> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stenoai.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Steno vs tl;dv

> A direct comparison of Steno and tl;dv: on-device vs cloud processing, meeting bots, cost, and which notetaker to choose on a Mac.

tl;dv is a cloud-based AI meeting recorder and sales-intelligence platform. Steno is a free, open-source macOS app that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings entirely on your device. The main difference is on-device versus cloud — and whether a bot joins your call.

## 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                         |

*tl;dv details as of 2026; confirm current pricing on tldv.io — paid-tier prices vary across sources.*

## 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

***

<Accordion title="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.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="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.
</Accordion>