Skip to content

Free plans

The best free AI meeting note takers

AI meeting notetakers are one of the few categories where the free plans are genuinely usable. Several of the tools in our meeting-notes top 5 give you unlimited recordings or transcripts on the free tier, which is enough for many individuals and small teams. This page lists those tools, with honest notes on where the free plan stops.

Last updated

Some links may earn us a commission. Learn more

Our verdict

Fathom is the strongest free pick if you want unlimited recordings and transcripts. Fireflies is a good free alternative if you work across many meeting apps. Otter, tl;dv and Notta have tighter free limits, but all are worth testing if you mainly need live transcription or shareable highlights.

At a glance

Free tools compared: Best Free AI Meeting Note Takers
ToolBest forStarting price
Rank 1FathomIndividuals and small teams who want a strong free optionFree plan available; paid from about $15/user/month
Rank 2Fireflies.aiTeams that use many meeting apps and work toolsFree plan available; paid from about $10/user/month (billed yearly)
Rank 3tl;dvTeams that want to share key moments from callsFree plan available; Pro from about $18/user/month (billed yearly)
Rank 4Otter.aiStudents and professionals who want live transcriptionFree plan available; Pro from about $8/month (billed yearly)
Rank 5NottaBudget-conscious users who mainly need good transcriptsFree plan available; paid from about $8/user/month (billed yearly)

The free picks, ranked

  1. Rank 1
    Top pick

    Fathom

    A generous free notetaker with unlimited recordings.

    Best forIndividuals and small teams who want a strong free option

    What it does

    Fathom records your video calls, transcribes them and writes clear summaries so you can focus on the conversation.

    Strengths

    • Unlimited recordings and transcripts on the free plan
    • Quick, clear summaries
    • Easy to get started
    • Team and CRM features on paid plans

    Good to know: The free plan caps the number of advanced AI summaries each month.

  2. Rank 2

    Fireflies.ai

    A meeting assistant that records, transcribes and summarizes.

    Best forTeams that use many meeting apps and work tools

    What it does

    Fireflies joins your online meetings, records and transcribes them, and writes summaries and action items you can search later.

    Strengths

    • Works with many meeting and work apps
    • Searchable transcripts and summaries
    • A free plan with unlimited transcription
    • Team features on paid plans

    Good to know: AI features use credits, so heavy use of summaries may need a higher plan.

  3. Rank 3

    tl;dv

    A meeting recorder with highlights you can share.

    Best forTeams that want to share key moments from calls

    What it does

    tl;dv records your meetings, transcribes them and lets you highlight and share the important moments.

    Strengths

    • Unlimited recording on the free plan
    • Transcription in many languages
    • Highlights you can share with your team
    • CRM and sales tools on paid plans

    Good to know: The free plan limits monthly AI summaries.

  4. Rank 4

    Otter.ai

    A long-running AI notetaker with live transcripts.

    Best forStudents and professionals who want live transcription

    What it does

    Otter transcribes conversations as they happen and turns them into searchable notes and summaries.

    Strengths

    • Live transcription during meetings
    • Searchable notes and summaries
    • Works with popular meeting apps
    • A free plan to start

    Good to know: The free plan limits monthly minutes and meeting length.

  5. Rank 5

    Notta

    Simple, low-cost transcription and meeting notes.

    Best forBudget-conscious users who mainly need good transcripts

    What it does

    Notta records and transcribes meetings and audio, then creates summaries you can search and share.

    Strengths

    • Low entry price
    • Transcription in many languages
    • Simple to use
    • A free plan to try it

    Good to know: The free plan has tight monthly and per-session limits, and there is no built-in CRM sync.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a truly free AI meeting note taker?
Yes. Fathom offers unlimited recordings and transcripts on its free plan, and Fireflies offers unlimited transcription. Both cap advanced AI summaries, but the basic free tiers are usable for real work.
Do free AI notetakers work with Zoom, Meet and Teams?
Most of the tools on this page work with the major meeting apps, including Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams. Check the official website for the exact list.
Are free meeting notetakers private?
Free tiers usually come with the same privacy terms as paid plans, but check each tool’s privacy policy and whether it stores recordings in the cloud before you use it for sensitive calls.