Best default choice

Open the app and hit record — no setup, no purchase. Captures audio directly through your phone's mic, which is plenty for most conference rooms. Free plan includes 300 transcription minutes a month, capped at 30 minutes per recording.

Best for loud rooms

A credit-card-thin recorder that clips to your phone. Four microphones pick up speakers up to 16 feet away — noticeably better than a phone mic in a packed hall. Comes with a free 300 min/month plan; heavier use requires a paid plan ($99.99–239.99/year).

Hands-free option

Same AI engine as the Note Pro, but a wearable clip-on pin instead of something you hold or set on a table. Good if you want to forget it's there. Same free-tier and subscription structure as the Note Pro.

Budget hardware pick

A lower-cost alternative to Plaud with up to 40 hours of battery and support for 140+ languages. Free unlimited transcription for the first year, then 400 minutes/month on the standard tier.

No subscription required

A MagSafe-compatible device that attaches to the back of your phone and includes unlimited transcription, summaries, and action items in the price — no monthly cap and no required subscription, which sets it apart from Plaud and UMEVO. It also has a contact mic that can capture phone calls without speakerphone, and works fully offline. Regularly $199; currently listed at $129 as part of an ongoing promo, so check the current price before buying.

Best default choice

Unlimited free recording and transcription, no cap on minutes. Joins Zoom, Teams, and similar platforms automatically. The strongest free option if the summit streams on a standard meeting platform.

Best for clips & sharing

Unlimited video recordings and transcripts on the free plan, plus the ability to clip specific moments and jump to timestamps — useful if you want to pull a specific quote or slide moment later.

Best language coverage

Supports 100+ languages, which matters if any part of the summit includes non-English speakers or if you want to review notes in a different language later.

No visible "bot"

Records desktop audio directly instead of joining as a visible participant in the call. Good if a "notetaker has joined" pop-up feels intrusive on a large group stream.

Best for connecting notes elsewhere

Its free tier includes search across meetings, email, and messages together, not just transcripts — useful if you want to later find "what did that speaker say about X" without digging through a single call recording.