Fireflies.ai vs Granola for meeting automation

Here's what you should look for in an AI meeting automation tool:

• Transcripts that create a word-for-word record of the meeting. For example, a one-hour product development meeting generates a searchable document containing every feature discussion, technical requirement, and team decision.

• Action items are pulled directly from the conversation. When someone says "John will update the wireframes by Friday," the AI automatically creates a tracked task with the assignee and deadline.

• Meeting summaries distill hour-long conversations into 2-3 paragraphs. A 45-minute sprint planning meeting becomes a concise overview of sprint goals, resource allocation, and key decisions.

• Topic segmentation breaks discussions into labeled sections. A client call covering multiple projects is automatically divided into sections like "Website Redesign," "Q1 Marketing Campaign," and "Budget Review."

Other key features

In addition to the quality of these deliverables, we'll want to look at a number of other key factors:

• Ease-of-use: does it have a simple, intuitive setup that works for non-technical users?

• In-person meeting support: can it transcribe audio from live recordings or uploaded files, not just virtual calls?

• Security and privacy: how is customer data handled on the platform?

• Integrations: can it connect with your existing stack, like HubSpot, Notion, or Slack?

• Functionality: does it go beyond transcriptions and actually help you take action?

• Languages: can it transcribe and summarize meetings in different languages?

• Desktop and mobile apps: can you access it on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android for on-the-go meetings?

Understanding Fireflies.ai and Granola

Fireflies.ai is an AI meeting assistant that joins calls as a participant to record and transcribe conversations across platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet. The system provides searchable transcripts with speaker identification, generates summaries with action items, and offers an AskFred chatbot for querying meeting content. It integrates with tools like Slack, Asana, and CRM systems to facilitate follow-ups, and can be used for team knowledge sharing, sales call analysis, and personal note-taking.

The service offers multiple tiers: a free plan with limited credits, a Pro plan ($10/user/month) with unlimited audio recording, and a Business plan ($19/user/month) adding video recording and analytics. Fireflies supports over 100 languages, works for in-person meetings via a mobile app, and allows local recording. While it offers good transcription accuracy, users note it sometimes struggles with accents and technical jargon, and some find the AI summaries too high-level or the interface cluttered.

Granola is an AI notepad for meetings that runs locally on Mac computers. It captures system audio from any meeting platform without requiring a bot participant, allowing users to jot minimal notes during calls. After meetings, it produces structured summaries with sections like key takeaways and next steps based on the audio recording and user notes. The app features customizable note templates and an AI assistant for follow-up content generation.

The tool works offline on Mac with local recording and transcription in about 16 languages. Pricing starts with a 25-meeting free trial, followed by an $18/month individual plan or $14/user/month for business teams. Current limitations include Mac-only support (no Windows version), no mobile apps yet, limited integrations (calendar sync and some Notion/HubSpot capabilities), and no advanced workflow automation.

Comparing Fireflies.ai and Granola

Fireflies.ai

• Fireflies.ai uses a cloud-based bot that joins meetings to record, transcribe and summarize discussions across various platforms. The tool offers integrations with CRMs and task managers but lacks depth in helping users truly action meeting outcomes.

Granola

• Granola runs locally on Mac computers, capturing system audio without needing a bot participant in meetings. While it provides customizable templates and a clean interface, it falls short in integration capabilities and doesn't offer robust workflows to help implement meeting decisions.

Fireflies.ai suits teams that need cross-platform compatibility and broader integration with business tools. Its bot-based approach works well for organizations with strict compliance requirements or those needing to capture meetings across varied environments without relying on individual devices.

Granola fits privacy-conscious Mac users who prefer local processing and a distraction-free experience during meetings. Its offline functionality and minimalist interface make it ideal for individual professionals who value simplicity and discreet note-taking, though they'll need to accept limited integrations and platform support.

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