Plaud ships 2M AI notetakers, hits $100M ARR in software
Over 2 million professionals now rely on Plaud's screen-free AI notetaker for meetings.
Plaud, the AI hardware startup focused on meeting notetaking, announced it has sold over 2 million devices and scaled its subscription business to an annualized revenue run rate of $100 million. The company argues that while most AI companies scale through software behind screens, Plaud’s screenless gadgets—like the Plaud Pin and credit-card-sized devices that attach to phones—enable real-life conversations to be captured and summarized into action items. CEO Nathan Xu stated, "We built the interface for the post-screen world. And the market validated it." About 50% of device users move from the free 300-minute transcription tier to paid plans, driving the bulk of revenue.
Plaud’s hardware lineup includes the $179 Plaud Pro (launched last year) and the new Plaud Pin S at a similar price. The company has also accelerated software development: a desktop app now captures system audio for online meetings (like Granola), and last month it launched Plaud Teams with shared memory for enterprise clients. Users get 300 free transcription minutes; additional minutes and features require monthly, annual, or add-on subscriptions. Competition in the AI notetaker hardware space includes Anker, Transsion-backed Viaim, Sequoia China-backed Vibe, and YC-backed Pocket.
- Sold over 2 million AI notetakers including Plaud Pins and card-style devices.
- Software subscription revenue reached $100M annualized run rate.
- Nearly 50% of device users upgrade from basic to paid plans.
Why It Matters
Plaud proves that dedicated AI hardware for offline conversations can generate significant recurring revenue.