How it scores

Usefulness
4/5

Zapier and TechRepublic both pick it for meeting notes; saves typing during calls, though user reports wrong names and inaccurate notes

Ease of use
4/5

No bot to set up; records from the device on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android (TechRepublic); still built around work calls rather than everyday phone use

Value for money
3/5

Free plan is usable but loses notes after 30 days; Business is $14 a month (granola.ai/pricing), in line with peers

Privacy and trust
3/5

Trains on de-identified data by default with a per-user opt-out and deletes audio after transcription (privacy policy, 8 Sep 2026); June 2026 account takeover bug fixed within a week

Momentum in 2026
5/5

Raised $125M at a $1.5bn valuation in March 2026 (tech.eu); launched Android in July 2026 and Briefs in May 2026

Verdict

Granola records from the device rather than sending a bot into the call, then fills in a person's rough notes from the transcript, which is why Zapier and TechRepublic both picked it in 2026. The free plan only keeps 30 days of notes, and Business costs $14 a month. It trains on de-identified data unless the user switches that off in settings, and some individual reviewers say it mangles names.

Best for

People with lots of video calls who still like to jot their own notes

Skip if

Anyone needing a full audio recording or many languages

Key facts

Made by
Granola Inc
Based in
United Kingdom
Launched
2024
Works on
iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows
In the UK
Yes
Price from
$14 a month
Free plan
Basic is free with unlimited meeting notes and AI chat, but only 30 days of meeting history and no integrations

Pricing

PlanPriceBilled
Business (per user)$14month
Enterprise (per user)$35month

source

What it does

  • writes AI meeting notes from device audio without a bot joining the call
  • tags speakers and applies custom note templates
  • answers questions across past meetings in an AI chat
  • drafts follow-up emails and pre-meeting briefs
  • shares notes in folders and sends them to Slack, Notion and HubSpot
  • runs on Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android and Apple Watch

Ratings

What people say

Heavy users on X say it has become how they run their week, especially with its Claude connector. user reviews complaints focus on mangled names, limited language support and the move to lock notes behind encryption and the paid API. Store ratings are very high (4.9 on both) but from only 2,000 to 3,000 ratings.

“Granola, for meeting notes I never have to clean up”

Post on X, 26 January 2026 · source

“I've taken every meeting in Granola since January. It's become the core part of how I run my week.”

Post on X, 14 September 2026 · source

“It keeps messing up names and sometimes the notes are just inaccurate which makes it risky to rely on for actual work.”

Individual user review, 9 April 2026 · source

“Granola is $14 per user per month and only supports a few languages. Norwegian was not one one of them.”

Individual user review, 2 May 2026 · source

Press reviews

  • Zapier 2026-04-06

    'The AI note taker that everyone's talking about'; best for combining human and AI notes, with no video recording and a free plan limited to 30 days of history.

  • TechRepublic 2026-09-28

    Best for bot-free meeting capture; works across Zoom, Meet, Teams and in-person meetings, and deletes audio after transcribing.

Privacy

Trains on your data
Yes by default on individual accounts, using de-identified data; Granola says third parties such as OpenAI and Anthropic may not train on users' personal data. Enterprise workspaces are opted out by default
Opt-out
Yes, a per-user switch in Granola account settings ('Opt out of model training any time')
Retention
Audio is not kept after transcription; notes kept while the account is active; de-identified data may be kept indefinitely
Incidents
June 2026: Strix found a one-click account takeover bug in the desktop app; Granola fixed it within days (24 to 29 June) and found no evidence of exploitation. No regulatory actions found in searches of HN, user reviews and news.
Age limit
Does not knowingly collect data from under-16s. No age check.

Official videos

FAQ

Is Granola free?

Yes. The Basic plan has unlimited meeting notes but only shows the last 30 days of history. Business costs $14 a month.

Does Granola join my calls as a bot?

No. It listens through the computer or phone's audio, so other people in the call do not see a bot. That still means asking them for consent to record.

Does Granola keep recordings?

Its privacy policy says it does not store the audio once the transcript is made. Notes and transcripts stay in the account.

Does Granola train AI on my notes?

It trains on de-identified data unless the user turns this off in account settings. Enterprise workspaces are opted out by default.

Does Granola work on Android?

Yes, since July 2026. It is also on iPhone, Mac and Windows.

Scores are based on published evidence, not lab tests. How we score.