The Best AI Note-Takers for Meetings
A neutral comparison of the top AI meeting note-takers, judged on platform fit, price, free tiers, and data handling.
The best AI note-taker for meetings depends on your video platform, your budget, and your compliance needs. There is no single winner. A solo consultant on Google Meet has different needs than a clinic that must sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA).
This guide compares seven widely used tools across platform fit, free tiers, price, and data handling. It covers both platform-native options and third-party assistants that join your calls.
Layer3 Labs does not sell a note-taker. We help SMBs in regulated fields choose and roll out AI tools safely. So this guide weighs data handling, storage, and HIPAA options as heavily as features.
How to choose an AI note-taker (start here)
Pick an AI note-taker by matching it to your meeting platform first. Most tools support Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, but coverage and quality vary. A "bot" joins the call, while native tools run inside the platform itself.
Free tiers differ a lot in real terms. Some cap monthly minutes, some cap the number of meetings, and some limit only the advanced AI summaries. Read the cap that matches how you actually meet.
For regulated buyers, compliance is the deciding factor. Ask where recordings are stored, whether the vendor signs a BAA, whether your data trains their models, and what retention controls exist. Many tools reserve HIPAA support for their top plans only.
- Match the tool to your main platform (Meet, Zoom, or Teams) before comparing features
- Check the exact free-tier cap: monthly minutes vs. number of meetings vs. AI-summary count
- Confirm data-training defaults, storage location, retention controls, and BAA availability
- Decide bot-based (joins the call) vs. native (built into Zoom or Google Meet)
Not sure which AI note-taker your firm can use without breaking a BAA? We help regulated SMBs pick and configure the right meeting-notes tool safely.
Book a ConsultationOtter.ai — strong live transcription with a usable free tier
Otter.ai is a transcription-first assistant that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings. It works with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, plus in-person audio. It fits teams that want searchable transcripts and speaker labels.
Its standout strength is live transcription with speaker identification and an interactive chat over your notes. The free Basic plan lets you test this without paying. Paid plans add more minutes and team features.
Its main limit is the free cap. Otter's free plan allows about 300 transcription minutes per month, with a per-conversation limit, so heavy users hit the ceiling fast. On compliance, Otter publishes security details but does not advertise a self-serve BAA; regulated buyers should confirm HIPAA options with Otter directly before use.
- Platforms: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and in-person recording
- Free tier: yes (about 300 minutes/month, with per-meeting and import limits — see Otter pricing)
- Paid plans start around $8.33/user/month billed annually (see Otter pricing)
- Notable feature: live transcript with speaker ID and AI chat over notes
- Compliance note: SOC 2 / GDPR referenced on its security page; confirm BAA/HIPAA with Otter before handling PHI
Fireflies.ai — team-focused with an enterprise HIPAA path
Fireflies.ai is a meeting assistant that records, transcribes, and summarizes across major platforms. It uses a bot that joins your calls. It targets teams that want a shared, searchable knowledge base of meetings.
Its standout strength is depth for teams: conversation search, topic tracking, and many CRM and app integrations. It also states it does not train on your data by default. A free tier lets small teams start at no cost.
Its main limit for regulated buyers is where HIPAA sits. Fireflies offers signed BAAs and Private Storage, but it reserves HIPAA compliance for its Enterprise plan. Fireflies lists SOC 2 Type II and GDPR alongside HIPAA on its security pages.
- Platforms: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams (bot-based)
- Free tier: yes; paid plans start around $10/user/month billed annually (see Fireflies pricing)
- Notable feature: meeting search, topic trackers, and wide integrations
- Compliance note: HIPAA + signed BAA are Enterprise-only; SOC 2 Type II and GDPR listed
Fathom — generous free plan with a blanket BAA
Fathom is a meeting recorder and note-taker that works with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. It focuses on fast, clean summaries and highlight clips. Many solo users and small teams pick it for its free plan.
Its standout strength is that free plan. Fathom offers unlimited recording and transcription at no cost, with a monthly cap on advanced AI summaries. That makes it easy to try in real workflows.
Its compliance posture is notable for a free-friendly tool. Fathom states it is HIPAA, SOC 2 Type II, and GDPR compliant, and it publishes a blanket BAA. It also says its AI subprocessors are not permitted to train on customer data. Still, confirm which plan and settings your BAA requires before recording PHI.
- Platforms: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams
- Free tier: yes (unlimited recording/transcription; advanced AI summaries capped monthly — see Fathom pricing)
- Paid plans start around $15/user/month (see Fathom pricing)
- Notable feature: highlight clips and fast auto-summaries
- Compliance note: HIPAA, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR; a blanket BAA is published; subprocessors barred from training on your data
MeetGeek — compliance labels on every tier, including free
MeetGeek is a meeting assistant that records, transcribes, and summarizes across common platforms. It supports 100+ transcription languages. It suits teams that want automation and shared meeting insights.
Its standout point for regulated buyers is that it lists SOC 2, GDPR, and HIPAA across all tiers, including its free Basic plan. Few competitors extend compliance labels this far down. It also offers unlimited AI summaries on the free plan.
Its main limit is the free-tier storage and transcription caps. The free Basic plan includes about 3 hours of transcription per month, with short audio-storage windows. As always, a compliance label is not a signed BAA; confirm the exact terms with MeetGeek before handling PHI.
- Platforms: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and more
- Free tier: yes (about 3 hours transcription/month; unlimited AI summaries — see MeetGeek pricing)
- Paid plans start around $9.99/user/month billed annually (see MeetGeek pricing)
- Notable feature: 100+ language transcription and meeting automations
- Compliance note: SOC 2, GDPR, HIPAA listed across all plans; verify BAA terms directly
Read AI — meeting analytics beyond plain notes
Read AI is a meeting assistant that adds analytics on top of notes and transcripts. It reports engagement, sentiment, and talk-time. It works across Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, plus email and messaging.
Its standout strength is measurement. Beyond summaries, it scores participation and meeting effectiveness. A free plan lets you sample this on a few meetings each month.
Its main limits are the tight free cap and a high bar for HIPAA. The free plan covers only about 5 meeting transcripts per month. HIPAA compliance and a BAA require an annual Enterprise+ plan with a 10-license minimum, so the entry cost is steep for small teams. Read AI does list SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR.
- Platforms: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams (plus email/messaging analytics)
- Free tier: yes (about 5 meeting transcripts/month — see Read AI pricing)
- Notable feature: engagement, sentiment, and talk-time analytics
- Compliance note: HIPAA/BAA require Enterprise+ (annual, 10-license minimum); SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR listed
Google Meet "Take notes for me" — native notes inside Workspace
Google Meet's "Take notes for me" is a built-in Gemini feature that writes notes during a call. It runs inside Google Meet, so no third-party bot joins. Notes save to Google Docs and Drive automatically.
Its standout strength is that it stays inside Google Workspace. Your data does not leave Google's environment for a separate vendor. That appeals to teams already committed to Workspace.
Its main limit is plan gating. The feature requires an eligible Workspace edition (such as Business Standard and above) or a Google AI plan, and the meeting host must have it. There is no truly separate free note-taker inside Meet. For HIPAA, Google can include Workspace core services under a BAA, but confirm that this specific AI feature is covered for your account.
- Platforms: Google Meet only (native, no bot)
- Free tier: no standalone free note-taker; requires an eligible paid Workspace or Google AI plan
- Notable feature: auto-saves notes to Google Docs; stays inside Workspace
- Compliance note: Google offers BAAs for Workspace; confirm this AI feature's coverage and admin settings before use with PHI
Zoom AI Companion — included on paid Zoom, with HIPAA caveats
Zoom AI Companion is Zoom's built-in assistant that summarizes meetings and creates smart recordings. It runs natively inside Zoom, with no separate bot. Zoom includes it at no extra charge on eligible paid accounts.
Its standout strength is cost and fit for Zoom-first teams. If you already pay for licensed Zoom seats, meeting summaries come included. It is not available on Basic or free Zoom accounts.
Its main limit matters most for healthcare. Zoom offers a BAA and a HIPAA-compliant configuration, but enabling strict HIPAA mode can disable some AI Companion features. So regulated teams must confirm which AI features stay on under their BAA and settings.
- Platforms: Zoom Meetings (native, no bot)
- Free tier: not on Basic/free Zoom; included on eligible paid Zoom licenses
- Notable feature: included meeting summaries and smart recordings for paid seats
- Compliance note: Zoom signs BAAs, but HIPAA mode may limit AI Companion; confirm feature availability under your configuration
How to choose for a regulated business
Regulated businesses should treat data handling as the first filter, not the last. A tool can have great features and still be wrong if it cannot sign a BAA or control retention. Run every candidate through the checklist below before you compare summaries and price.
Remember that a compliance logo is not a contract. HIPAA support often lives only on higher plans, and a signed BAA plus correct settings are what actually protect you. When in doubt, ask the vendor in writing.
- BAA availability: Will the vendor sign a Business Associate Agreement, and on which plan?
- Data training: Is your meeting data excluded from model training by default?
- Storage and location: Where are recordings and transcripts stored, and can you control the region?
- Retention controls: Can you set auto-delete windows and delete on demand?
- Access controls: Does it support SSO/SAML, roles, and admin oversight?
- Certifications: Does it publish SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance?
- Native vs. bot: Does a third-party bot join calls, or does the tool run inside your platform?
- Plan gating: Does the free or entry plan actually include the compliance features you need?
Frequently Asked Questions
- The best AI note-taker depends on your platform, budget, and compliance needs. Fathom and MeetGeek are strong free options, Fireflies suits teams, Read AI adds analytics, and Google Meet and Zoom offer native notes inside their own platforms. Regulated teams should pick based on BAA availability and data controls first.
- Yes, but with limits. Third-party tools like Fathom, MeetGeek, Otter, and Fireflies offer free tiers that work with Google Meet. Google's own "Take notes for me" is not a standalone free tool; it requires an eligible paid Workspace or Google AI plan, and the host must have it enabled.
- Some are, but usually only on specific plans. Fathom publishes a blanket BAA, and MeetGeek lists HIPAA across its tiers. Fireflies and Read AI reserve HIPAA and BAAs for enterprise plans. A HIPAA label is not enough; you need a signed BAA and correct settings before recording PHI.
- Yes. Otter, Fireflies, Fathom, MeetGeek, and Read AI all support Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Zoom AI Companion is native to Zoom only, and Google's Gemini notes are native to Google Meet only.
- Fathom offers unlimited free recording and transcription, capping only advanced AI summaries each month. MeetGeek's free plan includes unlimited AI summaries within a monthly transcription-hours limit. Otter, Fireflies, and Read AI free tiers cap minutes or the number of meetings, so they suit lighter use.
- It depends on the vendor and settings. Several tools, including Fathom and Fireflies, state they do not train on your data by default. Always confirm the default in the vendor's security or privacy documentation, since defaults and opt-out options vary.
- A native note-taker runs inside your meeting platform, like Google Meet's Gemini notes or Zoom AI Companion, so no extra participant joins. A bot-based tool, like Fireflies, sends a bot into the call to record and transcribe. Native tools keep data in one platform; bot tools work across many platforms.
Pick a meeting note-taker you can defend in an audit
Layer3 Labs helps regulated SMBs choose and configure the right AI note-taker — with BAA, retention, and consent controls set correctly from day one.
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