Bluedot excels at transcription accuracy and operates discreetly without requiring a meeting bot through its Chrome extension. It offers broad platform support and can automatically sync meeting notes to various CRM and project management tools. However, it has an extremely limited free plan with only 5 meetings, and higher-tier pricing can be steep for smaller teams.

Bluedot works best for sales teams and user researchers who need precise transcripts and seamless CRM integration. The tool requires Chrome on desktop for optimal performance, which may limit adoption in organizations using different browsers or requiring mobile support. While it offers one-click sync to popular tools, the depth of these integrations remains surface-level for complex workflow automation.

Granola takes a different approach by combining manual note-taking with AI enhancement, allowing users to jot down keywords during meetings which are then expanded into structured summaries. The tool works locally on Mac devices and offers a clean, Apple Notes-like interface with customizable templates. Its primary limitations include Mac-only availability and a relatively modest selection of supported languages compared to competitors.

Granola suits individuals and teams who prefer a hybrid approach to note-taking and want minimal meeting disruption. The tool's local processing ensures privacy but limits cross-platform accessibility, and its integration ecosystem remains quite limited with only basic calendar sync and experimental connections to tools like Notion. Both tools ultimately provide solid meeting capture capabilities but fall short of creating comprehensive workflows that truly help users act on their meeting insights.

Comparison table

What users say about Bluedot and Granola

Users have mixed feelings about Bluedot, with some praising its functionality while others criticize its reliability. According to G2 reviews, users appreciate the platform's simplicity and ease of use, finding it intuitive and requiring minimal effort to onboard or navigate. However, discussions on forums reveal significant concerns, with one user on Rivian Forums describing the app as "horrible" with "very unreliable, broken functionality all over the place," though they noted receiving multiple free charges as a positive aspect.

Granola receives generally positive feedback from users who have extensively tested the platform in real-world scenarios. A detailed review from tl;dv provides an honest assessment after using the platform for over 20 meetings, diving deep into both the liked and disliked aspects of the platform. The review appears to be part of a comprehensive review series, suggesting thorough evaluation and balanced perspective on Granola's performance and capabilities.

Users switch away from Bluedot primarily due to its restrictive free tier limitations. The platform offers only 5 meetings for free as a lifetime limit, essentially functioning as a trial rather than a genuine free tier. This forces users into paid plans relatively quickly, which can be a significant barrier for individuals or teams who want to test the platform extensively or have occasional meeting recording needs without committing to a monthly subscription.

The platform's dependency on Chrome browser and limited mobile support creates accessibility issues for many users. Organizations that don't use Chrome as their primary browser or users who need mobile app functionality find themselves constrained by Bluedot's technical requirements. Since the best experience requires Chrome on desktop, users working in mixed-browser environments or those who need to record meetings on mobile devices may find the platform unsuitable for their workflow needs.

Cost concerns drive away users, particularly smaller teams and budget-conscious organizations. The higher-tier plans become quite expensive, with Pro plans at around $25 per user per month and Business plans reaching $40 per user per month. For small teams that primarily need basic note-taking functionality, these pricing levels can be difficult to justify compared to competitors that might offer more generous free tiers or lower-cost alternatives. Additionally, advanced features like custom templates and extended recording capabilities are locked behind these higher-tier plans, forcing users to upgrade beyond basic tiers to access full functionality.

Users switch away from Granola primarily due to its limited platform compatibility. The tool is currently available only for Mac users, which excludes a significant portion of the user base who rely on Windows or mobile devices. This Mac-only restriction has been a common request among users who need cross-platform functionality, and the lack of mobile app support means users cannot access their notes or use the tool when working from mobile devices.

The limited integration ecosystem also drives users to seek alternatives. While Granola offers basic calendar sync and Notion export capabilities, its integration options are quite restricted compared to other meeting tools. The HubSpot integration remains in beta, and there's no comprehensive suite of integrations with popular business tools like Salesforce, Slack, or Google Workspace. This limitation particularly affects business users who need seamless workflow integration with their existing tech stack.

Technical limitations and feature gaps contribute to user churn as well. Since Granola relies on device audio capture, it may not function properly with certain meeting room hardware or audio setups where system audio isn't available. Additionally, the tool lacks advanced automation features and workflow capabilities that users might expect from modern meeting software. The absence of a continuous free tier after the initial 25-meeting trial also pushes price-sensitive users toward competitors with more generous free offerings.

Using Bluedot

Does Bluedot work for in-person meetings?

Yes, Bluedot works for in-person meetings since it's a bot-free recorder that can capture any meeting on your device without needing a bot to join calls.

Does Bluedot require a meeting bot to join the meeting?

No, Bluedot does not require a meeting bot to join the meeting. It's provided via a Chrome extension and can quietly record and transcribe meetings without any bot presence, which users find convenient as it avoids awkward bot presence in meetings.

What do users say about the quality of Bluedot transcriptions?

Users widely praise Bluedot for its transcription accuracy. Marketing and early users often note it as "the most accurate" AI notetaker they've tried.

How does Bluedot help users follow up on action items?

Bluedot has an automation engine that generates follow-up emails from notes and can log action items to participants.

Does Bluedot integrate with software like Hubspot, Salesforce, or Linear?

Yes, Bluedot integrates with HubSpot and Salesforce, as well as other tools like Slack, Notion, and Google Drive. It offers one-click sync to CRM systems and project tools, and can automatically log summaries to other systems.

Using Granola

Does Granola work for in-person meetings?

Granola works partially for in-person meetings. The Mac app can capture in-room audio locally, but since there's no mobile app yet, it's limited to situations where you have your Mac with you.

Does Granola require a meeting bot to join the meeting?

No, Granola does not require a meeting bot to join the meeting. It runs on your computer and listens to meetings without needing a bot in the call, working discreetly with no meeting intrusion.

What do users say about the quality of Granola transcriptions?

Users report that Granola produces quality notes and well-organized summaries. They appreciate the "set and forget" note-taking capability, knowing that Granola will produce quality notes afterward. Users also note that it formats notes "exactly how you like it" if you give it guidance through templates.

How does Granola help users follow up on action items?

Granola offers an AI assistant that can generate follow-up content, such as drafting email summaries of meetings. However, it doesn't have advanced workflow automation capabilities for systematically tracking action items.

Does Granola integrate with software like Hubspot, Salesforce, or Linear?

Granola has limited integrations. It includes calendar sync and Notion export availability. HubSpot integration is currently in beta. There's no mention of Salesforce or Linear integrations.

Users seeking alternatives to Bluedot often look for more generous free tiers, while those exploring alternatives to Granola typically need cross-platform compatibility. For teams wanting the best meeting automation tool, it's worth considering whether you need an AI meeting agent or if a simpler solution might suffice. Those interested in exploring more comprehensive solutions can check out all alternatives to find the right fit for their needs.

Another alternative: Circleback

Circleback provides best-in-class AI-powered meeting notes and automations. We support over 100 languages and automatic participant identification in both in-person and online meetings.

• Automatically-identified and assigned action items

• AI-enabled search across all meetings

• Automations with 100+ app integrations

• Industry-leading security with SOC 2 Type II, EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, and HIPAA compliance

• Ability to capture both online and in-person meetings with desktop and mobile apps