Compare
Stillnote vs Granola
Yes, Stillnote is a strong alternative to Granola for Mac users who want their meeting data to stay on their own machine. Both are Mac note-takers that capture the meeting without sending a bot to join the call, which is a real advantage over cloud-bot tools. The difference between them is where the processing happens: Stillnote runs entirely on your Mac, so your meeting audio and transcripts never leave your device, are never sent to a Stillnote server, and are never used to train a model.
If you like the bot-free experience but want the strongest privacy posture, the question to ask is whether your audio and transcript stay on your device or get processed elsewhere. Stillnote is built so that they stay local. As with any AI tool, review the generated summary before relying on it.
How Stillnote and Granola differ
The honest, category-level difference is architecture. Stillnote does its work on your Mac. Tools in the cloud-based note-taker category process your meeting in their cloud, and many of them send a bot to join the call. Here is the contrast, point by point.
| Stillnote | Granola (category: cloud-based note-takers) | |
|---|---|---|
| Bot joins the call? | No bot. Stillnote listens through your Mac's audio. | No bot in this category either, it captures from the device. |
| Where transcription and summarization run | On your Mac. Both transcription and summarization happen locally. | Varies by tool. Cloud-based note-takers process the meeting on their servers. |
| Does your audio leave your device? | No. Meeting audio and transcripts never leave your Mac or reach a Stillnote server. | Depends on the tool's architecture; cloud processing means the meeting is uploaded. |
| Used to train a model? | No. Your conversation is never used to train a model. | Check the specific provider's data policy. |
| Works with Zoom, Meet, Teams | Yes, plus Slack huddles, Webex, calls on speaker, and in-person meetings. | Yes, Mac note-takers in this category support common meeting apps. |
| Platform and pricing | Native macOS app today (Apple Silicon). Free for 5 notes a month, Plus $8, Pro $13. | Mac app with its own plans (see Granola for current pricing). |
The on-device and no-bot difference
Stillnote records, transcribes, and summarizes your meeting locally on your Mac. Your meeting audio and transcripts never leave your device, are never sent to a Stillnote server, and are never used to train a model. There is no separate participant in the call: nobody has to admit a recorder, and other attendees do not get a recording-started notice triggered by a guest bot.
Stillnote takes notes by listening through your own computer's audio, so it works the same way across Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack huddles, Webex, calls on speaker, and in-person conversations. If your Mac can hear it, Stillnote can take notes on it. Stillnote is a native macOS app today (Apple Silicon). As with any AI tool, review the generated summary before relying on it.
Stillnote vs Granola: common questions
Is Stillnote a good alternative to Granola?
Stillnote is a good alternative to Granola for Mac users who want their meeting data to stay on their own device. Both skip the meeting bot, but Stillnote processes everything locally on your Mac, so your meeting audio and transcripts never leave your device. You get summaries, decisions, and action items, generated on-device.
How is Stillnote different from Granola?
Both are bot-free Mac note-takers, so the meaningful difference is architecture. Stillnote does recording, transcription, and summarization entirely on your Mac, so your meeting audio and transcripts never leave the device and are never used to train a model. The key question for any note-taker is whether your data stays local, and Stillnote is built so that it does.
Do Stillnote and Granola both avoid a meeting bot?
Yes. Neither relies on a bot that joins your call as a visible participant; both capture the meeting from your Mac. That means no extra guest in the attendee list and nobody has to admit a recorder. Whichever tool you use, obtaining any recording consent participants require is your responsibility. Stillnote adds the on-device guarantee that the audio and transcript stay on your machine.
Does Stillnote keep my meetings private?
Stillnote keeps your meeting audio and transcripts on your Mac. Recording, transcription, and summarization run locally, so your conversation never reaches a Stillnote server and is never used to train a model. That on-device architecture, rather than any compliance certificate, is what keeps your meetings private.
Is Stillnote free, and is it Mac only?
Stillnote is free for 5 enhanced notes a month with no credit card required, with Plus at $8 and Pro at $13 a month. It is a native macOS app today (Apple Silicon).
Compare Stillnote with other tools
Looking at the privacy-first, on-device category more broadly? See the other side-by-side comparisons, or read how Stillnote works.
This comparison describes Granola at the category level (cloud-based note-takers that process meetings in the cloud, often by sending a bot to join the call) and does not assert specifics about its internal implementation. Product details for both tools can change. Stillnote is made by LeapVision Technologies Inc.