Screenpipe vs Granola: private local meeting notes

Compare Screenpipe local transcription and summaries with Granola cloud meeting notes, botless capture, and shared-screen snapshots.

Screenpipe supports local meeting transcription and summaries when configured with local Whisper and a local AI model. Granola captures meeting audio without a bot and uses cloud transcription and AI providers. Both can help with meeting notes; choose based on the data path and context you need.

Comparison

Criterion	Screenpipe	Granola
Capture	Enabled screen and audio sources across apps	Meeting audio and notes; shared-screen snapshots on supported Mac setups
Botless capture	Yes	Yes
Transcription and summaries	Local engines and models available; hosted providers optional	Cloud transcription and AI providers
Storage	Local history; sync and external exports are separate options	Cloud-stored notes and transcripts
Screen context	Permitted app history before, during, and after calls	Supported shared meeting content
Developer access	Local REST API and MCP	API and MCP for meeting context, with plan-dependent access

When local processing matters

If your requirement is to keep audio, transcripts, and summaries on the computer, follow private meeting notes. Select a local model for each chat or task and keep cloud transcription, cloud fallbacks, sync, remote analysis, and external exports off for that workflow.

Granola records without a bot, then uses cloud providers for transcription and summaries. Its security page explains those providers and their data handling. Review those terms against your team’s requirements.

When Granola may fit better

Granola focuses on meeting notes, templates, and shared meeting context. Screenpipe adds continuous screen and audio history while recording is enabled, but local AI needs setup and enough machine resources. Compare a representative transcript and summary before deciding.

Sources

Privacy and shared-screen documentation checked October 12, 2026:

• Granola security: transcription, AI providers, and data handling.
• Granola shared-screen snapshots: supported capture scope.
• Screenpipe privacy data flow: local and external processing paths.

See the full Granola comparison, Fireflies comparison, and Grain comparison. Check each vendor’s current plans for pricing and integration availability.