StenoteThe best AI note takers that don’t join your meetings.
Six tools that record from your own device instead of sending a bot into the call, and what each one is best at. We make one of them, so we have checked every claim against the vendors’ own pages.
The best bot-free AI note taker depends on what you need. Granola suits quick notes at a low price, Fathom has the best free plan, Jamie keeps data in Europe, Notion AI Meeting Notes suits people who already work in Notion, tl;dv suits teams that also want video, and Stenote suits people who want to keep the audio and also record in person or upload files.
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Bot-free note takers at a glance
Listed alphabetically, not ranked. “Bot-free” here means the tool can record from your own device without a bot joining the call.
| Tool | Best for | How it records | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fathom | A free plan with unlimited recordings | Bot or bot-free. Bot-free is a beta feature for Mac. | Free plan. Premium $16 a month billed yearly. |
| Granola | Quick notes from calls you are on, at a low price | Device audio on Mac and Windows. No audio is kept. | Free Basic plan. Business $14 per user a month. |
| Jamie | Keeping data inside Europe | Runs on your device, with no bot. Windows, Mac, iPhone and web. | Free plan. See its site for paid prices. |
| Notion AI Meeting Notes | People who already live in Notion | The Notion desktop app captures system audio and your mic. | Business and Enterprise plans. |
| Stenote | Keeping the audio, interviews, any device | Device audio on Mac and Windows, plus phones. No bot mode at all. | First hour free. $19.99 a month or $179 a year. |
| tl;dv | Teams that also want video | Desktop audio-only mode with no bot. Bot mode adds video. | Free plan. Pro from €18 per seat a month billed yearly. |
Sources: vendor pages for Fathom, Granola, Jamie, Notion and tl;dv, checked 20 October 2026. Prices and features change, so check each vendor’s own page.
The tools in more detail
- Fathom: best free planIts free plan lists unlimited recordings and transcripts with instant summaries. You can choose a bot or bot-free capture, but its pricing page marks bot-free as a beta feature for Mac. Pick it if cost matters most. Look elsewhere if you need bot-free on Windows today.
- Granola: best for quick, cheap notesGranola records device audio on Mac and Windows with no bot, and has a free Basic plan with 30 days of history. Its docs say it does not keep audio or import audio files. Pick it for notes from live calls at a low price. Look elsewhere if you need the recording afterwards.
- Jamie: best for European dataJamie runs on your device with no bot, and says storage and processing stay within the EEA, Switzerland and the UK, and that your data is never used to train models. It lists Windows, Mac, iOS and web, and does not mention Android. Pick it if where your data lives matters.
- Notion AI Meeting Notes: best if you live in NotionThe Notion desktop app captures system audio and your microphone with no bot, and the notes land in Notion. It needs a Business or Enterprise plan and has a daily usage limit. Pick it if your team already works in Notion. Look elsewhere if you do not.
- Stenote: best for keeping the audioStenote never uses a bot, keeps the recording so every note links to the moment, records in person on your phone, and transcribes files you upload. It costs more than Granola and Fathom’s free plan. Pick it for client work, interviews or anything you may need to check later.
- tl;dv: best if you also want videotl;dv’s desktop app has an audio-only mode with no bot, and its bot mode adds video on Zoom and Teams. It says the audio-only mode has no video and that speaker attribution is less reliable in larger calls. Pick it if your team wants video recordings as well as notes.
How we chose, and what we left out
We included tools that can record without a bot using only their own apps, and where the vendor says so on its own pages. Otter, Fireflies and similar tools are built around a bot that joins the call. Some offer a bot-free route, such as a browser extension, but it is not their main way of working, so we have covered them separately in our Otter and Fireflies comparisons.
We make Stenote, so treat our own entry with the same scepticism you would any vendor’s. Every claim about the other tools comes from their public pages, dated above. If we have something wrong, please tell us.
What to look for when you choose
- Does it keep the audio?Some tools keep only the transcript. Without the recording you cannot verify a quote or replay a moment.
- Can it record where you actually work?In a room, on the phone and on your operating system, not just in one meeting app.
- How does it name speakers?This is the hardest part for every tool. Check it on a real group call, and check the names on anything important.
- Where does your audio go?Check where it is stored and whether it is used to train AI models.
- What does it cost after the free plan?Compare the paid price for the way you will use it, not just the free tier.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bot-free AI note taker?
It is a note taker that records the meeting on your own device, from your microphone and the audio your computer plays, instead of sending a bot into the call. Nothing appears in the participant list.
Is it legal to record a call without a bot?
Consent rules apply to recording however it is done, and they vary by country and state. Tell people you are recording. This is not legal advice.
Which bot-free note takers work on Windows?
Stenote, Granola and Notion’s desktop app all run on Windows, and Jamie lists Windows too. Fathom’s bot-free mode is described as a Mac beta. Check each vendor for the current status.
Which is the cheapest?
Fathom’s free plan lists unlimited recordings, and Granola and Jamie also have free plans. Among paid plans, Granola’s Business plan at $14 per user a month is lower than Stenote’s $19.99 a month.
Which one keeps the audio?
Stenote keeps the recording. Granola’s docs say it does not keep audio. Check the others’ pages for their current policy.
Be in the meeting.
Download Stenote and let it take the notes. No bot, no admitting anyone.
Last checked October 20, 2026. · How bot-free note takers work · Stenote vs Granola · Stenote pricing