Comparing Note-Taking Technology: Boya Notra AI vs Plaud Note AI

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A few days ago, I reviewed the superb Plaud NotePin S, and I have also recently reviewed the Plaud Note Pro and the original Plaud Note.

I was sceptical of these new voice recorders with AI transcription due to the transcription features you get built into Android with most modern phones now. It seemed excessive to buy another device and then potentially pay for a subscription.

However, I grew to love my Plaud devices and use them regularly for meetings, product briefings and any situation where I need to remember information. I have ADHD, so it has been hugely helpful with keeping track of things I need to remember for meetings.

Since Plaud launched, there has been a growing number of competing products. Many are like-for-like clones from random brands you find on Amazon, but a growing number of big brands are jumping on this bandwagon, including Anker Soundcore with their coin-sized AI Voice Recorder.

Boya is another company entering this market. I was not familiar with them before this review, and initially, the Boya Notra AI Note Taker appears to be a clone of the Plaud Note, but it does offer some additional functionality and a lower price point that might make it a more appealing alternative to the Plaud Note.

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Specification

Specification	Details
Recording Mode	Ambient / Phone Call / Bluetooth
Supported AI Models	ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok
Storage	64 GB local + unlimited cloud
File Transfer	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C
Microphones	2 × MEMS + 1 × VPU
Pickup Range	Up to 10 m
Noise Cancellation	Yes, AI-powered (up to -30 dB)
App and Web Access	Yes
Text Editing	Yes
Audio Import	Yes
Magnetic Attachment	Yes (MagSafe-compatible)
Export File Formats	MP3, WAV, TXT, DOCX, PDF, Markdown, JPEG
Battery Life	Up to 24 hours recording<br>Up to 365 days standby
Charging	USB-C (full charge in approx. 2 hours)
Dimensions	63 × 63 × 6.8 mm
Weight	45 g

On paper, the Boya Notra matches and occasionally exceeds the Plaud Note’s specifications. The 10-metre pickup range is particularly impressive, more than double the original Plaud Note’s 3-metre range and double the Plaud Note Pro’s 5-metre range. The three recording modes represent a genuine advantage over Plaud, which only offers ambient and phone call recording.

The weight is slightly higher than Plaud’s 30g, but at 45g, it is still light enough that you will not notice it attached to your phone. The square form factor at 63 × 63mm is more compact than Plaud’s credit card shape (85.6 × 54.1mm), though I found Plaud’s slimmer profile at 2.99mm versus Boya’s 6.8mm feels more premium.

Boya Notra AI Subscription vs Plaud

Just like Plaud, Boya uses AI models such as ChatGPT and Claude for its different features. You get 300 minutes per month free, but if you want more, then you need to pay for a subscription.

Boya charges £17.99 per month or £99.00 (£8.33 per month) per year for 1500 minutes, 50GB of online storage, AI-powered recording summaries and real-time translation.

Plaud charges £8.40 per month if billed annually, or £17.99 monthly for 1200 minutes or £18.80 per month billed annually, or £28.49 monthly for the unlimited plan.

Plaud now also benefits from a desktop app, which allows you to record online meetings without intrusive meeting bots.

The subscription comparison is interesting. Boya’s annual plan at £99 works out slightly cheaper than Plaud’s £101 annual basic plan, while offering 300 more minutes per month (1500 vs 1200). However, Plaud’s ecosystem is more mature, with better template options and the invaluable desktop app for recording online meetings. If you attend lots of virtual meetings, Plaud’s desktop app alone makes it worth the extra cost.

The free tier on both devices offers 300 minutes monthly, which I found adequate for my needs when I wasn’t attending excessive meetings. However, working in IT with multiple briefings, product launches, and team meetings, I regularly exceeded this limit. The annual subscription quickly becomes worthwhile if you are recording more than a couple of hours each week.

One area where Boya falls short is the template selection. On the free plan, you only get access to one template – “meeting”. Plaud offers six templates on the free tier, which gives you much more flexibility in how your recordings are summarised. You can upgrade to access Boya’s full library of 60 templates, but this limitation on the free tier is annoying.

Design

The Boya Notra adopts a square design with rounded corners, measuring 63 × 63 × 6.8mm. It is noticeably chunkier than the Plaud Note at 6.8mm thick compared to Plaud’s impressively slim 2.99mm profile. This extra thickness is immediately noticeable when you have the device attached to your phone. Where the Plaud Note Pro feels like a natural extension of your phone, the Boya Notra creates a more pronounced bump.

The device is available in four colours: black, silver, orange, and purple. The black model I tested has a refined microblasted aluminium alloy finish that looks professional, though it is not quite as sophisticated as the Plaud Note Pro’s rippled texture with its Corning Gorilla Glass AMOLED display.

A rubberised section on the bottom prevents the device from sliding around when placed on a desk. This is a thoughtful touch that the Plaud Note lacks, and I found it genuinely useful during meetings where I placed the recorder in the centre of the table.

The rubber grip on the Boya Notra kept it firmly in place, preventing it from sliding across the surface when papers were moved or the table was bumped. The magnetic attachment system works well with MagSafe-compatible phones or other devices using the included magnetic ring. The strong magnets ensure that the Notra stays firmly attached even when the phone is vigorously shaken.

One notable feature of the Boya Notra is its USB-C charging, which allows for convenient charging with any USB-C cable. This is a major advantage over Plaud’s proprietary magnetic charging cable, as it eliminates the risk of not being able to charge the device if the cable is forgotten. Additionally, the lack of a display on the Notra is a downside compared to the Plaud Note Pro, as the display on the Pro provides useful information such as recording status and battery level.

The Boya Notra companion app is easy to use, but lacks some of the polish of Plaud’s ecosystem. The app allows for AI model selection for transcription and summarization, offering a choice between different models. However, the app could benefit from clearer onboarding instructions for first-time users.

The ambient recording mode on the Boya Notra is designed for capturing audio from the surrounding environment, such as face-to-face conversations or meetings. The claimed 10-meter pickup range is ambitious, and in testing, clear audio was captured up to about 8 meters in a quiet room. This extended range is a genuine advantage over the Plaud Note’s 3-meter range, making the Notra suitable for larger meeting rooms or recording lectures. However, the performance of the Notra does not quite match that of the Plaud Note Pro, which features a four-MEMS microphone array and AI-Beamforming technology.

The two MEMS microphones on the Notra, combined with AI noise cancellation (up to -30dB), do a reasonable job of isolating voices from background noise. In typical office environments with air conditioning hum and distant conversations, the Notra captured the primary conversation clearly. However, in more challenging acoustic environments such as echoey rooms, multiple concurrent conversations, or outdoor settings with wind noise, the Plaud Note Pro’s more sophisticated microphone array produced noticeably better results.

The Notra also has the ability to pair with earphones, allowing you to monitor what is being recorded in real-time. This feature is useful for ensuring audio quality is acceptable before committing to a long recording session.

When it comes to call recording, the Boya Notra stands out with its ability to record phone calls. By attaching the device magnetically to the back of your phone and setting the physical switch to the correct position, you can capture conversations clearly without alerting the other party.

In terms of call recording quality, the Notra performed well, with both sides of the conversation coming through clearly. While the Plaud Note Pro may have a slight edge with its more advanced microphone array, the Notra is still perfectly adequate for most use cases.

One feature that sets the Boya Notra apart from the Plaud Note is its Bluetooth recording mode. By switching to the middle position on the physical switch, you can record audio from Bluetooth earbuds or headphones. This is particularly useful for recording private conversations or online meetings without using speakerphone.

In terms of file transfer, the Boya Notra offers three methods: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB-C. This flexibility allows you to choose the most suitable transfer method for different situations. The device also offers unlimited cloud storage and a variety of export formats, giving you the freedom to work with your recordings in the format that best suits your workflow. Plaud and Boya both offer similar export options, scoring well in this aspect. However, Boya falls short in comparison to Plaud in terms of underlying AI features. While Boya offers good transcription accuracy and speaker labelling, it lacks the flexibility in templates and AI summaries that Plaud provides. Plaud’s range of templates allows for different summary types from the same recording, giving it an edge in this aspect.

On the other hand, Boya offers an impressive processing speed, generating titles automatically and providing access to over 60 templates on the Pro plan. The battery life of Boya Notra is excellent, with up to 24 hours of continuous recording and up to 365 days of standby time. The USB-C charging is also a plus point over Plaud’s proprietary magnetic cable.

In terms of price, Boya Notra is more affordable compared to the Plaud Note series, offering good value for money at £90 with an early bird discount. The Plaud Note series ranges from £149 to £169, making Boya Notra a more budget-friendly option for those looking for similar functionality. When considering the purchase of a new AI note-taking device, the features of Bluetooth recording mode and USB-C charging offered by the device are genuine advantages. However, there are some compromises to consider, such as slightly less refined AI features and the lack of a display.

If you are contemplating the Plaud Note Pro priced at £169, the decision becomes more complex. The Pro model boasts a superior microphone array, AMOLED display, and a more polished software ecosystem, which may justify the higher cost for users who heavily utilize the device. For individuals who record multiple hours weekly, the Pro’s superior audio quality and advanced AI features may be worth the investment.

For occasional users or those on a budget, the Boya Notra priced at £90 is a compelling option. It offers essential functionality such as recording, transcription, and summarization at a more affordable price point.

While there are other alternatives in the market, such as generic clones on Amazon priced between £70-85, these options often lack proper app support and reliable AI transcription. The Boya Notra, backed by an established audio brand, provides a safer choice with its proper ecosystem and support.

In summary, the Boya Notra stands out as a decent AI note-taking device, especially at the reduced price of £90. It offers comparable performance to the Plaud Note Pro at a lower cost, making it a worthwhile consideration. The device excels in areas such as Bluetooth recording and USB-C charging convenience.

However, the Plaud ecosystem is more refined, with slightly more accurate AI transcription and summarization features. The Plaud Note Pro’s advanced microphone array and AI-Beamforming technology result in superior audio quality, especially in challenging environments.

The absence of a display on the Boya Notra is a drawback compared to the Plaud Note Pro, which features an AMOLED display for enhanced functionality. Additionally, the LED indicator on the Boya Notra may lead to uncertainty regarding recording status.

For heavy users who prioritize audio quality and advanced AI features, investing in the Plaud Note Pro at £169 is recommended. On the other hand, casual to moderate users or budget-conscious individuals may find the Boya Notra at £90 to be a cost-effective solution.

Both Plaud and Boya devices prioritize privacy and security, with enterprise-grade encryption and compliance with GDPR, SOC II, and HIPAA standards. The local storage capacity of 64GB allows users to record extensively without immediate cloud uploads.

In conclusion, an AI voice recorder like the Boya Notra or Plaud Note can be a valuable tool for individuals attending meetings, conducting interviews, or capturing detailed information. The time saved from manual transcription, coupled with AI-generated summaries, justifies the investment for many users.

Ultimately, the Boya Notra is recommended for budget-conscious individuals seeking an AI voice recorder with essential features. Despite some limitations compared to higher-priced alternatives, the Boya Notra offers excellent value and functionality. Transform the following:

“Life is like a rollercoaster, full of ups and downs.”

into:

“Life is akin to a rollercoaster, brimming with peaks and valleys.” Transform the following:

Original: She is going to the store.

Transformed: Going to the store is what she is doing.