Buy Pocket if you want the cheapest device and unlimited free transcription, and you can live without automatic speaker names and unlimited questions until you upgrade. Buy Plaud if you want its published security and compliance list and its large template library, and 300 free transcription minutes a month is enough for you. Pocket costs $129 and Plaud Note costs $159, but the bigger difference over a year is what each company puts behind its subscription.
That is the short version. The rest of this page compares the two on price, free plans, phone calls, range, and privacy, then adds a third option at the end: Comu, which sits in the same category and answers some of the gaps below.
Plaud vs Pocket at a glance
| Plaud Note | Plaud Note Pro | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $159 | $189 | $129 (list $199) |
| Free transcription | 300 minutes a month | 300 minutes a month | Unlimited, standard accuracy |
| Storage | Up to 64 GB | 64 GB | 64 GB |
| Recording time | Up to 30 hours | 30 or 50 hours, depending on mode | About 4 days of active use |
| Microphones | Two MEMS and one VPU | Four MEMS | Two studio microphones and one contact microphone |
| Pickup range | About 9.8 ft | About 16.4 ft | Up to 15 m (49 ft) |
| Phone calls | Switch between phone-call and in-person modes | Detects in-person talk and phone calls | Contact microphone on the back of the phone |
| Weight | 1.06 oz | 1.06 oz | 52 g (1.8 oz) |
Prices and plans were checked on each company's own site between Oct 30 and Nov 6, 2026. Pocket's page also shows a "$99 for your Pocket" line, but the product price on the same page is $129, so we use $129. Check both sites before you buy, because both change prices and promotions.
Which one should you pick?
| If you | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Record every day and hate monthly caps | Free transcription has no minute limit | |
| Want the longest battery on paper | Plaud Note Pro | Up to 50 hours in Endurance mode, against about 4 days of active use for Pocket |
| Record in a large room | It lists up to 15 m of range, against about 16.4 ft for Plaud Note Pro | |
| Want a documented security and compliance list | Plaud | Plaud's pricing page lists ISO 27701, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, HIPAA, and EN 18031 |
| Want to sync to many task apps | It lists Todoist, TickTick, Linear, ClickUp, Asana, Apple Reminders, and Google Tasks | |
| Want the most templates | Plaud | 10,000+ templates against 80+ on Pocket's Pro plan |
Free plans: what you get without paying
Both companies give you a free plan with the device. They are built differently.
Pocket's free plan has unlimited transcription at standard accuracy, three Ask Pocket chats a day (three messages each), unlimited summaries saved for 30 days, unlimited to-dos with task-app sync, mind maps, text export, and audio download. Pro costs $19.99 a month, billed yearly at $239.88, and adds automatic speaker names, unlimited Ask Pocket chats, full live transcription while recording, summaries kept forever, 80+ templates, and PDF, DOCX, and Markdown export.
Plaud's free plan is the Starter plan: 300 transcription minutes a month, which is five hours of audio. Every Plaud plan includes the full Plaud Intelligence feature set, which covers speaker labels, Ask Plaud and AutoFlow. Plaud does not support real-time transcription. Pro is $8.33 a month billed yearly ($17.99 monthly) for 1,200 minutes. Unlimited is $20.00 a month billed yearly ($29.99 monthly).
Five hours is not much if you record long meetings. Pocket's unlimited transcription removes that cap, but it moves automatic speaker names and unlimited Ask Pocket chats behind Pro.
What it costs in the first year
The sticker price is only part of it. Here is the first-year cost for the same device at three levels of use, using the prices on each company's site on Oct 30, 2026. Plan prices are the yearly-billed rates. Pocket AI vs Plaud extends the comparison to three years, and the Pocket AI review covers Pocket's plans in detail.
| First-year cost | Plaud Note | |
|---|---|---|
| Device only, free plan | $129 | $159 |
| Device plus the first paid plan | $368.88 (Pro, $239.88 a year) | $258.96 (Pro, $8.33 a month billed yearly) |
| Device plus the top plan | Enterprise, priced by quote | $399 (Unlimited, $20.00 a month billed yearly) |
Read the table with care. On the free plan, Pocket's unlimited transcription means you may never need to pay. On Plaud, the free plan stops at five hours of audio a month, so anyone who records more than that moves to Pro, which allows 20 hours a month, or to Unlimited. Pocket's Pro plan is where automatic speaker names and unlimited Ask Pocket chats live, so a buyer who wants those pays $368.88 in the first year. That is more than the same buyer would pay for Plaud Note with Plaud's Pro plan, though the two plans include different things.
Phone calls
Both companies say their devices record phone calls, in different ways.
Pocket describes a contact microphone that records private phone calls when the device sits on the back of your phone, with no need for speakerphone. It attaches with MagSafe or an adhesive mount.
Plaud describes two modes. Plaud Note lets you switch between phone-call and in-person recording. Plaud's Note Pro page says the device detects in-person conversations and phone calls, and that Plaud Desktop covers online meetings.
Tell the other person you are recording. Laws on recording calls differ by country, and you are responsible for following them.
Range, battery, and everyday use
Pocket picks up voices from up to 15 m of distance and starts a recording with one press on a side button, with a light and a vibration to confirm. It also records offline and syncs summaries when your phone reconnects. Plaud Note Pro picks up from about 16.4 ft and records for up to 50 hours in Endurance mode. Plaud Note picks up from about 9.8 ft.
The two companies measure battery differently. Plaud gives hours of continuous recording, with a mode. Pocket gives "4 days of active use". Do not compare those two numbers directly.
Privacy and security
Both companies describe their own security. These are the companies' statements, not independent audits.
Plaud's pricing page lists ISO 27701, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, HIPAA, and EN 18031, with encryption in transit and at rest. Pocket's trust page shows badges for SOC 2 Type 1, SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, and GDPR, and its site says its data is never sold or shared. Pocket's page shows no audit dates, and its Enterprise plan includes a HIPAA mode and a BAA.
If you handle client or patient conversations, ask each company for its audit reports before you rely on a badge.
Common questions about Plaud and Pocket
Is Pocket the same device as Plaud?
No. They are two products from two companies, each with its own website, plans, and hardware. Pocket's own site compares itself with Plaud Note and Plaud Note Pro as a competitor.
Is Pocket AI shutting down?
Pocket is still selling its device and plans on its website as of Oct 30, 2026.
Does Plaud require a subscription?
No. Every Plaud device includes the Starter plan, which gives 300 transcription minutes a month. Paid plans add more minutes, and every plan has the same Plaud Intelligence features.
Can I use Pocket without a subscription?
Yes. Pocket's free plan includes unlimited transcription at standard accuracy. Automatic speaker names, unlimited Ask Pocket chats and full live transcription while recording are on its Pro plan. Free covers the first 2 segments of live transcription, and you tag speakers by hand.
Is Plaud worth it?
It depends on how much you record. Plaud's 300 free minutes cover about five hours a month. If you record more, you will need Pro or Unlimited.
Is Plaud secure?
Plaud lists ISO 27701, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, HIPAA, and EN 18031 on its pricing page. That is Plaud's own statement. Ask for the reports if you need proof.
Does Pocket AI actually work?
It does what its site describes: it records in person and, with the contact microphone on the back of a phone, it records calls, then sends the audio to an app for a transcript, summary, mind map, and to-dos. Pocket's free transcription is standard accuracy, and highest accuracy transcription is a Pro feature.
Which AI note taker is the most accurate?
Both companies describe their own accuracy, so the fair test is to record the same five-minute conversation on each device inside the return window and compare the transcripts.
What is comparable to Pocket?
Plaud is the closest. Comu is a third option in the same category, described below.
A third option: Comu
Comu is the other recorder worth checking if you are weighing these two. It is a pocket recorder with an app, and on the free plan that comes with the device it covers several things that Plaud and Pocket put behind a limit or a paid plan.
Comu vs Plaud vs Pocket on the free plan
| On the free plan | Comu | Plaud | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transcription | Unlimited | 300 minutes a month | Unlimited, standard accuracy |
| Speaker identification | Included | Included | You tag speakers by hand |
| Real-time transcription | Unlimited | Not supported | First 2 segments |
| Ask across your recordings | Comu AI | Ask Plaud | 3 chats a day |
| To-dos | Actions, with owner and deadline | AutoFlow | Unlimited, synced to task apps |
| Export | TXT, Markdown, Word, and PDF for text; MP3 and WAV for audio | Multiple export formats | Text export and audio download |
| Price | Note Pro €139.99, Action Pro €179.99 | $159 and $189 | $129 |
Comu prices are euro prices from the EU store (Nov 6, 2026); competitor prices are US dollar prices from each company's own site. The Pocket column was checked on Oct 30, 2026, and the Plaud column between Oct 30 and Nov 6, 2026.
Three differences matter for most buyers. First, nothing about transcription is capped: you can record all day without watching a minute counter, which Plaud's 300 minutes a month does not allow. Second, Comu names the speakers for you and transcribes live while you record, and both are free. Pocket Free covers only the first 2 segments of live transcription and leaves speaker labels to you, and Plaud does not support real-time transcription. Third, what you record can leave the app in the formats you need, as text or as audio files.
Comu's two devices
Comu Note Pro is the thin one: 3.1 mm thick and 27.6 g, with two microphones plus a bone-conduction sensor, 5 m of indoor pickup, and up to 45 hours of recording. It costs €139.99. Comu Action Pro has six microphones, up to 7 m of indoor pickup, an AI button, and up to 70 hours of recording, at €179.99. Both use the same app. Action Pro has a built-in magnet for riding on the back of a phone, and Note Pro comes with a magnetic ring. See Comu Action Pro and Comu Note Pro.
Comu also records phone calls, and it works with Windows and Mac as well as iOS and Android. For a deeper look, read our Comu Action Pro vs. Plaud Note Pro comparison and our guide to the features that come with Comu.
Five things to check before you buy
- Free minutes against how much you record. Five hours a month is Plaud's cap on the free plan.
- What sits behind the paid plan. Automatic speaker names, unlimited chats and full live transcription are Pro features on Pocket.
- How you take calls. Handset, speakerphone, or earbuds change what a recorder can pick up.
- Range for your room. Compare the listed pickup range with the room you actually use.
- Audit reports. Security badges are a company's own claim until you see the report.
Related reading
Sources
Pages were checked between Oct 29 and Nov 6, 2026.
- Plaud, Plaud Note (https://www.plaud.ai/products/plaud-note-ai-voice-recorder), Plaud Note Pro (https://www.plaud.ai/products/plaud-note-pro), and Plaud plans and pricing (https://www.plaud.ai/pages/plaud-ai-plan-pricing)
- Plaud, plan comparison (https://support.plaud.ai/hc/en-us/articles/50742099278617-Comparison) and real-time transcription (https://support.plaud.ai/hc/en-us/articles/54643893661977-Does-Plaud-support-real-time-transcription)
- Pocket, heypocket.com (https://heypocket.com/), including its pricing, FAQ, and trust page (https://heypocket.com/pages/pocket-trust)
- Comu, Comu Action Pro, Comu Note Pro, and app downloads
