The Best AI Notetakers for Zoom
Zoom now builds meeting summaries into every paid plan. The question is no longer whether you can get AI notes on Zoom, but whether the built-in version is enough.
Reviewed by Sarah Chen | Last updated October 2026
The best AI notetaker for Zoom in 2026 is Hedy. It captures Zoom calls without a bot, works the same way on Teams, Meet, and in person, and can run its AI on-device on supported hardware. Zoom's built-in AI (formerly AI Companion) is the easiest choice if every meeting is on Zoom and you already pay for Workplace. Fathom, Otter.ai, and Fireflies.ai are the strongest cloud alternatives.
Zoom retired the "AI Companion" brand in June 2026 and folded its summaries, in-meeting questions, and My Notes into Zoom Workplace, still included with paid plans, while launching a paid agentic tier called ZoomMate at $20 per user per month. That makes the built-in option better than ever for Zoom-only teams. We rank third-party tools above it when they add something Zoom cannot: coverage of your non-Zoom meetings, on-device processing, stronger CRM workflows, or a better free plan.
Hedy
Editor's Pick On-DeviceAI meeting coach with full on-device AI and real-time intelligence
The only meeting assistant among the 28 we tested with a built-in option to run its entire AI pipeline (transcription, summaries, and real-time coaching) on-device on supported hardware, making it the privacy and reliability leader for 2026.
Zoom AI Companion
Built-InZoom's built-in AI (formerly branded AI Companion), now reaching beyond Zoom meetings
No longer Zoom-only, and no longer branded AI Companion: Zoom's built-in AI is a credible agentic assistant, but it stays cloud-bound and lacks the on-device processing and live coaching that set Hedy apart.
Fathom
CloudFree AI meeting assistant with instant summaries
The best free option for individuals who want simple, no-fuss meeting notes, now backed by a transparent paid ladder and a real-time desktop app.
Otter.ai
CloudReal-time transcription and agentic meeting AI for teams
A powerful, increasingly agentic cloud platform for teams who prioritize collaboration and live AI over on-device privacy.
Fireflies.ai
CloudAI meeting assistant with CRM integration and conversation intelligence
Best for sales teams who need deep CRM integration and conversation analytics, now with real-time meeting features layered on top.
Zoom Notetakers Compared
| Tool | How it joins Zoom | Other platforms | Trains on your data? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hedy | System audio, no bot | Teams, Meet, any app, in person | No |
| Zoom built-in AI | Native to Zoom | Teams, Meet and in-person via My Notes | No (per Zoom's terms) |
| Fathom | Bot; bot-free desktop capture in beta | Teams, Meet | Yes by default, opt-out |
| Otter.ai | Bot by default; bot-free desktop app | Teams, Meet, in person | Yes by default |
| Fireflies.ai | Bot by default; bot-free desktop app | Teams, Meet, in person | No |
| Granola | System audio, no bot | Any app, in person | Yes by default, opt-out |
Built-In or Standalone?
Zoom's own AI is the right default for Zoom-only teams. It is included in paid Workplace plans (Pro is $14.16 per user per month billed annually), there is nothing to install, nothing joins the call, and Zoom's terms say it does not use your audio, video, or chat content to train AI. The free Basic plan gets summaries for three hosted meetings a month. If every meeting you care about is a Zoom meeting you host, start there. Our review covers what changed with the rebrand.
A standalone tool earns its place when your meetings are not all on Zoom. Most people's week mixes Zoom with Teams calls from clients, Google Meet from partners, and conversations in a room. A notetaker that captures system audio, such as Hedy or Granola, treats all of them the same and keeps one searchable history. Zoom's My Notes reaches into Teams, Meet, and in-person conversations too, but it is capped at three uses a month on the free plan and unlimited on ZoomMate.
Bots on Zoom need the host's tolerance. Bot-based tools such as Fathom, Otter.ai, and Fireflies.ai work well on Zoom and add strong CRM and sharing features, but a bot appears in the participant list and a host can remove it. All three now offer some bot-free capture as well. Check training defaults before rolling one out to a sales team: Fathom trains on de-identified customer data unless you opt out, Otter trains on it by default with no documented self-serve opt-out, and Fireflies states it does not train on meeting content.