Users find Granola to be a highly-rated productivity tool with a 4.8-star rating based on 36 reviews on Product Hunt. Reviewers describe it as an incredible product that has become essential for work productivity, praising its ease of use and clean, simple interface. Users appreciate that it helps them focus on their meetings rather than being distracted by note-taking responsibilities.

The Notion AI Meeting Notes feature receives more measured feedback from reviewers who acknowledge it as a clever and lightweight solution. However, users note that it should not be considered a comprehensive meeting assistant tool. Reviewers characterize it as primarily a tidy method for recording conversations within the Notion ecosystem rather than a full-featured meeting management solution.

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Notion Meeting Recorder offers seamless integration for teams already invested in the Notion ecosystem, automatically generating summaries and action items that flow directly into existing workspaces. The tool requires minimal setup since it captures audio locally without meeting bots, making it compatible with any meeting platform. However, it demands full Notion adoption to realize its benefits and adds $10 per user monthly to existing Notion costs, while lacking robust third-party integrations for workflow automation.

Granola provides a clean, Apple Notes-style interface that combines manual note-taking with AI enhancement, allowing users to jot keywords during meetings that get expanded into structured summaries afterward. The tool works discreetly across all meeting platforms and offers customizable templates for different meeting types. Its limitations include Mac-only availability, no mobile apps, and minimal integrations beyond basic calendar sync and Notion export, restricting its utility for comprehensive workflow management.

Both tools excel at transcription and summary generation but fall short on deeper integrations with CRM systems, project management tools, and automated workflow engines. While they capture meeting content effectively, neither provides substantial capabilities for turning meeting outcomes into actionable business processes or connecting seamlessly with existing productivity stacks.

Notion Meeting Recorder suits teams already using Notion extensively who want meeting notes automatically organized within their existing workspace structure. Granola appeals to individual users or small teams seeking simple, unobtrusive note-taking with light AI assistance, particularly those comfortable with Mac-centric workflows and minimal integration requirements.

Why users switch away from Notion Meeting Recorder or Granola

Users switch away from Notion Meeting Recorder due to the requirement for full Notion ecosystem adoption to maximize functionality. The tool assumes users already manage tasks and notes within Notion's workspace, creating a significant learning curve for teams not already embedded in the Notion platform. Users report falling into a "build your setup" trap where they need to configure Notion pages and databases to extract maximum value from the meeting notes feature.

The additional cost structure drives users to seek alternatives since Notion AI Meeting Notes requires a paid add-on of $10 per member per month (or $8 annually) on top of existing Notion plan fees. This pricing model creates budget strain for teams who find it difficult to justify the extra expense for AI functionality, especially when they may only need meeting transcription features rather than the full Notion workspace integration.

Technical limitations around audio capture contribute to user migration since Notion relies on device audio recording rather than meeting bot integration. If a user's device setup fails to capture audio properly, they risk missing entire meeting transcriptions. The tool works best when audio is routed through the system correctly, but lacks the redundancy of dedicated meeting tools that join calls as participants, creating potential points of failure for critical meeting documentation.

Users switch away from Granola primarily due to platform limitations. The tool is currently only available on Mac, leaving Windows users unable to access the service. Additionally, Granola lacks mobile apps for iOS and Android, restricting users to desktop-only access through the Mac app or web interface. This platform exclusivity forces users to find alternatives when they need cross-platform compatibility.

The limited integration capabilities drive users to seek more comprehensive solutions. While Granola offers basic calendar sync and Notion export functionality with HubSpot integration in beta, it lacks the extensive third-party integrations that many users require for their existing workflows. Users who need their meeting notes to connect seamlessly with multiple business tools find Granola's integration offerings insufficient.

The absence of automation features causes users to migrate to more robust platforms. Granola focuses solely on note-taking and summaries without providing workflow automation capabilities. Users who require automated task creation, assignment features, or complex meeting follow-up processes must switch to tools that offer comprehensive automation engines to support their business operations.

FAQs

Looking at both tools, here's how they compare:

Would Notion Meeting Recorder work for in-person meetings? What about Granola?

Yes, both tools work for in-person meetings. Notion Meeting Recorder can capture in-person discussions using your device's microphone, and you can even set your phone or laptop in a conference room to transcribe conversations. The mobile app makes it particularly convenient for in-person meetings. Granola can also capture in-room audio locally through its Mac app, though it currently lacks a mobile app which limits its in-person capabilities compared to Notion.

Does either of these tools require a meeting bot to join the meeting?

No, neither tool requires a meeting bot. Notion Meeting Recorder works by capturing audio directly from your device rather than inserting a bot participant. Similarly, Granola runs on your computer and listens to meetings without needing a bot in the call, making it completely discreet.

What do users say about the quality of transcriptions?

Users report positive experiences with both tools. For Notion Meeting Recorder, early users say the AI does a good job extracting key points from dense conversations and making them accessible and actionable. For Granola, users appreciate that it delivers well-organized summaries and produces quality notes, with the ability to format notes exactly how users prefer when given proper guidance through templates.

Do these tools help a user follow up with action items from the meeting? How so?

Yes, both tools help with action items but in different ways. Notion Meeting Recorder automatically generates action items as soon as meetings end, and these can be converted into checkboxes, assigned to owners, or moved into task databases within Notion with minimal manual effort. Granola produces structured notes with sections like "next steps" and offers an AI assistant that can help generate follow-up content, such as drafting email summaries of meetings.

Do these tools integrate with software like Hubspot, Salesforce, or Linear?

Notion Meeting Recorder integrates deeply within the Notion ecosystem but doesn't directly push to third-party CRMs like HubSpot or Salesforce out-of-the-box, though you could potentially route notes to other systems via Notion's API or tools like Zapier. Granola has limited integrations currently - it includes calendar sync and can export to Notion, with HubSpot integration in beta. Neither tool appears to have native Salesforce or Linear integrations at this time.

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