Autorec vs Read.ai
Local-first vs a cloud notetaker
Read.ai layers analytics on top of notetaking: engagement scores, talk-time breakdowns, sentiment and meeting metrics, plus a free plan to start. It records with a bot and processes calls in its cloud. Autorec is a plain local recorder: no bot, no cloud, no analytics. If you want data about how your meetings go, Read.ai gives you that. If you want a private recording and transcript on your disk, Autorec does that without sending the audio anywhere.
Side by side
| Autorec | Read.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| How it records | Captures the meeting window from your desktop | A bot joins the call as a participant |
| Where recordings live | Your disk only, never uploaded | Vendor cloud |
| Transcription | On-device with whisper.cpp, writes .txt and .srt | In the vendor cloud |
| Visible in the call | No, nothing extra appears in the call | Yes, an extra attendee appears |
| Pricing | €20 once per major version, free tier available | $19.75/user/mo (free plan available) |
| Works offline | Yes, recording and transcription run locally | No, needs a connection |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows (macOS in development) | Web, iOS / Android |
| Team features | No, single-user; no shared library or admin | Yes, shared library and admin |
Pricing and features for Read.ai last checked 2026-05-22. Vendor pricing changes; check their site for the current number.
Which one fits you
Choose Autorec if
You want a private local recording with no bot in the call and no upload, for a one-time price. Meeting analytics are not what you are after, and you would rather not feed call data into a vendor's metrics engine.
Choose Read.ai if
You want engagement metrics, sentiment and talk-time analytics across your meetings, and a shared team view of that data. Read.ai is built for it and has a free tier. Autorec has no analytics at all.
What it costs over time
Read.ai has a free plan; its paid tiers start around $19.75 per user per month. A three-person team on the paid plan over two years runs about $1,420. Autorec is €20 once per major version, with up to 5 device activations on one license — the three-person team still pays €20 once and total. If Read.ai's free plan is enough, compare features instead. Either way, Read.ai's price buys the analytics layer Autorec does not have.
Moving off Read.ai
Read.ai stores recordings, transcripts and meeting analytics in its web app. Export the recordings and transcripts you want to keep before your plan lapses; the analytics history stays behind. Autorec needs no import; install it and it records the next detected meeting locally.
Common questions
Does Autorec give meeting analytics like Read.ai?
No. Read.ai scores engagement, sentiment and talk time. Autorec records and transcribes meetings locally and writes an AI summary, but it produces no analytics or metrics.
Does Autorec join the call like the Read.ai bot?
No. Read.ai adds a bot to the meeting. Autorec records the meeting window from your desktop, with no extra attendee.
Where do recordings go with Autorec versus Read.ai?
Read.ai stores recordings and transcripts in its cloud. Autorec writes them to your local disk only.
Read.ai has a free plan. Why pay for Autorec?
You pay for what the free plan cannot give you: recordings that never leave your machine and no bot in the call. If analytics matter more to you than local storage, Read.ai's free plan may be the better choice.
Compare Autorec to other tools
Decide for yourself
Record three meetings a day on the free tier, no account and no upload. Buy once for €20 when you are ready.
Download Autorec