BB Recorder: A 100% local, no-bot meeting recorder for Mac and iOS that records, transcribes, and summarizes entirely on-device, built by the BuildBetter team. HoverNotes: Chrome extension that watches lecture and course videos with you and generates AI notes saved as Markdown. We compare them on cost, capture approach, and day-to-day fit so you can choose faster.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist BB Recorder when regulated or privacy-sensitive teams that cannot send audio to the cloud matters most, and HoverNotes when capturing code and diagrams from technical youtube lectures matters most. Test each on your own meetings; the right choice tends to become obvious quickly.
A 100% local, no-bot meeting recorder for Mac and iOS that records, transcribes, and summarizes entirely on-device, built by the BuildBetter team.
Chrome extension that watches lecture and course videos with you and generates AI notes saved as Markdown.
BB Recorder is a local-first meeting recorder built by the team behind BuildBetter, designed for people who want meeting capture without any data leaving their device. Rather than dropping a bot into a video call, BB Recorder captures the computer's system audio directly, links to the user's calendar, and turns rough conversation audio into clean transcripts and summaries. Its defining characteristic is that recording, transcription, summarization, and even live AI chat about the meeting can all run locally using on-device models, so there is no server holding the audio or transcripts. The company frames this as making a data breach architecturally impossible because there is no cloud store to compromise, and it points to SOC 2 and HIPAA considerations along with an AI transparency policy. BB Recorder is positioned as a genuinely free, unlimited option for Mac, with no trial tiers or required registration when using local models, and a companion iOS app extends capture to the iPhone. It is aimed at privacy-sensitive professionals, regulated teams, and anyone who wants automatic meeting notes without a visible bot or a cloud transcription pipeline. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
HoverNotes is an AI-powered note-taking tool delivered as a Chrome extension, designed for students and learners who study from recorded lectures and online course videos. Rather than relying on audio transcription alone, HoverNotes analyzes video frames as you watch, so it can capture on-screen context such as code snippets, mathematical equations, and diagrams alongside spoken content. The extension generates AI notes while you watch and saves them as plain Markdown files directly to your local file system, which makes them easy to use with tools like Obsidian or other Markdown-based knowledge bases. Users can also capture single-click screenshots embedded with clickable timestamps that jump back to the exact moment in the video. HoverNotes works across common video learning platforms including YouTube, Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, Bilibili, and university lecture portals. It runs on a freemium model with a limited monthly allotment of AI note generation on the free plan and paid tiers for heavier use. The tool is best suited to self-directed learners studying from video, and its local-Markdown approach appeals to people who want full ownership of their notes. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
BB Recorder is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); HoverNotes is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | BB Recorder | HoverNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | No-bot capture of system audio directly on the device | Chrome extension that generates AI notes while watching videos |
| Standout feature | Fully on-device recording, transcription, and summarization | Video frame analysis to capture on-screen code, equations, and diagrams |
| Team usage | Local AI chat to ask questions about a captured meeting | Notes saved locally as Markdown files for use in Obsidian and similar tools |
| Integrations | Calendar linking to associate recordings with scheduled meetings | One-click timestamped screenshots that link back to the video moment |
| Languages & capture | Available for macOS and iOS | Support for YouTube, Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, Bilibili, and lecture portals |
| Best-fit workflow | Built by the BuildBetter team with an AI transparency policy | Freemium plan with paid tiers for more usage |
BB Recorder
Choose BB Recorder if you need regulated or privacy-sensitive teams that cannot send audio to the cloud — strengths include local-only processing keeps meeting audio and transcripts off external servers.
HoverNotes
Choose HoverNotes if you need taking notes from coursera and udemy course videos — strengths include captures visual on-screen content, not just audio, for technical lectures.
BB Recorder
HoverNotes
It depends on your workflow. BB Recorder is strong for regulated or privacy-sensitive teams that cannot send audio to the cloud, while HoverNotes is strong for taking notes from coursera and udemy course videos. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
BB Recorder is a free tier with paid upgrades and HoverNotes is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
You can — some teams pair them when each covers a different part of the meeting workflow.
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