Quick answer: Fathom has one of the most generous free plans of any meeting notetaker, with unlimited recordings, transcripts and instant summaries. Otter records in more places, including phone apps for in-person talks, shows a live transcript during the call and costs less once you pay.
Pick Fathom if…
- Your meetings are on Zoom, Google Meet, Teams or Slack Huddles
- You want a free plan without a monthly minute cap
- You want your meetings in Claude or ChatGPT (built-in integrations, plus an API and MCP, on every plan)
Pick Otter if…
- You record in-person meetings, lectures or interviews on your phone
- You are on Windows and want bot-free recording (Fathom bot-free capture runs on Mac for now)
- You want a lower paid price for one person (Otter Pro is $8.33 a month billed yearly)
Fathom vs Otter at a glance
| Fathom | Otter | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Fathom is an AI notetaker that records, transcribes, and summarizes your meetings so you do not have to take notes. | Otter.ai is an AI meeting notetaker that transcribes conversations and turns them into searchable notes, summaries, and action items. |
| Best for | Solo Consultant, Micro Team (2 to 5), One-Person Agency, Solo Founder / Indie Maker | Solo Consultant, Micro Team (2 to 5), Freelancer, Content Creator |
| AIME Score | 85 | 73 |
| Reviews | Proven (5,000+ reviews) | Proven (500+ reviews) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | Premium: $16 per user a month, billed yearly ($20 monthly) (as of October 2026) | Pro: $8.33 per user a month, billed yearly ($16.99 monthly) (as of October 2026) |
| Platforms | Not listed | iPhone & iPad app, Android app, Chrome extension |
| Works with | Slack, Salesforce, HubSpot, Notion, Asana, ChatGPT, Claude, Zapier | Not listed |
| Standout features |
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Reviews: our public review level, never exact counts. Free plan and prices: from each tool’s own pricing page; plans change, so check there before you buy.
Where they differ
Free plans: The Fathom free plan includes unlimited recordings, transcripts, instant summaries, clips and search. Otter Basic has 300 transcription minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation and your 25 most recent conversations. Fathom keeps advanced summaries, AI action items and its chat assistant for Premium.
Where they record: Fathom captures Zoom, Google Meet, Teams and Slack Huddles, not phone calls or in-person meetings. Otter has phone apps for in-person talks, a desktop app and a Chrome extension.
Without a bot: Both can record without a notetaker joining. Otter does it from its Mac or Windows desktop app. Fathom bot-free capture is in beta and runs on Mac, and Fathom says Windows support is on the way.
Languages: Fathom transcribes and summarizes in seven languages (English, Spanish, Dutch, French, Italian, German and Portuguese). Otter covers English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese.
Paid plans: Otter Pro is $8.33 a month billed yearly ($16.99 monthly). Fathom Premium is $16 billed yearly ($20 monthly), and Fathom offers a 90-day money-back guarantee on paid plans.
AIME Score: Fathom has the higher AIME Score: 85 out of 100, against 73 for Otter. Both are Proven tools (4.0 stars or better from 25 or more verified reviewers). How the AIME Score works
Where they’re the same
Both write transcripts and summaries, let you ask questions across past meetings, join Zoom, Google Meet and Teams, have a free plan and offer a way to record without a bot.
Pricing in plain words
Fathom
Start on Free, which covers recording, transcripts and instant summaries for most solo work. Premium adds richer summaries, action items and the AI assistant. Team and Business are for groups of 2 or more.
- Free: $0 forever
- Premium: $16 per user a month, billed yearly ($20 monthly)
- Team: $15 per user a month, billed yearly ($19 monthly), 2 user minimum
- Business: $25 per user a month, billed yearly ($34 monthly), 2 user minimum
Paid plans come with a free trial and a 90-day money-back guarantee. Enterprise adds SSO, SCIM and custom data retention through sales. Prices from fathom.ai/pricing on October 11, 2026; check there before you buy.
Otter
Start on Basic to try it on real calls. Pro is a good fit for one person with regular meetings. Business adds longer meetings, unlimited imports and admin tools for teams. Enterprise is for large companies.
- Basic: $0 forever
- Pro: $8.33 per user a month, billed yearly ($16.99 monthly)
- Business: $19.99 per user a month, billed yearly ($30 monthly)
- Enterprise: Custom (schedule a demo)
Students and teachers with a .edu email get 20% off Pro. Prices from otter.ai/pricing on October 13, 2026; check there before you buy.
Who should choose which
Choose Fathom
People use Fathom to capture meeting notes, action items, and follow-ups automatically, whether working solo or as part of a team.
Best for: Solo Consultant, Micro Team (2 to 5), One-Person Agency, Solo Founder / Indie Maker
Choose Otter
Otter suits sales teams, educators, media professionals, and recruiters who need meetings and conversations captured automatically.
Best for: Solo Consultant, Micro Team (2 to 5), Freelancer, Content Creator
Questions
What is the difference between Fathom and Otter?
Fathom gives more on its free plan and connects your meetings to Claude and ChatGPT. Otter records in more places, including in person on your phone, and costs less once you pay.
Is Fathom or Otter cheaper?
Otter costs less once you pay: Pro is $8.33 a month billed yearly, against $16 for Fathom Premium. On the free plans, Fathom gives more, with no monthly minute cap.
Do Fathom and Otter have a free plan?
Yes, both have a free plan. Free plans have limits, so check what each one includes in the pricing section above.
Which has the higher AIME Score, Fathom or Otter?
Fathom has the higher AIME Score: 85 out of 100, against 73 for Otter. Both are Proven tools (4.0 stars or better from 25 or more verified reviewers). The AIME Score is our 0 to 100 score for every AI tool; partner links never change it.
Should I pick Fathom or Otter?
Pick Fathom if your meetings are on Zoom, Google Meet, Teams or Slack Huddles. Pick Otter if you record in-person meetings, lectures or interviews on your phone.
More comparisons
Sources
- Fathom: AI Made Easy profile and Spotlight research (checked October 11, 2026)
- Otter: AI Made Easy profile and Spotlight research (checked October 13, 2026)
- AIME Score and review level: How the AIME Score works. We never show exact review counts or other sites’ ratings.