Compare

LokalBot vs Granola

Granola is one of the most polished AI notepads around — bot-free capture, great templates, strong team features. The trade-off is that your meetings are processed in the cloud, under an account. LokalBot keeps the bot-free workflow but uses built-in AI on your Mac by default: no account, no LokalBot backend, and optional remote inference only when you approve its origin.

Last verified July 2026 · spot something outdated? Open an issue.

Feature LokalBot Granola
Where the AI runs On your Mac — Neural Engine transcription, local llama.cpp summaries In the cloud, via third-party AI providers
Account required None Yes
Works offline Fully, after a one-time model download Needs a connection for AI notes
Bot-free meeting capture Mic + system-audio tap, labeled Me / Them Yes — no bot joins your call
Model training on your data No LokalBot training pipeline or telemetry; approved remote servers have their own terms “Opt out of model training any time” is a listed plan feature
System-wide dictation Hold ⌥ Space in any app No
Day timeline Opt-in screenshots + OCR, deleted after 14 days by default No
Writing autocomplete Cotyping, in almost any app No
Source code Open source, GPLv3 Proprietary
Price Free Free tier · Business $14 per user/mo · Enterprise $35 per user/mo
Platforms macOS 15+ on Apple Silicon macOS, Windows, iOS

Pick Granola if…

It is a genuinely good product — these are real advantages.

  • You want shared folders, team workspaces, and admin controls
  • You capture meetings on iOS or Windows too
  • You prefer AI-polished typed notes over full transcripts
  • Cloud processing by a well-funded vendor is acceptable to you

Pick LokalBot if…

Built for when the content of your meetings must stay yours.

  • Your meetings can't leave the machine — legal, health, finance, source protection
  • You want no account and no per-seat subscription — it's free
  • You want dictation, a day timeline, and autocomplete in the same app
  • You want source code you — or your security team — can read

Questions

The short answers.

Isn't bot-free capture the differentiator?

Not anymore — Granola and several others skip the meeting bot now. The differentiator is where processing happens. LokalBot transcribes and summarizes on the Mac with its built-in default; if you opt into a remote inference server, it receives the request context.

What does LokalBot send over the network?

Model downloads, update checks, optional Agent Mode setup, and remote inference origins you explicitly approve. Audio stays on the Mac; built-in inference keeps transcript and workday context there too.

Can I try LokalBot next to Granola?

Yes. LokalBot is free — run it on your next few meetings and compare the notes. Neither app puts a bot in your call, so nobody on the call will notice either one.

Download

Keep your meetings on your Mac.

Free and open source. Models download on first use; built-in inference then works offline.

Download for macOS

.dmg installer · all releases and notes

Granola is a trademark of its owner; LokalBot is not affiliated with or endorsed by it. Details are based on public pages and pricing as of July 2026 and may change — if something here is wrong or out of date, open an issue and we'll fix it.