into your local inbox.
Local-first, by design

Your conversations and session tokens stay on your Mac. Hydra has no cloud inbox or account, and it uploads no message data.

Something broke? Text me.