Best of · Updated October 2026
The best meeting notes app for typed and AI notes
The best meeting notes app depends on who's writing. If you type notes yourself, OneNote, Notion or Apple Notes with a good template is all you need. If you want notes written for you, an AI meeting notes app like Granola, Otter or Hark records the call and drafts them, and Hark keeps your recordings on your own computer.
Two kinds of meeting notes apps
Notes apps are blank pages you fill in. They're fast, free or cheap, and great for structured meetings where you know what you need to capture. Their weakness is you: when you're talking, you aren't typing, and things get missed.
AI meeting notes apps record the conversation, transcribe it and write a summary with decisions and action items. You can be fully present in the meeting. The trade-offs are cost, privacy (most upload your audio), and the fact that someone may notice a bot in the call.
The sweet spot for many people is a mix: a few key points you typed, plus a transcript and AI summary to back them up.
Meeting notes apps compared
| App | Type | Records + transcribes | Platforms | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hark | Your notes + AI notes | Yes, on your computer, no bot | Windows, Mac, Linux | Private notes with a full transcript |
| Granola | Your notes + AI notes | Yes, no bot (cloud transcription) | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android | Notepad-style AI notes |
| Notion AI Meeting Notes | AI notes in your workspace | Yes, no bot (cloud) | Mac, Windows, web, mobile | Teams already on Notion |
| Otter.ai | AI notes | Yes, bot or desktop app | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android | Live transcripts on the go |
| OneNote | Typed notes | No AI notes by default | Windows, Mac, web, mobile | Microsoft 365 users |
| Apple Notes | Typed notes + audio | Records and transcribes audio (Apple silicon) | Mac, iPhone, iPad | In-person meetings on Apple devices |
| Google Docs | Typed notes | With Gemini in Meet on eligible plans | Web, mobile | Shared notes in Google Workspace |
The best meeting notes apps in detail
Hark: your notes and the transcript in one place
Hark gives you a formatted notes editor right next to a recording of the meeting. Type headings, bullets and action items while you talk; Hark records your microphone and computer audio in the background, with no bot in the call. Afterwards you have your notes, a full transcript with each speaker named, and a player that highlights each word as it's spoken. Click a word to jump there and check exactly what was said.
On Windows, Ctrl+Alt+S or Ctrl+Alt+A drops a screenshot straight into your notes from any app. With a subscription ($12/month, after a 2-day preview), Claude also writes final meeting notes in the style you choose, or one you write yourself.
Your own notes, recording and transcription are free forever and stay on your computer. Hark is English only, has no mobile app, and on a Mac records the microphone only.
Granola
Granola is built around the same idea of jotting rough notes while AI fills the gaps. It captures device audio without a bot and enhances your notes with the transcript. It has a free plan (notes older than 30 days are locked) and a Business plan at $14 per user per month (as of October 2026). Audio goes to the cloud for transcription and is then deleted.
Notion AI Meeting Notes
If your team already keeps docs in Notion, its meeting notes feature records on your device and puts the summary right in your workspace. It's included on the Business plan ($20 per member per month as of October 2026) and Enterprise, with a limited trial on lower plans.
Otter.ai
Otter shows a live transcript you can follow on your phone or laptop and writes summaries afterwards. It's one of the few with strong mobile apps. Its free plan includes 300 minutes a month.
OneNote, Apple Notes and Google Docs
For typed notes, these are hard to beat on price and convenience. OneNote's notebooks suit people who keep a page per project or client. Apple Notes can record audio and transcribe it on Macs with Apple silicon, which is handy for in-person meetings. Google Docs is the easiest to share and edit together in real time.
Type your notes, let Hark catch the rest
Hark records and transcribes your meeting on your computer while you write, then names each speaker. Free forever, with a 2-day preview of Claude-written notes.
How to take better meeting notes with any app
- Start from a template. Date, attendees, agenda, decisions, action items. Our meeting notes template is free to copy.
- Write decisions, not dialogue. Note what was agreed and who owns it, not every sentence.
- Give every action item an owner and a date. "Sam: send pricing by Friday" beats "pricing follow-up".
- Mark moments to check later. With a recording, you can jot "check the number here" and look it up afterwards.
- Share within a day. Notes are most useful while everyone still remembers the meeting.
If you record meetings, remember that recording laws vary and some require everyone's consent, so tell people first. More tips are in our guide on how to take notes in a meeting, and if you want AI to do the writing, see the best AI note takers.
Related
- Meeting summary template A short, shareable summary format with an example.
- Best AI note takers An honest roundup of AI note takers, with what each does best.
- Best free AI note takers What the free plans of popular AI note takers really include.
- Best AI meeting assistants Meeting assistants compared: notes, summaries, privacy and price.
- Best AI note takers for Microsoft Teams Options for Teams meetings, from Copilot to desktop recorders.
- AI note takers without a bot Take AI meeting notes without a bot joining the call.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app for meeting notes? +
For notes you type yourself, a general notes app like OneNote, Notion, Apple Notes or Google Docs works well, especially with a template. For notes written for you, an AI meeting notes app such as Granola, Otter, Notion AI Meeting Notes or Hark records the conversation and drafts the notes. Many people combine the two: their own key points plus an AI summary and transcript.
Is there a free meeting notes app? +
Yes. OneNote, Google Docs and Apple Notes are free for typed notes. Among AI tools, Fathom, Otter, Granola and others have free plans with limits. Hark is free for recording, transcription, speaker names and your own formatted notes, and adds AI-written notes with a $12/month subscription after a 2-day preview.
Should I type meeting notes or let AI take them? +
Both have a place. Typing keeps you focused on what matters to you, while AI makes sure nothing is missed and gives you a searchable transcript. The best setup is often to jot a few key points yourself and let the app fill in the rest from the recording.
What should meeting notes include? +
Good meeting notes include the date, attendees, the main topics, decisions made, action items with an owner and due date, and any open questions. Keep them short enough that someone who missed the meeting can read them in two minutes. Our meeting notes template has a ready-made layout.
How do I keep meeting notes private? +
Choose an app that stores notes where you are comfortable, and check whether it uploads your audio. Hark keeps recordings, transcripts and your notes on your computer unless you turn on encrypted sync. If you use AI notes, only the transcript text is sent to Claude to write them.
Record, transcribe and remember every meeting
Hark records your calls on your own computer, transcribes them privately, and learns who is speaking. Free forever, with a 2-day preview of AI meeting notes.