Char
A privacy-first, open-source meeting notepad that captures and transcribes conversations locally — no bots, no data lock-in, full control over your AI stack.
What is Char?
Char is a local-first meeting notes app that records and transcribes meetings directly from system audio, without any bots joining calls. Notes are saved as plain Markdown files on your device, keeping your data fully under your control. You can run it entirely offline with local models, bring your own API keys for cloud LLMs, or use Char's managed cloud service — and switch between these modes at any time. Formerly known as Hyprnote, Char is open-source and built with Tauri and Rust for native desktop performance on macOS.
Compare with Alternatives
| Feature | Char | Wave | SpeakApp AI | Rimo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting From | — | — | — | — |
| API | — | — | — | — |
| Free Tier | — | — | — | — |
| Mobile App | — | — | — | — |
Who is it for
Privacy-Conscious Professionals
Individuals and teams in regulated industries can capture meeting notes without sending audio to third-party servers, satisfying compliance requirements or internal data policies.
Remote & Hybrid Teams
Teams using Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams can automatically generate structured meeting summaries without deploying intrusive bots that appear as call participants.
Sales & Client-Facing Teams
Sales professionals can maintain searchable notes and contact context across every client conversation, making follow-ups faster and more informed.
Developers & Technical Teams
Developer teams can self-host Char, extend it via API or shell hooks, and integrate meeting notes into existing local toolchains like Obsidian or VS Code.
Researchers & Knowledge Workers
Researchers can upload existing audio recordings or transcripts and turn them into a searchable, AI-queryable knowledge base linked to contacts and prior conversations.