Granola made bot-free notetaking mainstream — and it is a good app. But "no bot" is not the same as "private": your meetings are processed in the cloud, and staying means paying every month.
| Granola | TinyScribe | |
|---|---|---|
| Bot joins your call | No bot | None — never joins your call |
| Processing | cloud AI models | Transcription on-device, summaries via Apple Private Cloud Compute |
| Account required | required | None |
| Training on your data | opt-out | None |
| Price | $14/mo (25 meetings free) | $49.99 one-time (Free for 30 meetings) |
| Cost over 3 years | $504 | $49.99 |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, iOS | macOS 27+, Apple silicon |
Prices checked August 2026.
Transcription happens on your Mac using Apple's SpeechAnalyzer — fully on-device, fully offline. Summaries are the one thing that leaves your Mac: they go through Apple's Private Cloud Compute, where Apple states nothing is stored and nothing is used for training.
There is no bot. TinyScribe only captures what happens on your own Mac — no meeting invite, no third party joining your call to listen in.
TinyScribe is a one-time purchase, not a subscription: $49.99 once, free for the first 30 meetings, no recurring bill.
When Granola is the better choice: you work across Windows or iOS, you want team features, or you rely on its editor-first workflow. TinyScribe is Mac-only and built for your own notes, not your team's.
See how TinyScribe stacks up against other Granola alternatives: Best Granola alternatives for Mac