# NoteBrew

> NoteBrew is a privacy-first AI meeting notes app for macOS. It transcribes and summarizes your meetings locally on your device - no bot joins your calls, and your audio never leaves your machine.

## What is NoteBrew?

NoteBrew is a desktop application that helps you capture meeting notes without the awkwardness of a bot joining your video calls. Unlike tools like Otter.ai or Fireflies that add a visible participant to your meetings, NoteBrew records audio directly from your Mac. You stay present in conversations while NoteBrew handles the note-taking.

## Key Features

- **No Bot Required**: Records from your device, not by joining meetings as a participant
- **Privacy-First**: Audio is processed locally. Your conversations never leave your machine
- **Real-time Transcription**: Automatic speech-to-text with high accuracy
- **AI Summaries**: Generates key points, action items, deadlines, and decisions
- **Works with Any App**: Compatible with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack huddles, and any audio source
- **Calendar Integration**: Syncs with your calendar to organize notes by meeting
- **Offline Capable**: Can run entirely on your device with local AI models

## How It Works

1. **Download**: Get NoteBrew from the website. Setup takes under a minute.
2. **Record**: Start a recording before or during your meeting. NoteBrew captures audio from your Mac.
3. **Transcribe**: Audio is transcribed locally using Whisper, an open-source speech recognition model.
4. **Summarize**: AI extracts the important parts - summaries, action items, deadlines, and decisions.
5. **Review**: Edit, organize, and export your meeting notes.

## Privacy & Data

NoteBrew is built for people who care about privacy:

- Audio is processed locally on your Mac
- Meeting content is never sent to external servers (unless you choose cloud AI providers)
- You own your data - export or delete anytime
- No tracking of meeting content, participant names, or conversations
- Open-source and auditable

## AI Options

NoteBrew offers flexible AI provider options:

**NoteBrew Cloud (Recommended):**
- Best performance and accuracy out of the box
- No setup required - works immediately
- Free tier includes 60 minutes/month

**Local Models (Fully Offline):**
- Whisper for transcription
- Ollama for summarization
- Complete privacy - nothing leaves your device

**Bring Your Own API Keys:**
- Use your own OpenAI, Claude, or Groq keys for summarization
- Use AssemblyAI or Deepgram keys for transcription

## Technical Requirements

- Platform: macOS 14+
- Architecture: Universal (Intel and Apple Silicon with Metal acceleration)
- Storage: Minimal for cloud usage. Local models require additional storage if downloaded (varies by model size)

## Who Is NoteBrew For?

- Professionals who want meeting notes without bots joining their calls
- Privacy-conscious users who prefer local data processing
- Remote workers managing multiple meetings daily
- Anyone who wants to stay present in conversations instead of taking notes

## Links

- Website: https://notebrew.app
- Download: https://notebrew.app/download
- Twitter: https://x.com/notebrewapp
- Contact: https://notebrew.app/#contact

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Does NoteBrew join my meetings as a bot?**
No. NoteBrew records audio directly from your Mac. No bot or participant is added to your calls.

**Is my audio sent to the cloud?**
By default, no. Transcription happens locally on your device. You can optionally enable cloud AI providers if you prefer.

**What meeting apps does it work with?**
Any app that plays audio on your Mac -Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Discord, and more.

**Is NoteBrew free?**
Yes. The free tier includes 60 minutes per month of cloud processing using the best models for accuracy and performance. Users can upgrade to Pro for more minutes and advanced features. Alternatively, you can use fully local models for unlimited offline processing with complete privacy.