u/Plasticciy

Wanted to actually record phone calls on my iPhone without jumping through hoops, so I tested two apps and two hardware options to see what iOS actually allows versus what it doesn't.

Apps

• TapeACall (App). The most established app for this. Works by merging your call into a three-way conference with TapeACall's own line, which then records both sides. Annual subscription, roughly $10-11/year, and the merge step adds a small extra step to every call, plus it depends on your carrier supporting three-way calling.
• iPhone Phone app, Call Recording (built-in, iOS 18.1+). Free if you're in a supported region. Tap record during a call, both sides hear an announcement, and the file lands in Notes with a transcript. Worth knowing before you buy anything: not available everywhere (EU is out), you have to start it manually each call, and it's Phone-only.

Dedicated hardware

• Plaud Note Pro (my pick, Device). Sidesteps the whole iOS limitation because it isn't going through the phone's software at all. Magnetically attaches to the back of the phone and switches into call-recording mode using an internal vibration conduction sensor that picks up call audio through the phone body when magnetically attached, no conference bridge, no carrier dependency.
• OM SYSTEM WS-882 (Device). A standard stereo recorder ($79.99, 4GB storage) that can pick up a phone call, but only with an external telephone pickup mic plugged into its 3.5mm jack, plugging that in disables the built-in mics and you're holding a wired earpiece against your ear while talking.

If you need call recording on iOS and the workarounds bother you or the recording announcement feels embarrassing: maybe try a dedicated voice recorder. Curious about how you guys here would choose, iPhone's own call recording or a voice recorder hardware？

I'm three months into a solo B2B consultancy and last week was my first real hybrid client sprint: two days on site, three on Zoom. By Friday I had notes in four places and a rough idea of Tuesday, but nothing I would have bet a client deadline on.

I decided to treat the week like a stress test. Granola came from a founder Slack I'm in, people kept posting screenshots. Fathom was already on my calendar from earlier investor calls. A guy at my coworking space wears a Plaud NotePin S on his shirt and I asked him about it after overhearing him mention back to back meetings.

Zoom days I switched between the two. Granola on my Mac gave me readable summaries and no bot jumped into the call. Fathom was quicker to set up and the bot joined every time, but two clients asked who the extra person on the line was. Fine for internal calls, awkward when you're solo and trying not to look like a whole team.

On site days the wearable handled the small in person stuff. I clipped the Plaud NotePin S for coffee meetings and one on one check ins. I didn't need to charge it mid-day on the heaviest onsite day, and it caught quick follow ups across a desk or cafe table that I would have missed. Granola and Fathom were useless there because there was no Zoom call to attach to. I would not count on it in a big conference room.

By the end of the week I realised no single AI note taker covered the whole hybrid meetings week. I still run Fathom on Zoom and the Plaud NotePin S in person. Plaud NotePin S does not replace a meeting bot for online calls, full stop. If you're solo and bouncing between both, plan on two tools.

How would you guys handle hybrid weeks like this? Any other tools at all? If so, one tool or two?