Fathom vs Otter: which one fits you?
Fathom is known for its free plan with unlimited recording; Otter for its live transcript. Both record Zoom, Google Meet and Teams and let you ask questions about past calls.
Fathom vs Otter in short
Pick Fathom if you record many calls and want them free, with summaries synced to HubSpot or Salesforce. Pick Otter if you want to follow and highlight the transcript live and like a lower paid price. If you need follow-up across meetings, neither tracks action items to done or keeps a decision log.
Fathom vs Otter, side by side
With Acta as a third option, for teams that need follow-up after the meeting.
| Feature | Fathom | Otter | Acta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chat across meetings | Ask Fathom | Otter AI Chat | OneChat |
| Ask about files together with meetings | |||
| Action items with owners | With assignees | ||
| Action item tracker across meetings | |||
| Daily follow-up email of what's overdue | |||
| Decision log across meetings | |||
| Templates for different meetings | 14+ summary templates | 42 templates | |
| Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams | |||
| Free plan or trial | Unlimited recording, limited AI | 300 min/month, 30-min calls | 15-day free trial |
| Paid plans | From about $16/month | From about $8.33/user/month | Pro, per user |
Based on public pages and reviews as of October 2026; see the sources below. A dash means we didn't find it listed. Prices and plans change, so check each vendor's pricing page.
Pick Fathom if you want
- Unlimited recording and transcription on the free plan
- 14+ summary templates
- Summaries and action items synced to HubSpot and Salesforce
Best for: People who want free unlimited recording with short summaries.
Acta vs FathomPick Otter if you want
- Live transcripts you can highlight during the call
- AI Chat during and after meetings
- Pro from about $8.33 per user per month
Best for: People who want a live transcript to follow and highlight during the call.
Acta vs OtterNeed follow-up, not just notes? Try Acta.
Acta records Zoom, Google Meet and Teams with or without a bot, fills 42 templates from the conversation, tracks every action item to done with a daily follow-up email, keeps a decision log across meetings, and answers across your meetings and files with OneChat.
Fathom vs Otter: questions
Is Fathom better than Otter?
Fathom gives more free recording; Otter gives a live transcript and a lower paid price. Choose by whether free volume or live transcription matters more to you.
Is Fathom really free?
Fathom's free plan records and transcribes unlimited meetings with limits on AI features. Reviews in October 2026 put paid plans from about $16 a month.
What are the limits of Otter's free plan?
300 transcription minutes a month and 30 minutes per conversation, according to reviews in October 2026.
Is there an option that records with or without a bot?
Yes. Acta records Zoom, Google Meet and Teams with a notetaker from your calendar, or without a bot from the desktop app or Chrome extension, and tracks action items and decisions across meetings. It's free for 15 days.