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What is Granola?
Granola is a meeting notepad with one important difference from its rivals: it does not send a bot to join the call. It listens to your computer audio in the background and, when the meeting ends, combines what was said with the rough notes you typed to produce a clean, structured summary. Less intrusive and far more discreet.
Pros
- No bot in the call: nobody sees that you are taking notes
- Combines your own notes with what was said, rather than just transcribing
- Works with any video call platform
- Very clean summaries the moment the meeting ends
Cons
- The free plan keeps only 25 notes of history
- The Windows version is still in beta, behind the Mac one
- No API to plug it into other tools
What Granola is like in practice
Where it stands out
It takes meeting notes without joining as a participant or announcing itself with a bot in the room, which removes the awkwardness a visible assistant creates. It combines what you jot down with what was said, so the summary reflects what mattered to you rather than just the full transcript.
Where it falls short
Its discretion does not exempt you from disclosure: you are still recording other people's voices, and in the EU that requires their knowledge. Being unobtrusive is an experience advantage, not permission. It is also a Mac tool, so a mixed team cannot standardise on it.
How its pricing works
There is free use with a monthly meeting allowance, enough to test whether its note-taking style suits you, which is what is distinctive here. Paid plans scale per user. If your team is not all on Mac, the calculation gets complicated before you even reach the price.
Is Granola right for you?
Yes, if…
You have a lot of meetings and dislike adding a bot everyone can see: it listens to your computer audio in the background. It also combines what was said with your own notes, rather than just transcribing.
No, if…
You work on Windows — that version is still in beta — or need to connect it to your CRM: there is no API. The free plan also keeps only 25 notes of history.
Frequently asked questions
Is Granola free?
It has a free Basic plan, but limited to 25 notes of history. The Business plan costs $14/user/month billed annually and gives unlimited meetings.
Can people tell I'm using it?
No. Unlike Otter or Fireflies, it sends no bot to the meeting: it listens to your computer's audio in the background.
Does it work on Windows?
Yes, but the Windows app is still in beta and lacks some features of the Mac version, which is the original.
Where Granola appears
Rankings where we have picked this tool.
Alternatives to Granola
Otter.ai
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Fireflies.ai
4.3Record, transcribe and summarise your meetings with AI, free and unlimited.
Notion AI
4.3The AI built into Notion: agents, search and meeting notes.