Plaud Note Pro vs Plaud NotePin S: Which Plaud Should You Buy?

Plaud's two best-known recorders do the same job in different shapes. The Plaud Note Pro ($189) is a card-thin recorder with a small display that records both in-person conversations and phone calls, with up to 50 hours of recording and a 16.4-foot pickup range. The Plaud NotePin S ($179) is a 17.4 g wearable you clip, pin, hang or strap on, built for in-person conversations, with up to 20 hours of recording. Both include 300 free minutes of transcription a month. Buy the Note Pro if you take calls and meetings at a desk; buy the NotePin S if you want something you wear all day.

What Is the Plaud Note Pro?

Plaud calls the Note Pro "the world's most advanced AI note taker." It is the size of a credit card and 0.12 inches thin, so it can ride on the back of your phone in its magnetic case or sit on a table. One press starts recording. Plaud says it detects whether you are in an in-person conversation or on a phone call and switches modes on its own, and a small display shows what it is doing. Four microphones and a voice pickup unit capture voices up to 16.4 feet away.

What Is the Plaud NotePin S?

Plaud calls the NotePin S "the world's most wearable AI note taker." It weighs 0.61 oz and comes with a magnetic pin, clip, lanyard and wristband, so you can wear it on a lapel, around your neck or on your wrist. You long-press to record and short-press to mark a moment you want to find later. It has two microphones with a range of up to 9.8 feet, and it is built for in-person conversations rather than calls.

Calls or Conversations?

This is the biggest difference. If a lot of your important conversations happen on the phone, the Note Pro records calls as well as meetings, and switches between them by itself. The NotePin S is listed for in-person recording only. For online meetings, Plaud points both owners to its Plaud Desktop app.

Battery and Range

The Note Pro lasts longer: up to 30 hours of recording in Enhance mode or 50 hours in Endurance mode, and 60 days on standby. The NotePin S gives up to 20 hours of recording and 40 days of standby. The Note Pro also picks up voices from further away, up to 16.4 feet against 9.8 feet, which matters in a meeting room.

How Much Do They Cost?

The Note Pro is $189 and the NotePin S is $179. Both include Plaud's free Starter plan, with 300 minutes of transcription a month. Plaud's paid plans add more minutes, up to unlimited; check Plaud's site for current plan prices. Both devices ship within one to two business days.

Which Should You Choose?

Choose the Plaud Note Pro if you record calls as well as meetings, you want the longest battery and widest range, and you like seeing a display. It suits desk-based work and people who already keep their phone close.

Choose the Plaud NotePin S if you want a recorder you wear rather than carry, for conversations on the move, and you are happy to trade some range and battery for a lighter device.

For more options from both brands and their rivals, see the best Plaud alternatives and Plaud NotePin S vs Bee.

Where Legend Fits

Both Plaud devices start recording when you press them. Legend One is built for the conversations you would not think to record. It is a voice-first AI memory pendant made for people with ADHD, worn at chest height and always on with no button to press, with a Halo light when it is active. It is not a medical device and does not treat ADHD. Legend turns your conversations into text, with no audio to play back and none kept in your account, and gives you daily summaries and auto-generated to-dos in the Legend App. Legend still captures audio to create the transcript, so recording and consent laws may apply where you live. It is $499 USD including the first year of membership, with free worldwide shipping. Orders ship within 30 days, then arrive in about 14 business days. See how it works, or compare it directly in Legend vs Plaud NotePin S.

The Takeaway

The Plaud Note Pro and NotePin S share the same app, storage and free 300 minutes a month, and they are $10 apart. The Note Pro is the better all-rounder, with call recording, a display, longer battery and wider range. The NotePin S is the better wearable, light enough to forget and easy to clip on. Pick by where your conversations happen: on calls and at desks, the Note Pro; out and about, the NotePin S.

FAQ

What is the difference between Plaud Note Pro and NotePin S? The Note Pro is a card-shaped recorder with a display that records in-person conversations and phone calls. The NotePin S is a small wearable for in-person conversations that you clip, pin, hang or wear on your wrist.

How much are the Plaud Note Pro and NotePin S? The Note Pro is $189 and the NotePin S is $179. Both include 300 free minutes of transcription a month.

Can the Plaud NotePin S record phone calls? Plaud lists the NotePin S for in-person recording. The Note Pro is the Plaud device that records phone calls as well.

Which has the longer battery? The Note Pro, with up to 30 hours of recording in Enhance mode or 50 hours in Endurance mode. The NotePin S records for up to 20 hours.

Do Plaud devices need a subscription? No. Both include the free Starter plan with 300 minutes of transcription a month. Paid plans add more minutes.

More in this category: Pocket vs Plaud and the best AI wearables in 2026.

Sources: Plaud Note Pro, Plaud NotePin S and Plaud device comparison, checked 27 October 2026. Prices are USD.