Quick answer: If you want a Granola alternative where transcription runs on your own Mac and iPhone and no account is needed, Lyonesse is one. If you live in your calendar and share notes with a team, Granola is probably the better fit. We checked Granola's own pages on 10 October 2026 for everything said about it below.
The short version
- Stay on Granola if calendar-driven notes, team folders and integrations like Slack, Notion or HubSpot matter to you.
- Look at Lyonesse if you want transcription done on your device, no sign-in, and a one-time purchase option.
- Both work without a meeting bot. Granola says it "uses your computer audio" and doesn't join the call, and Lyonesse does the same on a Mac.
What Granola does well
Granola lists apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android. Its homepage says it syncs with your calendar and detects upcoming meetings, so a note is ready when the call starts. Its pricing page lists shared folders on the free Basic plan, and integrations such as Notion, Zapier and HubSpot on Business. The Basic plan keeps 30 days of meeting history, and Business is $14 per user per month with unlimited history (granola.ai/pricing, checked 10 October 2026).
Lyonesse has none of that team layer. There is no calendar hookup, no shared workspace and no integrations list. If your day runs on those, nothing here will change that.
Why people look elsewhere
The reasons come from how Granola describes itself. Its security page says it works with Google Workspace or Microsoft login, so you sign in with one of those. It says transcription uses third-party providers such as Deepgram and Assembly, and that notes are stored in its US-hosted AWS environment. It also says it doesn't store meeting audio, only the transcript and your notes (granola.ai/security, checked 10 October 2026).
None of that is hidden or unusual for a cloud product, and Granola states that third parties can't train on your data. But if your meetings involve clients, patients or sources, you may want the transcription step to stay on your own hardware. That is the gap Lyonesse is built for.
Where the audio and transcript go
| Granola | Lyonesse | |
|---|---|---|
| Account | Google Workspace or Microsoft login | None needed |
| Where transcription runs | Third-party providers such as Deepgram and Assembly | On your device for supported languages |
| Audio kept | Not stored, only transcript and notes | Recording stays on your device |
| Where notes live | US-hosted AWS | On your device. With iCloud sync on, notes and transcripts sync to your own iCloud. Audio does not sync. |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, iOS, Android | Mac, iPhone, iPad (macOS 26 / iOS 26) |
| Calendar and team sharing | Calendar sync, shared folders | No |
| Price | $0 (30 days history), $14/user/month Business | $7.99/month, $29.99/year, $59.99 lifetime |
One exception to be straight about. Lyonesse runs transcription locally for the languages Apple and Lyonesse process on-device, including English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Chinese. For some other languages, Apple's own speech service is the only option, and it can send audio to Apple's servers if you opt in. Summaries, questions and speaker labels run on your device in all cases, and Lyonesse has no servers of its own that store your recordings. The privacy policy has the detail.
Try Lyonesse on Mac and iPhone
Record, read the transcript as people speak, then ask questions about what was said. Free to download.
Get Lyonesse on the App StoreWhat moving looks like
- On a Mac, start a recording before the call. Lyonesse captures the audio your Mac plays, so there is no bot. Our guide to transcribing an online meeting on a Mac walks through it.
- For a meeting in a room, record on your iPhone and read the words as people speak.
- Afterwards, ask a question about what was said, or read the summary. Search finds any moment later.
If you need a note template to start from, try our meeting minutes template. For client work, see transcribing client meetings privately, and for the wider field, private transcription apps.
What you give up
- Calendar-driven notes. You start the recording yourself.
- Team sharing and shared folders. Lyonesse is a personal workspace.
- Windows and Android apps.
- Integrations with tools like Slack, Notion or HubSpot.
- A very new OS. Lyonesse needs iOS 26 or macOS 26.
Price
Lyonesse costs $7.99 a month, $29.99 a year, or $59.99 once (checked 7 October 2026). Granola lists Basic at $0 and Business at $14 per user per month. The free tier is a fair way to test Granola before you decide, and you can compare it with Lyonesse side by side on one real meeting.
Frequently asked questions
Does Lyonesse need an account?
No. You open the app and record. There is no sign-up for Lyonesse itself.
Does Lyonesse work offline?
Recording works offline. Transcription runs on your device for the languages Apple and Lyonesse process locally, such as English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Chinese. The first time you use a language, the app may need to download a model. A few other languages need Apple's speech service, which can send audio to Apple's servers if you opt in, so check the privacy page before relying on offline for those.
Does Lyonesse join my calls as a bot?
No. On a Mac it captures the audio your computer plays, the same bot-free approach Granola uses. On iPhone it records the room through the microphone.
Does Lyonesse work on iPhone?
Yes. Lyonesse runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and needs iOS 26 or macOS 26. Granola also lists iOS, so this is not a difference.
Can I import my old Granola notes?
Not as a one-click import. Lyonesse can transcribe audio files and import documents, but we haven't built or tested a Granola importer, so we won't promise one. Export from Granola and keep the originals.
What does Lyonesse cost?
$7.99 a month, $29.99 a year, or $59.99 once for lifetime access (checked 7 October 2026). Granola lists Basic at $0 with 30 days of meeting history and Business at $14 per user per month (granola.ai/pricing, checked 10 October 2026).
Try Lyonesse on Mac and iPhone
Record, read the transcript as people speak, then ask questions about what was said. Free to download.
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