I tested this AI voice recorder, and now I’ll never take meeting notes manually again

Plaud Note: 30-second review

As a tech journalist, a dictaphone—or these days, my mobile—has been a key tool of the trade. Almost every meeting, call or voice note that I conduct through the news or review process is recorded and later used when writing up or, on occasion, transcribed for details or quotes.

I’ve been testing the Plaud for a couple of weeks, and again, like the NetGear Nighthawk that has enabled me to stay connected without having to rely on my phone, the Plaud has saved me hours by quickly transcribing my calls and conversations so that I can quickly extract the information that I want without having to scroll through the recording or transcription.

Getting started with the device is straightforward enough, although there’s a sense that this is all too easy, especially considering what it does. Essentially, like any voice recorder, you push the record button, the device gives a short vibrate, and off you go. Once you finish, you can then open up the Plaud app, and the voice recording will have automatically copied across. Once the file has transferred—you then have the option to allow AI to do its bit.

Once you tap on the audio file, you can see an overview be that 3 minutes or 3 hours. However, one thing I did note early on was that if the conversation is rambling, then Plaud either lets you know that the there just weren’t any key points! However, for more purposeful conversations, it pulls out the points and gives you a summary—it also enables you to add the names of those speaking so that the transcript is properly annotated – so essentially giving you the meeting minutes a minute or so after the meeting, rather than having to wait for someone to skillfully type it up and summerise. One aspect that I really liked was the fact that the timecode of the conversation was also added, enabling you to refer back to the original conversation as and when you need.

The summary option gives you a breakdown of the conversation in more detail. Through the test, I found this the most useful feature, as it enabled you to pinpoint all the details you needed, and was especially useful in a press briefing where the application was very quickly able to summarise the key features. Again, being able to flip back to the original recording to check details is an essential feature.

The final main option through the App is the Mind Map, which takes all the data from the conversation and creates a visual mind map from it. This is fascinating and enables you to get a quick visualisation of what has been said, again saving time.

Through all options, aside from the Mind Map, you have the ability to update the copy and make edits and changes as you need.

Through the test, the actual use of the Plaud was straightforward, and if you’re used to using a dictaphone or equivalent, then the Plaud will initially seem much the same, just with the audio playback happening through a connected device rather than through the Plaud itself.

Where the Plaud separates from traditional recording devices is when the audio file lands in the app. From that point, the information can be extracted and formatted in almost any way you can imagine.

Essentially, it’s like having someone taking notes about every aspect of your spoken life. Once that audio recording is captured, you can then use it to create minutes, pull out important information, make action points, and so much more. For those who are visual based, the ability to create mind maps from meetings is an amazing feature that will save time in many professional situations.

While much of what the Plaud can do, could be done using just the app and your mobile phone, where this really comes into its own is the fact that this is a separate device that is able to run from its own power source and therefore won’t drain the resources or power from your phone. You can essentially record hours of audio, from spoken conversations to phone calls, and all of it can be stored on the Plaud until you’re ready to transcribe and format it.

For any professional, this small device will change the way they work and ultimately should save you hours.

Plaud Note: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $159 / £149
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Directly from plaud and online retailers

At present the Plaud is available through the Plaud website for £149.90 / $159. There is also a Starter Plan which is available for free, with Pro and Unlimited subscription plans. You can also find the device available from other online retailers.

• Value: 5 / 5

Plaud Note: Specs

Material: Aluminium Alloy
Dimensions: 3.37 x 2.13 x 0.117-inch
Weight: 30g
Battery life: 30 hours recording
Stand by: 60 days
Internal storage: 64GB

Plaud Note: Design

Compared with the old dictaphones used by myself, journalists and business professionals in the past, the Plaud is ultra-slim and lightweight, featuring an internal battery that has been designed to last for weeks on standby. Although the Plaud can be used in isolation to record audio, its AI power comes through the close integration with the app. The slim design enables you to easily attach the device to the back of your phone, and with the MagSafe case or attachment, there’s a quick and easy way to secure it to your mobile phone.

The device itself measures 3.37 x 2.13 x 0.117 inches and weighs just 30 g, and in the hand, it feels incredibly lightweight. Despite this and the ultra-thin design, the aluminium alloy build gives it a good, solid feel that at leaast through the test was durable enough to withstand life stuck on the back of your phone.

Checking over the device, it really is incredibly simple, with the back being smooth and flat aside from the row of contacts on the base that enable the magnetic charging cable to be attached. This cable also allows you to connect the Plaud directly to a computer if needed.

The overall design of the Plaud is simple, with the only physical interaction coming from the slider switch that changes the pickup from spoken audio to phone calls and the main record button that needs to be held down for a couple of seconds to start and stop recording.

Highlighting that recording has started, the small device gives off a slight vibration, and a small LED illuminates through the design of the logo. Once you stop recording, the LED extinguishes.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

Plaud Note: Features

When you start to break down the features of the Plaud, it really has to be looked at in two parts, albeit in two parts that closely integrate. The hardware and App, which combined are a powerful combination both can also be utilised independently. So, if you want to just use the Plaud to record audio and then process it later, you can—just tap the record button, wait for the vibration and light, and like hitting the record button on a dictaphone or phone, the device will start to record the audio—all very simple. The only thing in addition to this is the fact that you can switch the mode from voice notes or conversations, such as in a meeting, to being used as a way to record and summarise phone calls. The way the audio is picked up is slightly different so a different recording method is used.

Once that audio is captured, it’s saved down to the 64GB of internal storage, which is able to store up to 480 hours of recordings. When it comes to the recording time, it is possible with that one-touch recording to continuously capture for up to 30 hours, showing that while the device is small and lightweight, it still packs in an impressive amount of recording time all made possible by the storage and internal 400mAh battery.

The physical design is nice, slim and lightweight, and one of the big features here is that there’s a MagSafe ring in the box alongside the Plaud, which enables direct connection to your iPhone. This is a great feature, although my review sample arrived with the MagSafe case, which is an addition I would highly recommend. Again, this case is MagSafe, so it keeps things nice and secure and just adds a little additional protection to the Plaud.

The second part of the feature set comes down to the Plaud app, and this is where the real AI potential of the Plaud comes into play. Again, this can be used in isolation from the Plaud recorder, so if you have other audio recordings you want to import and transcribe, then you can.

At a base level, once the recording has been made on the Plaud, it will automatically transfer to the files folder of the app, where it can then be opened and processed. After that, you can see the transcription of the audio, a summary, an overview and a Mind Map. The AI processing is based on the GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet engines, making it impressively quick, although not quite instantaneous, and you do need a network connection.

At present, the device is able to transcribe 112 languages, which again could be useful in all sorts of situations and will inevitably come in handy if you’re travelling or in meetings where multiple languages may be used.

One of the first options you have when you start to generate the transcript is the type of summary you would like, with multiple options depending on the situation. So, if you’re in a meeting, you may need the summary to be laid out like the points from minutes taken, while if you’re recording a lecture or press conference, you may just need a summary.

Likewise, you may be in a discussion about a collaboration and need the audio summarised with a list of people, action points and locations, all of which the device will be able to do. As standard, there is a good selection of templates for the summary, broken down into General, Meeting, Speech, Call, Interview, Medical, Sales, Consulting, Education, Construction and Custom.

There’s also an AutoPilot option that hands over all decisions to the app—or if you do need something a little more customised, then you can put in a request.

The final feature worth a mention is the different subscription models. The first is the Starter Plan, which is free. However, when starting to use the app, you will be pushed into one of the two more expensive subscriptions; Pro that gives you 1200 monthly minutes and Unlimited which lifts any restrictions on use.

• Features: 5 / 5

Plaud Note: Performance

Getting started with the Plaud is easy enough—give it a full charge using the supplied magnetic connector cable, and then it’s ready to connect to the iPhone, both physically using MagSafe and digitally using Bluetooth.

Before I look at the device the magnetic connector that is used for charging and data transfer is worth a mention. While this obviously makes the device nice and slim as there’s no need for a USB socket in the device, it also means that you need to take the specialist cable with you for charging. The use of a magnetic connector is understandable, but it would have been nice if the optional MagSafe case, as it has the depth, featured a USB type-C connector.

Back to the wireless connection between the phone and Plaud and this is quick and simple, following the instructions from the home screen of the app, which will quickly bind the two using Bluetooth. A nice feature is the fast transfer features that can be used for longer recordings; this essentially enables you to switch the connection from BlueTooth to Wifi, enabling transfer speeds of up to 10 times faster, although it does mean that the use of Wifi for network connection is cut while that transfer takes place.

Once the hardware, app and BlueTooth connection are in place, when it comes to Voice audio capture the Plaud couldn’t be easier. For voice notes, just make sure it’s in the right mode by pushing the slide button on the device down and then pushing the record button. This mode works for most situations, including being in a lecture theatre, meeting, medical appointment or one-to-one consultation. If you’re on the phone, then slide the button up, highlighted with red, and you’re ready to record.

Recording in both situations requires a two-second press to start the recording, and the small LED of the “A” in the Plaud logo glows red with a small vibration just to confirm. Once you’ve finished recording, another press and the red light extinguishes. Really, it’s as easy as pushing the record button on a dictaphone.

Once your audio is captured, it’s then over to the app, with the new recording automatically appearing under the files section in the Plaud app. Then you tap the recording you want and tap “Generate” as the software, utilising the cloud, transcribes the text and then asks what type of template you would like to apply. These templates essentially relate to the way the transcription summary is organised, and the templates offer a standard approach to each. For example, in a meeting, you may see some action points and the people they’re assigned to. It could be a shopping or equipment list, tasks that need to be done for construction, or the results summarised from a lengthy financial report.

What’s good about this is that the summary is editable, with meeting notes being able to be adjusted so that speakers’ names can be added, along with to-do lists, etc. You can also double-click into the text and manually edit, which is essential. One of the features that I really like here is that you can create a report from business or financial meetings—the fact that it can summarise an accounts meeting is a huge help!

Alongside the standard summary, which is nicely laid out in the format of the template that you selected, you can also get an ordered overview, full transcript and Mind Map, which gives a great visualisation of what has been said. Of course, at all times, the original recording is there, ready to be played back whenever needed. So, if you do need to double-check a fact or figure, it’s there, ready to be checked. It really is impressive and, for the most part, works incredibly well.

For voice notes and spoken word, the Plaud works incredibly well, and the quality of the voice recognition is superb. While there are inevitably a few words that are mistranscribed, the power of the AI generally corrects these without issue. Even when the speaker is a couple of metres from the device, the pickup of that vocal is surprisingly good. However, Plaud states a distance of up to 10 metres, which does work in a lecture theatre where sound is controlled, but in a busy environment, this was less successful.

Stripping away the advanced AI features, the audio quality of the voice recording is good, and side by side compared with the Voice Recorder app on the iPhone, the Plaud manages to balance the audio well, noticeably cutting down echo from the room. While the audio is good, compared with a dedicated dictaphone, even with the enhancement, the audio quality does lag behind.

Looking at the quality of transcription for phone calls, the results were surprisingly good, as long as you remember to flick the mode switch. It does seem slightly odd for a device with this much advanced technology and app support that this doesn’t happen automatically.

With AI support, the quality of the AI transcription is superb, with every word in most captures being transcribed perfectly. It’s worth noting that in the options, it’s possible to set the transcription language, and another feature that comes in useful is the “My Industry Glossary.” This glossary essentially pulls terminology from your professional sector and applies it to the summary and transcriptions, although this option is only accessable through the Unlimited subscription model.

Checking through each of the other sections, you can really start to see where the AI kicks in, with the Overview giving a really clear understanding of the audio clip that it has processed and summarising it in one or two sentences. The Transcript enables you to look through the Plaud app’s text transcript, and if anything has been mistranscribed, you can go in and edit it. Through the test, mistranscription wasn’t an issue.

The Summary is the default screen and utilises the templates, working incredibly well. You’ll probably find yourself customising these over time, but essentially, the end result really does expertly summarise quite lengthy meetings into an organised format. The final option is the Mind Map, and this gives a nice visual representation of what has been said, with sections and subsections so you can see the different arcs of the conversation.

Considering the size of this slim and lightweight device, it’s incredibly impressive.

• Performance: 5 / 5

Plaud Note: Final verdict

The Plaud hardware is essentially a very slim audio recorder that you can use in exactly the same way as a dictaphone or your mobile phone to record audio. Where it’s different, on the hardware side, is that as well as being able to capture audio in meetings and when taking notes, with the flip of a switch, it will also pick up the audio from phone calls just as well.

Over using your phone to capture audio, as it has its own battery it can be used in isolation without draining your phones resources. The slimline design means that it can be mounted on the back of your phone so that it’s always ready to use without searching through a bag for a dictaphone or diving into your phone to find the voice recorder.

Listening to the audio quality back, the Plaud noticeably enhances the vocal compared with recording the same piece using the iPhone Voice app. However, compared with the audio quality recorded on the dedicated Tascam DR, the Tascam is on another level of quality.

Essentially, the Plaud’s audio quality is good enough for recording notes, etc., but not for any type of voice-over recording.

Loading up the app is where the Plaud comes into its own. The files take a few moments to transfer, depending on length, and once you click the “Generate” button, the processing begins. I did find it took a while to get used to the templates in order to extract the content into a summary in the way that I wanted. While the templates supplied are good, they are generic. The good thing I found with the templates is that they are fully customisable, and you can, of course, create your own.

At the end of the test, I’m highly impressed. The Plaud is an outstanding device, and with 300 minutes in the free Starter Plan per month, that should meet the needs of most people. However, an upgrade to the Pro is definitely worth it, although expensive. For myself, I opted for the Unlimited option, which does again seem expensive, but as I realised through the test, those 300 minutes can quickly disappear. With the industry glossary that hones the device to your profession, it’s a great help.

Ultimately, if you’re a professional who attends meetings, conferences or takes multiple calls, a student, teacher or counsellor, this device is able to quickly take everything that has been said and summarise and itemise it at a speed and clarity that would usually take you hours. For me, the biggest advantage was being able to attend press briefings, record the audio as I would usually do on the dictaphone, and then click “Generate.” Instead of looking through notes and checking the audio of the recording from the dictaphone, I was able to instantly see a neatly formatted summary of the content.

For the price, this is one of the biggest time savers I have ever tested. Will I get one? Absolutely.

Should I buy a Plaud Note?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

For more note-taking tools, we reviewed the best speech-to-text apps around.