Granola vs Zoom AI 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 Granola and Zoom AI

Granola is a Mac-based AI notepad for meetings that captures system audio without requiring a meeting bot. Users jot minimal notes during calls, and upon meeting completion, Granola generates structured notes with key takeaways and next steps. It works with all meeting platforms by capturing system audio, offers customizable templates for different meeting types, and includes an AI assistant for answering questions or generating follow-up content.

The tool runs completely on the user's device, records and transcribes locally, and supports about 16 languages. After a free trial of 25 meetings, pricing starts at $18/month for individuals, with business ($14/user/month) and enterprise ($35/user/month) plans available. Current limitations include Mac-only support (Windows version pending), no mobile apps yet, and limited integrations beyond calendar sync and Notion export.

Zoom AI is an integrated feature within the Zoom platform that automatically generates meeting summaries and action items after calls. It enables participants to ask questions during meetings to catch up on missed information, assists with composing emails and documents related to meetings, and requires no additional setup for existing Zoom users. The functionality works exclusively within Zoom's ecosystem and is included at no additional cost for paid Zoom subscribers.

The tool only functions for virtual Zoom meetings and cannot capture in-person conversations independently. While Zoom allows local meeting recording, the AI summaries require Zoom's cloud service. The feature offers limited integrations outside the Zoom ecosystem, provides automated summaries and Q&A but lacks external workflow automation capabilities, and supports over 30 languages through Zoom's transcription service. It's accessible through Zoom desktop clients on Windows/Mac and mobile apps on iOS/Android for paid plan subscribers.

Comparing Granola and Zoom AI

Granola

• Granola functions as a desktop app that captures meeting audio across platforms without requiring a bot, producing structured notes based on audio and user keywords. The tool falls short on integration depth, offering limited connections to other productivity tools that could enhance workflow automation.

• Pricing starts with a free trial of 25 meetings, then $18/month for individuals or $14/user/month for teams, with Mac-only support currently limiting its accessibility. While Granola excels at passive note-taking, it lacks robust mechanisms to help users actually implement meeting outcomes or automate follow-up tasks.

Zoom AI

• Zoom AI provides built-in meeting summaries and action items exclusively for Zoom's platform, allowing participants to ask questions during meetings and assisting with related communications. The platform's limited integration ecosystem restricts its utility, keeping content siloed within Zoom rather than connecting to the broader tools where work actually happens.

• Included at no additional cost for paid Zoom subscribers but unavailable on free plans, Zoom AI offers limited meeting management capabilities compared to dedicated tools. Despite its convenience for Zoom users, the tool struggles with helping users translate meeting content into actionable workflows across their broader tech stack.

Granola appears best suited for users who participate in meetings across multiple platforms and need a standalone tool that works regardless of meeting software. The product's strength lies in its platform-agnostic approach and offline functionality, making it valuable for consultants, freelancers, and teams using varied communication channels.

Zoom AI naturally fits organizations heavily invested in Zoom's ecosystem who want a zero-setup solution included with their existing subscription. Its in-platform experience benefits teams already standardized on Zoom who need basic AI assistance without learning a new tool, though users requiring cross-platform support or deeper integrations will find its capabilities limited.

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