Fireflies AI Alternatives (2026): 10 Meeting Note Takers

Fireflies.ai is one of the better-known AI note takers, and plenty of people are happy with it. But it isn't the only way to get a transcript and a summary after a call. You might want a simpler tool, one that handles face-to-face meetings, one that plugs into your sales process, or simply a different free plan. If you're shopping around, it helps to know what else is out there.

This page lists ten Fireflies AI alternatives in no particular order, sorted alphabetically. I've mixed smaller and independent tools with a few bigger names, because smaller makers often build around one job and do it well. The details come from each tool's own website and plans pages, and I've kept each entry short so you can scan the field quickly. If you want a wider look at speech-to-text, my guide to AI transcription software covers tools beyond meetings.

AI meeting note takers at a glance

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site lists a free plan or free tier with no end date. Trial only means a free trial with no ongoing free plan for recording. Free plans usually come with limits on meetings or transcript storage, so read the current details before you rely on one.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Avoma	Meeting assistant and call insights	Sales and customer teams reviewing calls together	Trial only
Bluedot	Note taker with browser extension	Quick notes from browser-based calls	Yes
Circleback	AI meeting notes	Clear action items from online and in-person meetings	Yes
Fathom	AI meeting recorder	Instant summaries after video calls	Yes
Jamie	Meeting assistant	Online and in-person meetings with task detection	Yes
MeetGeek	AI meeting assistant	Sending meeting notes into your other tools	Yes
Otter.ai	Transcription notetaker	Live transcripts and searchable meeting history	Yes
Read AI	Notetaker and search	Meetings plus email and message summaries	Yes
Tactiq	Transcript and summary tool	Solo users who want transcripts and quick summaries	Yes
tl;dv	AI notetaker	Recording calls on Zoom, Google Meet and Teams	Yes

Ten AI note takers to consider, A to Z

Avoma

Best for: Sales and customer success teams who want meeting notes alongside call insights, coaching and shared reviews of important conversations.

Bluedot

Best for: People who live in their browser and want an extension that records calls and turns them into tidy notes.

Circleback

Best for: Busy owners who mostly want a clean list of decisions and action items after every meeting, online or in the room.

Fathom

Best for: Consultants and coaches who want every call recorded, transcribed and summarised straight away without fiddly setup.

Jamie

Best for: Small teams who meet both on video and face to face and want the tasks pulled out of each conversation.

MeetGeek

Best for: Teams who want summaries pushed into the apps they already use, so notes don't sit in yet another inbox.

Otter.ai

Best for: Anyone who wants a long-standing transcription tool with live transcripts they can search later.

Read AI

Best for: People whose work spreads across meetings, email and chat, and who want one place to search all of it.

Tactiq

Best for: Freelancers who want a light way to capture transcripts and turn them into short summaries they can share.

tl;dv

Best for: Remote teams spread across the main video platforms who want recordings, transcripts and highlights in one library.

How to choose an AI meeting note taker

Most of these tools record, transcribe and summarise. The differences show up in the details, so start with how you meet rather than the feature list.

• Where your meetings happen. Check the tool works with the video platforms you use, and whether it can capture in-person meetings from a phone or laptop.
• Bot or no bot. Some tools join the call as a visible participant, others record from your device or browser. Think about which your clients will be comfortable with.
• Summary style. Do you want a short list of actions, a detailed recap or a full transcript you can search? Look at a sample from each tool's site.
• Where notes end up. If your notes need to land in your CRM, project tool or shared drive, check the integrations on the plan you'd use.
• Languages and accents. If you meet in more than one language, check which ones each tool supports.
• Data storage and deletion. Find out where recordings are kept, for how long, and how you delete them.

Recording consent and AI meeting notes

This is the part people skip, and it matters. Recording a conversation without telling people can break the rules in some places, and it can break trust everywhere. Rules differ between countries and states, so check with a solicitor or attorney if you're unsure about your own situation.

• Tell everyone at the start that the meeting's being recorded and transcribed, and why.
• Put a line in your meeting invites so nobody's surprised when a note taker appears.
• Offer to switch recording off if someone isn't comfortable, and mean it.
• Don't record sensitive client conversations unless they've agreed in writing.
• Share the notes with attendees, so they can correct anything that's wrong.

I've written more about this in how AI meeting notes affect client trust, because the way you introduce a note taker shapes how clients feel about it.

Which type of meeting note taker suits your business

• Solo consultants and coaches often just need a recorder that summarises each call and keeps a searchable history.
• Sales teams may prefer a tool built around call reviews, coaching and pipeline notes.
• Hybrid teams need something that handles face-to-face meetings as well as video calls.
• People who work across email and chat may want a tool that searches messages as well as meetings.

Switching meeting note tools without losing your history

1. Export or download the transcripts and summaries you want to keep before you cancel anything.
2. Pick two tools and run them on a handful of real meetings, with everyone's agreement.
3. Compare the summaries side by side and see which one catches the decisions and actions you care about.
4. Connect the integrations you need, then check a few notes arrive where they should.
5. Tell your regular contacts if the note taker's name or behaviour is changing.
6. Turn off the old tool's calendar access once the new one's settled in.

Mistakes people make with AI meeting notes

• Trusting the summary without reading it. AI notes can miss nuance, sarcasm and things left unsaid, which I cover in what AI meeting notes miss.
• Letting the tool join every meeting automatically, including private or sensitive ones.
• Forgetting to tell clients a recorder is present.
• Keeping recordings forever when nobody needs them.
• Picking a tool for its long feature list when you only ever read the action items.

Do you make AI meeting note takers or transcription software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

Settling on your meeting note taker shortlist

Choose two tools that fit where you meet and what you need from your notes. Run each on a few real conversations, with everyone's agreement, and read the summaries carefully. Keep the one whose notes you'd send to a client without heavy editing, and set clear habits around consent and deletion from day one.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to Fireflies?

Yes. Several tools on this list have a free plan, usually with limits on meetings, transcript length or storage. Check each tool's own plans page for the current allowance.

Must I tell people when I record a meeting?

You should always tell people, and in some places the law requires their consent. Rules vary, so check with a solicitor or attorney about your own situation.

Can AI note takers record in-person meetings?

Some can, usually through a phone app or a laptop microphone. Check each tool's site for in-person support before you rely on it.

Are AI meeting summaries accurate?

They're useful but not perfect. Accents, crosstalk and poor audio can cause mistakes, so read the summary and fix anything important before you share it.

What happens to my recordings if I switch tools?

They usually stay with the old tool until you delete them or your account closes. Export anything you want to keep before you cancel.