Do I need a dedicated device to record meetings?

No. Modern phones have good microphones, and Wave AI adds transcription with speaker labels, summaries and search in 76 languages. AI recorders such as Plaud bundle a microphone with AI software; if you own a smartphone, you already have the microphone.

How does Wave compare to AI recorder devices like Plaud or Pocket?

Wave AI is software on devices you already own, so there's no hardware to buy, charge or carry, and it also records video meetings and phone calls from your own number, on every plan. Plaud's Note recorders can capture calls through a sensor on the back of your phone. A dedicated device can make sense where phones aren't allowed in the room.

Is phone audio quality good enough for transcription?

Yes. Phone microphones are built for voice, and Wave's transcription handles real-world room audio with speaker separation. Place the phone centrally for large rooms, and you can edit any word in the transcript afterward.

Can it record while my phone screen is off?

Yes. Wave records in the background with the screen off, so the phone on the table doesn't need to stay lit or unlocked during the conversation.

What does it cost compared to buying a recorder?

Wave AI is free for 30 minutes a month, and Pro is unlimited for $15 a month or $80 a year on the web, with no hardware to buy. When we checked, Plaud's recorders started at $159, and its paid AI plans started at $17.99 a month.

You Don't Need Another Device to Record Meetings

Last updated: November 3, 2026

You may not need a separate recording device for meetings: Wave AI turns the phone, watch and computer you already own into an AI meeting recorder, with speaker-labeled transcripts, summaries and search, free to start. AI recorder gadgets such as Plaud cost $159 or more before their own AI plans.

Phone, watch, or a dedicated recorder?

What is the best recording device for meetings?

For most people it's the phone already in their pocket. A modern phone microphone picks up a meeting table clearly, and Wave adds the transcript, speaker labels and summary. A dedicated recorder makes sense when phones aren't allowed in the room or you want hours of battery without touching your phone.

Wave vs an AI recorder gadget

Plaud, the best-known AI recorder, sells card and wearable recorders from $159; its Note models can also pick up phone calls through a sensor while attached to the back of your phone. When we checked, its free plan covered 300 minutes/month of transcription.

Wave: no hardware to buy; free for 30 minutes a month, Pro unlimited for $15 a month or $80 a year on the web.
Wave records video calls too: a bot for Zoom, Meet and Teams, or bot-free capture in Wave for Mac and Windows.
Wave records phone calls from your own number on every plan, both sides, without attaching anything to your phone.
A gadget is another battery to charge and another thing to carry.

Compare: the best AI note takers for in-person meetings

The problems you know too well

It's Another Thing to Carry, Charge, and Lose

A dedicated recorder is one more battery to manage and one more gadget to forget in a jacket pocket. Your phone is already in the room — and your watch is already on your wrist.

Hardware Plus a Subscription

AI recorder devices charge for the gadget, then sell AI plans for more transcription minutes. Wave skips the hardware bill: you pay for the intelligence, not a microphone you already own.

A Gadget Is Built for the Room

Dedicated recorders are built for in-person audio, with phone calls as an add-on at best. Your conversations also happen on Zoom, Google Meet and Teams. Wave covers the room, video calls and phone calls in one library.

Features

Everything you need to capture every conversation

Your Phone as the Recorder

Set your phone on the table and tap record. Wave captures in-room conversations through the mic, works in the background with the screen off, and transcribes with speaker labels.

Your Watch as the Wearable

The 'AI wearable' you were promised is already on your wrist. Record from Apple Watch or a Wear OS watch — Galaxy Watch, Pixel Watch, and more — with one tap.

Beyond the Room

Wave also captures video meetings (a meeting bot, Wave for Mac and Windows, or the Chrome extension) and phone calls through its Phone Bridge: both sides, your real caller ID, on every plan.

The Same AI, No Gadget

Speaker-labeled transcripts, AI summaries, action items, and ask-anything chat over your recordings — everything the hardware devices advertise, from an app.

One Searchable Library

Every recording — in-person, virtual, phone, watch, imported — lands in one place you can search by keyword. No SD cards, no docking, no transfer step.

Try It Before Anyone Ships You Hardware

Wave is free to start — record with the phone in your pocket today and see if you still want to buy a gadget next week.

Perfect for

In-person meetings and client sessionsInterviews and field researchConferences and networking eventsLectures and workshopsPeople considering a Plaud, Pocket, or similar gadgetTeams that don't want to provision hardware

FAQs

Common questions

Wave Comes to Wear OS: Record From Your Watch

Wave now records directly from Wear OS smartwatches — Galaxy Watch, Pixel Watch, and more. Tap record on your wrist, capture a conversation, and it syncs to your Android phone automatically.

All The Ways to Wave: Every Device, Every Scenario, One App

The complete guide to recording with Wave — iPhone, Android, Apple Watch, Wear OS, Desktop, Chrome Extension, Meeting Bots, Phone Calls, Web App, and Import. Every way to capture, transcribe, and summarize your conversations.

Record from Your Wrist: Wave on Apple Watch

Wave now records directly from your Apple Watch — no iPhone needed nearby. Tap record, capture a conversation, and it syncs automatically.