PLAUD
Wearable voice recorder that transcribes and summarises real-world conversations hands free.
why this verdict
Keep paying — OpenAI has not replaced it
OpenAI's version overlaps, but does not finish the productivity job, so this one still earns its $10/mo.
- A named launch, not a vibe named, unlinked
- Phones transcribing and summarising calls and meetings on device for free. OpenAI, October 14, 2025 — no announcement link recorded yet.
- How much of the job it covers not the job editorial call
- Parts of it. The job still needs the tool to get finished.
- Is there a free way to do it? yes
- 2 of 3 listed replacements have a usable free tier: Otter.ai and Granola.
- What the call is worth $120/yr
- $10/mo at the entry paid tier — $120 a year per seat.
- Threatened by
- OpenAI
- Since
- October 14, 2025
- List price
- $10/mo
- Per year
- $120
The backstory
PLAUD sells a pocket or wearable recorder paired with an app that transcribes in many languages and produces summaries against templates. Phones now transcribe and summarise for free, which kills the software-only pitch. PLAUD survives because it owns hardware: it captures the in-person conversations a phone in your pocket misses, runs for twenty hours, and the recurring plan rides on a device people already bought.
Escape hatches
Competing wearable recorder with a searchable log
limitless.ai open_in_newPhone and meeting transcription without hardware
otter.ai open_in_newMeeting notes taken from your laptop audio
granola.ai open_in_new2 of 3 replacements have a usable free tier.