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Best Free AI Notetakers in 2027
Notetakers that cost nothing for lectures, voice memos and your own notes: what is built into your devices, what runs locally, and which free tiers stop where.
By Evin JohnPublished 5 min read
The most useful free AI notetakers in 2027 are the ones you may already own: Apple Notes on an iPhone or Mac and Google Recorder on a Pixel transcribe recordings at no cost. On a computer, Buzz (open source) and MacWhisper's free version transcribe locally, with no account and no upload. For studying from what you recorded, Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) has a generous free plan. Otter.ai's free plan is real but stops each conversation at 30 minutes, and several others are free in name only.
"Free" means different things on different products, so this guide sorts them by the kind of free, and states the exact limit for each. For free tools aimed at video calls, see the free AI meeting assistants and notetakers guide.
The short answer
- Free on a phone you ownApple Notes: recording with a live transcript, built in (Recorder on a Pixel)
- Free and open sourceBuzz: Whisper on your own computer, macOS, Windows and Linux
- Free on a Mac, polishedMacWhisper: local transcription; pay once only if you need Pro
- Free study toolGemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM): 100 notebooks of your own sources, no card
- Free hosted transcriptsOtter.ai: 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes at a time
Six kinds of free
Before the list, the categories we sort by, because they decide how long "free" lasts:
- Built in. Part of a phone or computer you already bought. No account, no cap beyond the device's own limits.
- Open source or local. Software that runs on your hardware. Free to use as much as you like; the cost is your computer's time and memory.
- Free for personal use, with your own AI. The app costs nothing, but if you connect a paid AI provider's key, that provider bills you for what you use. A local model avoids the bill.
- Free plan with limits. Permanent, but capped in minutes, notes or messages.
- Trial. A taste that ends. Not a free product.
- Free with hardware. The plan is free once you have bought the device it runs on.
Every free option and its limit
| Notetaker | Kind of free | What limits you | To remove the limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Notes | Free software | Supported Apple devices, languages and regions; summaries need Apple Intelligence | Nothing to buy beyond the device |
| Google Recorder | Free software | Pixel phones only; summaries need a Pixel 8+ and 5 to 60 minutes of speech | Nothing to buy beyond the phone |
| Buzz | Free software | Your computer's speed; Apple silicon on a Mac | Nothing |
| MacWhisper | Free software | Mac only; meeting recording and speaker recognition are Pro | Pro, a one-time €64 |
| Obsidian | Free software | No AI built in; you add it through plugins | Optional Sync and Publish |
| Natively | Free for personal use | Your provider's bill on your own key, or your computer's memory for a local model | Pro licence for modes and context |
| Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) | Free plan, with limits | 100 notebooks, 50 sources each; limits may change | Google AI plans |
| Otter.ai | Free plan, with limits | 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation, 3 imports ever | Pro $16.99 a month |
| Mem | Free plan, with limits | 25 notes and 25 AI messages a month | Plus $9 a month |
| Notta | Free plan, with limits | 3 minutes per conversation | Pro $97.99 a year |
| Notion AI | Trial only | A small, unpublished number of AI responses, once | Business $20 a member a month |
| Plaud | Free plan, with limits | 300 minutes a month, but only with a recorder you buy | Recorder from $159 |
How we evaluated
We read each product's pricing page, help articles or repository on 27 October 2026 and recorded the free limit exactly as the vendor states it. We did not test transcription or summary quality. We ordered the products by how much they let you do without paying, ever: built-in and open-source tools first, then free plans by how usable their cap is, then trials and hardware-gated plans. Where a vendor does not publish a number (Notion's AI allowance, for example), we say that rather than repeat an old figure.
Built into devices you own
Apple Notes: free on Apple devices
- Platforms
- iPhone, iPad and Mac (transcripts need an M1 Mac or later; summaries need Apple Intelligence)
- Free option
- Free softwareBuilt into the operating system at no cost on supported devices and languages.
- Paid plans
- None
- How it works
- Records in a note with a live transcript; Apple Intelligence can summarise it; iPhone call recordings land in Notes
Record inside a note and the transcript appears as you go. Summaries come from Apple Intelligence, which needs a supported device (iPhone 15 Pro or later, M1 Macs and later, among others), language and region. There is nothing to pay and nothing to sign up for, which makes it the first thing to try if you are in Apple's ecosystem.
Strengths
- No account or app to add
- Live transcript while recording
- Summaries on Apple Intelligence devices
Drawbacks
- Apple devices only
- Transcription needs an M1 Mac or later
- Not documented whether a Mac recording captures a video call's audio
Choose it if you have a recent iPhone or Mac and want lecture or memo transcripts today, at no cost. Official site.
Google Recorder: free on a Pixel
- Platforms
- Pixel phones (summaries need a Pixel 8 or later)
- Free option
- Free softwarePreinstalled on Pixel phones at no cost.
- Paid plans
- None
- How it works
- Voice recorder with live transcription and speaker labels; summaries for recordings of 5 minutes to an hour
Google's recorder transcribes in real time and labels speakers. Summaries need a Pixel 8 or later; recordings outside five minutes to an hour of speech are not summarised, and some languages need a connection to do it.
Strengths
- Preinstalled
- Speaker labels
- Google says transcription runs on the phone
Drawbacks
- Pixel only
- Summaries need a Pixel 8 or later
- Summaries only for recordings of 5 minutes to an hour
Choose it if you own a Pixel and record classes, talks or your own memos. Official site.
Open source and local
Buzz: free and open source on any desktop
- Platforms
- macOS (Apple silicon), Windows and Linux
- Free option
- Free softwareOpen source (MIT). Transcribes and translates offline on your computer.
- Paid plans
- None
- How it works
- Runs Whisper models locally on audio files or live microphone input
Buzz runs OpenAI's open Whisper models on your computer to transcribe and translate audio files or live microphone input. Nothing is uploaded and there is no cap; the limit is how fast your computer is. It gives you text, so you will want somewhere to keep and organise it.
Strengths
- MIT licence, no account
- Works offline once a model is downloaded
- macOS, Windows and Linux
Drawbacks
- A transcription tool, not a notes app
- The Windows build is unsigned, so Windows warns on install
- Macs need Apple silicon for current versions
Choose it if you want free, unlimited transcription on your own computer and do not mind a plain interface. Official site.
MacWhisper: free local transcription on a Mac
- Platforms
- macOS, plus an iPhone and iPad version
- Free option
- Free softwareFree version transcribes recordings and files on your Mac with local models, in about 100 languages.
- Paid plans
- Pro is a one-time €64 licence (meeting recording, speaker recognition, batch jobs)
- How it works
- Transcribes files and microphone recordings on the Mac itself; Pro records meetings without a bot
MacWhisper's free version transcribes microphone recordings and files on the Mac with local Whisper models. If you later want meeting recording, speaker recognition or batch jobs, Pro is a one-time €64 licence rather than a subscription.
Strengths
- Local models; files never leave the Mac
- About 100 languages in the free version
- Pro is a one-time purchase
Drawbacks
- Mac, iPhone and iPad only
- Meeting recording and speaker recognition are Pro
- Larger models need more than 8 GB of memory
Choose it if you want Buzz's privacy with a more polished Mac app. Official site.
Obsidian: free place to keep and link notes
- Platforms
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Free option
- Free softwareFree without limits, for personal and work use; notes are files on your device.
- Paid plans
- Optional Sync ($4 to $5 a month) and Publish ($8 to $10 a month)
- How it works
- Markdown notes on your disk; AI only through community plugins you choose
Obsidian is not an AI notetaker by itself. It earns a place here as the free home for what Buzz or MacWhisper produce: Markdown files on your disk, linked and searchable. AI comes through community plugins, some of which can use a local model through Ollama so nothing leaves your computer. Check what each plugin sends where before you install it; we did not review specific plugins.
Strengths
- Free without limits, including at work
- Notes are Markdown files on your device
- AI only if and how you choose to add it
Drawbacks
- No AI built in
- Community plugins vary in quality and in where they send your notes
- Sync between devices is paid
Choose it if you want your transcripts and notes in plain files you own, with AI added on your terms. Official site.
Free for personal use, with your own AI
Natively: free for personal use, with your own AI
- Platforms
- macOS and Windows desktop app
- Free option
- Free for personal useFree for personal use. Bring your own API key (your provider bills you for usage) or run a local model through Ollama (no API charges). A short trial of the hosted Natively API needs no card.
- Paid plans
- Pro licence $39 a year or $79 once; hosted Natively API plans $8 to $35 a month
- How it works
- Desktop app that hears both sides of the call from your computer; no bot joins the meeting
Natively, which we make, is free for personal use. It is not free in every setup, so here is the precise version: with your own OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini or Groq key, the app costs nothing but your provider charges for what you use. With a local model through Ollama, there is no API charge at all, but the model runs on your computer, so it needs the memory for it. Ollama publishes no official memory rule; LM Studio, a similar local runner, recommends 16 GB of RAM or more, which is a sensible starting point. The Pro licence ($39 a year or $79 once) adds the Lecture and Seminar modes; the hosted Natively API ($8 to $35 a month) is the paid way to skip keys altogether.
Strengths
- Free app for personal use on macOS and Windows
- Local model through Ollama: no API charges
- Transcripts and notes stay on your disk
Drawbacks
- Your own API key is billed by your provider
- A local model needs a capable computer
- Lecture mode and résumé-style context need the Pro licence
Choose it if you take a laptop to lectures or calls and want notes and live answers without a subscription. See Natively's plans.
Free plans with limits
Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM): free plan worth keeping
- Platforms
- Web, plus an early mobile app
- Free option
- Free plan, with limitsFree with a Google account: 100 notebooks of up to 50 sources each; usage limits may change.
- Paid plans
- Higher limits come with Google AI plans (AI Plus, AI Pro, AI Ultra)
- How it works
- Answers from sources you add: PDFs, documents, web pages, YouTube videos and audio files; it does not record live
Gemini Notebook (renamed from NotebookLM in July 2026) is the most generous free plan in this list. It does not capture anything; it answers from the sources you add, including audio files. Pair it with a free recorder from the sections above and you have capture and study for nothing.
Strengths
- 100 notebooks with 50 sources each, free
- Audio files, PDFs, documents, web pages and YouTube as sources
- Not used to directly train Google's models unless you send feedback
Drawbacks
- Does not record live
- Google says usage limits may change
- Cloud only
Choose it if you want to study from recordings and readings, and record them with something else. Official site.
Otter.ai: usable free hosted transcription
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android, Chrome extension, macOS and Windows desktop apps
- Free option
- Free plan, with limitsBasic: 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation, only the 25 most recent conversations kept, 20 AI chat questions a month, 3 imported files for the life of the account.
- Paid plans
- Pro $16.99 a month ($8.33 billed annually; 20% off for students); Business $30 a month ($19.99 annually)
- How it works
- A bot that joins from your calendar, or the desktop app recording without a bot; also records in person
Otter's Basic plan is free forever, with 300 minutes a month shared across everything. The 30-minute cap per conversation is the limit that matters for lectures: a 50-minute class needs Pro, which is $16.99 a month or 20% less with a school email.
Strengths
- 300 minutes a month
- Live transcript on phone, web and desktop
- Permanent, not a trial
Drawbacks
- Each conversation stops at 30 minutes
- Only 3 imported files for the life of the account
- Privacy policy allows training on de-identified recordings
Choose it if your recordings are shorter than half an hour and you want them transcribed and searchable on any device. Official site.
Mem: small free allowance for voice notes
- Platforms
- Apps and web (the pricing page does not list platforms)
- Free option
- Free plan, with limits25 AI messages, 25 new notes and 3 hours of voice mode a month.
- Paid plans
- Plus $9 a month; Pro from $29 a month
- How it works
- Notes app with an AI chat and a voice mode for meetings and thinking aloud
Mem's free plan is enough to see whether an AI-organised notes app suits you, but 25 notes a month runs out quickly for daily use. Plus is $9 a month.
Strengths
- 3 hours of voice mode a month
- AI files and finds your notes
- No ads
Drawbacks
- 25 new notes a month
- 25 AI messages a month
- Not end-to-end encrypted
Choose it if you jot a handful of ideas a week and want them organised for you. Official site.
Notta: a demo more than a free plan
- Platforms
- Web and apps (the pricing page does not list platforms)
- Free option
- Free plan, with limits120 minutes a month, but each conversation stops at 3 minutes; 10 AI summaries a month.
- Paid plans
- Pro $8.17 a month ($97.99 a year); Business $16.67 a month ($199.99 a year)
- How it works
- Cloud transcription of meetings, recordings and uploaded files
Notta's free plan lists 120 minutes a month, but each conversation is capped at three minutes, which rules out a lecture or a meeting. Treat it as a trial of the product. Pro is $97.99 a year.
Strengths
- 120 minutes a month
- 50 file uploads a month
- 10 AI summaries a month
Drawbacks
- Each conversation stops at 3 minutes
- Cloud only
- Monthly-billing prices not shown
Choose it if you want to try Notta's summaries before paying for it. Official site.
Trials and free with a purchase
Notion AI: a trial, not a free plan
- Platforms
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Free option
- Trial onlyFree and Plus workspaces get a limited number of AI responses to try it (the number is not published); AI is part of Business and Enterprise.
- Paid plans
- Business $20 per member a month (save up to 20% yearly); Enterprise on request
- How it works
- AI inside your Notion workspace; AI Meeting Notes records without a bot on Business and above
Notion's help centre says Notion AI is available on Business and Enterprise plans; Free and Plus workspaces get a limited number of complimentary responses to try it. That makes Notion AI a trial, even though Notion itself is free.
Strengths
- AI inside a workspace many people already use
- No training on customer data by default
- The rest of Notion stays free
Drawbacks
- The AI allowance on Free and Plus is small, unpublished and does not renew
- AI needs the Business plan
- Upgrading Free to Plus does not reset the allowance
Choose it if your notes are already in Notion and your school or employer may pay for Business. Official site.
Plaud: free minutes after you buy a recorder
- Platforms
- Plaud recorder hardware with iOS, Android, web and desktop apps
- Free option
- Free plan, with limitsEvery device includes the Starter plan: 300 transcription minutes a month. The recorder itself is bought.
- Paid plans
- Recorders from $159; Pro $17.99 a month ($8.33 annually); Unlimited $29.99 a month ($20 annually)
- How it works
- A wearable or clip-on recorder; transcription and summaries run in Plaud's app through cloud AI providers
Plaud's Starter plan is free, and 300 minutes a month is a fair allowance, but it only exists with a Plaud recorder (from $159). It belongs in a free guide only with that asterisk.
Strengths
- 300 transcription minutes a month with every device
- Recording without your phone
- No training without opt-in, Plaud says
Drawbacks
- The recorder costs $159 or more
- Transcription goes through cloud providers
- Longer recording needs Pro or Unlimited
Choose it if you have decided to buy a dedicated recorder anyway. Official site.
Free setups that work together
No single free product does capture, transcription and study well. Combinations do:
- Phone and study: Apple Notes or Recorder to capture, Gemini Notebook to study from the audio and your readings.
- All local: Buzz or MacWhisper to transcribe, Obsidian to keep the notes, a local model through Ollama for summaries. Nothing leaves your computer.
- Laptop in class: Natively with a local model for a live transcript, notes and questions during the lecture.
For what local AI can and cannot do compared with cloud services, see local AI vs cloud AI assistants. For running models yourself, LM Studio's requirements are a useful reference for what a computer needs.
Questions people ask
What is the best free AI notetaker?
The one already on your devices: Apple Notes on an iPhone or Mac, or Google Recorder on a Pixel, both transcribe recordings at no cost. On a computer, Buzz (open source) and MacWhisper's free version transcribe locally. For studying from recordings and readings, Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) has the most generous free plan.
Is Otter.ai free?
Otter's Basic plan is free forever with 300 minutes a month, but each conversation is capped at 30 minutes and you can import only 3 files for the life of the account. A full-length lecture or meeting needs Pro, which is $16.99 a month, or 20% less with a school email.
Is Notion AI free?
Not as a lasting plan. Notion's help centre says Notion AI is available on Business and Enterprise plans; Free and Plus workspaces get a limited number of complimentary AI responses to try it, and Notion does not publish how many.
Can I transcribe audio for free without uploading it?
Yes. Buzz is open source and runs Whisper models offline on macOS, Windows and Linux. MacWhisper's free version does the same on a Mac. Both are limited only by your computer's speed.
Is Natively free?
Natively is free for personal use. With your own API key from a provider such as OpenAI or Anthropic, the app costs nothing but your provider bills you for usage. With a local model through Ollama there are no API charges, but your computer needs enough memory to run it; 16 GB or more is a sensible start. The Pro licence ($39 a year or $79 once) adds modes such as Lecture.
Which free notetakers are really trials?
Notion AI on the Free and Plus plans is a one-off allowance, and Notta's free plan caps each conversation at 3 minutes, which makes it a demo. Plaud's free Starter plan is generous but only comes with a recorder you buy for $159 or more.
Sources
Pages read on 27 October 2026 unless a line says otherwise:
- Apple Notes: recording and transcription on Mac
- Apple Notes: recording and transcription on iPhone (iPhone 12 or later)
- Apple Notes: Apple Intelligence devices, languages and regions
- Google Recorder: languages, summaries and server processing
- Buzz: README: licence, platforms, offline use
- MacWhisper: free and Pro features, local processing
- Obsidian: plans and licence
- Natively: pricing and licences
- Natively: what the app does
- Natively: supported meeting apps
- Natively: answer latency benchmark
- Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM): plans and limits
- Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM): source and audio types
- Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM): privacy and training
- Otter.ai: plans, limits, export formats and the education discount
- Otter.ai: botless desktop app
- Otter.ai: storage, de-identified training, compliance
- Otter.ai: UC Today, August 2026, on the privacy class action
- Mem: plans and limits
- Notta: plans and limits
- Notion AI: plans and AI trial labels
- Notion AI: which plans include Notion AI
- Notion AI: no training on customer data by default
- Plaud: plans and minutes
- Plaud: no training without explicit consent
- Plaud: AI providers used for processing
- LM Studio: system requirements
More 2027 guides
- Best AI Interview Assistants in 2027Which AI tools help you prepare for an interview and get through it?
- Best AI Interview Copilots in 2027Which tools give real-time help during a live interview, and when is that allowed?
- Best AI Meeting Notetakers in 2027Which tool gives you the best record of a meeting, with or without a bot?
- Best AI Notetakers in 2027Which AI notetaker fits lectures, voice memos and your own notes?
- Best AI Meeting Assistants in 2027Which assistant helps during the meeting, not only after it?
- Best Free AI Interview Assistants and Copilots in 2027What interview help can you get for free, and where does free end?
- Best Free AI Meeting Assistants and Notetakers in 2027Which meeting tools have a free plan you can actually work on?
- Best Free AI Assistants in 2027Which general AI assistant gives you the most for free?
For the paid options and the full comparison, read the best AI notetakers guide. To try Natively free with your own key or a local model, download it for macOS or Windows or read how to take private notes without a bot.
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