Where audio is processed
Granola captures audio on-device, then streams it to cloud transcription services and uses cloud AI for enhanced notes.
Sourced review · Verified August 24, 2026
Granola review
Granola review
botless notes and privacy
Granola suits people who want botless microphone and system-audio capture with summaries that incorporate typed notes. Capture starts on the device, but transcription and note enhancement run in the cloud, and retained audio playback is unavailable.
WhisperJot is our product. Facts about Granola come from Granola, Inc.'s public pages and were last verified on the date shown.
This is a review of published product information, not a hands-on test or an independent security audit.
Best for: Botless calls with typed-note summaries
Strengths
What it does well
Botless capture records microphone and system audio, allowing remote participants to be included without adding a meeting bot to the call.
Summaries blend the transcript with notes you type, while templates, live transcript viewing, and cross-meeting chat help organize meeting material.
Basic provides unlimited meeting notes at no charge, with access to the most recent 30 days of history for ongoing review.
Limitations
Where it falls short
No offline mode is documented, since transcription and AI note enhancement depend on cloud services even though audio capture begins locally.
Audio is not retained after transcription, so there is no post-meeting playback; Basic also restricts accessible history to the last 30 days.
Speaker labels depend on setup and often distinguish only Me and Them; users manually start capture without calendar auto-join or auto-record.
Data handling
Privacy check
Retention
Meeting audio is not kept after transcription, while transcripts are encrypted in US-hosted infrastructure.
Training
Granola trains on anonymized data by default for non-Enterprise users with a Settings opt-out, while its providers are barred from training on user data.
Fit
Who should pick it
Choose Granola if you want botless remote-call capture and summaries shaped by your own typed notes. It fits workflows where cloud processing and the lack of post-meeting audio playback are acceptable.
Our product
How WhisperJot compares
WhisperJot is private by default and suits notes from meetings you can hear, including interviews, lectures, and in-person conversations. Meetings uses microphone-only, on-device transcription and works offline after the local model download. It does not capture system audio or the remote side of calls, and does not write summaries or action items. Audio stays on your machine. WhisperJot Local ($5/month) and WhisperJot Pro ($99/year) both include system-wide dictation on Mac, Windows, and beta Linux, with no per-minute or storage caps and a six-hour cap per meeting. There is no free tier.
Questions
Granola FAQ
Is Granola private?
Granola captures audio locally but streams it for cloud transcription and enhances notes in the cloud. Audio is discarded after transcription; encrypted transcripts remain in US-hosted infrastructure. Non-Enterprise users contribute anonymized data to Granola's training by default with a Settings opt-out, while providers cannot train on user data. Review Granola's privacy policy alongside that account setting.
Is Granola really botless?
Yes. Granola captures microphone and system audio directly through its desktop or mobile app, so it does not add a participant to the call. The user starts recording manually; Granola does not auto-join or auto-record. Its capture is local, but transcription and AI enhancement run through cloud providers.
Is Granola free?
Granola Basic is free and permits unlimited meeting notes, but you can access only the most recent 30 days of history. Older notes remain stored and return when you upgrade. WhisperJot has no free tier; its $99 annual plan includes uncapped meeting-note storage and system-wide dictation.
References
Sources
Product facts last verified August 24, 2026. Sources include the vendor pages and any supporting references listed below.