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Notey vs Pocket
Pocket sells an AI voice recorder with its own app and an optional Pro subscription. Notey is an app that does the same job for an affordable card-sized recorder, with every transcript and summary made on your own device.
At a glance
| Feature | Notey | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | App for iPhone, Android and Mac that syncs a card-sized recorder or records with your phone | Recorder and app from heypocket.com |
| Where the AI runs | On your device | On Pocket's servers |
| Account | None | Required to sync recordings to Pocket's cloud |
| Recorder | Works with a card-sized recorder sold under many brands, from $29.99 | Pocket's own recorder, about $139 (list price $199) |
| Subscription | None | Free tier; Pocket Pro about $19.99 a month billed yearly, or $29.99 monthly |
| Transcription minutes | No limit | Depends on plan |
| Works offline | Yes, after a one-time model download | Records offline; transcripts and summaries need the cloud |
| Languages | 52, including English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese and Korean | More than 120 |
| Speaker labels | No | Yes, on Pro |
| Access on the web | No | Yes, through your Pocket account |
Your recordings stay on your device
Pocket transcribes and summarizes in its cloud, so recordings you want written up are uploaded to Pocket's servers and tied to your account. Pocket says that data is encrypted, but it still leaves your hands.
Notey runs its speech recognition and summary models on your phone or Mac. Nothing is uploaded, nothing needs an account, and there's no history on someone else's server to manage or delete.
No subscription to unlock the good parts
Pocket's core features are free, but features such as speaker labels sit behind Pocket Pro, which costs around $240 a year. Notey has no paid tier: everything it does is available from the start, with no limit on how much you record or transcribe.
Works without a signal
Once Notey has downloaded its models, syncing, transcribing, summarizing and playback all work offline: on a plane, in a basement meeting room or abroad without data.
Choose Notey if
- You don't want private conversations stored on someone else's servers.
- You'd rather not pay a yearly subscription for an AI recorder.
- You often record where there's no internet connection.
- You also want a Mac app that reads your recorder over Bluetooth.
Choose Pocket if
- You want the recorder and the app from one company, with one support team.
- You need speaker labels, mind maps or access to recordings from a web browser.
- You record in one of the many languages beyond Notey's 52.
Questions
Does Notey work with the Pocket recorder?
No. Notey works with a card-sized recorder sold under brands such as DOWAY, Fuallwin, ABVPO and Yunlone. Check yours against the description on our home page.
Is Notey cheaper than Pocket?
Notey has no subscription. Supported recorders start from $29.99, and you can also use Notey with just your phone. Pocket's recorder costs around $139 and Pocket Pro around $240 a year.
Is Notey as private as Pocket?
Notey doesn't upload recordings at all. Transcription and summaries happen on your phone or Mac, there's no account, and the app has no analytics or trackers.
Does Notey have speaker labels like Pocket Pro?
Not yet. Notey's transcripts are timestamped but don't say who is speaking.
Your privacy-first AI notetaker.
Transcripts and summaries made on your phone or Mac. No cloud, no account, no subscription.