Desify sells rPen. Plaud makes very good AI voice recorders and we say so below. Facts about Plaud come from plaud.ai product pages and Plaud's plan guide, checked 16 October 2026.
If you sit in a lot of in-person meetings, client calls or lectures, you have probably looked at an AI note taker. Plaud is the best-known name: a small recorder that clips to your shirt or sticks to your phone, records the room, and gives you a transcript and a summary. rPen solves a nearby problem in a different way. You write in real ink, the page appears on your phone, and the ReNote AI app can record the room alongside your handwriting. Which one you want depends on one question: do you write during meetings, or do you just listen?
Side by side
| rPen | Plaud NotePin | Plaud Note Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US price | $175 (rPen Pro $199), delivery, customs and duties included | $159 | $189 |
| What it is | AI smart pen that writes in real ink on the rPen Smart Notebook | Wearable AI recorder: necklace, wristband, clip or magnetic pin | Credit-card size AI recorder, 0.12 inches thick |
| Main record | Your handwriting, live on your phone | Audio, turned into a transcript and summary | Audio, turned into a transcript and summary |
| Audio | The ReNote AI app records the room on your phone while you write | Built-in microphones, about 20 hours of recording | Built-in microphones, pickup up to about 16 feet, up to 50 hours of recording |
| Notes to action | Tap printed icons on the page: Google Calendar, Microsoft To Do, Gmail, Outlook | AI summaries and templates in the Plaud app | AI summaries and templates in the Plaud app |
| Works without your phone nearby | Yes, stores about 1,000 pages and syncs later | Yes, records on the device and syncs later | Yes, records on the device and syncs later |
| Plans | AI App Pro free for the first year | Free Starter plan with 300 transcription minutes a month; paid Pro (1,200 minutes) and Unlimited plans | |
| Returns | Defective pens replaced | See plaud.ai | |
| Delivery | Delivered in 3 business days by DHL Express, customs and duties included | Ships within the US | |
Where Plaud is stronger
If the conversation itself is the thing you need, Plaud is hard to beat. It is built around audio: good microphones, long recording time, and a transcript and summary waiting when the meeting ends. You do not need to write a word. For sales calls, interviews, research sessions and long workshops where you want everything said captured, a dedicated recorder is the right tool. The NotePin is also small enough to forget you are wearing it.
The cost to watch is the plan. The free Starter plan covers 300 minutes a month, which is about five hours. People in meetings most of the day will likely need a paid plan, so check Plaud's current prices before you compare.
Where rPen is stronger
Many people do not want a transcript of an hour of talk. They want the five things that mattered, in their own words. Writing by hand forces that choice, and rPen keeps the result: your page appears on your phone as you write, becomes searchable text, and can be summarized by the app. Then you act on it. Tap a printed icon to turn a line into a Google Calendar event or a Microsoft To Do task, or turn bullet points into an email draft in Gmail or Outlook.
You do not lose the audio either. The ReNote AI app can record the room on your phone while you write, so your notes and the conversation stay together without a second gadget.
Who should buy which
- Interviewers, researchers and sales teams who need every word: Plaud.
- Founders, managers and consultants who leave meetings with action items: rPen.
- Students in lectures who learn by writing: rPen, with the room recorded in the app.
- People who never take notes and just want a summary: Plaud.
- Anyone who also sketches or draws diagrams: rPen, which can turn a sketch into an image.
Questions people ask
Does rPen have a microphone in the pen?
No. The ReNote AI app records the room on your phone while you write, so the audio and your notes stay together.
Do I need a subscription for Plaud?
Plaud includes a free Starter plan with 300 transcription minutes a month. Heavier use needs a paid Pro or Unlimited plan.
Is it legal to record meetings?
Rules vary by state and country, and some require everyone's consent. Whichever device you use, tell people you are recording.
Will I pay customs on rPen in the US?
No. Delivery, customs and duties are included in the price, and orders are delivered in 3 business days by DHL Express.
