Quick verdict
- Pick Pocket for in person conversations and phone calls with a dedicated device.
- Pick Granola for computer meetings with no bot joining the call.
Want the full field? See Pocket AI recorder alternatives .
Pocket vs Granola side by side
| Granola | ||
|---|---|---|
| Device price | $129 (list $199) | No device |
| Subscription | Free plan with unlimited transcription; Pro $19.99/mo or $239.88/yr | Basic free; Business $14/user/mo; Enterprise from $35/user/mo |
| Form factor | Credit card sized MagSafe phone attachment, 52 g, 3.4 x 2.2 x 0.2 in | Software: desktop, iOS, Android, Apple Watch; bot free device audio capture |
| Battery | Up to 4 days of active use | n/a |
| Transcription minutes | Unlimited on every plan | No daily transcription limit; free history 30 days |
| Call recording | Yes, contact mic records both sides without speakerphone | Outbound calls on iPhone through Granola’s dialer; not inbound or Android |
| Privacy and compliance | Pocket lists SOC 2 Type 1, HIPAA and GDPR; encrypted on device, in transit and at rest; not used for training; HIPAA mode and BAA on Enterprise | SOC 2 Type II on all plans; audio deleted after transcription; HIPAA workspaces on Enterprise only |
| MCP / Claude | Yes, 7 tool MCP server; full transcripts and cross meeting questions on Pro | Yes, official MCP server; free plan sees last 30 days of personal notes |
Prices are US list prices as of October 2026.
Device versus app
Granola runs on your Mac or PC and captures device audio, so no bot shows up in the meeting. It also has iOS, Android and Apple Watch apps. Pocket is a separate device. Pocket is polite. It’s about the size of a credit card, it rides on the back of my phone, and one click starts it. The phone app does the rest. Nobody across the table is staring at a phone propped up on a stack of napkins or a laptop lid between us. A small light shows when it’s recording, so nobody is surprised.
Price and history
Granola Basic is free with no daily transcription limit, but history shows the last 30 days. Business is $14 per user a month for unlimited history and integrations. Pocket’s free plan keeps summaries for 30 days, and Pro at $19.99 a month keeps them forever.
MCP
Granola has an official MCP server on every plan. On Basic it reaches your personal notes from the last 30 days, and transcript and folder tools need a paid plan. Pocket’s MCP server gives an AI seven tools: account info, folder lists, hybrid search across recordings, action item search, and action item updates on any plan, plus full transcripts with audio links and cross meeting questions on Pro. I run it every day. On the free plan, MCP is mostly search. The two follow the same pattern: search for free, full transcripts on paid.
Privacy and compliance
Granola lists SOC 2 Type II on all plans, deletes audio after transcription, and offers HIPAA compliant workspaces on Enterprise. Pocket lists SOC 2 Type 1, HIPAA and GDPR, with HIPAA mode and a BAA on Enterprise, and keeps your audio.
A note on consent
Recording laws vary. Some states, including California and Washington, require everyone in the conversation to consent. Whatever you use, tell people you’re recording.
One more thing
Granola has an Apple Watch app.