Short answer: if you want notes without a bot joining your calls, choose Granola (or Jamie for EU-focused privacy). If you want free recordings with video, choose Fathom. If your team wants searchable meetings connected to all its other apps, choose Fireflies. For live transcripts of lectures and interviews, choose Otter.
How AI note takers work
Every AI note taker does three jobs: it captures the audio, turns it into a transcript, and uses a language model to write a summary with decisions and action items. The tools differ mostly in how they capture the audio and what they do with the notes afterwards.
Bot or bot-free?
This is the first decision.
- Bot-based tools such as Fathom, Fireflies, Otter and tl;dv send a participant called something like "Notetaker" into your Zoom, Google Meet or Teams call. Everyone can see it, it records reliably, and it can capture video for clips.
- Bot-free tools such as Granola and Jamie capture audio from your own device. Nothing joins the meeting, so calls feel more natural, especially with clients. The trade-off is that you usually get notes rather than a shareable video recording.
Privacy and consent
Recording rules differ by country and state, and some places require everyone on a call to agree. Whatever tool you use, tell participants you are taking AI notes, and follow your company's policy. A visible bot announces itself, but a bot-free tool does not, so the responsibility to say so is yours. If data location matters, Jamie focuses on privacy and EU hosting.
How to choose
| If you need | Choose | Free plan |
|---|---|---|
| Clean notes, no bot, back-to-back calls | Granola | Yes, limited history |
| The best free recorder | Fathom | Yes, core features free |
| Search and automation across many apps | Fireflies | Yes, 400 min of storage |
| Live transcripts for lectures and interviews | Otter | Yes, 300 min a month |
| Video clips and highlight reels | tl;dv | Yes, 10 AI notes |
| Sales and customer success insights | Avoma | 14-day trial |
| Privacy and EU hosting, no bot | Jamie | Yes, 10 meetings a month |
Plans checked November 2026. Confirm current limits on each vendor's site.
Getting better notes
- Use a decent microphone. Transcript quality decides summary quality.
- Say decisions and owners out loud: "So Dana owns the pricing page, due Friday."
- Pick a summary template that matches the meeting type, such as sales calls, one-to-ones or interviews.
- Review action items before sending them, since AI can attribute tasks to the wrong person.
- Set a retention policy so old recordings do not pile up forever.
What it costs
Most tools have a free plan, and paid plans run from about $8 to $21 per user a month, usually billed yearly. Teams pay mostly for integrations, admin controls and longer history. See the full breakdown in our ranking of the best AI meeting summary tools.
See every option ranked side by side, with prices, free plans and honest downsides.
See the top 7 AI meeting summary tools →Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI note taker?
We rank Granola first for clean, bot-free notes. Fathom has the most generous free plan, and Fireflies is best for teams that want search and automation across many apps.
Is there an AI note taker that does not join the meeting?
Yes. Granola and Jamie record from your own device, so no bot joins the call.
Is it legal to use an AI note taker?
Recording laws vary by location, and some places require consent from everyone on the call. Always tell participants you are taking AI notes and follow your company's policy. This is not legal advice.
Which AI note taker is free?
Fathom's free plan includes its core features. Otter offers 300 minutes a month, Jamie 10 meetings a month, and Fireflies and tl;dv also have free plans.
Prices and plans were checked in November 2026 and change often. How we research and rank tools.