Granola alternative: AI Notetaker
Granola also skips the meeting bot by listening on your computer, and it is a good product. AI Notetaker takes the same botless approach and adds open source code, your own AI keys and a Linux app.
Granola has a very clean note-taking experience that blends what you type with the transcript.
| Topic | Granola | AI Notetaker |
|---|---|---|
| How it records | Listens to your computer's audio. No bot joins. | Records on your own device from your microphone and the meeting audio. Nothing joins the call. |
| Where the recording lives | Notes are processed and stored through Granola's service. | The audio is saved on your device first. Only the providers you choose receive it, using your own keys. |
| Who runs the AI | Granola. | Your own provider keys, billed to you by those providers directly. |
| Pricing model | Per-seat plans with a free tier. See Granola's pricing page. | Free with your own keys. Optional cloud sync is Pro at $12 a month; team sync is Team at $39 a month. |
| Source code | Closed source. | Open source under the MIT license. |
| Platforms | Check Granola's site for the current list of supported systems. | macOS, Windows and Linux desktop app, plus an optional Chrome extension for browser tabs. |
Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Products change, so check Granola's pricing page for current plans. Names belong to their owners; AI Notetaker is not affiliated with Granola.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Granola if
You want a polished hosted notes app where the vendor runs the AI and you do not want to manage provider keys.
Pick AI Notetaker if
You want to inspect the code, choose and pay your AI providers directly, run on Linux as well as macOS and Windows, or keep the audio on your device.
More comparisons: Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai, Fathom