Credit card sized AI voice recorders are flat, card-shaped devices about 3.4 inches long. Comu Note Pro costs €139.99 and its free Starter plan transcribes in real time with no minute cap. Plaud Note costs $159 and gives 300 free transcription minutes a month. Over two years, Comu Note Pro totals €139.99 and Plaud Note with Plaud Unlimited totals $638.98 (Nov 12, 2026). Comu prices are euro prices from the EU store (Nov 6, 2026); competitor prices are US dollar prices from each company's own site.
If you record long meetings and want transcripts with no monthly minute cap, skip to how Comu Note Pro transcribes on its free Starter plan.
Which credit card sized AI voice recorders exist?
Comu Note Pro, Plaud Note and Plaud Note Pro are the three card-format AI recorders compared here, and each is about 3.4 inches long. They share a footprint close to a payment card.
| Spec | Comu Note Pro | Plaud Note | Plaud Note Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length x width x thickness | 3.37 x 2.04 x 0.12 in (85.7 x 51.7 x 3.1 mm) | 3.37 x 2.13 x 0.12 in | 3.37 x 2.13 x 0.12 in |
| Weight | 27.6 g (0.97 oz) | 1.06 oz (about 30 g) | 1.06 oz (about 30 g) |
| Price | €139.99 | $159 | $189 |
Plaud prices checked Nov 12, 2026.
All three cards are 0.12 inches thick, so thickness does not separate them. Comu Note Pro is about 2.4 mm narrower than the two Plaud cards and about 2.5 g lighter. Its body is aluminum alloy, and the box holds the device, a magnetic case, a magnetic ring, a charging cable, an OTG adapter and a user guide.
A wearable is a different shape. Plaud NotePin S ($179) measures 2.01 x 0.83 x 0.43 in and weighs 0.61 oz, so it belongs with pins and clips, not with card recorders.
How do card recorders compare on battery and microphones?
Comu Note Pro and Plaud Note have the same microphone layout and the same 400 mAh battery, and Plaud Note Pro adds microphones and a larger battery.
| Spec | Comu Note Pro | Plaud Note | Plaud Note Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microphones | 2 MEMS + 1 VPU (bone conduction) | 2 MEMS + 1 VPU | 4 MEMS + 1 VPU |
| Pickup range indoors | 5 m (16.4 ft) | 9.84 ft (3 m) | 16.4 ft (5 m) |
| Battery | 400 mAh | 400 mAh | 500 mAh |
| Continuous recording | 45 hours | 30 hours | Up to 30 hours (Enhance mode), up to 50 hours (Endurance mode) |
| Charging time | About 1.5 hours, magnetic | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 LE, Wi-Fi 6 | BLE 5.2, Wi-Fi | BLE 5.4, Wi-Fi |
| Storage | 16 GB (about 500 hours at 32 kbps) | 64 GB | 64 GB |
On the same 400 mAh battery, Comu Note Pro records for 45 hours and Plaud Note for 30 hours. Comu Note Pro also stays on standby for 107 days between recordings. Its two MEMS microphones and one bone-conduction VPU pick up a room out to 5 m, about 2 m farther than Plaud Note.
Plaud Note Pro has the most microphones of the three cards, four MEMS plus one VPU, and adds a 0.95-inch AMOLED display that shows recording status and battery level. It costs $189. Is Plaud Note Pro worth it? covers that card in detail.
What free transcription does an AI voice recorder include?
Comu Note Pro comes with Comu Starter, which transcribes in real time with no minute cap, and Plaud Note comes with Plaud Starter, which transcribes 300 minutes a month after the recording ends.
| Feature | Comu Note Pro (Comu Starter) | Plaud Note (Plaud Starter) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | €0 | $0 |
| Transcription allowance | Unlimited | 300 minutes per month (5 hours) |
| Real-time transcription while recording | Yes | No, Plaud transcribes after the recording ends |
| Speaker labels | Yes, speakers tagged Speaker01, Speaker02 | Yes, Speaker 1, Speaker 2; your own voice is named automatically, other speakers by hand |
| Summaries | Basic summaries, unlimited | Multidimensional summaries |
| Translation between languages | Real-time translation, 1 time per month | Not supported |
Comu Starter comes with the device and covers unlimited real-time transcription, speaker identification, basic summaries and 113 languages. On Starter you tap to transcribe and summarize after a recording syncs to the app. Premium and Elite do both automatically.
Plaud Starter comes with every Plaud device at no extra cost. It includes AI transcription in 112+ languages with speaker labels, multidimensional summaries, Ask Plaud, AutoFlow and Private Cloud Sync across the app, web and desktop. All of those features are in every Plaud plan, so Starter, Pro and Unlimited differ in how many minutes you can transcribe.
Plaud does not support real-time transcription or translation between languages, and it processes a recording after it ends. Comu Starter shows text while you record and includes real-time translation 1 time per month.
Plaud separates speakers, labels them Speaker 1 and Speaker 2, and recognizes only your own voice automatically, from a voice profile built on at least 30 seconds of your speech. You name other speakers by hand for each recording. Comu Note Pro's transcript tags speakers as Speaker01 and Speaker02, and speaker identification is part of Comu Starter on every Comu device.
AI voice recorder free transcription: how many minutes?
Comu Starter has no transcription-minute cap, and Plaud Starter gives you 300 transcription minutes per month, which is 5 hours. As an arithmetic example, one one-hour recording every week is 4 or 5 hours in a month, which is 240 or 300 of Plaud's 300 minutes. Two one-hour recordings every week is 8 to 10 hours, which is 480 to 600 minutes and goes past the cap.
- Minutes are spent when transcription starts. Transferring a file from the card to the app does not use minutes. Minutes already spent stay spent after you delete the audio.
- Minutes reset each billing month. Unused minutes do not carry over.
- The 300 minutes are unlocked by binding a device. A Plaud device bound to your account turns on the monthly minutes.
- A paid plan replaces the free minutes. Plaud Pro is 1,200 minutes in total, not 1,200 plus 300.
- At zero minutes only transcription pauses. Recording, playback, file management and cloud sync keep working. Transcription resumes at the next reset or when you add minutes.
- Extra Minutes packs are one-time purchases. The website sells 600, 3,000 and 6,000 minutes, and purchased minutes are valid for 24 months from activation.
Canceling a paid Plaud plan sends the account back to Starter, and existing recordings and transcriptions stay accessible.
Comu Starter has no transcription-minute allowance, so there is no monthly total to track.
How much does each card recorder cost over 1 and 2 years?
Comu Note Pro costs €139.99 after one year and after two years, and Plaud Note with Plaud Unlimited billed annually costs $398.99 after one year and $638.98 after two years (Nov 12, 2026).
A fair cost table pairs each card with the plan that covers the same recording time. The Comu row uses only what Comu Starter includes: unlimited real-time transcription, speaker identification, basic summaries and 113 languages. Plaud Starter caps transcription at 300 minutes a month and does not transcribe in real time. A reader who needs unlimited transcription needs a paid Plaud plan, so the table compares Comu Note Pro with Plaud Note plus Plaud Pro and Plaud Unlimited.
| Setup | Device | Plan cost per year | 1-year total | 2-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comu Note Pro | €139.99 | €0 | €139.99 | €139.99 |
| Plaud Note + Starter (300 minutes a month) | $159.00 | $0 | $159.00 | $159.00 |
| Plaud Note + Pro, billed annually (1,200 minutes a month) | $159.00 | $99.99 | $258.99 | $358.98 |
| Plaud Note + Unlimited, billed annually (unlimited transcription) | $159.00 | $239.99 | $398.99 | $638.98 |
Plaud prices checked Nov 12, 2026, before tax. Each total is the device price plus one or two years of the plan price.
Monthly billing costs more. Plaud Note with Plaud Pro billed monthly ($17.99) totals $374.88 after one year and $590.76 after two years. With Plaud Unlimited billed monthly ($29.99) it totals $518.88 and $878.76.
The Plaud plan that matches your recording time depends on how many hours you record a month:
| Hours recorded per month | Plaud plan | Plaud minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 5 | Starter, $0 | 300 |
| Up to 20 | Pro, $99.99 a year or $17.99 a month | 1,200 |
| More than 20 | Unlimited, $239.99 a year or $29.99 a month | Unlimited |
Plaud Unlimited is the plan for more than 20 hours of recording a month. For example, one hour of recording on each of 22 workdays is 22 hours, or 1,320 minutes, which is past the 1,200-minute Pro limit. Comu Starter has no transcription cap at any of these levels.
Premium, which adds automatic transcription and summaries, is bought in the Comu app. It is not in the table, which shows Comu Starter.
Does a credit card voice recorder record phone calls?
Comu Action Pro records phone calls with its built-in bone-conduction microphone, and placing the recorder against your phone records the call. Comu Action Pro costs €179.99 (Nov 6, 2026).
Plaud Note Pro detects automatically whether you are on a phone call or in an in-person conversation, and its free Plaud Desktop app captures online meetings without a bot joining the call.
Tell the other person you are recording. Laws on recording calls differ by country, and you are responsible for following them.
Let Comu AI transcribe without a minute cap on Note Pro
Comu Note Pro costs €139.99 (Nov 6, 2026), and Comu Starter, which comes with it, has no transcription-minute cap. Comu Note Pro offers:
- Transcription with no minute cap. Starter includes unlimited real-time AI transcription, so a 2-hour meeting and a 20-hour month are both covered by Starter.
- Text while you record. Real-time transcription turns speech into text during the recording. Plaud processes a recording after it ends.
- Speaker identification in the free plan. The transcript tags speakers as Speaker01, Speaker02 and so on, on every Comu plan.
- Basic summaries and 113 languages. Starter includes basic summaries, and transcription, translation and summaries support 113 languages.
- 45 hours of continuous recording. The 400 mAh battery runs 45 hours of recording and 107 days on standby, and it recharges magnetically in about 1.5 hours.
- 5 m indoor pickup in a 27.6 g card. Two MEMS microphones and one bone-conduction VPU give a 5 m indoor pickup range in an aluminum body 3.1 mm thick.
- Privacy statements from Comu. Comu is GDPR, HIPAA and SOC 2 compliant, encrypts files, does not sell data to third parties and does not use data to train AI. You can delete your data at any time.
On Starter you tap to transcribe and summarize after a recording syncs. Premium and Elite transcribe and summarize automatically, and you buy both inside the Comu app. Comu Note Pro is on the Comu Note Pro product page in Black, Silver and Orange.
Comu Action Pro adds phone-call recording and uses the same Comu app and the same Starter plan. Plaud alternative without a subscription covers three ways to avoid a Plaud subscription.
Which Comu card recorder fits which reader?
Comu Note Pro fits readers who record many hours a month, and Comu Action Pro fits readers who also record phone calls.
| If you... | Card that fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Record long meetings or many hours a month and want transcripts with no minute cap | Comu Note Pro, €139.99 | Starter transcribes in real time without a minute cap, and the 2-year total is €139.99 |
| Want a recorder that also records phone calls through bone conduction | Comu Action Pro, €179.99 | Built-in bone-conduction microphone placed against the phone |
| Want a discreet device to carry into meetings | Comu Note Pro, €139.99 | 3.1 mm thick and 27.6 g; see best discreet voice recorders for meetings |
Is there a free AI note taker for Zoom, Google Meet and Teams? lines up Otter, Fireflies and the meeting-platform tools. Can you use Plaud without a subscription? covers what Plaud's free plan includes on its own.
FAQ
What is a credit card sized AI voice recorder?
A credit card sized AI voice recorder is a flat, card-shaped device that records audio and sends it to an app for AI transcription and summaries. Comu Note Pro measures 3.37 x 2.04 x 0.12 in, and Plaud Note and Plaud Note Pro measure 3.37 x 2.13 x 0.12 in.
Which credit card voice recorder has free transcription?
Comu Note Pro and Plaud Note both come with a free plan. Comu's Starter plan includes unlimited real-time transcription, and Plaud's Starter plan includes 300 transcription minutes per month (Nov 12, 2026).
Is Comu Note Pro cheaper than Plaud Note?
Comu Note Pro costs €139.99 (Nov 6, 2026) and Plaud Note costs $159 (Nov 12, 2026). With Plaud's Unlimited plan billed annually, Plaud Note totals $398.99 after one year and $638.98 after two years, against €139.99 for Comu Note Pro on Comu Starter.
Does Plaud Note transcribe in real time?
No. Plaud does not support real-time transcription, and it processes a recording after it ends. Comu Note Pro's Starter plan includes unlimited real-time transcription.
What happens when the free Plaud minutes run out?
Only transcription pauses. Recording, playback, file management and cloud sync keep working, and transcription resumes at the next monthly reset or when you add minutes. Unused minutes do not roll over to the next month.
Do I need a subscription to use a credit card sized AI voice recorder?
No subscription is required to start. Each device comes with a free plan: Comu Starter, or Plaud Starter with 300 minutes a month. Paid plans add minutes on Plaud and automatic transcription and summaries on Comu.
Which Comu recorder records phone calls?
Comu Action Pro records phone calls through its built-in bone-conduction microphone when placed against the phone. Comu Action Pro costs €179.99 (Nov 6, 2026).
Related reading
- Can you use Plaud without a subscription?: what Plaud's Starter plan includes and where its limits sit.
- Is Plaud Note Pro worth it?: the $189 card with four microphones, priced against its plans.
- Is there a free AI note taker for Zoom, Google Meet and Teams?: free tiers of software note takers for online meetings.
Sources
Checked Nov 12, 2026 unless noted.
- Comu product knowledge base (Oct 27, 2026 edition, exported Nov 4, 2026): Note Pro size, weight, microphones, battery, standby, storage, box contents, Starter features, privacy and Action Pro call recording. Comu prices from the Comu store product feed: Comu Note Pro, Comu Action Pro.
- Plaud: Plaud Note product page, Plaud Note specifications, Plaud Note Pro product page, Plaud NotePin S product page, Plaud plans and pricing
- Plaud Help Center: Comparison, Plaud AI Membership FAQ, What are the transcription minutes for?, Does Plaud support real-time transcription?, Auto speaker labeling, Does Plaud support translation?
