The Best AI Notetaking Apps for Startups
These tools are easy to use, and have game-changing impact. Here are a few startup favorites to consider.
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Most founders and startup operators I know use AI notetakers already. That’s because they fall into that sweet upper-right quadrant of AI tools that are easy to use, and have game-changing impacts. If you’re not using one yet, giddyup. If you are, it may be time to make sure it’s the best fit.
AI magic.
Back in the day, I never walked into a meeting without my trusty Moleskine. But looking people in the eye and being fully present while writing coherent notes in a notebook is no easy feat - even on a Zoom. Also, good luck finding something you think you wrote down at some point last year. Switching to an AI notetaker is magical. You’ll capture every detail spoken by anyone in every meeting, so you can stop worrying that you’ll forget something. You won’t be distracted by taking notes. And you can easily search for items from past meetings. Plus, AI notetakers are easy to set up and use, and pretty inexpensive. In my book, they are no-brainers (see what I did there?).
Which lid is right for your pot?
I started out using Otter. To be honest, I didn’t put a lot into the decision about which one to use at first. Some early adopter on my telehealth startup team used it on a Zoom, and I tried it. It was so much better than writing in a notebook, I just kept using it. More recently, I tried Granola, and liked it so much I switched.
Granola
Best for Mac users who do a lot of video calls and love simplicity
Pros:
Doesn’t show up as a blank box on calls
Doesn’t arrive before you
Has a note-pad app, so you can jot down a few key things
Pops up in its own window if you open tabs, so you won’t lose it
Cons:
Only works on Macs
There’s no mobile app
Summary:
Granola keeps it simple. When it sees a video call about to start on your calendar, it prompts you to both join the call and open the Granola notepad. That way, if you’re running late, it doesn’t show up before you. Actually, it doesn’t show up at all - it just listens in the background, removing the weirdness of having a blank box join us humans. The notepad feature may sound ironic given that it’s an AI notetaker, but I love it, because I can jot down a few things that are important to me, knowing it will automatically capture the rest. I also love that when I switch windows to share my screen, it pops up in a new window that’s easy to find, so I never have that “where’s the call window” panic attack. After the call, Granola fills the notepad with good, tight summaries, and gives you the option to search, ask questions, or read/listen to the whole transcript.
Otter
Best for team calls and on-the-go note-taking
Pros:
Has native mobile apps, so you can use it IRL
Works on most platforms, including Mac, Windows, Chromebooks, Android
Has collaboration features, so team members can add comments and mention each other
Cons:
Lot’s of features, so it can be a bit complicated
Blank box can arrive before you, or a little late
Call window can get lost when you share your screen
Otter is my ex, but we’re still friends. It always did a great job of transcribing calls, so maybe it was me. Also, to be honest, it was great at flexibility. I used it on my phone in real-life meetings, not just on video calls. And it played well in the sandbox with non-Mac people. But it was complicated. And sometimes it made things awkward. Like when a small meeting started, and it was just me, them, and the big blank Otter box. Or worse, when it showed up before I did - or a little late, making me anxious because I might have to take actual notes (gasp!).
Fireflies
Best for b2b sales teams
Pros:
Integrates well with CRMs
Highly customizable
Understands 60 languages
Cons:
The UI isn’t super intuitive
Sometimes joins late
Fireflies does a lot of things I don’t personally need, but you might. It has analytics tools to track conversation trends and insights, like what’s working best in sales calls. It integrates with CRM tools like Salesforce and Hubspot. And it can generate automatic, personalized follow-up emails. Those features make it great for sales teams, and international organizations.
Do you agree? Disagree? Have another tool you recommend? Please reply and share!