# Omi vs Plaud Note

> Cheapest to run at 20 hours a month: free (Omi (Consumer Version 1)) against $99.99 a year (Plaud Note Pro). Omi has 3 products on sale across 2 categories, priced $29.99 to $179. Plaud Note has 2 products on sale across 1 category, priced $159 to $189.

| | [Omi](https://recordercompare.com/lines/omi/) | [Plaud Note](https://recordercompare.com/lines/plaud-note/) |
|---|---|---|
| Products on sale | 3 | 2 |
| Categories | AI Recorders (1), Accessories (2) | AI Recorders (2) |
| Price range | $29.99 – $179 | $159 – $189 |
| Lightest | none published | 30 g (Plaud Note Pro) |
| Longest recording per charge | none published | 30 h (Plaud Note Pro) |
| Cheapest to run at 20 hours a month | free (Omi (Consumer Version 1)) | $99.99 a year (Plaud Note Pro) |
| Water and dust rating | none published | none published |
| Device SDK (write your own app for the hardware) | open source on 1 product | on request on 1 product |
| Developer API for your recordings | public on 1 product | public on 2 products |
| Your recordings used to train AI | only if you opt in on 1 product | only if you opt in on 2 products |
| HIPAA, as the brand states it | states alignment only on 1 product | states compliance on 2 products |
| App and cloud service | running on 1 product | running on 2 products |
| Where sold | Omi | list price only |

## Questions

**Which is cheaper, Omi or Plaud Note?**
On the prices we have (as of October 29, 2026), the cheapest Omi AI recorder is the [Omi (Consumer Version 1)](https://recordercompare.com/products/omi/) at $179, and the cheapest Plaud Note AI recorder is the [Plaud Note](https://recordercompare.com/products/plaud-note/) at $159. Prices are re-checked weekly.

**How many devices do Omi and Plaud Note make?**
Omi: 3 on sale. Plaud Note: 2 on sale.

**Which costs less to run, Omi or Plaud Note?**
By the brands' own figures: free for Omi ([Omi (Consumer Version 1)](https://recordercompare.com/products/omi/)) and $99.99 a year for Plaud Note ([Plaud Note Pro](https://recordercompare.com/products/plaud-note-pro/)). What a year of transcription costs at 20 hours (1,200 minutes) a month, about an hour each working day: 0 when the free tier covers it, else the cheapest plan that does, billed yearly where offered.

**How do Omi and Plaud Note compare on Device SDK?**
Omi publishes open source on 1 of its 3 products; Plaud Note publishes on request on 1 of its 2 products. Whether the company lets developers talk to the device directly (Bluetooth protocol, firmware, an SDK) so you can build your own app on it. Published means public docs anyone can use.

**How do Omi and Plaud Note compare on API?**
Omi publishes public on 1 of its 3 products; Plaud Note publishes public on 2 of its 2 products. Whether the company offers an API to read your recordings, transcripts and summaries from your own code, and on what terms.

**How do Omi and Plaud Note compare on AI training?**
Omi publishes only if you opt in on 1 of its 3 products; Plaud Note publishes only if you opt in on 2 of its 2 products. What the company's own policy says about using your recordings or transcripts to train AI models. "Not used for shared models": the policy rules out general models but personalises from your data. Quoted on the product page.

**How do Omi and Plaud Note compare on HIPAA?**
Omi publishes states alignment only on 1 of its 3 products; Plaud Note publishes states compliance on 2 of its 2 products. Exactly what the brand claims. "Aligned" is not a certification, and a BAA is what a covered entity needs; we do not judge compliance.

**How do Omi and Plaud Note compare on Service?**
Omi publishes running on 1 of its 3 products; Plaud Note publishes running on 2 of its 2 products. Whether the company's app and cloud service still work for owners. Running is today's state, not a promise.

Full product lists with specs and sources: [Omi](https://recordercompare.com/lines/omi/index.md), [Plaud Note](https://recordercompare.com/lines/plaud-note/index.md). Page: https://recordercompare.com/vs/omi-vs-plaud-note/

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RecorderCompare compares AI pendants and voice recorders from every brand on cost to run, data handling, support and developer access, with a source for every figure. [How we compare](https://recordercompare.com/how-we-compare/). Data as of 2026-10-29.