Source availability
Full source code on GitHub — 16,600+ stars
- Screenpipe
- Source available; personal use is free and commercial use requires a license
- tl;dv
- Not available
VS
Product comparison · reviewed August 1, 2026
Screenpipe vs tl;dv: which is right for your workflow?
Complete screen memory vs meeting-only recording. A side-by-side look at scope, data control, platform support, and extensibility—without pretending one product is best for everyone.
Same criteria
Both products are evaluated against the same feature and deployment questions.
Trade-offs included
tl;dv's strengths are shown alongside Screenpipe's.
No winner score
The right choice depends on the job, risk model, and operating environment.
The practical differences
Where the products differ
Start with the criteria that can actually change your decision. Marketing category labels are less useful than concrete operating constraints.
What Gets Captured
- Screenpipe
- Screen + text extraction + all audio 24/7
- tl;dv
- Meeting video and audio only
Data Storage
- Screenpipe
- 100% local
- tl;dv
- Cloud (tl;dv servers)
Platform Support
- Screenpipe
- Mac, Windows, Linux + iPhone & Android (Q3)
- tl;dv
- Web + browser extension
Screen Recording
- Screenpipe
- Available
- tl;dv
- Meeting screen share only
Text Extraction
- Screenpipe
- Available
- tl;dv
- Not available
Side by side
Screenpipe vs tl;dv
Capabilities can change. Treat this as an evaluation starting point and verify purchase-critical requirements with each vendor.
| Criterion | Screenpipe | tl;dv |
|---|---|---|
| Source availabilityFull source code on GitHub — 16,600+ stars | Source available; personal use is free and commercial use requires a license | Not available |
| What Gets Captured | Screen + text extraction + all audio 24/7 | Meeting video and audio only |
| Data Storage | 100% local | Cloud (tl;dv servers) |
| Platform Support | Mac, Windows, Linux + iPhone & Android (Q3) | Web + browser extension |
| Screen Recording | Available | Meeting screen share only |
| Text Extraction | Available | Not available |
| Audio Transcription | All audio, unlimited, local | Meeting audio only, cloud-processed |
| CRM Integrationtl;dv has polished CRM integrations. Screenpipe connects via flexible API. | Via API + MCP (any CRM) | HubSpot, Salesforce native |
| AI Model Choice | Any model (Claude, Gemini, Ollama) + Apple Intelligence / Windows AI | tl;dv's built-in AI only |
| Developer API | Full REST API + MCP server | Not available |
| Works Without Internet | Available | Not available |
| Meeting Highlights / Clipstl;dv makes it easy to clip meeting moments. Screenpipe lets you select any moment from any time. | Timeline selection + AI chat | Native clip and share |
Decision guide
Choose based on the job
Choose tl;dv if
- Clean meeting recording and transcription
- Strong CRM integration (HubSpot, Salesforce)
- AI-powered meeting summaries and highlights
- Notion and Slack integrations
- Free tier available
Choose Screenpipe if
- You need continuous screen and audio context, not only meeting notes or active-window context.
- You want local-only capture and search as a supported operating mode.
- Your team uses a mix of macOS, Windows, and Linux.
- You need an auditable, source-available capture engine and an API for agents or internal workflows.
Context
Key trade-offs in detail
Meetings Are Just 10% of Work
tl;dv does meeting recording well. But your workday is much more than meetings. The research you did before the call, the follow-up emails after, the Slack discussions, the documents you reviewed — tl;dv captures none of it. Screenpipe records your entire screen continuously, so when you need to recall something, it doesn't matter whether it happened in a meeting or while you were browsing.
CRM Integration: Different Approaches
tl;dv shines with native HubSpot and Salesforce integrations — meeting notes automatically flow into your CRM. Screenpipe takes a different approach: its open API and MCP server let you connect to any CRM, any tool, any workflow. It requires more setup but offers unlimited flexibility. For sales teams who only need meeting-to-CRM, tl;dv is simpler. For teams who want to push all work context (not just meetings) to their tools, Screenpipe is more powerful.
Privacy and Data Control
tl;dv stores all your meeting recordings and transcripts in the cloud. For companies handling sensitive client conversations, NDAs, or regulated data, this creates compliance questions. Screenpipe keeps everything on your local machine. Nothing leaves your device unless you explicitly choose to export or sync it. You own your data completely.
When tl;dv Makes Sense
If your primary need is meeting notes that auto-sync to HubSpot or Salesforce, and you don't need screen capture outside meetings, tl;dv is a focused, well-executed tool for that workflow. But if you want complete recall of your entire workday — meetings and everything in between — Screenpipe is the comprehensive solution.
FAQ
Questions worth asking
Disclosure: this comparison is written and maintained by Screenpipe, not an independent review publication.
Are Screenpipe and tl;dv direct substitutes?+
tl;dv records, transcribes, and summarizes your video meetings. It integrates with CRM tools like HubSpot and Salesforce to automatically log meeting insights, making it popular with sales and customer success teams. The overlap depends on the job you are buying for: Screenpipe focuses on continuous, searchable screen and audio context, while tl;dv may be a better fit for the narrower workflows described above.
Where is tl;dv stronger?+
tl;dv is a credible choice for teams that value clean meeting recording and transcription, strong crm integration (hubspot, salesforce), ai-powered meeting summaries and highlights. Those strengths should be weighed against the deployment, data-control, platform, and extensibility differences in the table.
Where is Screenpipe stronger?+
Screenpipe is designed for continuous screen and audio capture, local-only capture and search, cross-platform deployment, and programmatic access through its local API and MCP integrations. Those advantages matter most when privacy, broad work context, or custom automation is the buying criterion.
Is this an independent comparison?+
No. Screenpipe publishes this page. We include tl;dv's strengths, avoid a numeric winner score, and state the criteria so readers can verify the claims that matter to them. Product capabilities change, so confirm critical details with each vendor before purchasing.
Evaluate with your own data
Try Screenpipe before you decide.
Install it, test the workflows that matter, and compare the result against your real requirements—not a vendor scorecard.