Best AI note taker: 6 picks, 4 tested on the same meeting
We ran one meeting through Granola, Fathom, Fireflies, and Otter. The best AI note taker depends on whether you take client calls, want it free, or run a team.
Best free AI note taker: which free plan actually lasts
Most free AI notetakers are trials in disguise. We tested the tiers: Fathom's stays unlimited forever, and Granola, Fireflies, and Otter each win a niche.
Fathom pricing 2026: free, $20 Premium, and who pays nothing
Fathom pricing: Free $0, Premium $20/mo, Team $19 and Business $34 per user. What the free plan keeps, the 30-day preview catch, and which plan you need.
Fireflies AI review: the team brain, not the solo notetaker
I ran a controlled test meeting through Fireflies: a near-flawless transcript, 25+ CRM syncs, and real team analytics. Brilliant for teams, overkill solo.
Fireflies pricing: what the credits and caps really cost
Fireflies pricing runs $0 to $39 a seat, but the free plan's real limit is storage, not minutes, and the AI is metered by credits. Here's the actual math.
Granola pricing: is the free plan enough, or pay $14?
Is Granola free? Basic is $0 with unlimited meetings, but only 30 days of history. Business is $14 a user, Enterprise $35. Which plan you actually need.
Otter.ai pricing: what you'll actually pay in 2026
Otter.ai pricing runs from free to $30 a user. Here's what each tier really costs, the limits the pricing page soft-pedals, and which plan you actually need.
Best AI note taker for Google Meet: Gemini vs free apps
Gemini's 'Take notes for me' needs a paid plan and only works in Meet. Here's when it's enough, and which free AI note taker for Google Meet to use instead.
Otter.ai review: the AI notes are great, the limits aren't
I fed Otter.ai a controlled two-speaker meeting: near-perfect transcript, summary and action items. The catch is the stingy free plan and a privacy lawsuit.
Fathom vs Fireflies: solo notetaker or team brain?
Fathom vs Fireflies, both run through one test meeting: Fathom wins the free plan and clean summaries, Fireflies wins team search and CRM. Which fits you.
Granola vs Fireflies: quiet notepad or team brain?
Granola vs Fireflies: Granola is the bot-free notepad for client calls, Fireflies the bot-based team brain for search and CRM. Which one fits your meetings?
AI notetaker for Zoom: AI Companion vs free apps
The best AI notetakers for Zoom — the native AI Companion, included on paid Zoom plans, vs free apps like Fathom — and how to set each one up.