Best note taker for privacy
Note takers that say they don't train AI on your recordings, or that transcribe on your own device, with where your data is kept and whether the audio has to be stored at all.
What we looked at:Trains on recordingsTranscribes on your deviceAudio keptEU storage
Meetily
Open source under the MIT licence and transcribes on your computer by default; audio is kept only if you turn saving on. The Community edition is free with no usage limits. Pro is $120 a user a year, shown as 60% off a $25 monthly price; what it renews at isn't stated.
All Meetily facts- Cheapest paid option
- $10/month per seat, billed yearly
- AI training on recordings
- YesSays it doesn't train on them
- Transcribes on your device
- YesOn your device
MacWhisper
Runs on your Mac, and its privacy policy says no audio or text leaves your device unless you pick an optional cloud provider. There's a free edition; Pro is €64 once.
All MacWhisper facts- Cheapest paid option
- €64 once
- AI training on recordings
- YesSays it doesn't train on them
- Transcribes on your device
- YesOn device or in the cloud
Hedy
Speech recognition runs on your device by default and saving audio is off by default. You choose EU or US storage at signup on any plan, and it says it doesn't train on your conversations.
All Hedy facts- Cheapest paid option
- $8.25/month per seat, billed yearly
- AI training on recordings
- YesSays it doesn't train on them
- Transcribes on your device
- YesOn device or in the cloud
Jamie
Transcribes in the cloud, but only in the EU (Frankfurt), deletes the audio once transcribed and says it never trains on meeting content, on any plan.
All Jamie facts- Cheapest paid option
- €21/month per seat, billed yearly
- AI training on recordings
- YesSays it doesn't train on them
- Transcribes on your device
- NoIn the cloud
Every app that could fit, checked
30 apps, grouped by how they listen. Picks are outlined.
| App | Cheapest paid option | AI training on recordings | Transcribes on your device | Can skip keeping the audio | EU storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A bot joins the call | |||||
 Avoma | $19/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Not stated | Not statedNot stated |
 Fellow | $7/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Yes | Not statedNot stated |
 Fireflies.ai | $10/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Yes | YesYes |
 Grain | $15/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Yes | Not statedNot stated |
 Krisp | $8/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | On device or in the cloudOn device or in the cloud | Yes | Not statedNot stated |
 Leexi | €12/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Yes | YesYes |
 MeetGeek | $9.99/month per seat, billed yearly | Only if you opt inOnly if you opt in | In the cloudIn the cloud | Not stated | YesYes |
 Notta | €7/month, billed yearly | Not statedNot stated | On device or in the cloudOn device or in the cloud | Not stated | Not statedNot stated |
 Read AI | $15/month per seat, billed yearly | Only if you opt inOnly if you opt in | In the cloudIn the cloud | Yes | YesYes |
 tl;dv | €18/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Not stated | YesYes |
| Records on your computer | |||||
 Bluedot | $14/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Yes | YesYes |
 Circleback | $15/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Yes | NoNo |
| Hedy | $8.25/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | On device or in the cloudOn device or in the cloud | Yes | YesYes |
| Jamie | €21/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Yes | YesYes |
| Meetily | $10/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | On your deviceOn your device | Yes | Stays on your deviceStays on your device |
| Upload a file | |||||
 Descript | $16/month per seat, billed yearly | Only if you opt inOnly if you opt in | In the cloudIn the cloud | Not stated | Not statedNot stated |
 HappyScribe | $8.50/month, billed yearly | Only if you opt inOnly if you opt in | In the cloudIn the cloud | Not stated | YesYes |
 Sonix | $22.92/month, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | No | Not statedNot stated |
 Transkriptor | $8.33/month, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Not stated | YesYes |
 Trint | €59/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Not stated | YesYes |
 TurboScribe | $10/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Not stated | Not statedNot stated |
| Only on your device | |||||
 Aiko | $24 once | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | On your deviceOn your device | Not stated | Stays on your deviceStays on your device |
| MacWhisper | €64 once | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | On device or in the cloudOn device or in the cloud | Not stated | Stays on your deviceStays on your device |
 Superwhisper | $7.08/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | On device or in the cloudOn device or in the cloud | Not stated | Stays on your deviceStays on your device |
 Whisper Notes | $14 once | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | On your deviceOn your device | No | Stays on your deviceStays on your device |
| A pocket recorder | |||||
 HiDock | $16.58/month, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Yes | Not statedNot stated |
 Notta Memo | $8.17/month per seat, billed yearly | Only if you opt inOnly if you opt in | In the cloudIn the cloud | Not stated | Not statedNot stated |
 Plaud | $8.33/month per seat, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Yes | YesYes |
 soundcore Work | $8.33/month, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Yes | Not statedNot stated |
 TicNote | $16.58/month, billed yearly | Says it doesn't train on themSays it doesn't train on them | In the cloudIn the cloud | Not stated | Not statedNot stated |
Worth knowing. On your device usually means the transcription. Summaries and AI chat can still go to a cloud model: Hedy's AI analysis runs in the cloud unless you turn on Local AI, and MacWhisper sends audio out only if you pick a cloud provider.
