While Grain talks the talk about offering a comprehensive solution for all customer needs and insights during meetings, we need to make sure it can walk the walk.
We've rounded up a gang of Grain alternatives, each with its own charm, but only one can be crowned the meeting recording king (or queen). It's like a royal rumble, but with software tools. Who will come out on top? Stay tuned to find out!
Within this list of AI meeting assistants, you'll find a tool that perfectly fits your specific needs, and take your meetings to the next level.
Each tool comes with its own strengths and unique features, so you can select the one that suits your organization the best. After all, the goal is to find a tool that works best for your team and helps you achieve your goals.
So, what's the deal with Grain? What does it do exactly?
Meet Grain, the one and only meeting recorder that is not a plant-based product. Grain.com is a powerful tool that simplifies the process of recording, transcribing, and capturing significant moments from different kind of meetings. With Grain you are able to share insightful snippets from your meetings with your stakeholders, allowing them to experience the customer's voice firsthand and gain a deeper understanding of their needs and wants. By sharing these snippets, you can effectively communicate the customer's perspective, sentiments, and feedback in a more engaging and impactful way.
Best for generating video highlights from notes
The beauty of Grain is that it integrates with popular platforms like Slack, Salesforce, and Notion, which makes it easier for you to share customer insights across your organization. Grain is the perfect tool for busy product managers and user researchers, but there are other competitors in the market that deserve your attention.
Pros
- Integrations with top business tools like Salesforce, Slack, Zapier
- Automated meeting note-taking, recording, and insight capture
- Customizable note-taking based on meeting type
- AI-generated insights and analytics for deals and meetings
- CRM integration to sync notes with contact and deal records
- Great UI for snippets and sharing
- Live transcription
- Quick video output
Cons
- Limited to 20 meetings in the Starter plan, requiring a paid plan for more
- Grain's app for manual note-taking during calls is only compatible with Zoom
- No option to tag people in notes for easier collaboration
- Smart Tags (trackers) feature is limited to Business and Enterprise plans
Pricing
- Free: Free
- Starter: $15 or $19 per user/month (when paid annually vs. monthly)
- Business: $29 or $39 per user/month (when paid annually vs. monthly)
- Enterprise: Contact sales for demo & pricing
Read more about the different pricing plans here.
In this article, we will introduce you to some of the top alternatives to Grain and compare their features and benefits. By exploring these options, you can find the tool that best suits your needs. So, let's take a closer look at the competitors of Grain and see what they have to offer!
The Best 4 Grain Alternatives
(1) Wudpecker
Wudpecker is an easy-to-use tool that makes knowledge management feel like a breeze.
Whether you want to record online or in-person meetings, Wudpecker automates notetaking and eliminates the need to watch long recordings, listen to audio files or read long transcripts. But, of course, listening to or reading the full meeting transcript is still possible as well.
Best for people who want the most autonomy over what information to consume from meetings and how.
Wudpecker prioritizes customizing meeting insights in the way you want to consume them.
- Want to read information from a table, summary, or a custom template?
- Want to save your instructions for what notes you want for other calls as well?
- Need to ask clarifying questions about the topic or advice for better meeting communication?
Yes, yes and yes, all of this and more is possible with Wudpecker.
Wudpecker works seamlessly with popular video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet. Recording in person on your laptop without using any external meeting platform is also possible using the Wudpecker desktop apps. You can also start and pause the recording at any point. If you were late to the meeting or there were technical issues in the beginning, it’s never too late for Wudpecker to join.
Wudpecker also integrates with Notion, Slack, Hubspot and Zoom, making it easy to incorporate your meeting notes and insights into your existing workflow. These integrations save you time and ensure that your team is always up-to-date with the latest information.
Wudpecker is an essential tool for anyone who wants to streamline their meeting processes and improve productivity. Whether you are a business owner, manager, team leader, or just someone who attends a lot of meetings, Wudpecker can help you save time with knowledge management through an intuitive interface.
Pros
- Record your Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet meetings automatically, whether they're planned or unexpected. You can choose to join the meetings seamlessly or start recording manually.
- Record your meetings easily, whether they're online or in person, using Wudpecker's versatile browser as well as desktop app options.
- Supports 40+ languages for accurate speech recognition, transcription, and note translation.
- Has the flexibility to manually edit notes.
- "Ask Wudpecker" provides instant answers to meeting-specific questions, unlocking deeper meeting insights.
- Share complete notes, audio recordings, and transcripts via a shareable link (no login required!) or directly with another Wudpecker user's workspace.
- Accurately recognizes and labels speakers, allowing for easy navigation and dialogue tracking. Edits to speaker names are also possible.
- Structures notes into topic-based sections and automatically highlights action items for easy review.
- Intuitive interface and easy onboarding make Wudpecker accessible to users of all technical levels.
- Integrates with popular productivity tools like Notion, Slack, HubSpot, and Zoom, streamlining workflows.
- Allow limitless meeting recording and storage capacity.
- Can join meetings for you; you don't have to attend
Cons
- Doesn’t offer as many integrations with tools as some other notetakers
- No video recording
- Doesn't allow uploading files
Pricing
- Free: Free
- Plus: $13 or $16 per user/month (when billed annually vs. monthly)
- Pro: $25 or $30 per user/month(when billed annually vs. monthly)
Read more about the different pricing plans here.
Wudpecker vs Grain
Here is a table for a quick and easy overview of this alternative to Grain and its features.
Wudpecker’s newest feature is the desktop apps, which allows you to record any meeting (in-person, Zoom, MS Teams or Google Meet) with one button press without having to use a notetaking bot as an attendee. On the other hand, Grain primarily operates through a web dashboard and does not have a dedicated standalone desktop application outside of WebCatalog.
In other words, if you want to instantly record any meeting without having to rely on a separate meeting platform, Wudpecker is your best friend.
(2) Gong
Gong.io is a powerful AI-powered meeting assistant that is specifically designed for sales teams. Its advanced AI technology provides valuable insights into customer behavior, helping sales teams to improve their sales and customer success strategies.
Best for advanced AI-driven coaching and analytics capabilities that analyze sales calls and meetings to provide personalized coaching and feedback to each member of the team.
Gong's coaching and analytics features include call recording and transcription, AI-driven conversation analytics, and performance dashboards that provide real-time insights into the team's performance. The tool integrates with popular CRM tools, linking up with existing customer relationship management software, streamlining processes, and making it easier to manage sales pipelines. Gong's AI technology can also provide detailed analytics about meetings, such as talk time which helps teams identify areas for improvement in communication and collaboration skills.
Gong's AI technology automatically records, transcribes, and analyzes all sales calls and meetings, providing detailed analytics and insights into customer conversations. It offers real-time coaching suggestions and recommendations to help sales reps improve their performance and close more deals. Gong's main focus is on helping sales teams achieve their goals, and it offers features specifically designed for that purpose, such as deal management that helps track deals and opportunities throughout the sales cycle.
Overall, Gong is a powerful tool for sales teams looking to improve their performance and close more deals. Its coaching-style insights and focus on sales-specific features make it a valuable addition to any sales team's toolkit. With Gong, sales teams can identify key trends and patterns in their performance, track progress over time, and measure the impact of coaching and training programs. Gong's AI-driven coaching and analytics capabilities provide personalized feedback and insights to each team member, helping them improve their performance and close deals more effectively.
Let’s go dig into the pros and cons of Gong.
Pros
- AI-driven coaching and analytics
- Action item and next step summaries
- Integration with popular collaboration and documentation tools
- Automatic call recording and transcription
- Real-time performance dashboards
Cons
- High cost
- Only targeted towards sales teams
- May be overwhelming for some users due to the abundance of data and insights
Pricing
Gong's pricing is not publicly available.
However, based on multiple sources, we know that Gong’s per-user rates range from $100 to $200. And on top of that, a compulsory base price is added.
The total cost is a base price of $5,000 + $ 1,200 per user/year minimum + $7,500.
To get the specifics, you need to fill out a form and contact the Gong team. They will then tailor a proposal based on your unique needs.
Gong vs Grain
Both Gong and Grain offer AI-powered meeting assistance, but Gong has a stronger focus on sales teams and provides more advanced coaching and analytics features. On the other hand, Grain offers a more collaborative approach, allowing users to share and collaborate on meeting highlights and notes.
While Gong has a more advanced AI technology, its pricing plans are more expensive than Grain's. Gong's higher pricing may not be feasible for smaller businesses or individuals who are looking for a more affordable option.
Overall, the choice between Gong and Grain may depend on the specific needs of the user or business. For those looking for advanced coaching and analytics features for sales teams, Gong may be the better option despite its higher pricing. However, for those seeking a more collaborative approach to meeting notes and highlights, Grain may be the better choice.
(3) Otter
Otter.ai is a powerful transcription tool that is designed to help people save time by automatically transcribing audio recordings. It is perfect for professionals who frequently attend meetings or interviews, as it can quickly and accurately transcribe conversations in real-time. Otter has a variety of features that make it stand out from other transcription tools on the market.
Best for its ability to accurately live transcribe conversations.
This means that as soon as someone speaks, the software starts transcribing their words in real-time, which is a huge time saver. Unlike manual note-taking, where you might miss important points while trying to write everything down, or post-meeting tools that require waiting for a summary, this software captures the conversation as it happens. This allows you to stay engaged in the discussion, access notes instantly, and avoid the extra step of reviewing a transcript later, ultimately streamlining your workflow and enhancing productivity.
Another great feature of Otter is its ability to easily edit transcriptions. Users can highlight important sections of the transcript, add comments, and even insert images to make the transcript more informative. This is a great way to keep track of important information from meetings and interviews. Otter also has an AI-powered search function, which allows users to quickly find specific words or phrases within their transcriptions.
Otter also has a variety of integrations with other tools, such as Zoom and Dropbox. This makes it easy to use Otter in conjunction with other tools that users may already be using. Otter also has mobile apps for both iOS and Android, which makes it easy to transcribe conversations on-the-go.
In addition to Otter's useful features, it's important to note that the software currently only supports English (U.S. and U.K.) and regional accents. This limitation may be a drawback for teams that work in multilingual environments or have members who speak languages other than English. It's worth considering other transcription software options that offer a wider range of language support if this is a critical requirement for your team.
Overall, Otter is a powerful transcription tool that is perfect for professionals who need to transcribe conversations quickly and accurately. Its real-time transcription and editing features, AI-powered search function, and integrations with other tools make it one of the best transcription tools on the market.
See the pros and cons of Otter.
Pros
- Joins meetings on Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet
- Allows editing transcript and adding action items to summary
- Answers questions about all meetings in Beta version of "Otter Chat"
- Lets you share the audio recording and transcript to anyone with the link (but not summary)
- Offers browser app, Chrome extension, mobile app
- Recognizes speakers during the meeting, separates their dialogue in the transcript, allows to change speaker names
- Integrates with tools such as Slack, HubSpot and Dropbox
- Also works for in-person meetings
- Can join spontaneous and scheduled meetings
- Includes time markers in the transcript, allowing users to jump to specific parts of the recording
- Allows uploading audio or video file
- Real-time transcription with collaboration features
- Can join meetings for you; you don't have to attend
Cons
- Only supports English (U.S., UK, regional accents)
- Sets a limit for meeting length
- Requires extra setup in settings for joining meetings automatically
- Doesn't allow note restructuring
Pricing
- Basic: Free
- Pro: $8.33 or $16.99 per user/month (when paid annually vs. monthly)
- Business: $20 or $30 per user/month (when paid annually vs. monthly)
- Enterprise: Schedule a demo
Read more about the different pricing plans here.
Otter vs Grain
Both Otter and Grain offer AI-powered transcription and collaboration features, but Grain's free plan is more extensive compared to Otter's free version.
One downside of Otter is that it currently only supports English (U.S. and U.K.) and regional accents, while Grain's transcription and translation services are available in over 20 languages, making it a better option for international teams or non-English speakers.
Additionally, Otter's mobile app allows users to record and transcribe meetings on the go, making it a convenient option for teams that are frequently on the move.
Ultimately, the choice between Otter and Grain depends on the specific needs and priorities of the user or business. For those who require real-time transcription and flexibility, Otter may be the better option. However, for those who prioritize language support and want to use the free version, Grain may be the more suitable choice.
(4) Fireflies
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Fireflies has emerged as a popular AI meeting tool that provides a variety of features to streamline knowledge management.
Best for complex features like analyzing calls through sentiments or creating snippet playlists.
Fireflies is well-suited for someone looking for extra features. Their user interface can be a bit confusing and non-intuitive at first, but you get used to it with time.
If you need additional features to play around with, like uploading videos, analyzing sentiments, making playlists for audio snippets, then Fireflies might be the tool for you. Users can also add topics for meetings. Topics make it easier to search for specific meetings later on. Note that many of these features are behind a paywall.
Another key strength of Fireflies is its ability to integrate seamlessly with numerous business tools and communication platforms, such as Zoom, Slack, and Dropbox.
Fireflies also comes with an assistant, Fred. The AskFred feature allows users to not only ask specific questions about individual meetings, but also utilize Fred on other websites through the Chrome extension. Fred can summarize articles, Youtube video transcripts, and more, to save your precious time.
Fireflies offers a browser app, a Chrome extension, and a mobile app.
In summary, Fireflies is a powerful tool that has transformed virtual meetings, making them more efficient and productive. Its AI technology, integration capabilities, and advanced features make it a very attractive knowledge management tool, especially for users with niche needs.
Pros
- Joins meetings on Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, Webex and more
- Supports 69 languages
- “AskFred” allows you to not only ask meeting-specific questions but also questions summarizing information on any website on Chrome
- Offers browser app, Chrome extension, mobile app (for Android and iOS)
- Recognizes speakers during the meeting, separates their dialogue in the transcript, allows to change speaker names
- Integrates with many CRMs, project management tools, and so on
- Customizable workflows and automation
- Offers audio or video file upload
- Can join spontaneous meetings
- Includes time markers in the transcript, allowing users to jump to specific parts of the recording
Cons
- Doesn't allow people who are not signed in to see shared link notes
- Limits storage on the Free and Pro plans
- Records video only for Business and Enterprise accounts
- Has a non-intuitive interface
- Doesn't let you fully customize/restructure meeting notes with AI
- Allows in-person recording only on the mobile app
Pricing
- Free: Free
- Pro: $10 or $18 per user/month (when billed annually vs. monthly)
- Business: $19 or $29 per user/month (when billed annually vs. monthly)
- Enterprise: $39 per user/month (billed annually)
Read more about the different pricing plans here.
Fireflies vs Grain
While Grain and Fireflies are both popular meeting recorders, we believe Fireflies offers a better set of features and tools for businesses. Fireflies provides a more comprehensive set of features and integrations compared to Grain.
Ultimately, the choice between Grain and Fireflies will depend on your specific needs and budget. If you require a more robust set of features and integrations, and are willing to pay more for them, Fireflies may be the better choice. However, if you're looking for a more affordable and straightforward option, Grain may be the way to go.
The verdict
In summary, after comparing Grain to Wudpecker, Gong, Otter and Fireflies, each tool has its strengths and weaknesses. Fireflies stands out with its extensive set of features and integrations, making it an excellent choice for businesses that prioritize advanced technology and are willing to pay more for it. Otter is a suitable option for real-time transcription and teams frequently on the move. Gong provides more advanced coaching and analytics features, but its pricing may not be feasible for smaller businesses.
On the other hand, Wudpecker emerges as a top contender among the alternatives we've reviewed. Despite being a free option, it offers an impressive selection of features that can help you gather valuable customer insights and improve your meetings. Whether you're a small business or an individual looking for a free AI meeting tool that still packs a punch, Wudpecker is the way to go.
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