tl;dv costs $10/mo.
These cost $0.
4 free alternatives to tl;dv, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
The top-rated free, open-source replacement for tl;dv is Meetily (MIT Open Source). Across this category, 3 self-hostable tools are available (including Meetily and Anarlog). Switching a 5-person team saves up to $600/year compared to tl;dv's $10/mo subscription.
The catch: The Community Edition records and summarizes locally, but Granola's refined note editor, collaboration and automatic context are stronger, while advanced templates, exports and diarization sit in Meetily Pro.
tl;dv vs Free Alternatives
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $10/mo
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meetily | open source | MIT | Self-host | ★ 32.5k | tl;dv vs Meetily → |
| Anarlog | open source | MIT | Self-host | ★ 9.8k | tl;dv vs Anarlog → |
| Minutes | open source | Open Source | Local | ★ 1.6k | tl;dv vs Minutes → |
| Prismical | open source | Open Source | Self-host | ★ 129 | tl;dv vs Prismical → |
The picks
4 open source · ranked by fit
- 01
Meetily
open sourceMITSelf-host32.5knov 2026Records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings entirely on your device using local AI. No bots, no cloud uploads, GDPR and HIPAA compliant by design.
The catch vs tl;dvThe Community Edition records and summarizes locally, but Granola's refined note editor, collaboration and automatic context are stronger, while advanced templates, exports and diarization sit in Meetily Pro.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopone-click install
- install
- Signed Windows x64 installer or Apple-silicon macOS DMG; Linux currently requires a source build
- setup
- Windows and Apple-silicon macOS install cleanly but still need audio permissions and model downloads; Linux requires Rust/Node source-build tooling, and several advanced summary/export/diarization workflows are Pro-only
- engines
- Local Whisper or NVIDIA Parakeet for transcription; local Ollama or the built-in summarizer, with Claude, OpenAI, Groq, OpenRouter and custom OpenAI-compatible summary providers depending on edition
- your data
- Transcription models, recordings, transcripts and application data stay on the local machine; the Community Edition has no cloud sync
- checked
- 2026-11-07
- 02
Anarlog
open sourceMITSelf-host9.8knov 2026Records system audio without joining your call, then turns rough notes into editable summaries. Audio, transcripts, and notes stay as local files.
The catch vs tl;dvIt is the closest local analogue, but has a smaller, younger workflow and requires model/provider configuration instead of Granola's polished managed notes, sharing and collaborator experience.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopone-click install
- install
- Native desktop download; building and self-hosting from source are also supported
- setup
- Local transcription is limited to supported Apple Silicon Macs; other systems need hosted/BYOK transcription, while fully local summaries require installing and configuring Ollama or LM Studio
- engines
- On-device transcription on supported Apple Silicon Macs; BYOK or hosted speech-to-text; OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, OpenRouter, Ollama, LM Studio, or another OpenAI-compatible LLM for summaries and chat
- your data
- Canonical meetings, notes and transcripts live in a local SQLite database and recordings/attachments are local files; Markdown export is available, with optional end-to-end-encrypted CloudSync and a separate opt-in server-readable Cloud API copy
- checked
- 2026-11-07
- 03
Minutes
open sourceOpen SourceLocal1.6knov 2026Records meetings and voice memos locally using whisper.cpp, writes structured markdown to disk, and exposes 31 MCP tools so any AI agent can query your conversation history.
The catch vs tl;dvCommunity-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopcross-platformone-click install
- install
- Clone https://github.com/silverstein/minutes or deploy with Docker Compose
- setup
- Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
- your data
- All application data lives locally on your own machine.
- checked
- 2026-11-07
- 04
Prismical
open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host129nov 2026Free, open-source AI note-taker that transcribes meetings and voice notes locally using Whisper and Parakeet. Works on Mac, Windows, and mobile without invasive bots.
The catch vs tl;dvRequires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed tl;dv.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Clone https://github.com/amicalhq/prismical or deploy with Docker Compose
- setup
- Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
- your data
- All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
- checked
- 2026-11-07
tl;dv Head-to-Head Comparisons (2027)
Side-by-side trade-off breakdowns · 4 free alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · tl;dv open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to tl;dv?+
The top free alternative to tl;dv is Meetily (open source, MIT). Records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings entirely on your device using local AI. No bots, no cloud uploads, GDPR and HIPAA compliant by design. Other popular tl;dv replacements include Anarlog, Minutes, Prismical.
Can I self-host a free replacement for tl;dv?+
Yes. Of the 4 free alternatives to tl;dv, 3 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Meetily (MIT), Anarlog (MIT), Prismical (Open Source).
How much does switching from tl;dv to a free alternative save?+
tl;dv starts at $10/month per seat ($120/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Meetily saves $600 per year in software subscription fees.
Should I vibe-code or build my own tl;dv clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for tl;dv is NO (use a free alternative, save the tokens). Instead of paying recurring SaaS fees for tl;dv or rebuilding it from scratch, deploy one of the 4 battle-tested open-source alternatives like Meetily.
What is the catch when switching from tl;dv to Meetily?+
The Community Edition records and summarizes locally, but Granola's refined note editor, collaboration and automatic context are stronger, while advanced templates, exports and diarization sit in Meetily Pro.
