# Is Plaud Safe? It Claims SOC 2 and HIPAA. Consent Is on You > Is Plaud safe? Mostly. It claims SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA on every plan and trains only if you opt in. The open questions are consent in the room and cloud sync. - URL: https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/is-plaud-safe/ - Author: Ayush - Published: 2026-11-05 ## Is Plaud Safe? Yes on Paper. Consent and Cloud Sync Are on You A Plaud recorder is the size of a credit card, or a pin on your shirt. Nobody in the room hears it start. The only sign that it's running is a small red light. Is Plaud safe, then? For most meetings, yes, and the paperwork backs that up. **Plaud claims SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA on every plan, offers a BAA on request, and says it won't train AI on your recordings unless you opt in.** What worries me sits elsewhere: - **Consent:** a recorder this small makes telling people your job, every single time you press the button, under your state's [recording consent law](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-notetaker-recording-consent-laws/). - **The cloud:** every recording you transcribe is processed there by GPT, Gemini and Claude family models. - **Private Cloud Sync:** with it on, the recording stays in Plaud's cloud until you delete it. In your shoes, I'd use Plaud for interviews, lectures and in-person client meetings, after saying out loud that it's recording. For patient conversations, I'd get Plaud's BAA signed first. Privileged legal meetings are where I'd slow down. I'd think twice about any tool that sends that audio to a big AI lab's models. ### Which meetings Plaud suits - **Fine as it comes:** your own voice notes, lectures, and interviews where everyone can see the device. - **Fine once you say it:** client meetings, site visits and phone calls, with consent asked before you press the button. - **Paperwork first:** clinical conversations. Plaud offers a BAA through privacy@plaud.ai, but it doesn't redact patient details automatically. - **Think twice:** privileged or classified conversations, where any copy in a vendor's cloud is a risk. ### How I checked I read Plaud's pricing page, help center, privacy policy and trust center, checked November 5, 2026, and every fact below is attributed to them. In full, that meant: - Plaud's privacy policy, trust center, AI data usage policy and data processing addendum. - Plaud's help articles on security, AI models, retention and recording consent. - News coverage of Plaud, which I searched for any reported incidents. ### Where to go next on Plaud - Every device and plan price is in our [Plaud pricing breakdown](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/plaud-pricing/). - Tools that skip the hardware are in our [Plaud alternatives](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/plaud-alternatives/). - If you'd rather not carry a device at all, our guide to [recording an in-person meeting on your laptop](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/how-to-record-an-in-person-meeting-on-your-laptop/) covers that route. [Voibe Work](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/voibe-work-meeting-notes-no-bot/), the meeting plan in the app we build, works that way. It records online calls and in-person meetings through your Mac or PC's mic. The notes are saved on your computer instead of on Voibe's servers. > **Key takeaway:** Plaud is safe for most meetings if you tell people it's recording. It claims SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA, offers a BAA on request, and trains on recordings only if you opt in. ## Key Takeaways: Plaud Safety at a Glance Every row comes from Plaud's own pages and public rating pages, as of November 5, 2026. Skim it here, then read on for the rows that need judgment. | Question | Plaud's answer (November 2026) | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | **What records?** | A Note, Note Pro, NotePin or NotePin S records offline (64GB on the Note, Note Pro and NotePin S). Plaud Desktop (beta) records your computer's mic and system audio. | Device comparison page; Desktop help | | **Where is it processed?** | In Plaud's cloud, for every transcription. There is no on-device option. | Trust center | | **Where is it stored?** | AWS by account region: US-West (Oregon), Frankfurt, Japan or Singapore. | Privacy policy; security help article | | **How long?** | With Private Cloud Sync on, until you delete it or cancel. With it off, deleted from Plaud's servers right after processing. | Help center | | **Which AI?** | GPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google) and Claude (Anthropic) families. The transcription vendor isn't named. | AI models help article; trust center | | **Trained on?** | Not unless you opt in. LLM vendors are bound to no training and zero retention, per Plaud. | Privacy policy; trust center | | **Compliance claims** | SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA (a validation report), GDPR and EN 18031 on every plan. ISO 27001 and 27701 appear only in some marketing copy. | Pricing page; certifications help article | | **BAA** | On request through privacy@plaud.ai. No automatic redaction of patient details. | Help center | | **Consent tools** | A red light while recording that can't be turned off. Plaud describes no sound or notice to others ([what the law asks](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-notetaker-recording-consent-laws/)). | Help center | | **Breaches, lawsuits, bans** | None found in web searches on November 5, 2026. | Web search | | **Ratings** | App Store 4.88 from 24,174 ratings. Google Play 4.6 from 11.1K reviews. Trustpilot 4.7 from 2,914 reviews. | [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/plaud-ai-work-companion/id6450364080); [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ai.plaud.android.plaud&hl=en_US&gl=US); [Trustpilot](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/plaud.ai) | | **Price** | Devices $159 to $189. Starter $0 (300 minutes a month). Pro $99.99 a year. Unlimited $239.99 a year. | [Our Plaud pricing breakdown](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/plaud-pricing/) | ## What Is Plaud, and Who Makes It? Plaud makes AI voice recorders, plus the app that turns their audio into transcripts and summaries. Plaud Inc. is incorporated in Delaware and based in San Francisco, per its About page (checked November 5, 2026). The company says more than 3 million people have used its products since 2023. ### The devices and how they record - **Plaud Note ($159) and Note Pro ($189):** card-sized recorders that also record phone calls. Attached to the back of a phone, a vibration sensor picks up the call from the speaker. - **NotePin ($159) and NotePin S ($179):** wearables for in-person audio only, worn as a pin, clip, lanyard or wristband. - **Plaud Desktop (beta):** a Mac and Windows app with no bot. It records your mic and system audio in Zoom, Teams, Meet and other apps. - **Desktop's condition:** on individual plans, it only works with a Plaud device bound to the account. Each device records offline, and the Note, Note Pro and NotePin S hold 64GB. Transcription is another matter. It needs the paired phone and an internet connection, because it runs in Plaud's cloud. Plaud One earbuds ($249.99) were waitlist-only on November 5, 2026. ### Is Plaud a Chinese company? Legally, it's a US company. Plaud Inc. is registered in Delaware, with its headquarters in San Francisco. It has ties to China too. Its global offices include Beijing and Shenzhen, and [Digitimes reported](https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20250903PD210/security-data-hardware-shenzhen-taiwan.html) in 2025 that its hardware is made under contract by Shenzhen Jizhi Connect Technology. The same report covered a six-point statement Plaud issued after questions about its founder's Chinese background. The full text sits behind a paywall. - **Where Americas data lives:** accounts in North and South America are stored on AWS in Oregon. - **Who can reach it:** the privacy policy adds that affiliates and providers may access data from other countries. For a data question, I'd weigh that last line more than the ownership story. ### What users say Owners rate Plaud highly, and the visible complaints aren't about privacy. Plaud's homepage shows a 4.9 out of 5 badge; on the App Store it rates 4.88 from 24,174 ratings (November 5, 2026). - [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/plaud-ai-work-companion/id6450364080): **4.88 out of 5** from 24,174 ratings. - [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ai.plaud.android.plaud&hl=en_US&gl=US): **4.6** from about 11,100 reviews. - [Trustpilot](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/plaud.ai): a TrustScore of **4.7** from 2,914 reviews. The visible low-star complaints on Trustpilot are about shipping and speaker identification, not privacy. ## Where Does a Plaud Recording Go? Device, Phone, Then Plaud's Cloud A Plaud recording starts on the device and passes through Plaud's cloud whenever you transcribe it. After that, one setting decides what's kept: Private Cloud Sync. 1. The device records to its own storage, with no internet needed. 2. The Plaud app on your phone syncs the file. Plaud's trust center says the device copy is deleted after the transfer. 3. The audio goes to Plaud's cloud on Amazon Web Services, where transcription runs. Plaud says all data is transferred to the cloud for processing. 4. Models from the GPT, Gemini and Claude families write summaries and answer Ask Plaud questions. 5. With Private Cloud Sync off, the recording, transcript and summary are deleted from Plaud's servers right after processing. 6. With Private Cloud Sync on, they're encrypted and stored in Plaud's cloud until you delete them. ### How it's protected Plaud's security list is what I'd expect from a cloud service: - **In transit:** Plaud lists TLS 1.2 or later for data on the move. - **At rest:** stored data is encrypted with AES-256, per Plaud. - **Lost device:** Plaud says only the account the device is bound to can decrypt the recordings. - **End-to-end:** I found no such claim, which fits a service that processes your content in its own cloud. ### Who at Plaud can see it Plaud staff don't routinely access your data, per the trust center. Access can happen when you ask for support, when Plaud diagnoses errors or security incidents, or when the law requires it. ### Plaud next to four other notetakers The other rows come from our own safety reviews, linked by name. | Tool | How it records | What's kept, and where | Retention | Training default | Attestations | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Plaud** | Pocket or wearable device, phone app sync; Plaud Desktop (beta) with no bot | Processed in Plaud's cloud on AWS by region; kept there only with Private Cloud Sync on | Until you delete (sync on); deleted after processing (sync off) | Off; opt-in only | Plaud states SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, GDPR, EN 18031; BAA on request | | [Jamie](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/is-jamie-safe/) | Desktop app with no bot; phone apps for in-person meetings | Audio deleted after transcription; transcripts and summaries in an EU database | Until you delete; custom retention Enterprise only | Never | ISO 27001:2022, GDPR; SOC 2 Type II pending; no BAA | | [Granola](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/is-granola-safe/) | Desktop app with no bot; phone app | Audio deleted after transcription; notes in a US-hosted AWS cloud | Indefinitely unless a retention policy is set | On for Free and Business (anonymised); opt-out | SOC 2 Type II; HIPAA and BAA Enterprise only | | [Otter](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/is-otter-safe/) | Visible bot by default; desktop app can record without one | Audio and transcripts on Otter's servers | Until you delete; trash purges after 30 days | On (de-identified); no opt-out found | SOC 2 Type 2 | | **Voibe Work** | Mac or Windows app with no bot; in-person meetings through the computer's mic | Audio deleted as soon as processing completes; transcript and summary saved on your computer | Your files, your choice | Never trained on | None claimed; BAA available on request | Plaud is the only one of the five built around a recorder you carry. Retention is the bigger split, to my eye. Jamie and Granola delete the audio after transcription, while Plaud's rule turns on Private Cloud Sync. > **Key takeaway:** Every Plaud transcription runs in Plaud's cloud. With Private Cloud Sync off, the server copy is deleted after processing. With it on, the recording stays until you delete it. ## Which AI Companies See a Plaud Recording? OpenAI, Google and Anthropic models handle your content, per Plaud's help center (November 5, 2026). Plaud calls itself model-agnostic. It says it picks the best model for each job, from transcription to summaries and document writing. ### What Plaud names, and what it leaves out - **Summaries and Ask Plaud:** GPT (OpenAI), Gemini Pro (Google) and Claude Sonnet (Anthropic). You can choose the model for a custom summary. - **Transcription:** the trust center says Plaud uses multiple enterprise-grade models, including its own fine-tuned ones. It doesn't name the vendor. - **Region:** users in Europe get EU-hosted subprocessors, and everyone else relies on US-hosted models. - **Subprocessor list:** Plaud's DPA points to a list on its trust page. No named list appeared there on November 5, 2026. ### What the contracts promise Two Plaud pages describe the terms, and the second goes further than the first: - **Privacy policy:** its agreements stop LLM providers from training on your content and limit how long they keep it. - **Trust center:** every model Plaud uses runs under zero-training, zero-retention terms, enforced through data processing agreements. I couldn't see those contracts, so this rests on Plaud's word. For a client who won't allow those three labs anywhere near their audio, that may not be enough. ### How Voibe Work handles the same step Voibe Work takes a different route. It uses only open-source models on zero-retention providers, with no OpenAI, Google, Anthropic or Microsoft model in its audio path. ## Does Plaud Train AI on Your Recordings? Not Unless You Opt In No, unless you opt in. Plaud's privacy policy, checked November 5, 2026, rules out training its own or anyone else's AI models on your content. The one exception is "explicit and informed consent in advance." Plaud's other pages line up with that: - **Trust center:** it says the same in plainer words, with no training by default and explicit opt-in required. - **AI data usage policy:** updated May 20, 2026, it covers audio, transcripts and summaries the same way. - **User experience improvement program:** a separate program that also runs only with your consent. ### How that compares On training, Plaud beats two big names. Otter and Granola train on de-identified or anonymised data unless you act, as our reviews of [Otter](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/is-otter-safe/) and [Granola](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/is-granola-safe/) explain. Voibe never trains on meeting notes, and it has no opt-in program either. ### Voiceprints for speaker labels Plaud uses voiceprints to label speakers and says it doesn't use them to train models. They're destroyed when you delete them or turn the feature off, or 24 months after your last interaction, whichever comes first. ### If you connect AI apps Plaud's MCP server, in preview on every plan, gives Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and other apps read-only access to your recordings. This is where Plaud's promises stop. Whatever those apps read falls under that AI company's terms, not Plaud's policy. Voibe Work's [Meeting MCP](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/voibe-meeting-mcp/) works the same way on that point. > **Tip:** Save a copy of Plaud's privacy policy. A new version applies to accounts created on or after October 20, 2026, and it takes effect for older accounts on November 21, 2026. ## Private Cloud Sync: The Setting That Decides What Plaud Keeps If you change one thing in Plaud, make it this. Private Cloud Sync decides whether Plaud keeps a copy of your recordings after processing. Plaud's help center spells out both outcomes (November 5, 2026): - **Sync off:** recordings, transcripts and summaries are deleted from Plaud's servers immediately after processing, and they live on your phone. - **Sync on:** your data is encrypted and stored in Plaud's cloud, and it's deleted only when you ask. ### Off by default, except where it can't be Plaud's own pages pull in two directions here: - **AI data usage policy:** sync is off by default and needs your opt-in. - **October 2026 privacy policy:** it adds an exception, because Plaud Web and Plaud Desktop require cloud sync to work at all. - **Desktop setup:** it even lists sync permission as a step before you can record. ### If you record calls at your desk Phone-and-device users can keep sync off. Plaud Desktop and Plaud Web are different, because both keep a copy in Plaud's cloud until you delete it. Every plan includes unlimited cloud storage, so nothing pushes old recordings out. A recording synced today is still there on day 365 unless you delete it. This is the part that would bother me most if I recorded client calls on Desktop. ## How Long Does Plaud Keep Your Data, and Can You Delete It? Plaud keeps synced recordings until you delete them or close your account. Plaud's security help article lists no automatic expiry for recordings, transcripts or summaries. ### What stays, and for how long - **Synced recordings, transcripts and summaries:** until you delete them or cancel your account. - **With sync off:** deleted from Plaud's servers right after processing, and kept on your phone. - **At the AI vendors:** nothing persists after the response comes back, per Plaud. - **Voiceprints:** up to 24 months after your last interaction, or sooner if you delete them. - **Account data:** kept while the account is active, then deleted or anonymised. ### Deleting recordings or your whole account Deletion works the way you'd hope, with one surprise for people who cancel: - **One recording:** Plaud says a deleted recording leaves primary storage at once, and the deletion syncs to backups. - **Everything:** open Settings, then Account & security, then Delete account, per Plaud's help center. Plaud warns that this can't be undone and that it removes your cloud recordings too. - **Cancelling a paid plan:** this deletes nothing. The account drops back to the free Starter plan, and your recordings stay where they are. ### Where your data is stored Your account region decides the data center: - **EU and EEA accounts** are stored on AWS in Frankfurt. - **The Americas** use AWS US-West, in Oregon. - **Asia Pacific:** Japan uses AWS Japan, and the rest of the region uses Singapore. Individuals can't pick a region. Workspace-level data residence is a Team plan feature. ## Is Plaud HIPAA Compliant? SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR and ISO Claims **Plaud says yes.** Its certifications help article (November 5, 2026) says Plaud has obtained a HIPAA Validation Report, and its pricing page ticks HIPAA on every plan, including free Starter. A BAA is available on request through privacy@plaud.ai, per Plaud's help center. That's a stronger health-data story than many notetakers tell. Granola keeps HIPAA and its BAA for Enterprise, and Jamie offers no BAA at all. ### Each claim, as Plaud states it - **SOC 2 Type II:** Plaud says it holds it, covering security, availability and confidentiality. The report sits behind a request form on its Drata trust portal. - **HIPAA:** a HIPAA Validation Report, per the help center. Its healthcare page calls Plaud 100% HIPAA-compliant. - **GDPR and EN 18031:** listed on every plan. Plaud describes EN 18031 as a European cybersecurity standard for wireless communication. - **ISO 27001 and 27701:** claimed in some Plaud marketing copy and its Google Play listing. The help center's certification list leaves them out. ### What I couldn't check The Drata trust portal blocked my requests on November 5, 2026. The audit dates, the auditor and any ISO certificates are unchecked as a result. My advice: ask for the SOC 2 report and the HIPAA validation report before you rely on either. ### The gap for clinicians Plaud doesn't automatically redact patient-identifiable information before an AI model processes it, per its help center. In a clinic, this is the gap I'd worry about most. EHR integration isn't available yet, though the healthcare page says it's on the roadmap. Our [healthcare notetaker guide](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-ai-meeting-note-taker-for-healthcare/) covers the other questions to ask. ### Where Voibe stands Voibe makes no HIPAA, SOC 2 or ISO claim. A BAA is available on request. Its privacy case rests on how it's built instead. Meeting audio is deleted as soon as processing completes, and notes are saved on your computer. > **Key takeaway:** Plaud claims SOC 2 Type II, a HIPAA validation report, GDPR and EN 18031 on every plan, with a BAA on request. Its ISO claims appear only in some marketing copy. ## Has Plaud Been Breached, Sued or Banned? **I found no public report of a data breach, lawsuit or employer ban naming Plaud.** My check was a web search on November 5, 2026, not a court docket search. Re-check before you rely on it. ### The lost recorder in the Czech cabinet room In late January 2026, cleaners found a credit-card-sized Plaud recorder in the Czech government's cabinet meeting room, [Seznam Zprávy reported](https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-kauzy-urad-vlady-nevypatral-ze-majitelem-nahravaciho-zarizeni-je-ministr-stastny-310641). The Government Office didn't trace the owner for about six months. Then minister Boris Šťastný said it was his AI recorder, and that he'd lost it. The article alleges no flaw in Plaud and no data leak. It does show how easily a small recorder gets lost or overlooked, which is a good reason to know where yours is. ### Commentary on wearable recorders In a [Computerworld Q&A](https://www.computerworld.com/article/4219742/ai-notetakers-at-work-could-leave-companies-at-risk-for-lawsuits.html) on notetaker legal risk, an attorney described the Plaud Note as "essentially an always-on recording device". That's commentary, not a claim against Plaud. Two rivals are in court. Otter faces a privacy class action, and Granola a wiretap suit ([details](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/granola-lawsuit/)). Plaud isn't named in any of the coverage I found. > **Key takeaway:** No breach, lawsuit or ban naming Plaud turned up as of November 5, 2026. The check was a web search, not a docket search. ## Recording Consent: The Most Discreet Notetaker in the Room A Plaud device tells the people around it very little. The Note, NotePin and NotePin S show a red light while recording, and Plaud's help center says it can't be turned off (November 5, 2026). Plaud describes no sound and no announcement to anyone else. ### Whose job it is Yours, and Plaud says so plainly. - **Plaud's consent help article:** you're responsible for informing all participants and getting any consent the law requires. - **A second help article:** Plaud doesn't collect consent on your behalf. - **Plaud Desktop on calls:** it shows you a recording indicator and a timer, and Plaud describes no notice to the other people in the meeting. ### What the law asks - **Federal rule:** one party's consent is enough for calls and in-person conversations, per the [Digital Media Law Project](https://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/recording-phone-calls-and-conversations) (18 U.S.C. 2511(2)(d)). - **All-party states:** about 11, per the [Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press](https://www.rcfp.org/introduction-to-reporters-recording-guide/). They are California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington. - **Split rules:** Missouri and Oregon need everyone's consent in person but one party's on calls. Connecticut and Nevada work the other way round. - **Plain view:** RCFP says recording a face-to-face interview is generally legal when the device is in plain view. The same goes when people are warned and keep talking. A Note lying on the table is in plain view. A NotePin clipped to your shirt is easy to miss, so I'd say it out loud either way. Our [AI notetaker consent laws guide](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-notetaker-recording-consent-laws/) covers state rules, late joiners and calls across state lines. ### A one-line script Plaud's own suggestion works well, and it's short enough to say every time. Ask whether anyone minds you using an AI note-taker so you don't miss details, and offer to share the notes afterwards. Then wait for each person to say yes. ### With Voibe Work Each time a recording starts, Voibe Work reminds you to tell everyone you're taking notes. That applies on a call and in the room. Following the recording-consent rules where you are is still your job. ## Is Plaud Safe for Your Meeting? A Five-Question Check Work through these in order, from the easiest case to the hardest. Stop at the first answer you can't accept. 1. **Does everyone in the room know you're recording?** If not, tell them first. The red light is easy to miss and makes no sound. 2. **Is anyone in an [all-party consent state](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-notetaker-recording-consent-laws/), or calling in from one?** Get a yes from every person before you press record. 3. **Could health information come up?** Get Plaud's BAA signed first, and remember that nothing is redacted automatically. 4. **Will you use Plaud Desktop or Plaud Web?** Both need Private Cloud Sync, so your notes stay in Plaud's cloud until you delete them. 5. **Can the content reach OpenAI, Google or Anthropic models?** If your contract or your client says no, pick a tool with none of them in the path. ### Where most meetings stop Most interviews and client meetings stop at question 1 or 2, and Plaud is fine there. Clinical, legal and deal conversations usually reach question 3 or 5. For privilege, our [notetaker guide for lawyers](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-ai-meeting-note-taker-for-lawyers/) goes into more detail. ## If You Keep Plaud, Check These Five Settings If you're staying with Plaud, these five steps close most of the gaps above. 1. **Decide on Private Cloud Sync.** If you only use the phone app and a device, leave it off so Plaud's servers drop each recording after processing. 2. **Don't opt in to training.** Plaud trains on content only with your explicit consent, so keep that consent to yourself. 3. **Say it out loud, and keep the device where people can see it.** The red light on its own isn't consent under [recording consent laws](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-notetaker-recording-consent-laws/). 4. **Sign the BAA before the first patient recording.** Email privacy@plaud.ai, and keep identifiers out of the recording where you can. 5. **Know where the device is, and delete what you don't need.** The Note Pro, NotePin and NotePin S work with Apple Find My, and synced recordings never expire on their own. ### Which steps matter most If you only do two, do steps 1 and 3. Step 1 decides whether a copy stays in Plaud's cloud at all. Step 3 covers the legal risk the hardware creates, because nobody else in the room gets a notice. > **Warning:** Private Cloud Sync can't be turned off for Plaud Desktop or Plaud Web. If you need either one, plan to delete old recordings by hand. ## Where Voibe Work Differs: No Device, and No Copy on Voibe's Servers Plaud runs every transcription through its cloud and can keep the result there. [Voibe Work](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/voibe-work-meeting-notes-no-bot/) takes the other path. It processes meeting audio on zero-retention providers and saves your notes on your computer instead. ### What Voibe Work does differently - There's no device to buy. It records Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Webex, Slack huddles or any other meeting app, with no bot in the call. - It records in-person meetings through your Mac or PC's mic, in the same app. - Meeting audio goes to open-source models on zero-retention providers. It's deleted as soon as processing completes ([what zero data retention means](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/zero-data-retention/)). - Transcripts and summaries are saved on your computer, not on Voibe's servers, and never used to train AI. - You get speaker labels you can rename and meetings up to 4 hours, with no cap on how many. Custom templates, chat with your meetings, and copy or PDF export come with it, and so does dictation in any app. - It reminds you to tell everyone you're taking notes when a recording starts ([what consent laws require](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-notetaker-recording-consent-laws/)), and a BAA is available on request. ### Where Plaud wins If your meetings happen on your feet, Plaud is the better tool. These are its real edges: - It records away from a desk, on walking meetings, site visits and conference floors, with no laptop open. - The Note and Note Pro record phone calls. Voibe has no iPhone or Android app ([details](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/does-voibe-work-on-iphone-and-android/)). - Its devices record offline. Voibe Work's meeting notes need an internet connection. - Plaud claims SOC 2 Type II and a HIPAA validation report, while Voibe claims no certification. - Plaud Pro annual costs less than Voibe Work once you own the device. ### What it costs Voibe Work is $19 a month, $149 a year or $399 once, per seat. Against Plaud, the answer turns on whether you already own a device. - **Plaud Pro, device already owned:** $99.99 a year, which makes it $49.01 cheaper per year than Voibe Work. - **Plaud Unlimited:** $239.99 a year, so Voibe Work is $90.99 (37.9%) less than that. - **Year one, buying a Note:** a $159 Note plus Pro annual comes to $258.99, so Voibe Work costs $109.99 (42.5%) less. - **Over 3 years:** a Note plus Pro adds up to $458.97, and Voibe Work lifetime at $399 is $59.97 (13.1%) less. Every device and plan is in our [Plaud pricing breakdown](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/plaud-pricing/). For the wider market, see our [AI meeting note taker pricing comparison](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-meeting-note-taker-pricing/). ### Trying Voibe Work - **The trial:** new accounts get 7 days of every Voibe Work feature, with no credit card and no automatic charge. - **Afterwards:** you move to Voibe Free unless you buy a plan. - **If you buy:** paid plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee. The 4-hour meeting length arrived in October 2026 ([launch post](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/voibe-free-plan-meeting-notes-windows/)). > **Key takeaway:** Voibe Work needs no device, deletes meeting audio as soon as processing completes and saves notes on your computer. Plaud wins away from a desk and on phone calls. ## Who Plaud Is Safe For, and Who Should Pick Something Else Plaud is safe for most interviews, lectures and in-person meetings, as long as everyone knows it's recording. It fits less well when a copy in a vendor's cloud would hurt you. Find your situation below. | Your situation | Plaud verdict | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | | Your own voice notes and lectures | Safe | Keep sync off if you don't need Desktop or Web | | Interviews and in-person client meetings | Safe with consent | Ask before you press record; keep the device visible | | Phone calls | Safe with consent | Note or Note Pro only; check the rules in both callers' states | | Participants in California, Illinois or another [all-party state](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-notetaker-recording-consent-laws/) | Safe only with everyone's consent | Ask each person and wait for a yes | | Patient conversations with health information | Possible with paperwork | Sign the BAA first; nothing is redacted automatically | | Privileged legal meetings | Risky | Read the [lawyers guide](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-ai-meeting-note-taker-for-lawyers/); prefer no vendor-side copy | | Government or secure rooms | Check the rules first | Ask security; know where the device is | | EU teams | Good fit | Data sits in Frankfurt, with EU-hosted subprocessors | | Online calls at your desk | Workable | Plaud Desktop needs a device and cloud sync; a desktop notetaker may suit better | ### If your row says look elsewhere These three guides pick up where Plaud stops fitting: - Our [Plaud alternatives](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/plaud-alternatives/) compare tools that skip the hardware. - The [best no-bot meeting note takers](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-no-bot-meeting-note-takers/) cover desktop capture. - Our [guide to confidential meeting notes](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/how-to-take-confidential-meeting-notes/) goes deeper on sensitive meetings. ## Is Plaud Safe? FAQ Quick answers on Plaud's privacy, compliance and consent, grouped by topic. ### Privacy and Your Data #### Is Plaud safe to use? Yes, for most meetings, as long as you tell people it's recording. The open questions are consent and cloud storage with Private Cloud Sync on. Plaud claims SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA on every plan and offers a BAA on request. It doesn't train on your recordings unless you opt in. #### Does Plaud train AI on my recordings? Not unless you opt in. Plaud's privacy policy rules out training its own or third-party models on your content without your explicit consent. Its trust center says no training happens by default. Plaud says its LLM vendors are contractually bound to no training and zero retention. #### Where does Plaud store my recordings, and for how long? On AWS in your account's region: US-West (Oregon), Frankfurt, Japan or Singapore. With Private Cloud Sync on, recordings stay until you delete them or cancel your account. With it off, Plaud deletes them from its servers right after processing. ### Vendors, Compliance and Company #### Which AI models does Plaud use? Models from the GPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google) and Claude (Anthropic) families, per Plaud's help center. Plaud picks a model for each job, and you can choose one for a custom summary. Its transcription vendor isn't named publicly. #### Is Plaud HIPAA compliant? Plaud says so. Its help center says it has obtained a HIPAA Validation Report and that HIPAA covers every plan, including free Starter. A BAA is available through privacy@plaud.ai. Plaud doesn't automatically redact patient details before AI processing, so sign the BAA before recording patients. #### Is Plaud a Chinese company? Plaud Inc. is incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in San Francisco. It has offices in Beijing and Shenzhen. Digitimes reported that its hardware is made under contract in Shenzhen. Accounts in the Americas are stored on AWS in Oregon. #### Has Plaud had a data breach or lawsuit? None turned up in web searches on November 5, 2026, though that wasn't a court docket search. In 2026 a lost Plaud recorder turned up in the Czech cabinet room. The report alleged no flaw in Plaud and no data leak. ### Consent and Alternatives #### Does a Plaud device tell people it's recording? Only through a small red light. On the Note, NotePin and NotePin S, it stays on while recording and can't be turned off. Plaud describes no sound or announcement, and Plaud says [getting consent](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-notetaker-recording-consent-laws/) from everyone is your responsibility. #### Can I use Plaud without storing recordings in its cloud? Partly. Every transcription runs in Plaud's cloud, but with Private Cloud Sync off, the server copy is deleted after processing. Plaud Desktop and Plaud Web require cloud sync, so this only works with the phone app and a device. #### What is a safer alternative to Plaud for confidential meetings? A notetaker that keeps no copy on the vendor's servers. Voibe Work records calls and in-person meetings through your Mac or PC's mic. It deletes the audio once processing completes and saves notes on your computer. It has no phone app, so Plaud still wins away from a desk. ## Is Plaud Safe in 2026? My Verdict **Plaud's paperwork is among the strongest I've read for a notetaker.** It claims SOC 2 Type II, a HIPAA validation report and GDPR on every plan, and it offers a BAA. It won't train on recordings unless you opt in. The weak points come from the hardware and the cloud: - A recorder so discreet that [consent](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-notetaker-recording-consent-laws/) depends entirely on you. - Every transcription runs in Plaud's cloud, with no on-device option. - GPT, Gemini and Claude models sit in the path, under contracts you can't read. - Plaud Desktop and Web require cloud sync, with no expiry once it's on. - Patient details aren't redacted automatically, and the ISO claims don't match across Plaud's own pages. ### If you're keeping Plaud I'd keep it for interviews, lectures and meetings away from a desk, after the five settings checks above. Re-check after November 21, 2026, when the new privacy policy reaches older accounts. ### If the meeting happens at your desk [Voibe Work](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/voibe-work-meeting-notes-no-bot/) records it from your Mac or Windows PC, online or in the room, with no device to buy. The audio is deleted as soon as processing completes, and notes are saved on your computer. It costs $149 a year, with dictation included. [Start the 7-day free trial](https://www.getvoibe.com), no credit card needed. ### Related reading - Our [Plaud pricing](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/plaud-pricing/) breakdown, device by device - The [Plaud alternatives](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/plaud-alternatives/) that skip the hardware - How to [record an in-person meeting on your laptop](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/how-to-record-an-in-person-meeting-on-your-laptop/) - Safety reviews: [Is Jamie Safe?](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/is-jamie-safe/), [Is Granola Safe?](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/is-granola-safe/) and [Is Otter Safe?](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/is-otter-safe/) - The [best AI meeting note takers](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-ai-meeting-note-takers/), compared - Our [privacy hub](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/privacy/), with every dictation and notetaker safety review in one place > **Info:** I checked every source on November 5, 2026. Plaud's new privacy policy reaches accounts created before October 20, 2026 on November 21, 2026, so re-check before relying on these facts after that date. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Plaud safe to use? Yes, for most meetings, as long as you tell people it's recording. The open questions are consent and cloud storage with Private Cloud Sync on. Plaud claims SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA on every plan and offers a BAA on request. It doesn't train on your recordings unless you opt in. ### Does Plaud train AI on my recordings? Not unless you opt in. Plaud's privacy policy rules out training its own or third-party models on your content without your explicit consent. Its trust center says no training happens by default. Plaud says its LLM vendors are contractually bound to no training and zero retention. ### Where does Plaud store my recordings, and for how long? On AWS in your account's region: US-West (Oregon), Frankfurt, Japan or Singapore. With Private Cloud Sync on, recordings stay until you delete them or cancel your account. With it off, Plaud deletes them from its servers right after processing. ### Which AI models does Plaud use? Models from the GPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google) and Claude (Anthropic) families, per Plaud's help center. Plaud picks a model for each job, and you can choose one for a custom summary. Its transcription vendor isn't named publicly. ### Is Plaud HIPAA compliant? Plaud says so. Its help center says it has obtained a HIPAA Validation Report and that HIPAA covers every plan, including free Starter. A BAA is available through privacy@plaud.ai. Plaud doesn't automatically redact patient details before AI processing, so sign the BAA before recording patients. ### Is Plaud a Chinese company? Plaud Inc. is incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in San Francisco. It has offices in Beijing and Shenzhen. Digitimes reported that its hardware is made under contract in Shenzhen. Accounts in the Americas are stored on AWS in Oregon. ### Has Plaud had a data breach or lawsuit? None turned up in web searches on November 5, 2026, though that wasn't a court docket search. In 2026 a lost Plaud recorder turned up in the Czech cabinet room. The report alleged no flaw in Plaud and no data leak. ### Does a Plaud device tell people it's recording? Only through a small red light. On the Note, NotePin and NotePin S, it stays on while recording and can't be turned off. Plaud describes no sound or announcement, and Plaud says getting consent from everyone is your responsibility. ### Can I use Plaud without storing recordings in its cloud? Partly. Every transcription runs in Plaud's cloud, but with Private Cloud Sync off, the server copy is deleted after processing. Plaud Desktop and Plaud Web require cloud sync, so this only works with the phone app and a device. ### What is a safer alternative to Plaud for confidential meetings? A notetaker that keeps no copy on the vendor's servers. Voibe Work records calls and in-person meetings through your Mac or PC's mic. It deletes the audio once processing completes and saves notes on your computer. It has no phone app, so Plaud still wins away from a desk. ## Related - [Plaud Pricing](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/plaud-pricing/): Every Plaud device and AI plan, and what each costs over 1, 2 and 3 years. - [Plaud Alternatives](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/plaud-alternatives/): Notetakers that skip the hardware, for desk, phone and in-person meetings. - [How to Record an In-Person Meeting on Your Laptop](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/how-to-record-an-in-person-meeting-on-your-laptop/): Use the laptop on the table as the recorder, with no device to buy. - [Is Jamie Safe?](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/is-jamie-safe/): Jamie's EU storage, its no-training policy and its consent tools. - [Is Granola Safe?](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/is-granola-safe/): Granola's training default, its US cloud and its lawsuit. - [AI Notetaker Recording Consent Laws](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-notetaker-recording-consent-laws/): One-party and all-party states, late joiners and bot-free capture.