AI meeting assistants join your calls, transcribe them and turn the conversation into summaries and action items. Used well, they free everyone to focus on the discussion rather than taking notes.
The main differences are in summary quality, integrations with your CRM and project tools, and how they handle consent and recording notifications.
Our top picks
- 1
Best overallFathom8.4Editorial score 8.4 out of 10 - 2
Best for integrationsFireflies.ai8.2Editorial score 8.2 out of 10 - 3
Best for async teamstl;dv8.2Editorial score 8.2 out of 10 - 4ABest for sales teamsAvoma8.2Editorial score 8.2 out of 10
- 5
Best for meeting analyticsRead AI8.1Editorial score 8.1 out of 10 - 6
Best for live transcriptionOtter.ai7.9Editorial score 7.9 out of 10
Scores are editorial assessments based on research. Prices are indicative.
Fathom
ResearchedA generous free tier with strong summaries and quick highlights, plus paid team features.
Fathom records, transcribes and summarises calls on Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams. Its free plan includes unlimited recordings, and paid plans add advanced AI summaries, CRM sync and team features.
Not for you if: In-person meeting recording.
Pros
- Generous free plan
- Fast summaries after calls
- CRM sync on paid plans
Cons
- Advanced features paid
- Video calls only
Fireflies.ai
ResearchedBroad integrations with CRMs and work tools, plus searchable conversation history.
Fireflies records, transcribes and summarises meetings, then pushes notes and action items into CRMs, project tools and chat. Conversation intelligence features help sales and support teams.
Not for you if: Teams uncomfortable with recording bots.
Pros
- Extensive integrations
- Conversation intelligence
- Searchable transcripts
Cons
- Storage limits on free plan
- Bot presence can deter some guests
tl;dv
ResearchedEasy clip sharing and multi-meeting reports for teams that review calls after the fact.
tl;dv records Google Meet, Zoom and Teams calls and produces transcripts, summaries and timestamped notes in many languages. Paid plans add multi-meeting reports, CRM integration and sales coaching features.
Not for you if: In-person meetings.
Pros
- Many languages
- Multi-meeting reports
- CRM integrations
Cons
- AI features limited on free plan
- Business tier pricey
Avoma
ResearchedConversation intelligence, coaching and CRM updates aimed at revenue teams.
Avoma combines meeting recording and notes with scheduling, conversation intelligence, coaching and revenue insights. It integrates deeply with CRMs to update records automatically, aimed at sales and customer success teams.
Not for you if: Individuals wanting simple notes.
Pros
- Conversation intelligence
- Scheduling built in
- Deep CRM sync
Cons
- Complex pricing
- Sales-focused
Read AI
ResearchedSummaries plus engagement and talk-time analytics across meetings, email and chat.
Read AI joins meetings to produce summaries, transcripts and action items, and adds meeting analytics such as talk time and engagement. It can also summarise email and messaging, creating a searchable view of work across tools.
Not for you if: Privacy-sensitive meetings.
Pros
- Summaries and analytics
- Covers meetings, email and chat
- Works across platforms
Cons
- Analytics may feel intrusive
- Advanced features paid
Otter.ai
ResearchedLong-established real-time transcription that works well for interviews and lectures as well as meetings.
Otter joins Zoom, Google Meet and Teams calls to transcribe in real time, generate summaries and capture action items. It also offers an AI chat over your meeting history.
Not for you if: Heavy CRM integration needs.
Pros
- Real-time transcripts
- Easy setup
- Searchable history
Cons
- Minute limits on lower plans
- Fewer CRM integrations
Comparison table
| Tool | Best for | Score | From (indicative) | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fathom | Best overall | 8.4 | Free; paid from around $15–19 / user / month | Yes |
| Fireflies.ai | Best for integrations | 8.2 | Free plan; paid from around $10–19 / seat / month | Yes |
| tl;dv | Best for async teams | 8.2 | Free; paid from around $18–29 / user / month | Yes |
| AAvoma | Best for sales teams | 8.2 | From around $19 / user / month | Yes |
| Read AI | Best for meeting analytics | 8.1 | Free; paid from around $15–20 / user / month | Yes |
| Otter.ai | Best for live transcription | 7.9 | Free plan; paid from around $8–17 / user / month | Yes |
How we chose
- We built a longlist of AI meeting assistants from vendor documentation, public pricing pages, security and trust pages, and the products small teams most often ask us about.
- Each product was scored against our published, weighted criteria (see the methodology page). The overall score is calculated from those sub-scores — it is never typed in by hand.
- We priced every product at 5, 10 and 25 seats using the publicly listed tiers, and penalised products whose essential features sit behind expensive plans.
- Products marked 'Researched' have been assessed from documentation and public information rather than hands-on testing. Prices are indicative, dated, and should be confirmed with the vendor.
Read our full scoring methodology →
Handle consent properly
Recording laws vary by location. Choose a tool that announces itself, lets participants opt out, and lets you control auto-join rules.
Check where recordings are stored
Review data retention, storage region and whether recordings are used to train models.
Test on your real meeting types
Accuracy varies with accents, jargon and audio quality. Trial each tool on a week of real calls.
Look at CRM and task sync
The biggest time savings come from automatically pushing notes and action items into the systems you already use.
See every option we rank in AI Meeting Assistants.
Buying checklist
Before you commit, confirm each of these on the exact plan you will buy:
- Works with your meeting platforms
- Speaker identification
- CRM / project tool integrations
- Admin controls and retention settings
- Transcription minutes on your plan
Avoid these mistakes: Recording without telling participants — always disclose and get consent. Auto-joining every meeting, including sensitive HR or legal calls. Not checking storage location and retention settings.
Frequently asked questions
Are AI note takers accurate?
Modern transcription is good in clear audio but still makes mistakes with names, jargon and crosstalk. Treat summaries as a first draft and check anything important.
Do I need consent to record meetings?
In many places, yes — some jurisdictions require all participants to consent. Use tools that notify attendees and check local rules.
Do built-in Zoom, Meet or Teams summaries replace these tools?
Built-in features are improving and may be enough for basic summaries. Dedicated assistants usually add better search, CRM sync and cross-platform coverage.
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