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Fireflies alternative: which one fits how you meet

Updated 3 November 2026 · 7 min read
Short answerFireflies sends a notetaker bot into Zoom, Google Meet, Teams and other calls, and keeps transcripts in its cloud. Paid plans were $10 to $39 per seat a month billed yearly on 3 November 2026. If you want online-meeting notes without a third-party bot, look at the notes built into Google Meet, Zoom or Teams, or Fathom's bot-free option. If your meetings happen in a room, or must stay off other companies' servers, an on-device phone app such as VoiceVault (Android) fits better. Fireflies is still the stronger choice for teams that live in online calls and want CRM integrations and conversation analytics.

We make VoiceVault, one of the options in this guide. Facts about other products come from their own websites, checked on 3 November 2026, and we say where they're the better choice.

Fireflies is one of the most popular AI note takers for online meetings. People look for a Fireflies alternative for different reasons: a bot in every call, client discomfort, cloud storage, the cost per seat, or meetings that happen in a room rather than on Zoom. This guide explains how Fireflies works, then matches alternatives to each reason, including when Fireflies is still the best pick.

How Fireflies works

Fireflies' main tool is a notetaker bot. You invite it to meetings on your calendar, and it joins calls on Google Meet, Zoom, Teams, Webex and other platforms, then captures audio and video and writes a transcript and summary. Fireflies also has a Chrome extension that captures Google Meet without the bot, and a mobile app that records in-person conversations. Everything is processed and stored in Fireflies' cloud.

On its security page, Fireflies says it encrypts transcripts at rest (256-bit AES) and in transit, that it doesn't train AI on your data by default, and that it is certified for SOC 2 Type II, GDPR and HIPAA. HIPAA support and private storage at a location you choose are Enterprise features.

Fireflies plans and limits

PlanPrice per seatStorageRecording limit
Free$0400 minutes per team2 hours
Pro$10/month billed yearly, $18 monthly8,000 minutes per seat2 hours
Business$19/month billed yearly, $29 monthlyUnlimited3 hours
Enterprise$39/month, billed yearly onlyUnlimited4 hours

From fireflies.ai/pricing on 3 November 2026, in US dollars. The free plan has limited AI summaries; video capture starts on Pro; SSO, custom data retention and HIPAA compliance are Enterprise only.

Why people look for a Fireflies alternative

Fireflies alternatives by need

You want another cloud note taker: Otter or Read AI

Otter is the closest like-for-like alternative: it joins online meetings and also records on the phone. On 3 November 2026 its free Basic plan included 300 minutes a month with a 30-minute limit per conversation; Pro was $16.99 a month or $8.33 a month billed yearly, with 1,200 minutes and a 90-minute limit. Read our Otter alternative guide for how it handles your audio.

Read AI joins Zoom, Meet and Teams, and also summarizes email and messages. Pro was $19.75 a month or $15 billed yearly. We cover it in Read AI: what it does, what it costs, and alternatives.

You want fewer bots: Fathom

Fathom's pricing page lists a free plan with unlimited recordings and transcriptions, and a choice of bot capture or bot-free capture (bot-free is in beta, on Mac). Premium was $20 a month or $16 billed yearly; Team plans start at $19 per user ($15 billed yearly) with a two-user minimum. Fathom's site mentions an iPhone app but no Android app.

You already pay for Google, Zoom or Microsoft: use the built-in notes

The advantage: no extra vendor or bot, and the data stays with a company you already trust with your meetings. The limit: each works only inside its own platform.

Your meetings happen in a room: an on-device phone app

For meetings around a table, a phone in the middle does the job without any bot. On Android, Google Recorder transcribes on the phone on Pixels. Samsung Voice Recorder with Galaxy AI transcribes on recent Galaxy phones, though Samsung says its Transcript Assist needs a network connection and a Samsung account. VoiceVault works on any phone with Android 13 or newer.

VoiceVault records through your phone's microphone, then writes the transcript, names who said what, and turns it into a summary and a to-do list, all on the phone. There's no account and no VoiceVault server, so we never receive your recordings, and it works in airplane mode. It's free for 30 days, then US$49.99 once, with no minute limits.

The trade-offs: it's Android only, it doesn't join Zoom or Teams calls, and it doesn't record phone calls. Speaker labels apply within one recording; it doesn't recognize the same voice across meetings. For more on keeping meetings off the cloud, read our guide to a private AI note taker.

Every meeting, written up. Right on your phone.

VoiceVault for Android: transcripts, summaries and to-dos with no account, no servers and no subscription. 30 days free, then pay once.

Get it on Google Play

Fireflies alternatives compared

OptionBest forHow it capturesStarting price
FirefliesOnline-meeting teams, salesBot, Chrome extension, mobile app; cloudFree; Pro $10/seat/month billed yearly
OtterOnline and phone recordingBot and mobile app; cloudFree; Pro $8.33/month billed yearly
Read AIMeetings plus email and chat summariesBot and mobile app; cloudFree; Pro $15/month billed yearly
FathomGenerous free plan, fewer botsBot or bot-free (beta, Mac); cloudFree; Premium $16/month billed yearly
Meet, Zoom, Teams built-inTeams already on that platformInside the meeting platformDepends on your plan or license
VoiceVaultIn-person, confidential meetings on AndroidPhone microphone; on the phone30 days free, then US$49.99 once

When Fireflies is still the best choice

Fireflies does a lot that phone apps and built-in notes don't. Stay with it if:

Many people end up with two tools: a cloud note taker for online calls and an on-device app for the meetings in the room. If that's you, see how to transcribe an in-person meeting on Android.

Questions

Is there a free Fireflies alternative?

Several have free plans. Fathom's free plan lists unlimited recordings and transcriptions. Otter's free Basic plan includes 300 minutes a month with a 30-minute limit per conversation. Google Meet, Zoom and Teams have built-in AI notes, but on Meet and Teams they depend on your Workspace or Microsoft licenses. Fireflies itself also has a free plan, with 400 minutes of storage per team.

Can I use an AI note taker without a bot joining the meeting?

Yes. Fireflies has a Chrome extension that captures Google Meet without its bot, and Fathom offers bot-free capture (in beta, on Mac). The notes built into Meet, Zoom and Teams don't add an extra participant either. For meetings in a room, a phone app that records through its microphone needs no bot at all.

Does Fireflies work for in-person meetings?

Yes. Fireflies says its mobile app can record and transcribe in-person meetings, interviews and voice notes. The recordings are processed and stored in Fireflies' cloud, like its online-meeting notes.

Can VoiceVault join my Zoom or Teams calls like Fireflies?

No. VoiceVault records what your phone's microphone hears, so it suits meetings in the room and calls on speaker. It doesn't join online meetings and doesn't record phone calls. If most of your meetings are online, Fireflies or one of the built-in options fits better.

Do I need consent to use an AI note taker?

Often, yes. Rules vary by state and country, and some US states require everyone's consent. Fireflies' bot is visible in the call; a phone on the table is less obvious, so tell people you're recording. See our guide to US recording consent laws.

Sources

Prices and features were checked on 3 November 2026 and change often; check each provider before you buy.

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