Review - not tested hands-on
Ken is our productGranola Review (2026): Pricing, Features, Pros and Cons
Ken's view: Granola is a bot-free AI notepad on Mac, Windows and mobile, with a per-user Business plan billed monthly. It drafts follow-up emails and attaches notes to HubSpot, Attio and Affinity records, while Salesforce needs Enterprise.
We have not tested Granola hands-on. This review is based on Granola's public documentation and pricing pages, checked on Oct 17, 2026. Ken is our product. This page does not compare it, and the verdict is Ken's view.
Our Verdict
Should You Use Granola?
Ken's view: Granola is a bot-free AI notepad on Mac, Windows and mobile, with a per-user Business plan billed monthly. It drafts follow-up emails and attaches notes to HubSpot, Attio and Affinity records, while Salesforce needs Enterprise.
Pick Granola if
- It fits bot-free notes at a low seat price.
Pick another tool if
- It is a weak fit for teams that need a meeting bot or video recordings.
Not tested hands-on
We have not tested Granola hands-on. This review is based on Granola's public documentation and pricing pages, checked on Oct 17, 2026.
Granola Pricing
In short Free plan: no daily transcription limit, last 30 days of notes visible. The lowest paid plan is Business at $14 per seat a month on monthly billing.
| Plan | Monthly billing | Yearly billing, per month | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Free | Free | AI meeting notes with no daily transcription limit; Last 30 days of notes visible in the app; Slack integration only; MCP access to personal notes from the last 30 days |
| Business | $14 per seat a month | No yearly price | Unlimited meeting notes and history; HubSpot, Attio, Affinity, Notion and Zapier integrations; Follow-up email drafts and pre-meeting briefs; API access |
| Enterprise | $35 per seat a month | No yearly price | Salesforce and other advanced integrations; SSO, SCIM and admin controls for MCP, API and integrations; Workspace usage analytics; HIPAA-compliant workspaces |
Prices in USD from granola.ai/pricing, checked Oct 17, 2026.
Granola Features
In short Of the 10 AI notetaker features we compare, Granola has 4 in full and 2 in part.
| Feature | Granola |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Partial - only the last 30 days of notes visible |
| No per-seat fee | No - priced per user |
| Bot-free recording | Yes - desktop app on Mac and Windows, no meeting bot |
| Meeting bot option | No - bot-free only |
| Video recording and clips | No - notes and transcript only, no audio or video saved |
| CRM updates after the call | Partial - notes to HubSpot, Attio and Affinity on Business, Salesforce on Enterprise |
| Follow-up email draft | Yes - Business plan and up, Gmail only |
| Coaching and deal analytics | No |
| API or MCP access | Yes - MCP on all plans, API on Business and up |
| Windows and mobile apps | Yes - Windows desktop app, iOS and Android apps |
From Granola's public documentation and pricing pages. Sources are listed below.
Granola Pros
- Records from your computer audio with no meeting bot, on Mac and Windows.
- Business plan has unlimited notes and history, follow-up drafts and API access.
- Drafts the follow-up email after external meetings from the transcript, calendar and past Gmail threads.
- IOS and Android apps work without a paid plan.
- Never saves meeting audio or video, on any plan.
Granola Cons
- No meeting bot option: it records only from your own computer or phone.
- Salesforce integration is on the Enterprise plan only.
- Free plan shows only the last 30 days of notes in the app.
- Follow-up email drafts need Gmail; Microsoft Outlook is not supported yet.
Who Is Granola For?
In short Granola is a bot-free AI notepad for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android that turns meeting audio and your own jotted notes into enhanced notes, built for people in back-to-back meetings.
Pick Granola if one of these is true:
- You want notes without a bot joining your calls at a low flat price per user.
- Your team runs on HubSpot, Attio or Affinity and wants notes attached to the right records on the Business plan.
- You like to jot your own notes during calls and have AI fill in the rest from the transcript.
Is Granola Worth It?
In short Ken's view: worth it for bot-free notes at a low seat price, less so for teams that need a meeting bot or video recordings.
Before you buy, check these terms from Granola's pricing page:
- Basic and Business are billed monthly; annual billing is on Enterprise contracts only.
- Enterprise is listed from $35 per user a month; SSO is for teams with 50+ users.
- Billing is per workspace: every member is on the same plan and each active member is a seat.
- Time-limited free trial of Business or Enterprise; the trial length is not published.
- Startups and students can apply for 12 months of Business free; registered nonprofits get 50% off Business.
Granola Alternatives
In short Otter.ai, Read AI and Gong cover the same job as Granola.
From $8.33 per seat a month billed yearly, or $16.99 billed monthly
Otter.ai
Otter.ai is an AI meeting notetaker with live transcription, a meeting bot and desktop and mobile apps, used by individuals and teams in sales, education and media.
From $15 per seat a month billed yearly, or $19.75 billed monthly
Read AI
Read AI is an AI meeting assistant that joins Zoom, Teams and Google Meet or records from its desktop and mobile apps, used by individuals and teams for meeting reports, coaching and search.
Contact sales
Gong
Gong is a revenue intelligence platform that records and analyzes customer calls and emails for B2B sales teams, with add-on apps for coaching, forecasting and sales engagement.
FAQ
How much does Granola cost?
Free plan: no daily transcription limit, last 30 days of notes visible. The lowest paid plan is Business at $14 per seat a month on monthly billing. Prices checked on Oct 17, 2026.
Does Granola have a free plan or trial?
Yes. Free plan: no daily transcription limit, last 30 days of notes visible.
Did you test Granola hands-on?
No. We have not tested Granola hands-on. This review is based on Granola's public documentation and pricing pages, checked on Oct 17, 2026. Opinions on this page are labeled as Ken's view.
Who should not use Granola?
Ken's view: Granola is a weak fit for teams that need a meeting bot or video recordings.
What are the best Granola alternatives?
The closest alternatives are Otter.ai, Read AI and Gong.
The new Ken opens to the waiting list in batches.
Related
Sources
Changelog
- Page published.