Happy Scribe started as a transcription and subtitling company for any audio or video file, then added an AI meeting notetaker on top — so it brings genuine strengths CraftNote doesn't have, like SOC 2 Type II certification and an optional human-transcription add-on for accuracy-critical work. CraftNote is a bot-free AI note taker built specifically around meetings, lectures, in-person conversations, calls, and uploads, with flat unlimited pricing instead of per-minute metering. Both are worth considering depending on what you're optimizing for: compliance and accuracy, or simplicity and cost. This page is written against Happy Scribe's own pricing page, verified 2026-08-26.
Overview
CraftNote
CraftNote is a bot-free AI note taker on iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and the web. It records directly from your device for meetings, lectures, in-person conversations, phone calls, and uploaded audio/video/PDF/YouTube/podcast content. The Individual plan ($9.99/month) includes unlimited notes and transcripts with no per-minute metering, though recordings are capped at 4 hours each.
Happy Scribe
Happy Scribe is a transcription and subtitling platform that added an AI meeting notetaker, offering a bot-free browser recorder, a calendar bot option, and file upload — all producing the same transcript-and-summary output. It supports 150+ languages, holds SOC 2 Type II certification and GDPR compliance with EU data hosting, and offers optional human transcription and proofreading from $2.00/minute for accuracy-critical projects.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | CraftNote | Happy Scribe | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance certifications | No published compliance certifications currently. | SOC 2 Type II certified, GDPR compliant, with EU data hosting — a genuine differentiator for regulated or enterprise buyers. | ✓ |
| Free plan | 2 hours of recording + 10 uploads/imports per week, ongoing — no lifetime cap. | A 10-minute AI transcription trial, plus unlimited meeting recordings capped at 45 minutes each and only 3 AI-chat file analyses per month — the AI-minute allowance is the real constraint. | ✓ |
| Paid plan metering | Flat $9.99/month (or $8.33/month annual) for unlimited notes and transcripts, recordings up to 4 hours each. | Metered by AI minutes per month: Basic ($17/mo, $8.50 annual) includes only 120 minutes/month, with overage billed at $0.20/minute past the allowance. | ✓ |
| Human transcription option | AI-only — no human review or proofreading option. | Offers professional human transcription and proofreading as an add-on, starting from $2.00/minute, for projects where AI accuracy isn't good enough. | ✓ |
| Capture method | Bot-free on every platform, including native mobile apps — records directly from your device for any meeting, lecture, or call. | Offers a bot-free browser recorder plus a calendar-bot option and file upload — flexible, but bot-free capture is browser-based, not native mobile. | ― |
| Language support | 100+ languages for transcription and translation. | 150+ languages and dialects, a broader range built from its roots as a general transcription/subtitling service. | ✓ |
| Beyond scheduled meetings | Built for lectures, in-person conversations, phone calls, and uploaded audio/video/PDF/YouTube/podcasts as first-class use cases. | Also handles any audio/video file — podcasts, interviews, films — reflecting its transcription-service origins; strong for general-purpose file transcription. | ― |
| Platform coverage | iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and web — full native apps across all five. | Web app and browser extension with meeting-platform integrations; no dedicated native mobile app. | ✓ |
| Team pricing | Team plan at $15/user/month ($12/user/month annual) — per-seat pricing with shared notes and admin controls. | Seats bundled into tiers: Pro ($29/mo, $19 annual) includes 3 seats sharing a 600-minute pool; Business ($89/mo, $59 annual) includes 5 seats sharing 6,000 minutes; extra seats cost $29/$19 each. | ― |
Who Should Pick Which?
Choose CraftNote if…
Anyone who wants bot-free capture across meetings, lectures, in-person conversations, and calls with flat, unlimited pricing and no per-minute metering to track.
Choose Happy Scribe if…
Users who need SOC 2/GDPR-grade compliance, heavy multi-language subtitling work, or the option of human-reviewed transcripts for accuracy-critical projects, and don't mind paying per AI-minute.