Granola pioneered bot-free AI meeting notes and is well loved, but it still processes your conversations in the cloud.
Backchannel keeps recording, transcription and speaker identification on your Mac, adds no bot to the call, and writes notes to a location you own with an AI model you choose.
| Feature | Backchannel | Granola |
|---|---|---|
| No bot joins the call | ✓ On-device audio | — No bot |
| Audio stays on your device | ✓ | — Cloud |
| On-device transcription | ✓ | — |
| Notes saved to a location you own | ✓ | ✓ (export) |
| Bring your own AI model / key | ✓ | — |
| Captures the shared screen | ✓ | — |
| Platform | macOS | macOS, iOS |
| Status | In development | Generally available |
Details about Granola are summarized from public information and can change — check Granola for the latest. Backchannel is in active development.
Choose Granola for a polished, cross-device notepad. Choose Backchannel if you need the audio and transcription to stay on your Mac and to point the notes at your own AI model.
Yes. Both avoid a meeting bot, but Backchannel keeps transcription and audio on-device and lets you choose the AI model that writes the notes.
Granola processes in the cloud; Backchannel runs recording, transcription and speaker labels on your Mac.
It's in active development — register your interest for availability.
Backchannel is in active development. Leave your details and we'll tell you the moment you can try it — no spam, just the launch.