Otter.ai vs Fathom

Otter.ai and Fathom are both AI Productivity & Learning tools (Meeting Notes). Below: what each costs, what it does well, its biggest catches, and who should pick which, all from public sources rather than our own testing.

Side by side

Otter.aiFathom
CategoryAI Office & Learning · ProductivityAI Productivity Tools · Meeting Assistant
PricingFree tier: yes (300 min/mo). Pro $8.49/mo billed annually ($16.99 monthly). (checked Oct 10, 2026)Free tier: yes. Team $15/user/mo annual ($19 monthly), 2-user min. Business $25 annual ($34 monthly). (checked Oct 10, 2026)
Pros
  • Live transcription with speaker identification for Zoom, Teams and Meet
  • The free plan includes 300 transcription minutes a month
  • Pro is $8.49/mo on annual billing
  • The free plan includes unlimited recordings and instant summaries
  • Integrations with LLMs and CRMs
  • 90-day money-back guarantee on team plans
Catches
  • Faces a federal class action alleging its notetaker auto-joined meetings and recorded without consent. Core claims survived dismissal in Aug 2026
  • Free gets only 3 lifetime file imports
  • Pro is $16.99/mo if you pay monthly, about double the annual rate
  • A visible 'Fathom Notetaker' joins your calls. Bot-free capture is a paid Mac-only beta
  • Free caps advanced AI summaries and action items at 5 calls/month
  • Weak for in-person and mobile recording
Best forTeams who want searchable transcripts of every call.Individuals who want a free notetaker for Zoom/Meet/Teams.
Skip it ifYou record sensitive calls or work in all-party-consent settings.You can't have a bot visible on sensitive calls.

Which should you pick?

Pick Otter.ai if…

you fit this: teams who want searchable transcripts of every call.

But not if: you record sensitive calls or work in all-party-consent settings.

Watch out for: Faces a federal class action alleging its notetaker auto-joined meetings and recorded without consent. Core claims survived dismissal in Aug 2026.

Pick Fathom if…

you fit this: individuals who want a free notetaker for Zoom/Meet/Teams.

But not if: you can't have a bot visible on sensitive calls.

Watch out for: A visible 'Fathom Notetaker' joins your calls. Bot-free capture is a paid Mac-only beta.

More options

Sources

Otter.ai

Fathom

Pros, catches and prices are compiled from public sources (official pricing and docs pages, published reviews, user reports), not hands-on testing. Prices change often, so check the vendor page before you buy.