Is Fathom actually free forever?

Fathom offers a free plan with unlimited recording and AI summaries for Zoom and Google Meet — no time cap, no expiring trial. The team plan (paid) adds CRM integrations, shared team libraries, and admin controls. Most individual users get everything they need on the free tier.

Does Otter.ai work for in-person meetings?

Yes. Otter.ai has a mobile app that records in-person conversations and transcribes them in real time. This is a key advantage over Fathom and Fireflies, which are video-call-only tools. If you attend client meetings in person or dictate notes on the go, Otter is the better fit.

Which tool is best for sales teams?

Fireflies.ai is often the best fit for sales teams because of its deep CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive), the ability to search across all recorded calls, and meeting analytics. Fathom also connects to Salesforce and HubSpot on its team plan and is worth comparing if cost is a factor.

Do meeting participants know they are being recorded?

All three tools join as a visible "notetaker bot" in the meeting, so participants can see a bot is present. You are still responsible for disclosing recording to participants in compliance with your jurisdiction's consent laws — typically a standard meeting disclosure is sufficient.

Can I use Fathom with Microsoft Teams?

As of mid-2026, Fathom supports Zoom and Google Meet but not Microsoft Teams. If your organization is Teams-first, Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai are the better choices since both support Teams.

AI Meeting Notetaker Comparison

Fathom vs Otter.ai vs Fireflies.ai: Best AI Meeting Notes App (2026)

Fathom is the best free option for individual professionals — it records, transcribes, and summarizes Zoom and Google Meet calls at no cost and with no recording-time cap. Otter.ai has the best live transcription and is a strong choice if you also transcribe in-person meetings or voice notes. Fireflies.ai wins for teams that want to search and share meeting clips across an organization.

See Comparison Table

Side-by-Side Comparison

All three tools join video calls automatically and produce transcripts + summaries. The differences are in free-tier limits, in-person transcription, team features, and CRM integrations.

Criteria	Fathom	Otter.ai	Fireflies.ai
Free plan	Unlimited recording + AI summaries (free forever)	300 minutes transcription per month	800 minutes storage, limited AI summaries
Paid plan starting price	Team plan from $19/seat/month	Pro $17/month	Pro $18/seat/month. Business $29/seat/month.
Video platforms supported	Zoom, Google Meet	Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams	Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex
In-person / voice note transcription	No	Yes — mobile app records in-person	No
Live captions during meetings	No	Yes	No
Team meeting search	Basic	Basic on Pro	Full cross-meeting keyword search
CRM integrations	Salesforce, HubSpot on team plan	Limited	Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zapier, and more
AI summary quality	Excellent — action items, decisions, follow-ups	Good — transcript-first with basic summaries	Good — customizable by meeting type

Fathom

Best free option for individuals

Any professional who wants AI meeting notes without paying — the best free AI notetaker available

Free forever for basic recording + AI summaries. Team plan from $19/seat/month.

Start Free with Fathom

Otter.ai

Best live transcription + voice notes

Professionals who need live captions, in-person meeting transcription, or real-time collaboration

Free plan (300 min/month). Pro is $17/month.

Try Otter.ai Free

Fireflies.ai

Best for team-wide meeting search

Teams and sales orgs that need to search across all meetings and share clips with context

Free plan (800 min storage). Pro is $18/seat/month. Business $29/seat/month.

Try Fireflies Free

Buyer Checklist Before You Commit

Do you primarily need a free tool with no recording cap?

Do you need live captions during your meetings for accessibility or real-time note-taking?

Do you record in-person meetings or dictate voice notes that need transcription?

Does your team need to search across all past meetings by keyword?

Do you need your meeting notes to sync automatically into a CRM?

Are you on a Microsoft Teams-heavy team (Fathom does not support Teams)?

Do you need to clip and share specific highlights from a call?

Frequently Asked Questions

Pick the right tool for your team

Most of these tools offer a free trial or free plan — start with the one that best matches your use case above.