Fathom's free plan records and transcribes without limits, so the reasons to look elsewhere are specific: no file uploads, seven languages, an iOS-only mobile app and bot-free capture that is still a Mac beta. This comparison covers six alternatives and three questions a growing team asks: can the Fathom meetings come along, what does a team plan cost next to Fathom Team, and what does each tool do that Fathom does not.
What is the best Fathom alternative?
Circleback is the best Fathom alternative for a growing team that wants its Fathom meetings brought over directly and every way of capturing a meeting in one tool: a bot, a bot-free desktop app, in-person capture on mobile and file uploads. The other five win on narrower needs.
- Circleback: bringing Fathom meetings over directly and keeping every capture method in one tool.
- Otter.ai: the lowest paid price here and live transcription.
- Granola: lightweight bot-free notes from a laptop.
- Read AI: search across meetings, email and messages.
- Fireflies.ai: integrations across the stack and transcription in 100+ languages.
- tl;dv: free video recording with EU hosting.
Why teams look for a Fathom alternative
- No file uploads. Fathom's help center says "we do not support uploaded calls".
- Seven languages. Fathom transcribes and summarizes natively in English, Spanish, Dutch, French, Italian, German and Portuguese (Premium and Team plans). Ask Fathom can also translate into 29 additional languages.
- iOS only. Fathom's mobile app is not available on Android.
- Bot-free is a Mac beta. Bot-free video is limited to Zoom on Mac, and Windows support is on the way.
- Two-user minimums. Team and Business both need at least 2 users, and the lookback window for team calls in Ask Fathom depends on the plan tier.
What Fathom does well
Fathom suits a team that fits inside those limits. Its Free plan lists unlimited recordings and transcriptions, a choice of bot or bot-free capture, instant AI call summaries, and clips, playlists and search across calls. It captures Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Slack Huddles, syncs summaries to HubSpot and Salesforce with CRM field sync from Business, and offers a public API and MCP. Fathom also publishes a blanket BAA.
The six alternatives, one by one
1. Circleback
Circleback turns conversations into speaker-labeled transcripts, notes, assigned action items, automations and searchable context.
Key features:
- Direct import from Fathom, Fireflies, Granola and Read AI, plus file import up to 2 GB.
- A bot on Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Webex, and in-person capture on the mobile app (audio).
- A bot-free desktop app for macOS 14.2+ and Windows with no bot and no visible participant in the call. It saves the audio and video automatically and captures Slack huddles.
- Transcription in 100+ languages.
Pros:
- Imported meetings keep their original notes and transcript and stay searchable in Ask Circleback.
- Bot-free capture runs on Windows, where Fathom's is still on the way.
Cons:
- Imported Fathom meetings get no new Circleback notes or action items and don't trigger automations on their own, though you can run one by hand if the import brought its notes over. Uploaded recording files get both. On Free, imports older than 30 days arrive locked.
- No Linux app or browser extension, fewer native integrations than Fireflies.ai, and paid plans cost more than Otter Pro.
Pricing: Circleback pricing lists a Free plan with unlimited meetings and members and limited automations, Pro at $15 per user per month billed annually or $18 monthly, Business at $25 or $29, and Enterprise at $35 billed annually. Enterprise rates drop automatically in volume tiers as users are added.
Best for: teams that want to bring Fathom meetings over directly and capture every kind of meeting in one tool.
2. Otter.ai
Otter.ai records from a Mac or Windows desktop, a mobile device or a browser, and joins Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.
Key features:
- Basic lists live transcription, speaker identification, AI Chat within and across meetings, and iOS and Android apps.
- Moving Fathom meetings means uploading downloaded files: 3 lifetime imports on Basic, 10 a month on Pro, unlimited on Business.
Pros:
- Pro is the lowest paid price in this comparison.
- Meetings run up to 90 minutes on Pro and up to 4 hours on Business.
Cons:
- Basic caps each conversation at 30 minutes, gives 300 transcription minutes a month and shows the 25 most recent conversations.
- AI transcription covers six languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese.
Pricing: Otter.ai pricing lists Basic as free, Pro at $8.33 per user per month billed annually or $16.99 monthly, and Business at $19.99 billed annually.
Best for: small teams that want a low paid price and live transcription.
3. Granola
Granola takes notes with no bot, from the microphone and system audio, on desktop (macOS and Windows) and mobile.
Key features:
- Basic includes AI chat within and across meetings, with Slack on every plan.
- 31 languages on desktop and 17 on mobile, with iPhone, Android and Apple Watch apps.
Pros:
- Light setup with no bot in the call.
- 31 desktop languages against Fathom's seven.
Cons:
- Granola "does not record or save audio or video", and it does not support importing or uploading pre-recorded audio files, so Fathom recordings cannot come over.
- Basic keeps 30 days of meeting history.
Pricing: Granola pricing lists Basic at $0, Business at $14 per user per month billed monthly, and Enterprise at $35.
Best for: individuals and small teams that want lightweight bot-free notes and do not need uploads or recordings.
4. Read AI
Read AI is a notetaker with search that connects meetings, emails and messages.
Key features:
- Free lists 5 meetings per month with summaries, transcription and search, 20+ languages, and apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.
- A bot-free desktop app for Windows 10+ and macOS 14+, with audio-only recordings.
- File uploads as MP4 or M4A up to 5 GB at 1 upload credit per minute, with 100 credits a month on Pro.
Pros:
- Search reaches email and messages as well as meetings.
- Bot-free capture on both Windows and Mac.
Cons:
- Free covers 5 meetings a month.
- Audio and video playback is listed from Enterprise.
Pricing: Read AI pricing lists Free, Pro at $15 per user per month billed annually or $19.75 monthly, Enterprise at $22.50 or $29.75, and Enterprise+ at $29.75 or $39.75.
Best for: teams that want search across meetings, email and messages and bot-free capture on Windows.
5. Fireflies.ai
Fireflies.ai records Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and more, with a Chrome extension that records without the Fireflies bot and a desktop app for botless meetings.
Key features:
- Free lists transcription in 100+ languages, real-time notes, audio and video file upload, and API access at 30 requests a minute and 500 a day.
- A desktop app for Windows 10+ and macOS 12+, plus mobile apps for Android and iOS. The Pro card lists unlimited integrations.
Pros:
- Broad integrations and 100+ languages.
- File upload on Free covers recordings downloaded from Fathom.
Cons:
- Free stores 400 minutes per team.
- Desktop mode stores no audio or video, labels speakers generically and shows a Fireflies indicator to participants.
Pricing: Fireflies.ai pricing lists Free, Pro at $10 per seat per month billed annually or $18 monthly, Business at $19 or $29, and Enterprise at $39 billed annually.
Best for: teams that need many integrations and many languages.
6. tl;dv
tl;dv is a video-first recorder for Google Meet, Zoom and Microsoft Teams that lists "no bot required", with desktop apps for Mac and Windows.
Key features:
- Free lists unlimited video recordings and unlimited transcription in 30+ languages, with AI notes on 10 meetings.
- Pro lists unlimited uploads and storage, and an MCP server, API and webhooks.
Pros:
- Free video recordings with no cap on how many.
- Hosted and stored in the EU, with SOC 2 and GDPR listed.
Cons:
- Free keeps recordings for 3 months, and automatic AI notes cover the first 10 meetings.
- Uploads are in beta and limited to 3 hours.
Pricing: tl;dv pricing lists Free, Pro at $18 per seat per month billed annually, and Business at $29 billed annually.
Best for: teams that want free video recording and EU hosting.
Side by side
| Tool | Moving Fathom meetings | Languages | Free plan history | Team price from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circleback | Direct import from Fathom | 100+ | 30 days, then locked | $15 annual |
| Otter.ai | Upload downloaded files | 6 | 25 recent conversations | $8.33 annual |
| Granola | No file uploads | 31 on desktop | 30 days | $14 billed monthly |
| Read AI | Upload downloaded files | 20+ | 5 meetings a month | $15 annual |
| Fireflies.ai | Upload downloaded files | 100+ | 400 minutes per team | $10 annual |
| tl;dv | Upload, 3 hours max | 30+ | Recordings kept 3 months | $18 annual |
Prices are per user per month for the lowest paid plan. Fathom Team is $15 billed annually or $19 monthly per user, with a 2 user minimum.
How to choose
- Pick Circleback if the Fathom meetings should move over directly and the team captures meetings by bot, desktop app, in person and file upload.
- Pick Otter.ai if the paid price matters most, since Pro at $8.33 billed annually is lower than Fathom Team at $15.
- Pick Granola if the team wants no bot and does not need uploads or saved recordings.
- Pick Read AI if search across meetings, email and messages matters, or if bot-free capture on Windows is the gap.
- Pick Fireflies.ai if integrations and transcription in 100+ languages decide it.
- Pick tl;dv if free video recording and EU hosting decide it.
- Stay on Fathom if seven languages, an iOS app and Mac bot-free capture cover the team.
FAQ
Can I move my Fathom recordings to another tool?
Yes, through a direct import or downloaded files. Fathom's pricing page lists call downloads. Circleback imports directly from Fathom, and imported meetings keep their original notes and transcript but get no new Circleback notes or action items and don't trigger automations on their own, though you can run one by hand if the import brought its notes over. Uploading the downloaded recording files into Circleback produces its own notes, and on Free, imports older than 30 days arrive locked. Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai and Read AI take uploaded files, tl;dv uploads are in beta at 3 hours or less, and Granola does not support uploading pre-recorded audio.
Is there a free Fathom alternative?
Yes. All six have a free plan, and each limits something different. Circleback Free covers unlimited meetings and members with a 30 day lock on older meetings. Otter.ai Basic gives 300 transcription minutes a month, Granola Basic keeps 30 days of history, Read AI Free covers 5 meetings a month, Fireflies.ai Free stores 400 minutes per team, and tl;dv Free records unlimited video with AI notes on 10 meetings.
Which Fathom alternative works on Windows without a bot?
Circleback, Otter.ai, Granola, Read AI and Fireflies.ai all have Windows desktop capture without a bot, where Fathom's bot-free capture is a Mac beta. Circleback's desktop app records with no visible participant in the call and saves audio and video, while Fireflies.ai shows an indicator to participants and Granola keeps no audio or video.
Which Fathom alternative has an Android app?
Circleback, Otter.ai, Granola, Read AI and Fireflies.ai list Android apps next to iOS. Fathom's mobile app is iOS only.