By Dima Barabash, Nod co-founder · Published September 1, 2026 · Sources verified September 1, 2026
- Product evidence
- Nod documents capture, inference, storage, encryption, subprocessors, sharing, deletion, and the absence of current SOC 2 certification on public policy pages.
- Limits
- Nod is not fully offline and is not SOC 2 certified. Privacy requirements differ; regulated buyers should review the full data flow and legal obligations.
- Method
- The comparison uses public first-party product, help, pricing, and security documentation. Capabilities change, so the verification date matters and the linked vendor source takes precedence.
Six questions to ask every vendor
Privacy is a chain. A product can be bot-free but retain a recording, host notes in a region you cannot use, train on customer data, or expose meeting libraries through broad workspace defaults. Ask the same questions and insist on first-party answers.
- Does a bot join, and does that change by capture mode?
- Is audio stored, temporarily cached, or deleted after transcription?
- Where do inference and durable storage happen?
- Can the vendor or model providers train on meeting content?
- Who can see notes by default, and what can an admin override?
- Can a user export and delete their account data?
Where Nod fits
Nod is macOS-only and always bot-free. Audio is held in memory long enough to transcribe, sent to cloud inference, then discarded by Nod. Transcripts and summaries are encrypted at rest in the EU. User data is not used for model training. OpenRouter routes use Zero Data Retention; Groq may retain transient error or abuse logs for up to 30 days unless Zero Data Retention is enabled.
When another tool is better
Choose a fully offline tool if no audio may cross the device boundary. Choose Granola or Jamie when their broader platform, mobile, workspace, or enterprise controls better match the deployment. Choose Otter, Fathom, or Fireflies when retaining recordings, cross-platform access, integrations, or mature team administration is the priority. Check each vendor's current documentation before deciding.
Read the source
Nod's exact capture, inference, storage, sharing, deletion, subprocessor, and certification limits are on Security and Privacy and Private by default. For broader selection criteria, see how to choose the best AI note taker.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most private AI note taker?
There is no universal winner. Fully offline tools minimize network exposure; Nod minimizes retained audio and keeps notes in the EU; other tools may offer stronger enterprise administration. Match the data flow to the risk.
Is Nod fully offline?
No. Capture is local, but transcription and summarization use cloud inference. OpenRouter routes use Zero Data Retention; Groq may retain transient error or abuse logs for up to 30 days unless Zero Data Retention is enabled. If no audio may leave the device, choose a fully offline tool.
Is Nod SOC 2 certified?
No. Nod does not claim current SOC 2 certification. Its public security page describes the controls and limitations that can be checked today.