# Littlebird vs Screenpipe: which one fits how you work? Littlebird and Screenpipe start from the same idea: your computer already sees your work, so an AI that remembers it can answer questions your notes never could. From there they go in very different directions. Screenpipe is a local-first history layer: it captures your screen and audio on your device, gives you search and meeting notes, and exposes the same data through a local API, an MCP server, and source code you can inspect. Littlebird is a finished product for people who want the outcome: a work memory with Meeting Notes, Chat, and answers, without building anything. Choose Littlebird if you want something that works the moment you install it. Choose Screenpipe if you want a local history you can inspect, query through an API, and build your own tools on top of. \ [Download for Windows (beta)](/content/compare/littlebird-vs-screenpipe#/index.html) \ [Get download link](/content/compare/littlebird-vs-screenpipe#/index.html) \ [Download for Mac](/content/compare/littlebird-vs-screenpipe#/index.html) [Preview it now ›](https://app.littlebird.ai/) ## The difference is build versus use ###### **Zero setup** Littlebird works the moment you install it. There is nothing to configure, no plugins to add, and nothing to build before you get value. ###### **Finished output** Meeting Notes and Routines deliver the artifact itself, a written summary or a scheduled update, not raw data for you to mine. ###### **Managed experience** Littlebird is a maintained product with support behind it, not a stack you assemble and keep running yourself. ## Screenpipe vs Littlebird at a glance | Feature | Screenpipe | Littlebird | |------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------| | What it is | AI work memory app for Mac and Windows | Local-first computer history for AI agents, with a local API and source code you can inspect | | Built for | People who want answers from their work history | People who want a searchable local history, and developers who want an API to build on | | Setup | Install and it starts working | Install, grant capture permissions, then check the timeline before you rely on it | | Meeting notes | Automatic notes and transcription built in | Meeting notes built in on every plan, including the free tier, with AI usage metered by monthly credits | | Ask your memory | Chat across your full work context | AI search across captured history on every plan, metered by monthly credits; frontier models on Business and above | | Platforms | Mac and Windows, with iOS and Android companion apps | Mac, Windows, Linux | | Open source | No | Source-available (Screenpipe Commercial License); free for personal, non-commercial use | | Data handling | Encrypted with AES-256 at rest and in transit, TLS 1.3, stored in the cloud on AWS. SOC 2 certified. Full details at [trust.littlebird.ai](https://trust.littlebird.ai/) | Local-first storage on your device by default, with optional cloud sync on Business and above | | Pricing | Basic is free, Plus from $17 per month. Full tiers at [littlebird.ai/pricing](/content/pricing/index.html) | Free tier; Basic $21 per month and Business $42 per seat per month billed annually (as of August 2026) | | Support | Product support from the Littlebird team | Community support on Free and Basic; priority support on Business and above | | Best for | Getting value on day one | Owning a local history you can inspect and build on | ## Where each one wins ###### Where Screenpipe is genuinely strong .svg) The code is public to inspect, so you can read exactly what it captures and where it goes. In security-sensitive environments that auditability can be non-negotiable. .svg) It runs on Linux, which Littlebird does not, and its local API, MCP server, and SQLite database make it a history layer for tools you design yourself. ###### Where Littlebird is different .svg) Meeting Notes that write themselves, without a bot joining your calls. .svg) Chat that answers questions across everything you have worked on, not just one meeting. .svg) Routines that surface what matters without you asking. ## Common questions ### Is Screenpipe free? Screenpipe has a free tier at $0 with local capture, AI search, and meeting notes, plus a monthly allowance of AI credits. Paid plans are Basic at $21 per month and Business at $42 per seat per month, both billed annually, with custom pricing for Enterprise, as of August 2026. Separately, its source code is free for personal, non-commercial use under the Screenpipe Commercial License, which is a source-available license rather than an open source one. ### Does Littlebird have an API like Screenpipe? Littlebird includes an [MCP server](https://support.littlebird.ai/learn/connect-your-tools/) on Power and Pro plans, which lets you use your work memory inside MCP-compatible tools like Claude. Screenpipe exposes its captured data through an API for developers to build on. ### Which is better for meeting notes, Littlebird or Screenpipe? Both produce meeting notes out of the box. Littlebird generates them automatically, with transcription and summaries. Screenpipe includes meeting notes on every plan, including its free tier, with AI usage metered by a monthly credit allowance and frontier models reserved for Business and above. ### Can I run either tool fully offline? Screenpipe positions itself as local-first, capturing and storing on your device. Littlebird requires an internet connection. ### Does Screenpipe work on Linux? Yes. Screenpipe supports Mac, Windows, and Linux. Littlebird supports Mac and Windows, with companion apps on iOS and Android. ## The honest recommendation The question is not which tool is better, it is whether you want to build or use. If you want a local history layer you can inspect and extend, try Screenpipe. If you want a work memory that is useful today, with Meeting Notes and answers instead of an API, try Littlebird. You will know within a week whether having a memory changes how you work.