Otter vs Fireflies vs Fathom vs Granola: AI meeting notes for small business
For most small teams, Fathom’s free plan goes furthest, with unlimited recordings and instant AI summaries at no cost. Otter is the pick for recording in person on your phone, Fireflies.ai for searching lots of calls on a budget, and Granola for clean notes without a long transcript to wade through.
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Side by side
| Otter.ai | Fireflies.ai | Fathom | Granola | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes (Basic): 300 transcription minutes a month, up to 30 minutes per conversation, 3 file imports total | Yes: unlimited transcription, limited AI summaries, 400 minutes of storage per team | Yes: unlimited recordings and transcriptions, instant AI call summaries | Yes (Basic): AI meeting notes, limited meeting history |
| Starting paid price | Pro: US$16.99/user/mo monthly, or US$8.33/user/mo billed yearly | Pro: US$18/seat/mo monthly, or US$10/seat/mo billed yearly | Premium: US$20/user/mo monthly, or US$16/user/mo billed yearly | Business: US$14/user/mo |
| Paid plan limits | Pro: 1,200 minutes a month, up to 90 minutes per meeting, 10 file imports a month | Pro: unlimited transcription and AI summaries, 8,000 minutes of storage per seat | Premium adds advanced summaries, AI action items, and a custom meeting bot | Business: unlimited meeting notes and history |
| Works with | Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet | Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, and more | Bot or bot-free capture (bot-free is in beta) | Mobile app for meetings on the go and phone calls; Apple Watch app |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android, with recording from the phone’s mic | iOS and Android | iOS app | Yes |
| Free trial | No trial listed on the pricing page | No trial listed on the pricing page | Free trial on paid plans, plus a 90-day guarantee | No trial listed on the pricing page |
| Best for | Recording in-person talks on your phone | Lots of calls on a tight budget | The most generous free plan | Short, clean notes |
| Checked on | Oct 20, 2026 | Oct 20, 2026 | Oct 20, 2026 | Oct 20, 2026 |
Prices are each maker’s regular list price in US dollars, read on the date shown. We never convert currencies. Otter’s page says "Prices in USD." None of the four lists a Canadian-dollar price on its pricing page. We left out the intro discounts Otter and others were running that day.
Where Otter.ai wins
- Recording in person. The iOS and Android apps record from your phone’s built-in mic, Bluetooth, or AirPods. That’s handy for a site visit or a client meeting at a café.
- Cheapest paid plan billed yearly. Pro is US$8.33/user/mo billed yearly.
- Meeting apps covered. It works with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, with live transcription and speaker identification.
Where Fireflies.ai wins
- Free transcription without a minute cap. The free plan has unlimited transcription, though AI summaries are limited and storage is 400 minutes per team.
- A low price for unlimited summaries. Pro is US$10/seat/mo billed yearly.
- File uploads. You can upload audio or video files to transcribe them.
Where Fathom wins
- The most generous free plan. It includes unlimited recordings and transcriptions, plus instant AI call summaries.
- Bot-free option. You can choose bot-free capture (in beta), so no note-taker bot has to join the call.
- Try before you pay. Paid plans have a free trial and a 90-day guarantee. The Team plan needs at least 2 users.
Where Granola wins
- Notes, not just transcripts. Granola is built as an AI notepad, with custom note templates and AI chat across your meetings.
- A simple paid plan. Business is US$14/user/mo, with unlimited notes and history.
- Model training opt-out. Granola’s pricing page says you can opt out of model training at any time.
Otter vs Fireflies
Just weighing these two? See our full Otter.ai vs Fireflies.ai comparison.
Both have free plans and apps for iOS and Android. Otter’s free plan gives 300 transcription minutes a month, while Fireflies.ai’s free plan has unlimited transcription but limited AI summaries. Billed yearly, Otter Pro is US$8.33/user/mo and Fireflies.ai Pro is US$10/seat/mo. Choose Otter if you record in person, and Fireflies.ai if most of your talks are online calls.
Otter vs Fathom
Just weighing these two? See our full Fathom vs Otter.ai comparison.
Fathom’s free plan includes unlimited recordings and instant AI summaries. Otter’s free plan caps you at 300 minutes a month. Otter is cheaper when paid yearly (US$8.33 vs US$16 per user a month), and its phone apps record in person. Choose Fathom for the most free use, and Otter for in-person recording.
Otter vs Granola
Just weighing these two? See our full Fathom vs Granola comparison.
Otter gives you a full transcript. Granola is built to give you short notes instead. Otter Pro is US$8.33/user/mo billed yearly, and Granola Business is US$14/user/mo. Choose Otter if you need every word, and Granola if you just want the notes.
Fireflies vs Fathom
Just weighing these two? See our full Fireflies.ai vs Fathom comparison.
Both free plans have no cap on transcription. Fathom’s free plan adds instant AI summaries, which are limited on Fireflies.ai’s free plan. Paid yearly, Fireflies.ai Pro is US$10/seat/mo and Fathom Premium is US$16/user/mo. Choose Fathom for the best free plan, and Fireflies.ai for the lower paid price.
The verdict
Pick Otter.ai if you often record in-person conversations on your phone, or want the cheapest yearly paid plan.
Pick Fireflies.ai if you have lots of online calls and want unlimited transcription for free, or unlimited AI summaries for US$10/seat/mo.
Pick Fathom if you want the most you can get for free, or don’t want a bot joining your calls.
Pick Granola if you want short, readable notes from back-to-back meetings more than a full transcript.
Questions people ask
Is Otter or Fireflies better?
It depends on how you meet. Otter is better for recording in person on your phone. Fireflies.ai has unlimited free transcription for online calls, and Pro is US$10/seat/mo billed yearly. Otter’s free plan caps you at 300 minutes a month.
What is the best free AI note taker?
Of these four, Fathom’s free plan goes furthest, with unlimited recordings, transcriptions, and instant AI call summaries (checked October 2026). Fireflies.ai’s free plan also has unlimited transcription, but limited AI summaries.
Is Granola better than Otter?
For short, readable notes, Granola is built for that. For in-person recording on a phone and longer free transcripts, Otter fits better. Granola’s Business plan is US$14/user/mo, and Otter Pro is US$16.99/user/mo monthly.
Does Fathom have a bot?
You can choose. Fathom’s pricing page offers bot capture or bot-free capture, and bot-free is in beta.
Related pages
- Tool pages: Otter.ai · Fireflies.ai · Fathom · Granola
- Scheduling & admin tools for small business
- Best AI tools for realtors
- How we pick
- Visit Otter.ai → · Visit Fireflies.ai → · Visit Fathom → · Visit Granola →
Questions or a correction? hello@momandbot.com
Sources (all checked Oct 20, 2026)
- Otter.ai pricing: https://otter.ai/pricing
- Fireflies.ai pricing: https://fireflies.ai/pricing
- Fathom pricing: https://www.fathom.ai/pricing
- Granola pricing: https://www.granola.ai/pricing