Happy Scribe and StenoAI are both AI meeting assistants for recording, transcription, and summaries, compared here on pricing, features, and workflow fit. Happy Scribe: Transcription and subtitling platform that converts audio and video into text and captions in many languages. StenoAI: Open-source desktop app that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings entirely on-device with no bots, subscriptions, or cloud processing. 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 Happy Scribe when transcribing recordings and interviews matters most, and StenoAI when capturing and summarizing confidential meetings without sending audio to the cloud matters most. Both record across Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams; trial each on real meetings before committing.
Happy Scribe is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); StenoAI is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
On-device transcription with Parakeet TDT v3 (Apple Silicon) or Whisper models
Standout feature
Subtitles and captions
System audio and microphone capture via native Core Audio Tap (no bots)
Team usage
Wide multi-language support
Real-time on-screen speaker labels distinguishing you from others
Integrations
In-browser transcript editor
Local LLM summaries through Ollama, with remote Ollama server support
Languages & capture
Multi-format export
25 European languages live, up to 99 languages via Whisper after recording
Best-fit workflow
Automatic and human transcription
Markdown export of transcripts and summaries
Best for
Happy Scribe
Choose Happy Scribe if you need transcribing recordings and interviews — strengths include strong language and subtitle support.
StenoAI
Choose StenoAI if you need capturing and summarizing confidential meetings without sending audio to the cloud — strengths include fully local, bot-free capture with no cloud processing or subscriptions for core use.
Pros & cons
Happy Scribe
+ Strong language and subtitle support
+ Choice of automatic or human accuracy
- Not a live meeting bot
StenoAI
+ Fully local, bot-free capture with no cloud processing or subscriptions for core use
+ MIT-licensed and open source, with active 2026 releases
- Primary support is macOS on Apple Silicon; Windows build is alpha and Intel Mac support ended at v0.3.8
FAQ
Is Happy Scribe or StenoAI better for AI meeting notes?
It depends on your workflow. Happy Scribe is strong for transcribing recordings and interviews, while StenoAI is strong for capturing and summarizing confidential meetings without sending audio to the cloud. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
How do Happy Scribe and StenoAI compare on price?
Happy Scribe is a free tier with paid upgrades and StenoAI 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 Happy Scribe and StenoAI?
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary and the budget is justified.