The Shadow Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Shadow in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Shadow
The Insider’s Guide
Bot-free Mac meeting recorder that runs your own AI prompts
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI meeting note takers, read from Shadow’s own pages.
Made by Taper Labs, Inc. · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Shadow’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Shadow’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 1 of the 48 other AI meeting note takers we grade
Shadow is a Mac app that records meetings in the background without sending a bot into the call, transcribes them on the device and takes screenshots of what is shown. Reusable prompts called Skills turn a meeting into notes, action items or a follow-up email, and Action Skills run from a keyboard shortcut in any app for jobs such as voice typing. Meetings are saved as Markdown files in a folder on the Mac.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Shadow, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, so we go on the listing.
- 1
Best for Mac users who like writing their own prompts
The free plan leaves out the AI notes, and Skills send your transcripts to OpenAI, Google or Anthropic.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $8 per month, billed annually.
- 3
There is a free plan
Unlimited on-device transcription, audio recording and Smart Screenshots. AI meeting notes, Skills and AI chat are listed as unlimited only on Plus.
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
Bot-free capture with Autopilot
Shadow records the microphone and system audio from the Mac, so nothing joins the call. Autopilot detects supported meetings and starts and stops listening on its own.
- 6
On-device transcription
Transcription and speaker labeling run on the Mac, and raw audio is not sent to an outside provider. The vendor lists around 100 languages and says English works best.
- 7
Smart Screenshots
Shadow finds the meeting window and captures it as the visuals change, so questions asked afterwards can cover what was shown as well as what was said.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 1 of 48
That is against the other AI meeting note takers we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Shadow you would be making a bot that joins your calls and turns the talk into notes. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Shadow at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $8 per month, billed annually
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 2 weeks of Plus included free with the download, no card required
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Taper Labs, Inc.
- Category
- AI Meeting Notes
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for Mac users who like writing their own prompts
Shadow is a Mac app that records meetings with no bot, transcribes them on the device and takes screenshots of what was on screen, then runs your own prompts, called Skills, over the result. It's one Mac and nothing else: Apple Silicon and macOS 14.2 or later, no Windows, no phone and no sync to a second device. The free plan leaves out the AI notes, and Skills send your transcripts to OpenAI, Google or Anthropic.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Plus is $8 a month on the yearly plan, or $12 monthly, and that's $8 flat rather than per person. It buys unlimited AI meeting notes, Meeting Skills, Action Skills and chat, with no minutes to count and no dearer tier above it. That sits in the cheapest quarter for this category. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Recording, on-device transcription and screenshots of the meeting are unlimited and called free forever. But the AI notes, Skills and chat are listed as unlimited only on Plus, so the part you came for runs out. Two weeks of Plus comes with the download, no card. |
| Features | B | It covers the job: no bot, mic and system audio, Autopilot starting and stopping on its own, speaker labels done on the Mac, screenshots of the meeting window as it changes, editable prompts called Skills, and voice typing from a shortcut in any app. Sharing is the gap: webhooks and files, no sync. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record, so we go on the listing. Autopilot does spot a meeting and start on its own, but the point of Shadow is Skills, and a Skill is a prompt you write and tweak. There's a calendar to connect and a vault folder to pick, too. That's a bit to learn before the notes come out right. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only, and it wants Apple Silicon and macOS 14.2 or later. Windows and everything else are on a waitlist, and there's no sync to a second device. Google Calendar connects and a Skill can fire its result at a webhook for Zapier, n8n or Make, but one operating system is one operating system. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Shadow is for
- Fits if you're on an Apple Silicon Mac and don't want a bot in your calls
- Makes sense if you'd rather write your own prompts and keep transcripts as Markdown files in a folder you pick
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're on Windows or an Intel Mac, or want notes on your phone, as it's Apple Silicon Macs on macOS 14.2 or later only
- Tight if you work across two computers, because data stays on the one Mac with no sync yet
- Too light for AI notes on the free plan: notes, Skills and chat need Plus, at $8 a month yearly or $12 monthly
- Not for you if nothing may leave your machine, since Skills and Ask send transcripts to OpenAI, Google or Anthropic
- Watch out: about 100 languages are listed, but the vendor says the others don't work as well as English
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users who want meeting notes without a bot in the call
- People who want to write their own prompts for notes and follow-ups
- Keeping transcripts as Markdown files on their own disk
- Using one app for meeting notes and voice typing
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Shadow has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8 per month, billed annually.
It buys unlimited AI meeting notes, Meeting Skills, Action Skills and chat, with no minutes to count and no dearer tier above it.
Free
$0
Unlimited transcription, unlimited audio recording and unlimited Smart Screenshots, described as free forever.
Plus
$8
per month, billed annually; $12 billed monthly
Everything in Free, plus unlimited AI meeting notes, Meeting Skills, Action Skills and AI chat.
The free plan
Unlimited on-device transcription, audio recording and Smart Screenshots. AI meeting notes, Skills and AI chat are listed as unlimited only on Plus.
Trying it first
2 weeks of Plus included free with the download, no card required
Read from shadow.do on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Annual billing lowers Plus to $8 a month
The pricing page's billing toggle shows Plus at $8 a month on annual billing and $12 a month on monthly billing, about a third less.
Stated on shadow.do
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Bot-free Mac meeting recorder that runs your own AI prompts. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: local-first, AI features, meeting notes, transcription, dictation, chat assistant, Markdown.
Sharing is the gap: webhooks and files, no sync.
- Bot-free capture with Autopilot
- Shadow records the microphone and system audio from the Mac, so nothing joins the call. Autopilot detects supported meetings and starts and stops listening on its own.
- On-device transcription
- Transcription and speaker labeling run on the Mac, and raw audio is not sent to an outside provider. The vendor lists around 100 languages and says English works best.
- Smart Screenshots
- Shadow finds the meeting window and captures it as the visuals change, so questions asked afterwards can cover what was shown as well as what was said.
- Meeting Skills
- Each Skill is an editable prompt that produces notes, action items, a follow-up email or a BANT breakdown. A Skill can run automatically after a meeting and send its result to a webhook.
- Action Skills and voice typing
- A keyboard shortcut in any app runs a Skill on what you say, what is on screen or the text you selected, then pastes the result at the cursor.
- Local Markdown vault
- Transcripts and Skill outputs are saved as Markdown files, with media, in a vault folder you choose on the Mac. You can keep or discard meeting audio.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- Google Calendar
- Zapier
- n8n
- Make
Shadow is made by Taper Labs, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
1/48
Other AI meeting note takers it is graded above
Shadow's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 1 of the 48 other AI meeting note takers we grade, and level with 11.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 43 of 48) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $8 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 7 of the 47 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 7 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 49 AI meeting note takers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Shadow’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 43 of 48
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 48
- BFeaturesAbove 10 of 48
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 48
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 48
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 48 AI meeting note takers. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Shadow is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Shadow you would be making a bot that joins your calls and turns the talk into notes. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 36 of the 48 other AI meeting note takers grade higher. It costs $96 a year.
What you could make
- Markdown: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A bot that joins your calls and turns the talk into notes.
- Dictation that types into any app on your computer.
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- Speech turned into text you can trust.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Shadow’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Granola, Jamie, Quill Meetings, Anarlog and Meetily
The 5 tools Shadow is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Granola
Free plan · from $14/mo
AI notepad that transcribes meetings from device audio, no bot.
- Only Granola lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Shadow also covers dictation and Markdown.
- Granola also covers templates.
- 2.4GPA
Jamie
Free plan · from €21/mo
Bot-free AI note taker with EU data hosting.
- Only Jamie lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Shadow also covers dictation and Markdown.
- Jamie also covers templates.
- 3.0GPA
Quill Meetings
Free plan · from $6.99/mo
Local-first AI meeting notes recorded without a bot.
- 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.
- 2.4GPA
Anarlog
Free plan · from $14/mo
Open-source, local-first AI meeting notepad with no bot.
- Only Anarlog lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Anarlog is open source, according to its own site.
- Shadow also covers dictation and Markdown.
- 2.2GPA
Meetily
Free plan · from $10/mo
Open-source meeting recorder that transcribes on your device.
- Only Meetily lists a Windows app.
- Meetily is open source, according to its own site.
- Shadow also covers dictation, chat assistant and Markdown.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Shadow free?
Shadow has a free plan. Unlimited on-device transcription, audio recording and Smart Screenshots.
How much does Shadow cost?
Shadow lists 2 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Shadow work on?
Shadow is available on macOS.
Does Shadow offer any discounts?
Shadow publicly lists the following: Annual billing lowers Plus to $8 a month.
Does Shadow have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Shadow is listed for macOS.
Does Shadow have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Shadow is listed for macOS.
Is Shadow open source?
Shadow is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
What does Shadow integrate with?
Shadow's listing names Google Calendar, Zapier, n8n and Make. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Shadow have a free trial?
Yes. 2 weeks of Plus included free with the download, no card required.
Who makes Shadow?
Shadow is made by Taper Labs, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Shadow?
The closest alternatives to Shadow in our directory are Granola, Jamie, Quill Meetings, Anarlog and Meetily.
How does Shadow compare with other AI meeting note takers?
Shadow's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 1 of the 48 other AI meeting note takers we grade, and level with 11.
Is Shadow good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Shadow B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 7 of the 47 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Shadow?
To replace Shadow you would be making a bot that joins your calls and turns the talk into notes.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Shadow’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Shadow's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-24.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Taper Labs, Inc. Prices change, so check shadow.do before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Shadow, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/shadow
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Shadow: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/shadow
Know someone choosing between AI meeting note takers?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/shadow/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI meeting note takers after Shadow, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Meeting Notes Insider's GuideEvery one of the 49 AI meeting note takers we grade, compared
- HyNote Insider's GuideAI note taker for meetings, audio, PDFs and videos3.4 GPA
- Wave AI Insider's GuideAI note taker and recorder for meetings, calls and lectures3.4 GPA
- Fireflies.ai Insider's GuideMeeting notetaker that records, transcribes and summarizes calls3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Shadow’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Shadow is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Taper Labs, Inc. Prices and plans change: check shadow.do before you buy.