Best AI meeting notes app for small business
For most small businesses, Fathom is the best place to start, because its free plan includes unlimited recordings, transcripts, and instant AI summaries. Pick Otter.ai if you record in person on your phone, Fireflies.ai if you want unlimited AI summaries at a low yearly price, and Granola if you want short notes without a bot joining the call.
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The picks at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Paid from |
|---|---|---|
| Fathom | Best free plan | US$16/mo yearly |
| Otter.ai | In-person recording | US$16.99/mo |
| Fireflies.ai | Low-cost summaries | US$10/mo yearly |
| Granola | Short notes, no bot | US$14/mo |
All four have a free plan. Paid prices are per user or seat. Prices are each maker’s regular list price in US dollars, read on the date shown. We never convert currencies. None of the four lists a Canadian-dollar price on its pricing page. We left out intro offers for first-time buyers.
1. Fathom: best free AI meeting notes app
Why it stands out. The free plan includes unlimited recordings and transcripts, instant AI call summaries, clips, and search across your calls. You can choose a note-taker bot or bot-free capture, which is in beta for Mac. Premium adds advanced summaries, AI action items, a meeting assistant you can ask questions, and a custom bot name. Premium is US$20 per user a month, or US$16 billed yearly. Paid plans come with a 90-day guarantee.
Watch out. The Team plan (US$19 per user a month, or US$15 billed yearly) needs at least 2 users. Bot-free capture is still in beta.
2. Otter.ai: best for recording in person
Why it stands out. Otter has iOS and Android apps, so you can record a client meeting or site visit on your phone. It also joins Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, with live transcription and speaker identification. The free Basic plan includes 300 transcription minutes a month and AI chat within and across meetings. Pro is US$16.99 per user a month and adds 1,200 recording minutes, meetings up to 90 minutes, and 10 file imports a month.
Watch out. The free plan allows only 3 file imports in total, not per month. Pro caps meetings at 90 minutes.
3. Fireflies.ai: best for unlimited summaries on a budget
Why it stands out. Fireflies records Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and more, and you can upload audio or video files. There are Android and iOS apps, a desktop app, and a Chrome extension. The free plan has unlimited transcription with limited AI summaries. Pro is US$18 per seat a month, or US$10 billed yearly, and adds unlimited AI summaries and 8,000 minutes of storage.
Watch out. The free plan includes 400 minutes of storage for the whole team, so older meetings fill it up. Sign-up uses a Google or Outlook account.
4. Granola: best for short notes without a bot
Why it stands out. Granola captures audio from your device, so no bot joins the call. It turns the meeting into notes rather than a long transcript, with custom note templates and AI chat across meetings. There are desktop, iOS, Android, and Apple Watch apps on every plan. Granola says audio is deleted after transcription, and you can opt out of model training.
Watch out. The free Basic plan keeps only 30 days of meeting history. Business, at US$14 per user a month, adds unlimited history, follow-up emails, and integrations with Notion, HubSpot, Zapier, and more.
How to choose
- Want the most for free? Start with Fathom.
- Meet clients in person? Otter.ai records from your phone.
- Lots of online calls? Fireflies.ai Pro gives unlimited AI summaries for US$10 a seat a month, billed yearly.
- Don’t want a bot in the call? Granola is bot-free on every plan. Fathom’s bot-free option is in beta.
- Always ask first. Let people know you’re recording, and follow the consent rules where you work.
Questions people ask
What is the best AI meeting notes app?
For most small businesses, Fathom. Its free plan includes unlimited recordings, transcripts, and instant AI summaries. Otter.ai is better for recording in person on your phone.
Is there a free AI note taker?
Yes. Fathom, Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai, and Granola all have free plans, checked October 2026. Fathom’s free plan has no cap on recordings. Otter’s free plan allows 300 transcription minutes a month.
Can an AI note taker work without a bot joining the call?
Yes. Granola captures audio from your device on every plan. Fathom offers bot-free capture in beta, and Fireflies.ai has a Chrome extension that records without its bot.
Which AI note taker has a phone app?
All four. Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai, and Granola have iOS and Android apps. Fathom’s pricing page doesn’t list its mobile apps.
Related pages
- Tool pages: Otter.ai · Fireflies.ai · Fathom · Granola
- Otter vs Fireflies vs Fathom vs Granola
- Scheduling & admin tools for small business
- Best AI tools for realtors
- How we pick
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