StenoteAn AI note taker that doesn’t join your meetings.
Most notetakers dial a bot into your call. A bot-free one listens from your own computer instead, so nothing appears in the participant list and nobody has to admit it.
A bot-free AI note taker records the meeting on your own device, from your microphone and the audio your computer plays, then turns it into a summary, action items and a transcript. Nothing joins the call. Stenote does this on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, and works with any meeting app.
Your first hour is free. No card needed.
Three ways a notetaker can capture a meeting
How a tool captures audio decides what your guests see and what you can do afterwards.
| Approach | What guests see | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting bot | A named participant joins and has to be admitted. | Works without your computer, and can keep video. Visible to everyone, and some clients object. Otter, Fireflies and Fathom use a bot by default. |
| Browser extension | Nothing. | Reads the live captions on your screen, so it depends on the meeting app’s own captions and speaker names and only works in the browser. |
| Device audio (Stenote, Granola) | Nothing. | Works in any app and in a room. Needs a desktop or phone app. Speaker names come from the audio or the meeting app, so check them on group calls. |
Some bot-based tools also offer a desktop mode without a bot. Check each vendor’s current plans.
Why people choose a notetaker without a bot
A bot is a stranger in the room. It asks to be admitted, sits in the participant list under its own name, and records everyone from the cloud. In client calls, interviews and sensitive conversations, that changes how people talk, and some will ask you to remove it.
A notetaker that listens on your own computer is the same as taking notes yourself, only faster. It also works where a bot cannot go: a conversation across a table, a phone call on speaker, or a meeting app the bot does not support.
What to look for
Check whether it keeps the audio, or only the transcript. Without the recording you cannot verify a quote or replay a moment.
Check whether it handles in-person meetings and files you did not record live. Check how it names speakers on group calls, since that is the hardest part for every tool. Check where your audio goes and whether it is used for training. And check the price against how often you will use it.
How Stenote does it
It notices the meeting
When Zoom, Teams or Meet opens your microphone, Stenote asks if you want notes. Nothing records until you say yes.
It listens like you do
It records your microphone and your speakers, so every voice on the call is captured and nothing joins.
It writes it up
A summary, action items with owners, chapters, named speakers and a searchable transcript. Ask the recording a question and it answers with the moment quoted.
Frequently asked questions
Will other people know I am using a notetaker?
Nothing appears in the participant list, so only you will know unless you tell them. You should tell them. Many countries and US states require consent to record, and it is also the courteous thing to do. This is not legal advice.
Does a bot-free notetaker work on Zoom, Teams and Google Meet?
Yes. Because it records your computer’s audio rather than joining the call, it works with any meeting app, including calls on speaker and conversations in a room.
Does the audio stay on my device?
Recording happens on your device, but the audio is uploaded to your Stenote account so it can be transcribed and kept in your library. It is never used to train AI models, and you can delete it at any time.
What does Stenote cost?
Your first hour is free with no card. After that it is $19.99 a month or $179 a year, with everything included.
Be in the meeting.
Download Stenote and let it take the notes. No bot, no admitting anyone.
Last checked October 19, 2026. · Best bot-free note takers · Stenote vs Granola