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Alternatives · Meeting Notes

Shadow alternatives

Shadow compared with 8 alternatives: Granola, Jamie, Quill Meetings, Anarlog, Meetily and 3 more.

Shadow has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8 per month, billed annually. 6 of the 8 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 2 more offer a free trial.

8 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 6, 2026 · Where the facts come from

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
ShadowThis toolFree plan · from $8/moYesmacOS
GranolaFree plan · from $14/moYesmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android
JamieFree plan · from €21/moYesmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Quill MeetingsFree plan · from $6.99/moYesmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android
AnarlogFree plan · from $14/moYesmacOS, Windows, Linux
MeetilyFree plan · from $10/moYesmacOS, Windows
SlipboxFree plan · from $99/yrYesmacOS, iOS
Spellar AIFree trial · from $15/moTrial onlyWeb, macOS, iOS
talatFree trial · from $9/moTrial onlymacOS, Windows

How each one differs from Shadow

  1. Granola

    AI notepad that transcribes meetings from device audio, no bot

    • Granola starts at $14 per user / month, billed monthly. Shadow starts at $8 per month, billed annually.
    • Only Granola lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
    • Granola also covers templates.
    • Shadow also covers dictation and Markdown.

    Suits: People who do not want a recording bot visible in their calls

  2. Jamie

    Bot-free AI note taker with EU data hosting

    • Jamie starts at €21 per user / month, billed annually. Shadow starts at $8 per month, billed annually.
    • Only Jamie lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
    • Jamie also covers templates.
    • Shadow also covers dictation and Markdown.

    Suits: People who want meeting notes without a bot joining the call

  3. Quill Meetings

    Local-first AI meeting notes recorded without a bot

    • Quill Meetings starts at $6.99 per month, billed annually. Shadow starts at $8 per month, billed annually.
    • Only Quill Meetings lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
    • Quill Meetings is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Shadow also covers dictation and Markdown.

    Suits: Professionals whose conversations cannot be sent to a cloud notetaker

  4. Anarlog

    Open-source, local-first AI meeting notepad with no bot

    • Anarlog starts at $14 per person / month, or $140 per person / year. Shadow starts at $8 per month, billed annually.
    • Only Anarlog lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • Anarlog is open source, according to its own site.
    • Shadow also covers dictation and Markdown.

    Suits: People who need meeting notes kept on their own device

  5. Meetily

    Open-source meeting recorder that transcribes on your device

    • Meetily starts at $10 per user / month, billed yearly ($120). Shadow starts at $8 per month, billed annually.
    • Only Meetily lists a Windows app.
    • Meetily is open source, according to its own site.
    • Meetily also covers templates.
    • Shadow also covers dictation, chat assistant and Markdown.

    Suits: People whose meetings cannot be sent to a cloud notetaker

  6. Slipbox

    Private meeting companion with on-device transcription for Mac

    • Slipbox starts at $99 per year, or $10 per month. Shadow starts at $8 per month, billed annually.
    • Only Slipbox lists an iOS app.
    • Slipbox also covers templates.
    • Shadow also covers dictation and Markdown.

    Suits: Mac users who want transcription kept on their own machine

  7. Spellar AI

    Bot-free meeting notes with a choice of AI models

    • Spellar AI starts at $15 per month, billed annually ($180 per year). Shadow starts at $8 per month, billed annually.
    • Shadow has a free plan. Spellar AI does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Spellar AI lists a web app.
    • Only Spellar AI lists an iOS app.
    • Spellar AI also covers templates.

    Suits: Apple users who want notes on Mac, iPhone and iPad under one plan

  8. talat

    Local transcription app for meetings, dictation and recordings

    • talat starts at $9 per month, $89 per year, or $189 once for a lifetime license. Shadow starts at $8 per month, billed annually.
    • Shadow has a free plan. talat does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only talat lists a Windows app.
    • talat can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    • Shadow also covers chat assistant and Markdown.

    Suits: People who cannot send meeting audio to a cloud service

Limits worth knowing in Shadow

  • Mac only: it requires Apple Silicon and macOS 14.2 or later. Windows and other devices are on a waitlist.
  • Data is stored only on the one Mac. Sync across devices is on the roadmap but not available.
  • The Free plan lists transcription, recording and screenshots; unlimited AI meeting notes, Skills and AI chat need Plus.
  • Skills, Ask and automatic titles send transcripts or screen context to OpenAI, Google or Anthropic. Capture, transcription and storage stay on the Mac.
Shadow pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to Shadow?

The alternatives to Shadow in this directory are Granola, Jamie, Quill Meetings, Anarlog, Meetily, Slipbox, Spellar AI and talat. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Shadow.

Is there a free alternative to Shadow?

Yes. Granola, Jamie, Quill Meetings, Anarlog, Meetily and Slipbox have a free plan alongside paid ones.

Which Shadow alternatives work on Windows?

The Shadow listing does not include a Windows app. Granola, Jamie, Quill Meetings, Anarlog, Meetily and talat list one.

Which Shadow alternatives work on Linux?

The Shadow listing does not include a Linux app. Anarlog lists one.

Is there an open-source alternative to Shadow?

Anarlog and Meetily are described as open source on their own sites.

When were these prices checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 4, 2026 to Oct 6, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.

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