Auldera vs Narada: which is better for meeting notes on Mac?
Auldera and Narada both record Mac meetings with no bot in the call and transcribe on the Mac. Auldera also runs on iPhone and organizes meetings by client or project, with Summary and Ask on the device. It's in an invite-only private beta. Narada is the better pick today if you want a released Mac app that saves recordings and notes as plain files in a folder you choose, with free recording and transcription (source).
Every Auldera feature on this page is from the private beta.
In the December beta, transcription, Summary and Ask run on the device. The private beta sends crash reports and diagnostics. Section 3 of the Privacy Policy covers the diagnostics Auldera sends.
Side-by-side comparison
Narada details checked Oct 28, 2026.
| Auldera (private beta) | Narada | |
|---|---|---|
| Bot joins the call | No. On Mac it records the microphone and system audio. On iPhone it records what the microphone hears. | No. Records your Mac's system audio and microphone as two separate tracks (source) |
| Where transcription runs | On your Mac or iPhone | On your Mac (source) |
| Where Summary and Ask run | On the device. On iPhone this needs Apple Intelligence. | AI is off on a fresh install. You can choose on-device AI (Apple silicon only), Pro AI through Narada's server to OpenAI, your own OpenAI key, or a local endpoint you run (source, source) |
| Meeting audio | Kept on your device by default. You can keep it always, for 7, 30, or 90 days, or until notes are written. | Saved as an .m4a file in a folder you choose. Narada says raw audio stays on the Mac in every mode (source) |
| Where notes and transcripts are stored | On your device | Plain .txt, .md, and .json files in a folder you choose, unencrypted so other tools can read them (source) |
| Ask with sources | Ask about one meeting or a whole Project. Answers cite the transcript parts they used, so you can check them. | Ask across every recording. Answers cite the meeting and the timecode (source) |
| Organize by client or project | Projects, tags, and a Project Summary | Rename recordings and add labels and notes (source) |
| Follow-ups | On Mac, review commitments when you stop recording and send them to Reminders | Lists what you owe and what others owe you, each linked to the moment in the meeting (source) |
| Calendar | Apple Calendar on Mac. None on iPhone. | Apple, Google, and Microsoft calendars, optional (source) |
| Platforms | Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or later) and macOS 26 or later. iPhone with iOS 26 or later. No iPad. | Mac only, macOS 15.6 or later (source). Runs on Intel and Apple silicon. On-device AI needs Apple silicon (source) |
| Account | No account in the December app | Recording, transcription, and on-device AI need no account (source) |
| Availability | Invite-only private beta. iPhone through TestFlight only. | On the Mac App Store (source) |
| Price | The private beta is free. | Free to record and transcribe. Pro AI is $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year (checked Oct 28, 2026, source) |
Where processing happens
Narada transcribes on your Mac with an on-device speech model. It lists 25 European languages, including Ukrainian and Russian (source). AI summaries, follow-ups, and chat are off on a fresh install (source). You then pick one of these routes:
- On-device AI runs a Gemma 3 model inside the app. Narada downloads it the first time you choose it, about 3 GB on an 8 GB Mac and 7 GB on 16 GB or more. It needs Apple silicon (source).
- Pro AI sends transcript text through Narada's server to OpenAI, after a consent screen that names OpenAI. Narada says its server logs request metadata and doesn't store transcripts or responses (source).
- Your own OpenAI key sends requests from the app straight to OpenAI (source).
- A local endpoint such as Ollama or LM Studio keeps requests on your own network (source).
Narada's release notes say a one-hour meeting takes about 3 minutes to analyze with Pro AI and 30 to 60 minutes on your Mac (source).
In the December beta, transcription runs on your Mac or iPhone. Mac transcribes English. iPhone uses Apple's on-device speech recognition for your phone's language. Summary and Ask run on the device. On iPhone, Summary and Ask need Apple Intelligence. Recording and transcription work without it. The December build has no hosted AI options. Test builds from before December can also use Auldera Enhanced or your own OpenRouter key to send meeting content to hosted models. The December build turns these off.
Where your data is stored
Narada writes each meeting to a folder you choose: the .m4a audio, a .txt transcript, a summary in .md, and an analysis in .json. The files aren't encrypted, so tools like Hazel, Shortcuts, or your own scripts can read them (source). To delete a meeting, you move its files to the Trash (source). Narada's App Store privacy label lists diagnostics and usage data among the data it may collect (source), and its latest release asks once whether to send anonymous usage statistics (source).
Auldera saves your meetings on your Mac or iPhone. It keeps audio by default so you can play back from any moment. A "keep audio" setting lets you keep it always, for 7, 30, or 90 days, or until notes are written. You can export any meeting as Markdown or JSON, or export all your meetings. Notes stay on your device. On Mac, you can also export a meeting's microphone and system audio as separate files. The Auldera private beta always sends crash reports and diagnostics.
Projects and Ask
Narada's Ask works across every recording on your Mac. Each answer cites the meeting and the timecode, and a click opens the recording at that moment (source). For recurring meetings, Narada writes a short brief from the last occurrence (source).
In the private beta, you organize meetings by client or project. You file them into Projects and add tags. You can ask about one meeting or a whole Project. Each answer cites the parts of the transcript it used, so you can check it. A Project Summary covers the meetings in a Project. On Mac, you can carry questions you choose forward to the next meeting in a series. A "From last time" card shows what's open, done, or carried. You can edit speaker labels.
Platforms and accounts
Narada is a Mac-only app on the Mac App Store and requires macOS 15.6 or later (source). It runs on Intel and Apple silicon Macs. On-device AI is the one part that needs Apple silicon (source).
The Auldera private beta runs on Macs with Apple silicon (M1 or later) and macOS 26 or later, and on iPhones with iOS 26 or later. It doesn't run on iPad. In the beta, Mac and iPhone each keep their own meetings, and audio stays on the device that recorded it. On Mac it records your microphone and system audio. On iPhone it records what the microphone hears, so you can record a conversation in the room. It doesn't capture call audio from the phone. The December app has no account or sign-in. During the beta you need an invitation to install Auldera. The iPhone beta is on TestFlight only.
Pricing
Narada pricing, checked Oct 28, 2026:
- Recording, on-device transcription, speaker separation, and the files in your folder are free, with no limit on minutes or meetings (source).
- On-device AI summaries, follow-ups, and chat are free on Apple silicon (source).
- Pro AI costs $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year in the US, billed through the App Store. New subscribers may get a 3-day free trial. Prices may vary by country (source, source).
- With your own OpenAI key, you pay OpenAI for what you use (source).
The private beta is free.
When Narada is the better pick
Pick Narada if:
- You want an app you can install today from the Mac App Store, not an invite-only beta (source).
- You want plain files. Narada saves audio, transcripts, and summaries as .m4a, .txt, .md, and .json files that other apps and scripts can open (source).
- You need to work with no connection. Narada says recording, transcription, and its on-device AI work fully offline once the models have downloaded (source).
- You want Claude to search your meetings. Narada installs a local, read-only connector for Claude Desktop (source).
Pick Auldera if you record on iPhone as well as Mac, or want each client's meetings in one Project you can summarize and ask about.
Frequently asked questions
Does Narada send my meeting audio to the cloud?
Narada says the audio file stays in a folder you pick on your Mac, and raw audio doesn't leave the Mac. If you use Pro AI, transcript text goes through Narada's server to OpenAI (source).
Is Narada free?
Recording and on-device transcription are free with no minute limit. On-device AI is free on Apple silicon. Pro AI is $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year (checked Oct 28, 2026, source).
What is a good Granola alternative that keeps my meeting notes on my Mac?
Granola transcribes in the cloud (Auldera vs Granola). Narada and Auldera both transcribe on the Mac. Narada is on the Mac App Store and keeps each meeting as plain files in a folder you choose (source). Auldera is in an invite-only private beta for Mac and iPhone, with Summary and Ask on the device and meetings organized by client or project.
Does either app add a bot to my meeting?
No. Narada records your Mac's system audio and microphone (source). The Auldera beta records your Mac's microphone and system audio, or your iPhone's microphone. Tell people before you record, and get any consent you need.
Can I try Auldera?
Auldera is in an invite-only private beta. You can request an invitation from the download page.