Granola review (2026): features, pros and cons, and what to check before you buy
Botless desktop meeting notes app that captures device audio and merges it with your own notes; SSO and SCIM are on a $35 Enterprise tier.
Our take for buyers
Granola is a botless desktop meeting notes app: it captures device audio and merges it with your own notes, so nobody sees a bot join the call. It works on any platform, including Zoom, Meet and Teams, and mobile covers in-person meetings. G2 shows 4.9, but from only 26 reviews, so treat the score as thin. It is aimed at individuals up to enterprise teams.
Shortlist it for individuals and teams that dislike visible bots. Look elsewhere if you need automatic recording, since you start each meeting manually, or non-US data hosting, because hosting is US only on AWS. Security admins should plan for the Enterprise tier. Notes blend your typing with the transcript, and reviewers like that no bot joins the call, but they also flag the manual start and the small review base. Run a pilot before rolling it out widely.
Pros
- No bot joins the call.
- Notes blend your typing with transcript.
Cons
- Manual start per meeting.
- Small G2 review base.
- Best for
- Individuals and teams who dislike visible bots in calls.
- Starting price
- Free; Business $14/user/month
- G2 rating
- 4.9 (26 reviews)
What is Granola?
Botless desktop meeting notes app that captures device audio and merges it with your own notes; SSO and SCIM are on a $35 Enterprise tier. Granola is a botless desktop notes app that captures device audio and blends it with what you type. You start it manually for each meeting, and it offers SOC 2 Type 2, with SSO and SCIM on the Enterprise tier.
Category: AI Meeting Assistants
Granola key features
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per user; Basic, Business, Enterprise. |
| Target company size | Individuals to enterprise. |
| Meeting platform support | Desktop works with any platform (Zoom, Meet, Teams); mobile for in-person. |
| Summaries and action items | AI chat across meetings; notes enhanced from your own typed notes. |
| CRM and workflow integrations | Notion, Zapier, HubSpot on Business; Salesforce on Enterprise. |
| Privacy and security | SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR commitment; US AWS VPC; no vendor model training by OpenAI/Anthropic; Granola trains on anonymized data unless you opt out (Enterprise off by default) |
| Bot-based vs botless capture | Botless: you start it manually, no auto-join. |
Granola plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | per user | 30 days meeting history |
| Business | $14 | per user per month | Unlimited history, API, integrations |
| Enterprise | $35 | per user per month | SSO, SCIM, admin policies, audit API, HIPAA workspaces |
Page shows no annual discount; billing period terms not stated.
Who should shortlist Granola
A strong fit for
- Individuals and teams who dislike visible bots in calls.
- In-person and any-platform meetings.
A weak fit for
- Teams needing automatic recording.
- Buyers needing non-US data hosting.
Granola alternatives
FathomIndividuals and small teams wanting unlimited free recording.
Otter.aiIndividuals and small teams wanting a free or low-cost transcription tool.
Fireflies.aiTeams wanting broad integrations and a free tier.
CirclebackTeams wanting transparent public pricing through the Enterprise tier.
KrispTeams on Zoom/Meet/Teams who want notes without a bot in the call.
AvomaSales and customer success teams wanting meeting notes plus coaching.
Security, admin and compliance
Granola publishes SOC 2 Type 2 and a GDPR commitment. Data is hosted in the US only, on an AWS VPC. SSO, SCIM, admin policies and the audit API are Enterprise only, and a DPA is available on request. Audio is not stored on desktop. OpenAI and Anthropic do not train on the data, but Granola trains on anonymized data unless you opt out in Settings, which is off by default on Enterprise. Contract terms are not stated.
- SAML SSO
- Enterprise only.
- SCIM provisioning
- Enterprise only.
- Audit logs
- Enterprise (Audit API)
- Data residency
- US only (AWS VPC)
- Public DPA
- Yes, on request.
- Certifications
- SOC 2 Type 2.
Contract and buying terms
- Support
- Priority support on Enterprise.
- Starting price
- Free; Business $14/user/month.
- Pricing model
- Per user.
- Free plan or trial
- Free plan.
What to test in a Granola demo or trial
Run real meetings on Zoom, Meet and Teams, and in person on mobile, to see how the botless capture performs. Test the manual start, since reviewers flag having to start it for every meeting and teammates will forget. Check how notes blend your typing with the transcript and try the AI chat across meetings. On Business, test the Notion, Zapier and HubSpot connections. Ask about the training setting: Granola trains on anonymized data by default unless you opt out, and Enterprise is off by default.
Questions to ask Granola before you sign
These are the points Granola's public pages leave open. Get the answers in writing before procurement signs off.
- Is there a monthly option, and what are the cancellation and renewal terms?
- What will the price be at renewal, and is the increase capped?
Things to know before a demo
- Does not store audio on desktop.
- Trains on anonymized data by default; opt out in Settings.
- US-hosted AWS only.
- DPA available on request.
- Raised $125M at $1.5B in March 2026.
Granola FAQ
What is Granola used for?
Granola is a botless desktop notes app that captures device audio and blends it with what you type. You start it manually for each meeting, and it offers SOC 2 Type 2, with SSO and SCIM on the Enterprise tier. It suits individuals and teams who dislike visible bots in calls.
Does Granola support SSO and SCIM?
Yes, on the Enterprise plan only. SSO, SCIM, admin policies, the audit API and HIPAA workspaces come with the $35 per user per month tier.
Where does Granola host data?
In the US only, on an AWS VPC. Buyers needing non-US data hosting should look elsewhere.
Does Granola train on my meeting data?
Granola trains on anonymized data by default, and you can opt out in Settings. On Enterprise, training is off by default. It says OpenAI and Anthropic do not train on it.
Vendor profile
- Funding or owner
- Series C $125M at $1.5B valuation, March 2026, led by Index Ventures.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Granola's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.