Minutes is a free, MIT-licensed meeting-memory app for Mac and Windows that keeps the whole workflow on your own machine. It records a meeting, transcribes it on-device, and files searchable Markdown notes that your AI assistant can query later. It suits individuals and small teams whose meetings cannot leave the room for policy or comfort reasons.[1][2]
Quick verdict
Individuals and small teams on Mac or Windows who want meeting notes without a subscription benefit most from Minutes. Its on-device Parakeet and Whisper transcription plus MCP, CLI, and SDK agent memory turns microphone and system audio into Markdown that Claude Code, Codex, or Cursor can search. Linux users and teams needing shared cloud workspaces today should choose something else, since only macOS and Windows builds are documented and collaboration is still a coming-soon page. If your meetings must stay on your own hardware and feed your AI assistant, shortlist Minutes; if you need browser-based team collaboration now, pick a cloud notetaker instead.[1][2]
Key features
On-device Parakeet and Whisper transcription Speech recognition runs locally with speaker diarization and per-language models, so meeting audio never travels to a vendor server. Offline support means capture does not depend on a connection.[1]
Bot-free mic and system-audio capture Recording uses microphone and system audio with a visible recording banner and announcements, and specific apps can be excluded from capture. No notetaker participant needs to join the call.[1]
Agent memory over MCP, CLI, and SDK Meetings, transcripts, notes, summaries, and action items are queryable by Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and any MCP client, with one-click connectors, a CLI, an SDK, and Agent Skills.[1]
Markdown notes you own Every meeting lands in its own folder with transcript, notes, and attachments in plain Markdown. No proprietary database stands between you and your words.[1]
Recall chat across meetings An AI chat answers questions about past discussions with cited sources and keeps meetings auto-attached as context. Follow-ups stay grounded in what was actually said.[1]
Calendar automation The app auto-starts on calendar events and prepares pre-meeting briefs plus post-meeting follow-ups. Routine meeting hygiene happens without manual setup per call.[1]
Free unlimited tier Unlimited meetings, transcription, and AI chat cost nothing, with no paid Minutes tier on the pricing page. A cloud AI model pointed at Minutes bills the user's own provider key.[1]
Desktop installers on two platforms Signed builds cover Mac Apple Silicon and Intel plus Windows, with Stable and Latest update channels. Android has an APK route, but Linux and iOS builds are not documented.[1][2]
Who will love it
Privacy-conscious individuals on Mac or Windows: on-device transcription and local Markdown storage keep sensitive meetings off vendor servers entirely.[1]
Developers whose assistants need meeting context: MCP, CLI, SDK, and Agent Skills turn the archive into queryable memory for Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor.[1]
Consultants and small teams avoiding subscriptions: unlimited meetings, transcription, and chat are free with no paid tier, and bot-free capture works without changing how guests join calls.[1]
Who should avoid it
Linux-only users: no Linux build is documented across the homepage, Get started page, or release notes, so Linux workflows have no supported install path.[1][2]
Teams needing shared cloud workspaces today: collaboration is a coming-soon Teams page, and there is no managed sync, SSO, or admin console in the current product.[1]
Non-technical buyers wanting zero-setup capture: the desktop install is simple, but local model downloads, free-tier provider-key limits, and consent announcements remain the operator's job.[1]
Compatibility
Per-meeting Markdown folders open in any text editor, and the MCP server, CLI, SDK, and Agent Skills expose meetings to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and any MCP client with one-click connectors. No proprietary format stands between the notes and other tools.[1]
Signed installers cover Mac Apple Silicon and Intel plus Windows with Stable and Latest channels, alongside brew, winget, cargo, and npx routes. Transcription runs on-device while optional cloud AI models run under the user's own provider key.[1][2]
Questions worth asking
What is the best Minutes alternative for non-technical users?
Anarlog, the catalogue-reviewed local-first meeting notepad with an optional hosted Pro tier, fits non-technical users who want similar bot-free capture with a supported upgrade path. No universal winner is claimed; the choice depends on whether local-only custody or guided hosting matters more.[1][2]
Is Minutes really no-code?
How much does Minutes cost per month?
Zero dollars for the product itself: unlimited meetings, transcription, and AI chat are free with no paid tier, as priced October 2026. Optional cloud AI usage is billed by your own provider key, not by Minutes.[1]
Sources and editorial review
Source research. Reviewed on October 11, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.
We have not run or tested this product.
- Minutes - Your second brain for meetings
official · Observed October 11, 2026
Official homepage observed October 11, 2026: free local-first positioning, on-device transcription, capture and consent behaviour, Recall chat, MCP/CLI/SDK agent memory, Markdown storage, calendar automation, free tier with no paid tier, MIT footer, coming-soon Teams page.
- silverstein/minutes repository
official · Observed October 11, 2026
Canonical repository overview observed October 11, 2026: silverstein/minutes identity, MIT license, on-device Markdown positioning, installer matrix and Stable/Latest channels in release notes, active v0.27.x development.
Compared with these products
No explicit proprietary baseline is recorded.