Quick Answer
- You host most of your Zoom meetings on a paid plan: start with Zoom AI Companion. It is already included.
- You want a big free plan: Fathom (unlimited recording; AI summaries reported as capped on free).
- You want no bot in the call: Granola (desktop app) or KenzNote's free browser recorder (join Zoom from your browser).
- Sales team with CRM needs: Fireflies.ai or Fathom Business.
- Live captions and automation: Otter.ai.
- Irregular meetings, no subscription, no calendar access: KenzNote, where recording is free and transcripts cost $0.99 per hour.
Key Takeaways
- Zoom AI Companion is included with eligible paid Zoom plans but is host-controlled and Zoom-only by default
- Bot-based tools (Otter, Fathom, Fireflies) appear in the participant list; device-based (Granola) and browser-based (KenzNote's recorder) tools do not
- KenzNote does both: a free recorder with no bot, or a bot you send when you can't attend
- Most third-party tools charge per seat; KenzNote charges per hour
- Training policies differ: check before recording sensitive calls
Table of Contents
- How AI Note Takers Work With Zoom
- Comparison Table
- The Catch: What Each Plan Limits
- The 6 Best AI Note Takers for Zoom
- How to Choose
- Frequently Asked Questions
How AI Note Takers Work With Zoom
There are four ways an AI tool can capture a Zoom meeting:
- Built in: Zoom AI Companion runs inside Zoom itself, controlled by the host.
- Meeting bot: a third-party participant joins the call and records it (Otter, Fathom, Fireflies, KenzNote).
- Device audio: an app on your computer transcribes what your machine hears, with no participant added (Granola).
- Browser recording: join Zoom from your browser and record that tab's audio plus your microphone, with no app and no participant added (KenzNote's screen recorder).
If you want to avoid bots entirely, you can also record locally and process the file afterwards. See how to record a Zoom meeting without a bot.
Comparison Table
| Tool | How it captures | Pricing (at time of writing) | Works beyond Zoom? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom AI Companion | Built in (host) | Included on eligible paid plans | Only with paid add-on | Hosts on paid Zoom plans |
| Otter.ai | Bot (calendar) | Free 300 min/mo; Pro $16.99/mo | Yes | Live captions, automation |
| Fathom | Bot (calendar) | Free; Premium ~$16–20/user | Yes | Generous free recording |
| Fireflies.ai | Bot (calendar) | Free; Pro $10/seat annual | Yes | Sales teams, CRM |
| Granola | Device audio | Free; Business ~$14/user | Yes (any call app) | No bot, personal notes |
| KenzNote | Browser recorder (bot-free) or bot you send per call | Recording free; transcripts $0.99/hour, 2 free meetings | Yes (Meet, Teams) | Bot or no bot, irregular use, no calendar |
The Catch: What Each Plan Limits
"Free" and "unlimited" often come with fine print. Here is what each plan really limits before you commit.
| Tool | Price | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom AI Companion | Included in paid Zoom plans (Pro about $14–17 per user a month) | On free Zoom it works on only 3 meetings a month, and free meetings end at 40 minutes. Works only in Zoom |
| Otter.ai | Pro $16.99/month, or $8.33 if you pay a year upfront. Per user | Free cuts every call at 30 minutes and stops at 300 minutes a month, with 3 file imports ever. Pro stops at 1,200 minutes a month and 90 minutes per call, and unused minutes don't roll over |
| Granola | Free Basic; Business $14 per user a month | Free shows only about your last 30 days of notes. Business is billed monthly only, per user |
| Fathom | Free; Premium about $16 per user a month billed yearly, $20 monthly | Recording is unlimited, but on Free the advanced AI summaries stop after 5 calls a month |
| Fireflies.ai | Pro $10 per seat a month billed yearly, $18 monthly | Free says unlimited transcription, but storage is 400 minutes, there are no exports, and free accounts opened since September 2026 get 3 meetings unless auto-join is on. Recordings stop at 2 hours on Free and Pro |
| KenzNote | Recording is free. Transcripts $0.99 per hour, hours last a year. No seats, no monthly minute cap. Unlimited is $39.99/month | Free plan transcribes 2 meetings (up to 120 minutes). Pay as you go starts at 5 hours ($4.95). The recorder needs desktop Chrome, Edge or Brave |
Red marks limits that are easy to miss on the pricing page. Green marks where KenzNote is ahead. Limits from each vendor's plans and 2026 reviews (for example Fireflies, Fathom, Krisp), November 2026. Plans change often, so check before you buy.
Not sure a plan fits how often you meet? Record your next meeting free with KenzNote and pay only for the hours you transcribe.
The 6 Best AI Note Takers for Zoom
1. Zoom AI Companion: Best If You Already Pay for Zoom
Zoom's built-in assistant writes a meeting summary with next steps and emails it after the call. It is included with eligible paid plans, so there is nothing new to buy. On free Zoom it works on only 3 meetings a month, and free meetings end at 40 minutes. Limits: the host has to enable it, it works only on Zoom unless you buy the Custom AI Companion add-on, and it is a recap rather than a searchable archive. Zoom's help center covers how to turn it on. For setup steps, who receives the summary and how to turn it off, see our Zoom AI Companion meeting summary guide.
2. Otter.ai: Best for Live Captions
Otter's OtterPilot auto-joins Zoom calls from your calendar and provides live captions plus summaries. The free plan gives 300 minutes a month (30 minutes per conversation), and Pro raises that to 1,200 minutes with a 90-minute cap per conversation. Note that Otter's policy allows training on de-identified data on standard plans. Full details are in KenzNote vs Otter.ai.
3. Fathom: Best Free Recording
Fathom records and transcribes unlimited Zoom meetings for free. Advanced AI summaries are reported as capped at about 5 a month on the free tier; Premium removes the cap at about $16–20/user/month.
4. Fireflies.ai: Best for Sales Teams
Fireflies joins Zoom calls and syncs notes into Salesforce, HubSpot, and other CRMs, with conversation analytics for coaching. Its 2026 policy states it does not train on meeting content. Pro is about $10/seat/month annually ($18 monthly), and recordings stop at 2 hours on Free and Pro, so long webinars get cut.
5. Granola: Best Bot-Free Option
Granola runs on your computer, transcribes device audio, and turns your rough notes into polished ones. No bot joins, so tell participants you are transcribing. Business is $14/user/month, billed monthly only, and the free Basic plan shows only about your last 30 days of notes.
6. KenzNote: Best for Bot or No Bot, Pay As You Go
KenzNote lets you choose per meeting:
- No bot: join Zoom from your browser, then start the KenzNote screen recorder and pick the Zoom tab. It records the meeting audio plus your microphone, and nothing joins the call. Recording is free. It needs desktop Chrome, Edge or Brave, and it records a browser tab, so join Zoom from your browser rather than the desktop app.
- A bot: paste a Zoom link (or schedule one) and an assistant clearly named "Kenz" joins, even if you can't attend.
Either way you get a transcript with speakers, a summary, action items, and a chat to question the meeting. A call that switches between up to three languages still gets one transcript. Share the notes by email to view or edit; people without an account sign up free to open them. It works the same on Google Meet and Teams and needs no calendar access. Transcripts cost $0.99 per hour with no seats, plus optional unlimited plans ($11.99/week, $39.99/month). Our privacy policy states in writing that meetings are never used to train AI.
Record your next Zoom call free, no bot
Join Zoom from your browser and record it with KenzNote. Transcribe it only if you need to, at $0.99 per hour, no seats, no calendar access.
Record a meeting free →No credit card. Your first 2 meetings are transcribed free.
How to Choose
- Do you host on a paid Zoom plan? Try AI Companion first; it may be enough.
- Do you also use Meet or Teams? Pick a cross-platform tool.
- Bots acceptable? If not, use Granola, KenzNote's browser recorder, or record locally.
- How often do you meet? Daily heavy use favors per-seat plans; irregular use favors pay-as-you-go.
- Data policy? Check whether the vendor trains on your meetings.
Whatever you choose, tell participants the meeting is being recorded. See is it legal to record meetings?
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Zoom have a built-in AI note taker?
Yes. Zoom AI Companion can summarize meetings and is included at no extra cost on eligible paid Zoom plans. The host enables and starts it, and it works only in Zoom unless you buy the Custom AI Companion add-on.
What is the best free AI note taker for Zoom?
Fathom offers unlimited free recording and transcription for Zoom, with advanced AI summaries reported as capped at about 5 per month. Otter's free plan gives 300 minutes a month. KenzNote records Zoom calls in your browser for free and transcribes your first 2 meetings free, then charges $0.99 per hour.
Can I use an AI note taker on Zoom without a bot?
Yes. Device-based tools like Granola transcribe what your computer hears without joining the meeting. KenzNote's free screen recorder does it in the browser when you join Zoom from Chrome, Edge or Brave. You can also record locally with Zoom and upload the file to a transcription tool.
Can an AI note taker join a Zoom meeting I can't attend?
Bot-based tools can. KenzNote, for example, joins a Zoom meeting from its link even if you are not there. Device-based tools like Granola need you in the meeting.
Do participants know an AI note taker is in the Zoom call?
Bot-based tools appear in the participant list, and Zoom AI Companion shows an indicator. Device-based and browser-based recorders are not visible, so you should tell participants yourself.
Related Resources
About KenzNote Team
The KenzNote team is dedicated to helping teams capture better meeting insights and transform how they collaborate. With backgrounds in AI, product design, and enterprise software, we're building the future of meeting productivity.
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