At a glance
| Steno | tl;dv | |
|---|---|---|
| Audio processing | On your Mac, always | tl;dv’s cloud |
| Transcription | On-device (Parakeet / Whisper) | Cloud |
| Summarization | On-device (local model) or optional cloud | Cloud |
| Account required | No | Yes |
| Works offline | Yes | No |
| Meeting bot | No | Yes by default (Chrome); bot-free desktop mode available |
| Other participants see the bot | No | Yes, in bot mode |
| Price | Free (personal & team) | Free tier (10 AI notes lifetime) / paid from ~$18 per user/mo |
| Open source | Yes (MIT) | No |
| Platform | macOS only | Web, Chrome, desktop (Mac/Windows), iOS |
The core difference: on-device vs cloud, and the bot
By default, tl;dv records via a Chrome extension that sends a visible bot into your call. It also offers a bot-free desktop app that records system audio locally — but in both modes the recording and transcript are uploaded to tl;dv’s cloud workspace and processed there. Steno adds no bot: it records, transcribes, and summarizes on your Mac. No meeting audio, transcript, or summary leaves your device unless you opt into a cloud summarization model. Anonymous usage analytics (no meeting content) are sent by default and can be turned off in Settings.Cost
tl;dv’s free tier lets you record but caps AI notes at 10 lifetime; ongoing AI value requires a paid plan (from roughly $18/user/month billed annually, as of 2026). Steno is free for personal and team use and open source with no per-seat cost — only disk space for the local models (roughly 7GB for the default setup).Where tl;dv is stronger
- Sales intelligence — AI coaching, playbooks, and multi-meeting analysis across many calls.
- CRM and automation — HubSpot, Salesforce, Slack, Notion, and thousands of app integrations.
- Cross-platform and team — web app, mobile, and shared cloud workspaces.
When to choose Steno
- You want everything to run on your Mac, with no upload
- You do not want a bot appearing in your calls
- You want free, open-source software with no per-seat cost
- Your meetings are confidential
When to choose tl;dv
- You need sales coaching, CRM sync, and cross-meeting analytics
- Your team needs shared cloud recordings and integrations
- You work across web, Windows, and mobile
- Cloud processing is acceptable for your work
Does tl;dv put a bot in my meeting?
Does tl;dv put a bot in my meeting?
By default (the Chrome extension), yes — a visible tl;dv bot joins the call. Its desktop app can record without a bot, but the recording is still uploaded to tl;dv’s cloud. Steno never adds a bot and never uploads.
Is tl;dv processed on my device like Steno?
Is tl;dv processed on my device like Steno?
No. tl;dv is a cloud service; recordings and transcripts are processed and stored on its servers, even in bot-free desktop mode. Steno processes everything locally on your Mac.