Plaud alternative
A Plaud alternative that starts on your computer
Plaud makes excellent recorders. If most of your conversations are calls, Ona captures them on your Mac or Windows PC with nothing to charge or clip on, and turns them into notes you can ask about.
At a glance
Ona and Plaud, side by side.
Software first against hardware first.
| Feature | Ona | Plaud |
|---|---|---|
| Recording | ||
| Start without buying hardware | Yes | Built around a Plaud device |
| Records calls on your computer, no bot | Yes, on Mac: records your mic and the call's audio | Through Plaud Desktop |
| Wearable | Ona Band, on pre-order; ships early 2027 | NotePin and Note, on sale now |
| Notes and memory | ||
| Summaries, decisions and action items | Yes | Yes |
| Ask questions across conversations | Ask Ona answers across every meeting, with the meeting it came from | Yes |
| Use your meetings inside other AI tools (MCP) | Yes | Plaud MCP and a ChatGPT app |
| Integrations | Google Calendar, Outlook, Notion, Google Drive, Slack, Asana, Linear | Zapier: Notion, Slack, Google Drive and more |
| Plans | ||
| Free plan | 300 minutes a month | 300 minutes a month |
| Paid plan | $14.99 a month or $179.88 a year, unlimited transcription | Pro (1,200 minutes a month) or Unlimited |
Details about other products come from their public pages and press coverage, checked 17 October 2026. Prices and plans change, so check before you buy.
Choose Ona if
Your conversations happen on calls more than in the room.
You want to start today without buying a device
You want notes sent to Notion, Slack, Asana or Linear
You want unlimited transcription on one plan, $14.99 a month
Choose Plaud if
You record in person, all day, away from a computer.
You need a recorder now: site visits, interviews, lectures
You want long battery life and recordings stored on the device
You want to record without your phone or laptop nearby
Using both
Plenty of people do: Plaud in the room, Ona at the desk.
Keep Plaud for in-person recording
Install Ona on the computer you take calls on
Connect your calendar so every call lands with its meeting
Questions people ask
No. Ona records calls on your Mac or Windows PC and you read the notes in any browser. The Ona Band is optional and ships early 2027.
It depends on how much you record. Both have a free plan with 300 minutes a month. Ona Pro is $14.99 a month with unlimited transcription; Plaud sells Pro and Unlimited plans on top of the device.