Is Descript or OpenOats better for AI meeting notes?

It depends on your workflow. Descript is strong for editing podcasts and videos by editing the transcript, while OpenOats is strong for getting live, context-aware prompts from your own notes during sales or customer calls. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.

How do Descript and OpenOats compare on price?

Descript is a free tier with paid upgrades and OpenOats is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.

Can I use both Descript and OpenOats?

Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary.

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Descript vs OpenOats

Descript: Video/podcast editor with transcription and meeting recording OpenOats: Open-source macOS meeting note-taker that transcribes calls locally and surfaces relevant talking points from your own notes in real time. The right pick comes down to team size, budget, and the workflows you want to automate.

How Hosiqo compares and tests tools

Final recommendation

Shortlist Descript when editing podcasts and videos by editing the transcript matters most, and OpenOats when privately transcribing meetings on a mac without sending audio to the cloud matters most. Try them side by side on real calls before deciding — needs vary by team.

Descript

CustomAI Meeting Assistants

Video/podcast editor with transcription and meeting recording

Automatic transcription of imported or recorded audio and videoMultitrack audio and video editingOne-click caption and subtitle generation

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OpenOats

CustomAI Meeting Assistants

Open-source macOS meeting note-taker that transcribes calls locally and surfaces relevant talking points from your own notes in real time.

Auto-saved transcripts and session logs to local files

About Descript

Descript is an audio and video editing platform built around text-based editing, where the spoken content of a recording is automatically transcribed and the resulting transcript becomes the primary way to edit the media. When users import or record audio and video, Descript generates a transcript that they can read, search, and edit, with changes to the text reflected in the underlying recording. The platform also offers one-click caption and subtitle generation so the transcribed words can be displayed on screen and styled to match a project. In addition to transcription and captions, Descript provides features for podcast and video production, including multitrack editing, screen recording, and AI-assisted tools. Because editing the transcript edits the media, it is especially useful for podcasters, video creators, and teams who want to cut filler, rearrange segments, or repurpose content without working frame by frame. Descript is aimed at content creators, marketers, educators, and teams who want transcription, captions, and editing combined in a single workflow. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.

Best suited for

Editing podcasts and videos by editing the transcript
Generating captions and subtitles for published content
Producing searchable transcripts from recorded sessions

About OpenOats

OpenOats is an open-source macOS meeting note-taker, created by Yazin Akkawi (the project was previously named OpenGranola before being renamed), that sits alongside your calls and both transcribes the conversation and helps you contribute to it. It captures both sides of a meeting and transcribes audio locally on Apple Silicon so audio never leaves the device, while in real time it searches your own markdown or plain-text knowledge base to surface relevant talking points and things worth saying during the discussion. The application window is hidden from screen sharing by default, which lets it stay private during video calls, and transcripts and session logs are auto-saved locally. OpenOats supports both fully local operation through Ollama and cloud providers such as OpenRouter and Voyage AI, so users can choose between complete offline privacy and hosted models. It is written primarily in Swift, distributed under the MIT license, and actively maintained with very frequent releases. The project documents itself at openoats.com and targets users who want a privacy-respecting, self-hostable alternative to cloud meeting copilots, combining live transcription with a retrieval layer over personal notes rather than only producing an after-the-fact summary. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.

Best suited for

Getting live, context-aware prompts from your own notes during sales or customer calls
Privately transcribing meetings on a Mac without sending audio to the cloud
Self-hosting a meeting copilot as an alternative to subscription cloud tools

Feature	Descript	OpenOats
Core capability	Automatic transcription of imported or recorded audio and video	Real-time local transcription of both sides of a conversation on Apple Silicon
Standout feature	Text-based editing where editing the transcript edits the media	Live retrieval of relevant talking points from your own notes during meetings
Team usage	One-click caption and subtitle generation	Window hidden from screen sharing by default for privacy on calls
Integrations	Multitrack audio and video editing	Auto-saved transcripts and session logs to local files
Languages & capture	Screen and audio recording built in	Works fully local via Ollama or with cloud models (OpenRouter, Voyage AI)
Best-fit workflow	Automatic transcription of imported or recorded audio and video	MIT-licensed, self-hostable Swift application

Descript vs OpenOats

About Descript

About OpenOats

Pricing comparison

Feature table

Best for

Pros & cons

FAQ

Is Descript or OpenOats better for AI meeting notes?

How do Descript and OpenOats compare on price?

Can I use both Descript and OpenOats?

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