Granola vs Fireflies in 2026: No-Bot Notes or Cheap Cross-Platform Transcription?
No single winner. The right choice depends on the job; the verdict below says who should buy which.
Winner: close, and it depends. Granola wins on privacy and clean notes for people who take their own calls. Fireflies wins on price and breadth if you need cheap transcription across every platform. Both score 18.
Last reviewed: 26 June 2026 by Adam.
Quick comparison
| Granola | Fireflies | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (AUD) | US$14/user/mo (~A$20 before GST) | US$10/seat/mo (~A$14.00) |
| Free tier | ✅ 30 days history | ✅ genuinely usable |
| Bot in the call? | No bot | Yes (visible participant) |
| Stores audio? | No — discarded | Yes (US storage) |
| Platforms | Mac/Windows/iOS; any audio | Zoom, Meet, Teams |
| Data residency | US only | US only |
| Score (out of 25) | 18/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 18/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
What both tools do
Granola runs as a desktop app, listens to your computer's own audio, writes clean notes and discards the recording — no bot, no stored audio. Fireflies sends a bot into your Zoom, Meet or Teams calls, records and transcribes, and gives you a searchable transcript, summary and analytics. Granola minimises footprint; Fireflies maximises coverage and searchable depth.
Pricing in Australia
Fireflies is cheaper: Pro at US$10/seat/month annual (~A$14.00) against Granola Business at US$14/user/month (~A$20 before GST). Both have usable free tiers and bill in USD with no AUD line or documented ABN tax invoice.
Where Granola wins
- No bot, no banner — softer for client and sales calls.
- No stored audio — a real privacy edge.
- Clean "make my messy notes good" workflow.
Where Fireflies wins
- Cheaper at US$10/seat and a strong free tier.
- Cross-platform — Zoom, Meet and Teams with calendar auto-join.
- Searchable transcript depth with action items and analytics.
The verdict
These two tie at 18/25 because they're both good at genuinely different things. Granola is the pick for a solo operator, founder or consultant who takes their own calls and wants minimal footprint and clean notes. Fireflies is the pick if you want the cheapest cross-platform transcription with a full searchable transcript, especially across mixed Zoom/Meet/Teams meetings. Neither stores data in Australia, and consent management is yours either way — so decide on footprint (Granola) versus coverage and price (Fireflies).
Frequently asked questions
Is Granola or Fireflies better?
Both score 18/25. Granola wins on privacy — no bot, no stored audio — for people who take their own calls. Fireflies wins on price (US$10/seat) and cross-platform coverage across Zoom, Meet and Teams.
Which is cheaper?
Fireflies, at US$10/seat/month annual (~A$14.00) versus Granola Business at US$14/user/month (~A$20 before GST). Both have free tiers and bill in US dollars.
Does either store data in Australia?
No. Both store data in the US with no Australian region and no documented ABN tax invoice. Granola also never stores audio at all, which is its main privacy advantage.
Sources
- See our full Granola review and Fireflies review for primary citations and Wayback snapshots.
The AI Directory Australia is an independent editorial publication. Read our Methodology.
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