How to Record and Transcribe Meetings with AI (Otter, Fireflies, Fathom)

An AI notetaker records a meeting, turns the speech into a transcript, then writes a summary and a list of action items. Set up well, it saves you from taking notes during the call and gives you a searchable record of every meeting afterwards.

Four ways to capture a meeting

1. A bot joins the call. The notetaker joins your Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams meeting as a participant and records it. Otter, Fireflies and Fathom all work this way. It’s the most automatic option, but everyone in the call can see the bot.
2. Recording without a bot. Fireflies lists a Chrome extension that records without a bot in the call. Notion’s AI Meeting Notes also transcribes without a bot.
3. Uploading a recording. If you already have an audio or video file (an interview, a webinar, a voice memo), upload it. Fireflies supports file uploads; Otter’s file imports are limited by plan (three lifetime imports on the free Basic plan).
4. In-person conversations. Otter lists iOS and Android apps and a desktop app for Mac and Windows, which you can use to record conversations outside a video call.

Set up an AI notetaker in ten minutes

1. Pick one tool and create a free account (see the comparison below).
2. Connect your calendar so the notetaker knows which meetings to join. Decide whether it joins every meeting or only the ones you choose; starting with “only when I invite it” avoids surprises.
3. Run a test call with a colleague. Check the transcript, the speaker names and the summary.
4. Set where notes go. Choose who receives the summary after each call, and whether it’s shared with all participants or only you.
5. Tell people you’re recording. Add a line to your meeting invites, such as “This call is recorded and transcribed for notes.”

Free plans compared

	Otter.ai	Fireflies.ai	Fathom
Free plan	Basic: 300 minutes per user per month	Free: transcription and limited AI summaries	Free plan for individuals
Main limit	30 minutes per conversation, 3 lifetime file imports	400 minutes of storage per team, 20 AI credits	Team features are on paid plans
First paid plan	Pro: $8.33 per user per month billed annually ($16.99 monthly)	Pro: $10 per seat per month billed annually ($18 monthly)	Team: $15 per user per month, two-user minimum

Figures come from each vendor’s pricing page, checked on 22–23 October 2026. Plans change, so check before you buy. For the full side-by-side, see Otter vs Fireflies vs Fathom.

A quick way to choose:

• Mostly short calls, and you want the simplest start: Otter’s free Basic plan, as long as your calls are under 30 minutes.
• Longer calls, file uploads, or recording without a bot: Fireflies.ai, whose plans allow up to 2 hours per recording even on Free.
• You want unlimited recordings on a free plan as an individual: Fathom, which describes its free plan as unlimited recordings with instant summaries.
• Your team’s notes already live in Notion: Notion AI Meeting Notes, included on the Business plan.

Get a more accurate transcript

• Use a headset or a good microphone. Background noise and laptop microphones are the most common cause of errors.
• Avoid talking over each other. Transcription accuracy drops when people speak at the same time.
• Use people’s names at the start of a call so speaker labels are easier to check.
• Check the meeting language in the tool’s settings. Otter lists English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese; Fireflies lists 100+ languages.

Recording consent

Always tell participants that a meeting is being recorded and transcribed, and give them the chance to object. Recording-consent rules differ by country and region. When in doubt, ask for agreement at the start of the call and keep it in the recording.

Turn notes into action

A summary only helps if someone acts on it. After each meeting:

1. Check the action items the AI listed, and fix owners and dates.
2. Send them where work happens, for example into your task manager. Otter lists a Zapier integration on Pro and above; see how to build a business automation workflow to connect the pieces.
3. Search before the next meeting. Ask the tool what was agreed last time, then check the quote in the transcript before relying on it.

AI summaries can miss nuance or attribute a point to the wrong person. Treat them as a draft, and check anything important against the transcript.