Looking to replace Read.ai? Here's TinyScribe — a private, one-time-purchase notetaker for Mac — plus a few other options worth knowing about.
TinyScribe transcribes on-device with Apple's SpeechAnalyzer and summarizes through Apple's Private Cloud Compute — no bot joins your call, no account, no subscription. It's a one-time purchase: $49.99, free for your first 30 meetings.
| Read.ai | TinyScribe | |
|---|---|---|
| Bot joins your call | Joins your call | None — never joins your call |
| Processing | Cloud processing, bot-based | Transcription on-device, summaries via Apple Private Cloud Compute |
| Account required | required | None |
| Training on your data | default | None |
| Price | subscription (limited free tier free) | $49.99 one-time (Free for 30 meetings) |
| Cost over 3 years | subscription | $49.99 |
| Platforms | Web | macOS 27+, Apple silicon |
Prices checked August 2026.
When Granola is the better choice: you work across Windows or iOS, you want team features, or you rely on its editor-first workflow.
Compare with TinyScribeWhen Otter is the better choice: you need Android support, you collaborate across a team that already lives in Otter, or you record meetings you don't personally attend.
Compare with TinyScribeWhen Fireflies is the better choice: your team needs a bot that joins Zoom, Meet, and Teams equally, or you need CRM/Slack integrations TinyScribe doesn't offer.
Compare with TinyScribeWhen Read.ai is the better choice: you want meeting analytics across a team that has already opted in, and everyone on the call is fine with a bot attending. TinyScribe only records what happens on your own Mac and never emails anyone who wasn't already using it.