Granola vs tl;dv: notes you read vs clips you share
Disclosure: I make MeetMouse, which competes with both sideways. Here's the straight comparison.
What each tool is
Granola hears the call through your computer — nothing joins — and turns it plus your rough typing into polished notes. No recording kept; the note is the product.
tl;dv sends a bot that records the meeting on video, transcribes it, and makes it dead simple to clip and share moments. The recording is the product.
Head to head
| Granola | tl;dv | |
|---|---|---|
| Bot joins the call | No | Yes |
| Main output | Written notes | Recordings and clips |
| Free plan | Unlimited meetings, 30 days of history | Unlimited recordings, data kept up to 3 months |
| Paid | Business $14/user/mo | Pro $29/seat/mo |
| Where AI runs | Cloud | Cloud |
Where Granola wins
- No bot. Nothing joins, nobody asks what that is.
- Notes you'll actually read. Faster to skim than a video.
- Cheaper paid plan. $14 vs $29.
Where tl;dv wins
- Clips. Hearing the customer say it in their own voice beats any summary. Nobody does this better.
- Video. Demos, screen shares, the face they made when you said the price.
- Free recordings. Unlimited — with a 3-month shot clock. Respect, that's good business.
The part neither fixes
Both upload your meetings, and both are about what happened, not what's happening. MeetMouse is bot-free like Granola, runs transcription and AI on your Mac so nothing's uploaded, and coaches you during the call — then writes notes after. Free for 3 meetings a week, $20 once for unlimited. MeetMouse vs Granola · MeetMouse vs tl;dv.
Questions
- Is Granola or tl;dv better?
- Granola for bot-free written notes. tl;dv for video recordings and shareable clips.
- Does tl;dv join as a bot?
- Yes, tl;dv's recorder joins the meeting. Granola captures your computer's audio instead, so nothing joins.
- Does tl;dv delete free recordings?
- Yes — tl;dv's free plan keeps data up to 3 months. Granola's free plan keeps 30 days of meeting history.
- Is there an option that doesn't upload anything?
- MeetMouse — bot-free, and transcription and AI run on your Mac by default. Free for 3 meetings a week, or $20 once for unlimited.
Try MeetMouse
Free to start: unlimited your first week, then 3 meetings a week, and your notes are never locked. Invite 2 friends or pay $20 once for unlimited. No subscription, no account.
Download MeetMouse freeI checked prices and features for the tools here in September 2026. This stuff changes constantly, so double-check before you buy.