Granola and SmartDepo are both AI meeting assistants for recording, transcription, and summaries, compared here on pricing, features, and workflow fit. Granola: AI notepad that enhances the notes you type during meetings, working in the background without a meeting bot. SmartDepo: AI deposition summary platform for litigators that produces cited summaries with page-line citations. They overlap on ai-meeting-assistants, so the right pick depends on team size, budget, and which meeting workflows you automate.
For ai-meeting-assistants workflows, shortlist Granola when personal meeting notes for founders and pms matters most, and SmartDepo when generating cited page-line summaries of deposition transcripts matters most. Both record across Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams; trial each on real meetings before committing.
Granola is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); SmartDepo is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
Multiple summary formats: page/line summaries, key admissions, abstracts, and memos
Team usage
Works across common video apps
Topic detection that organizes content like attorney case materials
Integrations
Ask-the-transcript follow-ups
Full-transcript analysis without omissions
Languages & capture
Templates for different meeting types
Human review of AI-generated summaries by legal professionals
Best-fit workflow
Bot-free background capture
Fast turnaround, with summaries produced in minutes
Best for
Granola
Choose Granola if you need personal meeting notes for founders and pms — strengths include no meeting bot in the participant list.
SmartDepo
Choose SmartDepo if you need generating cited page-line summaries of deposition transcripts — strengths include citation-focused output suitable for court filings.
Pros & cons
Granola
+ No meeting bot in the participant list
+ Augments your own notes instead of replacing them
- Desktop-capture model rather than a server-side bot
SmartDepo
+ Citation-focused output suitable for court filings
+ Multiple summary formats tailored to different litigation tasks
- Narrowly focused on deposition summaries rather than live transcription or general meetings
FAQ
Is Granola or SmartDepo better for AI meeting notes?
It depends on your workflow. Granola is strong for personal meeting notes for founders and pms, while SmartDepo is strong for generating cited page-line summaries of deposition transcripts. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
How do Granola and SmartDepo compare on price?
Granola is a free tier with paid upgrades and SmartDepo 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 Granola and SmartDepo?
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary and the budget is justified.