The best Fellow alternatives in 2026
6 tools compared on what they do best, free plans, prices and recording without a bot.
The short answer
Fellow is built around shared agendas and notes for managers. If you want the AI to do more of the work, Acta writes the notes, fills role-specific reports, tracks action items with daily follow-ups and keeps a decision log. Otter suits live transcripts, Fathom free recording, Fireflies search, Granola bot-free notes and MeetGeek every device.
Why people look for a Fellow alternative
Small free allowance
Reviews describe Fellow's free plan as 5 AI notes and 5 recordings per user in total.
Agenda-first
Fellow works best when people fill in agendas; teams that don't end up with thinner notes.
Decisions get lost
Decisions live in individual notes rather than one log across meetings.
Fellow alternatives side by side
| Tool | Best for | Free plan or trial | Paid plans | Without a bot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acta | Teams that want follow-through: role-specific reports, action items tracked to done and a decision log. | 15-day free trial | Pro, per user | Desktop app & Chrome extension |
| Otter | People who want a live transcript to follow and highlight during the call. | 300 min/month, 30-min calls | From about $8.33/user/month | Bot joins the call |
| Fathom | People who want free unlimited recording with short summaries. | Unlimited recording, limited AI | From about $16/month | Bot joins the call |
| Fireflies | Teams that mainly want searchable transcripts and a long list of integrations. | Yes, with AI credits | From $10/user/month | Bot joins the call |
| Granola | People who like writing their own notes and want AI to fill in the rest. | Last 30 days of notes | From $14/user/month | Bot-free only |
| MeetGeek | People who want to record on every device, including phone calls. | Yes, limited | From $9.99/user/month (annual) | Desktop app, extension & mobile |
Other tools' details are from their public pages and reviews as of October 2026 and November 2026; see the sources below. Plans and prices change, so check each vendor's pricing page.
The alternatives, one by one
- 1
Acta
Writes the notes for you, fills reports like 1:1 notes, project status and board minutes, tracks action items with daily follow-ups and keeps a decision log across meetings.
Best for: Teams that want follow-through: role-specific reports, action items tracked to done and a decision log.
Try Acta free for 15 days - 2
Otter
Live transcripts and AI Chat across meetings.
Best for: People who want a live transcript to follow and highlight during the call.
Acta vs Otter - 3
Fathom
Free unlimited recording.
Best for: People who want free unlimited recording with short summaries.
Acta vs Fathom - 4
Fireflies
Searchable transcripts and integrations.
Best for: Teams that mainly want searchable transcripts and a long list of integrations.
Acta vs Fireflies - 5
Granola
Bot-free notes for people who like to type.
Best for: People who like writing their own notes and want AI to fill in the rest.
Acta vs Granola - 6
MeetGeek
Recording on every device, including phone calls.
Best for: People who want to record on every device, including phone calls.
Acta vs MeetGeek
How to choose
- If your team uses Fellow mainly for 1:1s, check that the alternative handles recurring meetings well.
- Look for a tracker if action items slip between meetings.
- Check free allowances against your meeting count.
What is a good Fellow alternative for 1:1 meetings?
Acta fills a one-on-one meeting notes template from the conversation and carries action items from one 1:1 to the next in its tracker.
Is there a free Fellow alternative?
Fathom has a free plan with unlimited recording. Acta is free for 15 days with unlimited recordings and transcriptions.
Can I still use agendas with Acta?
Yes. Our free meeting agenda generator and templates build an agenda, and Acta writes the notes from the meeting itself.
Sources
- https://help.fellow.ai/en/articles/14048971-ways-to-record-your-meetings-in-fellow
- https://meetgeek.ai/blog/fellow-ai-review
- https://www.costbench.com/software/ai-meeting-assistants/fellow-app/
- https://fellow.ai/blog/fellow-mobile-app/
- https://sonix.ai/resources/otter-ai-review-pricing/
- https://pipeline.zoominfo.com/sales/otter-ai-features
- https://sonix.ai/resources/fathom-pricing/
- https://www.usecarly.com/blog/fathom-pricing/
- https://fathom.ai/solutions/teams
- https://www.fathom.ai/solutions/sales
- https://sonix.ai/resources/fireflies-ai-pricing/amp/
- https://www.claap.io/blog/fireflies-pricing
- https://aident.ai/zh-CN/loadout/apps/fireflies_tools
- https://docs.granola.ai/help-center/getting-more-from-your-notes/chatting-with-your-meetings
- https://skillscouter.com/granola-review/
- https://www.usecarly.com/blog/granola-pricing/
- https://costbench.com/software/ai-meeting-assistants/meetgeek/
- https://www.itsconvo.com/pricing/meetgeek
- https://support.meetgeek.ai/en/articles/11487143-product-updates-may-2025
- https://meetgeek.ai/comparison/meetgeek-vs-tactiq