The best Zoom AI Companion alternatives in 2026
6 tools compared on what they do best, free plans, prices and recording without a bot.
The short answer
Zoom AI Companion summarises Zoom meetings on paid Zoom plans once an admin turns it on. If you also meet on Google Meet or Teams, or want follow-up across meetings, Acta works in all three and tracks action items and decisions. Otter, Fireflies, Fathom and Read AI also cover several platforms; Granola records without a bot.
Why people look for a Zoom AI Companion alternative
Zoom only
AI Companion covers Zoom meetings. Customer calls on Teams or Google Meet end up elsewhere.
Plan and admin settings
Zoom says meeting summaries are part of paid Zoom Workplace plans, not free Basic accounts, and admins can turn them on or off.
A recap, not a history
Each summary stands alone; action items and decisions don't carry over between meetings.
Zoom AI Companion 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 |
| 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 |
| Fathom | People who want free unlimited recording with short summaries. | Unlimited recording, limited AI | From about $16/month | Bot joins the call |
| Read AI | People who want meeting reports plus search across email and messages. | 5 meetings/month | From about $15/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 |
Other tools' details are from their public pages and reviews as of October 2026; see the sources below. Plans and prices change, so check each vendor's pricing page.
The alternatives, one by one
- 1
Acta
Zoom, Google Meet and Teams in one place, with or without a bot. Action items are tracked to done, decisions are logged across meetings and OneChat answers across all of them.
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 across Zoom, Meet and Teams.
Best for: People who want a live transcript to follow and highlight during the call.
Acta vs Otter - 3
Fireflies
Transcript search and many integrations across platforms.
Best for: Teams that mainly want searchable transcripts and a long list of integrations.
Acta vs Fireflies - 4
Fathom
Free unlimited recording on several platforms.
Best for: People who want free unlimited recording with short summaries.
Acta vs Fathom - 5
Read AI
Meeting reports plus search across email and messages.
Best for: People who want meeting reports plus search across email and messages.
Acta vs Read AI - 6
Granola
Bot-free notes on your own computer.
Best for: People who like writing their own notes and want AI to fill in the rest.
Acta vs Granola
How to choose
- If every meeting is on Zoom and a recap is enough, AI Companion may do.
- If you meet on more than one platform, pick a tool that covers all of them.
- Check whether your admin allows third-party notetakers.
Is Zoom AI Companion free?
Zoom says AI Companion meeting summaries are included in paid Zoom Workplace plans; free Basic users don't get them. Check Zoom's plans for your account.
What's an alternative to Zoom AI Companion for Teams and Google Meet?
Acta records Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams in one place, with or without a bot.
Can I use Acta and Zoom AI Companion together?
Yes. Acta records separately, so you can keep AI Companion on and use Acta for follow-up across all your meeting apps.
Sources
- https://www.zoom.com/en/products/ai-assistant/features/ai-note-taking/
- https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0057749
- https://www.zoom.com/en/compare/zoom-vs-other-ai-tools/
- https://www.uctoday.com/unified-communications/zoom-ai-companion-microsoft-teams-google-meet/
- https://www.zoom.com/de/compare/zoom-vs-other-ai-tools
- https://www.laxis.com/blog/zoom-ai-companion/
- https://sonix.ai/resources/otter-ai-review-pricing/
- https://pipeline.zoominfo.com/sales/otter-ai-features
- 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://sonix.ai/resources/fathom-pricing/
- https://www.usecarly.com/blog/fathom-pricing/
- https://fathom.ai/solutions/teams
- https://www.fathom.ai/solutions/sales
- https://meetgeek.ai/blog/read-ai-pricing
- https://ecosystem.hubspot.com/marketplace/apps/read-ai-meeting-notes
- https://costbench.com/software/ai-meeting-assistants/read-ai
- 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/