How this list works: Numbered picks are chosen by our editors and are never for sale. We may earn a commission from some links. Full disclosure.
AI note takers record or listen to your meetings and turn them into a transcript, a summary and action items. They differ most in how the free plan is capped, whether a bot joins the call and how they handle consent. We compared six of the most popular options on those points and on price and what users say, including complaints.
Quick comparison
| # | Tool | Best for | Score | Pricing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fathom | Best free plan | ★ 4.5 | Freemium | Visit ↗ |
| 2 | Granola | Best bot-free option | ★ 4.3 | Freemium | Visit ↗ |
| 3 | Fireflies.ai | Best for CRM and integrations | ★ 4.2 | Freemium | Visit ↗ |
| 4 | MeetGeek | Best bot or bot-free choice | ★ 4.2 | Freemium | Visit ↗ |
| 5 | Otter.ai | Best for live transcription | ★ 4.1 | Freemium | Visit ↗ |
| 6 | tl;dv | Best for clips and EU hosting | ★ 4.0 | Freemium | Visit ↗ |
#1: Fathom
Unlimited free recording and transcription, with advanced summaries on your first five calls a month. Team plans need two seats, and it is reported to join calls as a visible participant.
#2: Granola
Captures audio from your device with no bot and improves the notes you type. Free history is limited to 30 days, there is no audio playback and multi-speaker handling is weaker.
#3: Fireflies.ai
Strong integrations, 100+ languages and cheap annual seats. AI features use a monthly credit meter, free storage is small, and two biometric privacy suits are reported.
#4: MeetGeek
Lets you pick bot or bot-free capture, with a low-priced Pro plan. The free plan is capped at three hours a month and Pro at 20.
#5: Otter.ai
Strong live transcripts, search and a low annual Pro price. The free plan is tight and a consolidated consent class action is pending.
#6: tl;dv
Unlimited recording and shareable clips with EU data hosting. Free AI notes are capped, recordings are kept about three months and it is priced in euros.
How we chose these tools
We looked at what each tool does well, how its free plan works, what it costs, whether a bot joins the call and what reviewers and legal summaries say about it. Our rankings are based on official pricing as reported by several 2026 sources, user reviews and independent write-ups. We have not run our own trials, and each review says so.
Quick picks
Best free plan: Fathom.
Best bot-free: Granola.
Best for CRM and integrations: Fireflies.
Best bot or bot-free choice: MeetGeek.
Best for live transcription: Otter.
Best for clips and EU hosting: tl;dv.
Free plans compared
Fathom: unlimited recording and transcription, with advanced summaries on five calls a month.
tl;dv: unlimited recording, AI notes on 10 meetings and recordings kept up to three months.
Granola: unlimited meetings, but only the last 30 days of notes are visible.
MeetGeek: 3 hours of transcription a month with unlimited AI summaries.
Otter: 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation and three lifetime imports.
Fireflies: unlimited transcription when auto-join is on, but about 400 minutes of team storage.
Recording consent and privacy
Recording conversations can require everyone’s consent, depending on where you and the other participants are. A number of AI note takers face lawsuits over consent and voiceprints. Otter’s consolidated class action is in discovery, two biometric suits are reported against Fireflies, and a legal roundup lists suits against Granola and Microsoft. No court has ruled that any of these tools is illegal. Tell participants before you record, check your employer’s policy and read each tool’s privacy terms.
Which one should you choose?
If you want a free tool, start with Fathom or tl;dv. If you don’t want a bot on the call, try Granola or MeetGeek’s bot-free mode. For sales teams with CRM needs, look at Fireflies. For live captions at a low price, try Otter. Test two tools on the same meeting, and keep the one that needs less editing. See our AI note takers category for every review.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI note taker?
Fathom is our pick for the best free plan, and Granola for bot-free notes. The right choice depends on your meetings.
Is there a free AI note taker?
Yes. Fathom, tl;dv, Granola, MeetGeek, Otter and Fireflies all have free plans, with different limits.
Do I need permission to record a meeting?
Often yes. Laws vary by location, so tell everyone and check your policy.
Which AI note taker works with Zoom and Google Meet?
All six support Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams, with differences in how they capture audio.