--- title: "Best AI notetakers for Slack huddles (2026): recording, transcripts and notes compared" description: "Which AI notetakers work with Slack huddles? Circleback, Slack's notes, Fathom, Granola, Fellow, Fireflies.ai, Otter.ai and Krisp compared." canonical: "https://comparenotetakers.com/ai-notetakers-slack-huddles" last_updated: "2026-10-21" --- # Best AI notetakers for Slack huddles (2026): recording, transcripts and notes compared A Slack huddle can be captured three ways: a notetaker that joins, a desktop app that records the computer's audio with no bot and no visible participant, or Slack's own AI huddle notes. Eight tools cover those routes: Circleback, Slack's built-in notes, Fathom, Granola, Fellow, Fireflies.ai, Otter.ai and Krisp. ## Best AI notetakers for Slack huddles The right pick depends on the huddle: - Pick Circleback for no bot in the huddle, audio and video kept and notes posted to a Slack thread. - Pick Slack's built-in AI huddle notes if everyone is a workspace member on a paid plan. - Pick Fathom for a free plan with unlimited recordings and several capture modes. - Pick Granola if no audio should be kept. - Pick Fellow for audio recording and an automatic Slack summary. - Pick Fireflies.ai for bot-free desktop notes with no audio or video file. - Pick Otter.ai for bot-free audio recording with huddle detection. - Pick Krisp for bot-free notes with transcript-only, audio or video modes. ## Can AI record and transcribe Slack huddles? Yes. Three routes work: 1. **A notetaker that joins the huddle.** Circleback's Slack huddles integration is a bot that a workspace admin connects, and it joins huddles automatically in the channels it's a member of. 2. **A bot-free desktop app.** Circleback, Fathom, Granola, Fellow, Fireflies.ai and Otter.ai record from the desktop, and Krisp works on the device, so no bot joins. 3. **Slack's own AI huddle notes.** Someone in the huddle turns them on, and notes land in a canvas in the huddle thread. ## Circleback for Slack huddles Circleback's desktop app records huddles on macOS 14.2 or later and Windows with no bot and no visible participant, notifies you when an app starts using the microphone, and has auto-start off by default. **Key features** - Saves the audio and video recording by default. - The Slack automation step posts the meeting name, linked to the meeting in Circleback, then the outcomes you choose (notes, action items, transcript, insights) as a thread reply. **Pros** - No bot in the call, with audio and video recording on every plan. **Cons** - The huddle bot is not on every plan, and a workspace admin has to connect it. The desktop app covers huddles on every plan. - Desktop speaker names come from voice signature plus calendar invitees and can stay "Participant N". - No Linux app and no browser extension. - On Free, meetings older than 30 days are locked, not deleted, until an upgrade. **Pricing:** Free is $0 with unlimited meetings and members. Pro is $15 per user per month billed annually ($18 monthly), Business $25 ($29 monthly) and Enterprise $35 billed annually. See [Circleback pricing](https://circleback.ai/pricing). **Best for:** Huddles that need a bot-free recording with audio and video, and notes in a Slack thread. ## Slack's built-in AI huddle notes Slack's AI huddle notes need no extra tool. By default someone in the huddle turns them on, and the notes go to a canvas in the huddle thread. **Key features** - The transcript is embedded in the notes canvas, and members can start notes automatically in certain channels. **Pros** - Nothing to install. **Cons** - Not possible in huddles with external people or guests. **Pricing:** Available on Pro, Business+ and Enterprise+, per [Slack's plans page](https://slack.com/help/articles/115003205446-Slack-plans-and-features). **Best for:** Internal huddles where every participant is a workspace member on a paid plan. ## Fathom for Slack huddles Fathom captures meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Slack Huddles. **Key features** - Local desktop capture with no bot on the call. Huddles need manual capture by default, and auto-capture can be turned on in Settings. - Afterward Fathom generates a summary, action items and a transcript. **Pros** - A free plan, and the Slack integration is on every plan. **Cons** - Slack gets highlight clips and AI Search alerts in public channels only. - The pricing page labels bot-free capture a beta feature for Mac. **Pricing:** Free forever, with unlimited recordings and transcriptions. See [Fathom pricing](https://www.fathom.ai/pricing). **Best for:** A free plan with a choice of capture modes. ## Granola for Slack huddles Granola uses the computer's audio, so no bot is invited. **Key features** - A "Huddle detected" notification prompts capture. - Notes post to Slack channels only, manually or automatically from a folder, and the integration requires a Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 account. **Pros** - The Slack integration is on every plan. **Cons** - No audio recording is kept. - Nothing is transcribed until a note has been opened. **Pricing:** Basic is $0 per user per month, with 30 days of meeting history. See [Granola pricing](https://www.granola.ai/pricing). **Best for:** Huddles where no audio should be retained. ## Fellow for Slack huddles Fellow records huddles with desktop botless recording on Mac and Windows. **Key features** - Fellow produces an audio recording, a transcript and AI notes, then posts an AI-generated summary, action items and key decisions to the configured Slack channel or DM after the meeting. **Pros** - Audio is kept, and the Slack integration is on all plans. **Cons** - Recording starts manually from the desktop app. **Pricing:** Free is $0 with 5 AI notes and 5 AI recordings per user, lifetime. See [Fellow pricing](https://fellow.ai/pricing). **Best for:** Huddles that need an audio recording and an automatic Slack summary. ## Fireflies.ai for Slack huddles The Fireflies.ai desktop app captures conversations from video calls and Slack huddles with no bot on the call. **Key features** - Notes go to a designated Slack channel after every meeting, and the Slack app is available on all plans. **Pros** - Bot-free desktop capture and a free plan. **Cons** - Desktop capture saves no separate audio or video file, so a saved recording needs the Notetaker. **Pricing:** Free is $0, with 400 minutes of storage per team. See [Fireflies.ai pricing](https://fireflies.ai/pricing). **Best for:** Huddle notes from a bot-free desktop capture when no audio or video file is needed. ## Otter.ai for Slack huddles Otter.ai's desktop app records Slack huddles with no bot. **Key features** - It detects a huddle and prompts a recording. - Summaries go to Slack channels after the meeting, and recurring meetings can post automatically. **Pros** - No bot, and the Otter Slack app is on all plans. **Cons** - Basic has 300 minutes per user per month with no rollover, and 30 minutes of transcription per conversation. **Pricing:** Basic is free. See [Otter.ai pricing](https://otter.ai/pricing). **Best for:** Huddles that need bot-free audio recording with detection. ## Krisp for Slack huddles Krisp is a bot-free AI note taker that works with Slack Huddles. **Key features** - Works at the audio level on the device, with no extra participant in the meeting. - Recording presets offer transcript-only, audio or video modes. - Notes can be shared into Slack channels, automatically for recurring meetings. **Pros** - No bot, and a free option. **Cons** - What is kept depends on the recording preset. **Pricing:** Krisp offers a free option. See [Krisp](https://krisp.ai/). **Best for:** Huddles that need bot-free notes with a choice of recording modes. ## Slack huddle notetakers side by side | Tool | How it joins a huddle | Keeps audio and video | Notes posted to Slack | Free plan | |---|---|---|---|---| | Circleback | Desktop app, no bot; huddle bot on some plans | Audio and video by default | Thread reply from the Slack step | Yes, unlimited meetings | | Slack AI huddle notes | Built in, turned on by someone in the huddle | Notes and transcript in a canvas | Canvas in the huddle thread | No, paid Slack plans | | Fathom | Desktop app, no bot | Transcript only, audio only or audio plus video | Highlight clips and AI Search alerts | Yes, free forever | | Granola | Device audio, no bot | No audio kept | Channels, manual or folder auto-post | Yes, Basic at $0 | | Fellow | Desktop botless recording | Audio recording | Summary to a channel or DM | Yes, 5 lifetime AI notes | | Fireflies.ai | Desktop app, no bot | No separate audio or video file | Notes to a channel after every meeting | Yes, $0 | | Otter.ai | Desktop app, no bot | Audio recording | Summary to a channel, manual or for recurring meetings | Yes, Basic with 300 minutes per user per month | | Krisp | Audio level on the device, no bot | Transcript only, audio or video modes | Notes to channels, including recurring meetings | Yes, free option | ## How to choose an AI notetaker for Slack huddles - **By what must be kept.** Circleback keeps audio and video, Fellow and Otter.ai audio, Fathom and Krisp transcript-only, audio or video modes, and Granola and Fireflies.ai no audio file. - **By where notes go.** Circleback, Fellow, Fireflies.ai and Otter.ai post to Slack after the meeting, Granola and Krisp to channels, Fathom highlight clips, and Slack's notes to the huddle thread. ## FAQ ### What AI meeting assistants work with Slack huddles? Circleback, Fathom, Granola, Fellow, Fireflies.ai and Otter.ai record huddles from a desktop app with no bot, Krisp does so on the device, and Slack's AI huddle notes cover paid plans. Circleback also offers a Slack huddles integration. ### Can you transcribe a Slack huddle? Yes. Slack's AI huddle notes and Fathom produce transcripts, and Circleback's desktop app saves speaker-labeled transcripts. ### Does Slack have built-in huddle notes? Yes, as AI huddle notes on paid plans, which someone in the huddle turns on by default. ### Can an AI notetaker record a huddle without a bot? Yes. Circleback, Fathom, Granola, Fellow, Fireflies.ai and Otter.ai capture huddles from a desktop app, and Krisp works on the device, so no bot joins.