Granola Review
I've been testing Granola for the past three months, and it's become my default meeting notes tool. Unlike Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai, Granola uses bot-free recording with system audio-no awkward meeting bot joining your calls. With GPT-4 transcription, 29+ customizable templates, and a new iOS mobile app, Granola delivers exceptional transcription accuracy (4.9/5 on G2) without disrupting conversations. The Business plan at $14/month unlocks unlimited meeting history, advanced AI thinking models, and integrations with Slack, Notion, HubSpot, Attio, and Zapier. Users report saving 5 hours/week on manual note-taking and data entry. If you're tired of meeting bots disrupting your calls or want privacy-focused local audio processing, Granola is the most professional solution available in 2025.
Quick Intel
Free tier available. No credit card required.
Pricing Breakdown
Granola offers a generous free tier for individual users trying the product, with the Business plan at $14/month unlocking unlimited meeting history, advanced AI models, and CRM integrations. The Enterprise plan at $35/month adds SSO, admin controls, and priority support for organizations with strict security requirements. At $14/month, Granola's Business plan is competitively priced compared to Otter.ai (~$16.99/mo) and Fireflies.ai (~$10/mo). The bot-free approach is a unique differentiator for professionals who find meeting bots disruptive. The free tier is genuinely useful, though the limited meeting history pushes most active users to upgrade. For teams integrating with CRMs like HubSpot or Attio, the Business plan pays for itself quickly-users report saving 5 hours/week on manual note-taking and data entry.
- AI meeting notes
- Limited meeting history
- AI chat within and across meetings
- Shared folders for collaboration
- Customized note templates
- Multi-language support
- Option to opt out of model training
- All Basic features
- Unlimited meeting notes and history
- Access to advanced AI thinking models
- Advanced integrations: Attio, Notion, Slack, HubSpot, Affinity, Zapier
- Centralized billing & user management
- Shared team folders
- Chat with folders feature
- All Business features
- Enterprise-grade security & admin controls
- Single sign-on (SSO)
- Priority support and usage analytics
- Org-wide auto-deletion periods
- Admin controls for meeting link sharing
- Opt out of model training for entire team
Granola AI Meeting Notes Time Savings Calculator
- 90% note-taking time reduction based on G2 user reviews
- Assumes 15 meetings per week averaging 15 minutes of note-taking each
- ROI based on $14/month Business plan
Feature Analysis
Granola's bot-free approach sets it apart from Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai. Here's how each feature performs in real meeting workflows.
GPT-4 Transcription Engine
Exceptional accuracy with GPT-4 and advanced AI thinking models that deliver professional-grade transcripts and summaries. Users consistently praise the quality in G2 reviews (4 mentions).
Bot-Free Recording
Uses system audio instead of joining as a meeting bot, preserving meeting professionalism and avoiding participant fatigue. This is Granola's killer feature-no more "Who's Fireflies Notetaker?" disruptions.
Simultaneous Note-Taking
Take your own notes while AI transcribes-combine personal annotations with automated documentation for the best of both worlds. Feels more natural than passive transcription-only tools.
29+ Customizable Templates
Pre-built templates for sales calls, product reviews, 1-on-1s, customer interviews, and more. Customize any template to match your workflow-better template variety than Otter.ai's limited options.
Chat with Folders
Ask AI questions across an entire folder of meeting notes to surface insights, action items, or recurring themes. Game-changer for consultants managing multiple clients.
CRM Integrations
Push meeting summaries and action items to HubSpot, Attio, and Affinity automatically. Also connects with Slack, Notion, and Zapier (8,000+ apps). Business plan required.
iOS Mobile App
New in 2025: record meetings on-the-go and transcribe phone calls with the iOS app. Android app not yet available-marks down the score.
Multi-Language Support
Transcribe meetings in multiple languages, though currently more limited than Fireflies.ai (69+ languages). Good for English-primary teams, less ideal for global operations.
The Honest Truth
- Exceptional Transcription Accuracy - GPT-4 and advanced AI thinking models deliver professional-grade transcripts and summaries. Users consistently praise the quality in G2 reviews (4 mentions).
- Bot-Free Recording - Uses system audio instead of joining as a meeting bot, preserving professionalism and avoiding participant fatigue or privacy concerns.
- Easiest Daily Note-Taking - Users report this is the <em>easiest tool for daily note-taking</em> (3 G2 mentions)-the interface is intuitive and enhances focus during meetings.
- 29+ Customizable Templates - Pre-built templates for sales, product, HR, and consulting meetings. Customize any template to match your specific workflow needs.
- iOS Mobile App - New in 2025: record meetings on-the-go and transcribe phone calls with the iOS app, expanding use cases beyond desktop.
- Chat with Folders - Query across entire folders of meeting notes with AI assistance to surface insights, action items, or recurring themes across conversations.
- No Speaker Identification - Granola does <strong>not</strong> differentiate between speakers in transcripts, making it less suitable for multi-participant meetings where attribution matters.
- No Video or Screen Recording - Unlike Fireflies.ai, Granola does not capture video or screen shares-it's audio transcription only.
- Limited Language Support - Supports multiple languages but lags behind Fireflies.ai (69+ languages) for global teams operating in less common languages.
- Integration Issues Reported - Some users report integration issues with platforms like Notion and Slack, though the team is responsive to feedback (3 G2 mentions).
- No Android App Yet - Mobile support is iOS-only as of December 2025. Android users must rely on desktop apps.
- Small Review Count - Only 19 G2 reviews and 51 ProductHunt reviews. While ratings are excellent (4.9/5), the sample size is limited compared to established competitors.
Who Should Use This
Sales & Customer Success Reps
Sales professionals use Granola to capture client conversations without the awkwardness of a meeting bot. After calls, they push summaries directly to HubSpot or Attio, reducing CRM update time by 90%. Users report 5 hours/week saved on note-taking and data entry.
Best FitProduct Managers & Executives
Product leads running back-to-back customer interviews and strategy meetings rely on Granola's structured templates to quickly review key takeaways before the next call starts. Stay context-aware across a packed schedule without sacrificing attention during conversations.
Best FitConsultants & Freelancers
Consultants managing multiple clients use Granola's shared folders and Chat feature to query past meetings: "What action items did we agree on with Client X last month?" Maintain detailed client records and surface insights across projects without manual searching.
Best FitRemote Teams (Privacy-Conscious)
Teams concerned about data privacy use Granola because it processes audio locally and doesn't store raw recordings-only transcripts are saved, with opt-out options for model training. Achieve compliance-friendly documentation without sacrificing transcript quality.
Good FitTeams needing speaker identification
Granola does <strong>not</strong> offer speaker identification or diarization. If you need to attribute quotes to specific participants, tools like Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai are better suited. Consider alternatives if distinguishing between multiple speakers is mission-critical.
Not IdealMulti-language global teams
While Granola supports multiple languages, it has more limited language coverage compared to Fireflies.ai (69+ languages). Teams conducting meetings in less common languages may face transcription gaps. Evaluate language support carefully if operating in non-English markets extensively.
Not Idealvs. Competition
Granola competes primarily with Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai. Its unique bot-free approach appeals to professionals who find meeting bots disruptive, while GPT-4 transcription quality rivals enterprise tools.
My take after testing all three: Granola wins on bot-free recording and professionalism-no awkward meeting bots disrupting calls. Otter.ai has speaker identification (Granola lacks this), but its meeting bot is intrusive. Fireflies.ai offers the most features (69+ languages, video recording, analytics) at the lowest price ($10/mo), but requires a meeting bot. Pick Granola if you prioritize professionalism and privacy over speaker attribution. Pick Otter.ai if speaker ID is critical. Pick Fireflies.ai if you need video recording or operate globally with many languages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Verdict
The most professional AI meeting notes tool
After three months of testing Granola against Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai, the verdict is clear: Granola is the best choice for professionals who prioritize meeting professionalism and privacy. The bot-free recording approach eliminates awkward meeting bot disruptions while GPT-4 transcription delivers exceptional accuracy (4.9/5 on G2). With $14/month Business plan, 29+ customizable templates, and CRM integrations (HubSpot, Attio, Zapier), Granola offers the best balance of features and affordability. The main tradeoffs: no speaker identification (Otter.ai wins here) and limited language support (Fireflies.ai's 69+ languages beat Granola's handful). But if you're tired of meeting bots disrupting calls or want privacy-focused local audio processing, Granola is the clear winner in 2025.
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