Aiolos or Granola?
Granola and Aiolos record meetings without sending a bot into the call. The difference is where audio, transcript and notes are processed and stored.
As of October 5, 2026 · Details on other apps according to their makers, sources below
In short
- Granola fits if you want to share notes with your team, connect them to tools like HubSpot or Attio, or also record conversations on your phone.
- Aiolos fits if the transcript should be created on your Mac and stay there, the AI should run in the EU, and you want a dictation app as well.
- Both record without a bot and work with Zoom, Teams, Google Meet and others.
The comparison at a glance
| Feature | Aiolos | Granola |
|---|---|---|
| No bot in the call | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Mac with Apple silicon, macOS 15 or later, Windows coming | Mac and Windows, plus iOS and Android for in-person conversations |
| Transcription on the device | On your Mac (Whisper) | In the cloud, via providers like Deepgram and AssemblyAI |
| Notes by the AI | In EU data centers by default, or offline on your Mac (32 GB, Pro, Max or Ultra chip) | Via AI providers like OpenAI and Anthropic |
| Notes stay on the device | Locally on your Mac | Notes in an AWS cloud in the US, audio not stored according to Granola |
| Works without an account | Yes, no sign-in needed | No, sign-in with a Google or Microsoft account |
| Reuse | Export to Notion, Obsidian, Apple Notes, OneNote and Markdown | Integrations like Notion, HubSpot and Attio (Business), shared folders |
| Calendars | iCloud, Google, Microsoft 365 and Exchange, through the macOS calendar | Google and Microsoft 365 with a separate sign-in, no Apple Calendar |
| Price | Free for the first 50; after that free with AI notes for 3 meetings a month, or Pro for €59 a year or €7.99 a month with dictation and AI | Basic free with 30 days of history, Business $14 per user a month |
Where audio, transcript and notes go
According to its security page, Granola transcribes in real time via providers like Deepgram and AssemblyAI and summarizes via AI providers like OpenAI and Anthropic. Granola doesn't store the audio; transcripts and notes live in an AWS cloud in the US (source). Granola offers a data processing agreement (DPA).
Aiolos records your microphone and system audio on your Mac and transcribes there with Whisper. The audio never leaves your Mac. For the notes, only the transcript's text goes to an AI model, in EU data centers by default. With the offline AI (beta), that stays on your Mac too. Transcript and notes are stored locally, with no account.
When Granola is the better fit
- You want to share notes with your team and file them in shared folders.
- Notes should flow straight into tools like HubSpot, Attio or Zapier.
- You also record in-person conversations on your phone.
- Certifications matter to you: Granola lists SOC 2 Type II, and HIPAA on its Enterprise plan.
When Aiolos is a good fit
- The transcript should be created on your Mac, not in the cloud.
- The AI should run in EU data centers by default, or entirely on your Mac.
- You don't want an account with yet another service.
- Between calls you want to dictate in any app, with the same app.
Frequently asked questions
Does Granola store the audio of my meetings?+
According to Granola, no: it transcribes in real time and only stores the transcript and notes, in an AWS cloud in the US.
Do I need an account for Aiolos?+
No. Aiolos keeps recordings, transcripts and notes locally on your Mac and works without an account.
Do I have to tell the other participants?+
Yes, with either app. Ask everyone for consent before you record; in Germany, recording words that aren't spoken publicly without consent is a criminal offense (Section 201 of the German Criminal Code).
Sources
Retrieved on October 5, 2026. Prices and features of other apps may change; their makers' details are authoritative.
Try Aiolos on your Mac.
The first 50 get Aiolos free for life. After that, there's a free plan, and Pro with AI included.