# Read AI vs Granola

The clearest difference is update cadence: Granola at every 6 days against Read AI's every 3 weeks. Granola also leads on ratings volume (13K vs 929) and review sentiment (80% vs 68%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Read AI against 5.0 for Granola. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Granola has 13K ratings behind it against 929, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 68% of Read AI's written reviews are positive against 80% of Granola's.

Read AI ships an update every 3 weeks, Granola every 6 days. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Read AI | Granola |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (929 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-ai-transcripts-and-notes/id6575345796/reviews) | **[5.0 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/granola-ai-meeting-notes/id6739429409/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 929 | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | 68.0% of reviews | **80.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#75** |
| Size | 37 MB | 164 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Read AI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1759245450) | [Granola inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1785011258) |

## What reviewers say

### Read AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-ai-transcripts-and-notes/id6575345796)

This app records audio from your device and generates real-time AI-powered transcripts and summaries. It's ideal for capturing lectures, meetings, or brainstorming sessions, providing comprehensive reports that can be shared or kept private.

**Highlights:** Live transcription and summaries, Speaker detection, In-person meeting recording, Integration with communication channels, Cross-platform sync, Meeting notifications

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Productivity booster
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Useful features
- 👍 Convenient mobile access
- 👍 Helpful for in-person meetings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Privacy concerns
- 🐛 Buggy with playback and other functions
- 🐛 App loading issues

**Reported bugs**

- Uploading issues causing lost recordings

**Requested features**

- Chromecast and AirPlay support
- Full-screen video playback
- Cloud sync for transcripts and summaries
- Better mobile support and file format compatibility


### Granola

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/granola-ai-meeting-notes/id6739429409)

**Currently charting:** #75 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This AI-powered app transcribes meetings and phone calls, generating shareable summaries with highlights, decisions, and action items. It allows users to ask questions about their notes and extract new insights, making it easy to stay present and capture every conversation.

**Highlights:** AI-powered transcription, Meeting summaries, Action item extraction, Chat with notes, Lock Screen capture, Google Calendar sync

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Indispensable for recalling conversation details
- 👍 Reliable transcription with poignant summaries
- 👍 Flawless note-taking even at 2x speed
- 👍 Intuitive, simple, and delightful
- 👍 Superior to other note-taking apps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Requires Google Calendar sign-in, limiting accessibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Read AI free?

Read AI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Granola free?

Granola is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Read AI or Granola?

Granola is rated higher. Read AI averages 4.9 out of 5 from 929 ratings, while Granola averages 5.0 from 13K ratings.

### Do Read AI or Granola have ads?

Neither Read AI nor Granola shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Read AI or Granola?

Read AI ships an update every 3 weeks, and Granola every 6 days. Most recently, Read AI was updated on September 23, 2026 and Granola on September 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*