Plaud and Tiro,
what is actually different?
Both capture meetings and in-person conversations and write them up. The biggest difference is what you need before you can start.
Three things that set Tiro apart
You do not wait for the meeting to end
Plaud states that real-time transcription is not supported and processes the recording afterwards, which suits capture-then-review. Tiro puts text on screen within 0.5 seconds of the words, so you can read and use it mid-meeting.
Interpretation while the meeting is running
Plaud states that it does not translate between languages and takes one language per recording. Tiro moves speech into 15+ other languages as it is spoken, so people who do not share a language can stay in the same meeting.
The devices you already own
Plaud's plans are tied to a registered device. Tiro records from a laptop, phone, the web, or an Apple Watch, so adding people means issuing accounts rather than sourcing hardware.
They look alike. They do different jobs.
Plaud captures conversations on a device you carry, which picks up rooms and phone calls that software often misses. It transcribes 112 languages, stores data in the US, EU, Japan, or Singapore, and holds SOC 2 Type II along with ISO 27001 and 27701. Tiro starts from the laptop and phone you already have, and shows the transcript while you are still in the room.
Side by side, in detail
| Plaud | Tiro | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does best | Captures in-person and field conversations on a dedicated device | Records on the devices you own and hands the context to agents |
| What it takes to start | Buying a device (Note from $159), with plans tied to it | The laptop or phone you already carry |
| Real-time transcription | Not supported; processed after the conversation | Supported, within 0.5 seconds |
| Interpretation during the meeting | No translation between languages; one language per recording | 15+ languages while the meeting is running |
| Transcription languages | 112 languages, one per recording | 15+ languages, including Korean, Japanese, and Chinese |
| Capture | Dedicated device, mobile app, and Plaud Desktop system audio | System audio capture, in person, phone, and offline |
| Security certifications | SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO 27701, GDPR, HIPAA | SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified |
| Where data sits | US, EU, Japan, or Singapore | Cloud, centered on Korea and Asia (requirements handled case by case) |
| Agent and system integration | Official MCP server and CLI on all plans, Zapier as a trigger, transcription API for partners | MCP, API, Webhook, and CLI on every paid plan |
| Getting started | Device from $159 plus a free Starter plan (300 minutes a month). Pro $8.33 a month billed annually, $17.99 monthly | Free trial, then from $7 a month |
Different jobs call for different tools
The conversations you most need to keep happen in rooms and on phone calls, and you want a physical button and long battery life for them. Multi-region storage and a broad certification list are requirements you have to meet.
You would rather not hand out hardware, you want to read and use the transcript during the meeting, you need interpretation while people are talking, or you want notes flowing through MCP, API, Webhook, and CLI into internal systems and AI agents.
Whether you can put a device in everyone's hand is the first fork in the road.
See what it saves you, in numbers
Pick your team size and get the estimated hours and cost saved, plus a rollout quote, right away.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to buy a device to use Plaud?
Plaud's plans are tied to a device: the official pages describe the free Starter plan as coming with an account and device, and Plaud Desktop is documented as requiring one. Tiro starts on the laptop or phone you already carry, with no extra hardware.
Can Tiro record in-person conversations too?
Yes. Tiro captures system audio directly, so in-person conversations, phone calls, and offline recordings come through at the same quality as video meetings. No dedicated device is needed.
Can I read the transcript during the meeting?
With Tiro, yes: text appears within 0.5 seconds of the words being spoken, and interpretation into 15+ languages runs while the meeting is still going. Plaud's support pages state that real-time transcription is not supported and that the recording is processed afterwards.
How accurate is Tiro's transcription?
98% in typical rooms and above 90% on noisy sites. It records 15+ languages in real time, including Korean, Japanese, and Chinese, and shows text within 0.5 seconds of the words being spoken.
What changes when you roll this out to a whole organization?
With Plaud you source and manage a device per person. With Tiro you issue accounts, and team plans give everyone a shared glossary, shared templates, and shared meeting context so the whole team works from the same baseline.
How does Tiro handle security?
Tiro is certified to SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, customer data is never used to train AI models, and encryption keys are isolated per customer. Data location, SSO, and audit log requirements are handled case by case.