tldv vs Granola – Feature and product comparison

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 tldv and Granola

Tldv is a meeting recording tool that captures, transcribes, and summarizes conversations. It creates searchable content with timestamps and highlights, while offering integration with CRM systems and other platforms. The service employs AI agents to handle recording, note-taking, and CRM logging tasks automatically across more than 30 languages.

The platform is available through desktop applications for Windows and macOS with local recording capabilities for Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Tldv offers three pricing tiers: a free plan, Pro ($18/month), and Business ($59/month). It integrates with HubSpot, Notion, Salesforce, and thousands of other services, though it lacks native mobile apps and in-person recording capabilities.

Granola is an AI notepad for meetings that runs locally on Mac computers. It captures system audio from any meeting platform without requiring a meeting bot, letting users add brief notes during calls that Granola then transforms into structured meeting summaries with sections like key takeaways and next steps. The app works offline with local recording and transcription, supports approximately 16 languages, and offers customizable note templates for different meeting types.

Users get 25 free meetings before choosing between Individual ($18/month), Business ($14/user/month), or Enterprise ($35/user/month) plans. The tool has limited integrations (calendar sync and Notion export, with HubSpot in beta) and currently lacks Windows support, mobile apps, and advanced workflow automation. It works for in-person meetings if the Mac can capture room audio, though without a dedicated mobile solution.

Comparing tldv and Granola

tldv

• tldv offers AI meeting recording, transcription, and summarization with CRM integration across Windows and macOS. It supports 30+ languages and integrates with numerous tools, yet falls short on in-person recording capabilities and mobile support.

• The service includes a generous free plan alongside paid tiers at $18/mo and $59/mo, though it requires internet connectivity and raises some privacy concerns. While tldv provides extensive integration options, its actual workflow automation capabilities remain basic and don't substantially improve meeting productivity.

Granola

• Granola functions as an offline AI meeting notepad that captures system audio without requiring a meeting bot, offering clean note organization through customizable templates. It works across all meeting platforms on Mac devices with local recording capability, but has limited integrations and lacks the mature workflow automation needed for complex team workflows.

• Following a 25-meeting free trial, Granola costs $18/month for individuals or $14/user/month for teams, with only Mac support currently available. Despite its "set and forget" approach to meeting notes, its restricted platform availability and limited integration ecosystem hamper its ability to fundamentally transform meeting outcomes.

tldv is best suited for teams operating in cross-platform environments who need extensive integrations with their existing tools. Its generous free tier makes it accessible for smaller teams or individuals who primarily conduct online meetings and need reliable transcription across multiple languages, though they'll need to work around its lack of mobile support and limited in-person capabilities.

Granola would appeal to Mac-centric individuals or smaller teams who prioritize simplicity and offline functionality over extensive integrations. Its focus on clean, customizable note templates and local audio capture makes it ideal for users who don't want meeting bots and prefer a "set and forget" approach to meeting documentation, though they'll need to accept its platform limitations and relatively basic integration options.

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