Fathom vs Hedy
Both scored against the same 13 criteria, from the same hands-on testing. Here is where each one actually wins.
Last updated August 2026 · 28 tools ranked
Hedy rates higher overall, 4.7 out of 5 against Fathom's 3.9, across our 13 weighted criteria. Hedy leads on offline capability, privacy & data security, real-time / live capability. Fathom still wins on ease of use, integration ecosystem, knowledge connection.
Fathom
#2 of 28Free AI meeting assistant with instant summaries
- Pricing
- Free tier available; paid from $16/mo
- Platforms
- Web, macOS, Windows
Hedy
#1 of 28AI meeting coach with full on-device AI and real-time intelligence
- Pricing
- Free tier available; paid from $12.99/mo
- Platforms
- macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Web, watch
All 13 Criteria, Side by Side
| Criterion | Weight | Fathom | Hedy | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Privacy & Data Security | High | 3 | 5 | Hedy |
| Transcription Accuracy | High | 5 | 5 | Tie |
| AI Analysis Quality | High | 4 | 5 | Hedy |
| Recording Consent & Compliance | Med | 4 | 5 | Hedy |
| Data Retention & Training Transparency | Med | 4 | 5 | Hedy |
| Real-Time / Live Capability | Med | 3 | 5 | Hedy |
| Recording Method | Med | 4 | 5 | Hedy |
| Ease of Use | Med | 5 | 4 | Fathom |
| Platform Support | Med | 4 | 4 | Tie |
| Offline Capability | Med | 1 | 5 | Hedy |
| Integration Ecosystem | Med | 5 | 4 | Fathom |
| Knowledge Connection | Low | 5 | 4 | Fathom |
| Pricing & Value | Low | 4 | 5 | Hedy |
| Overall (weighted) | 3.9 | 4.7 | Hedy |
Overall is a weighted average, not a mean: high-weight criteria count triple and low-weight criteria count once. See the formula.
Choose Fathom if…
- → Ease of Use matters to you. Fathom scores 5/5 here against 4/5.
- → Integration Ecosystem matters to you. Fathom scores 5/5 here against 4/5.
- → Knowledge Connection matters to you. Fathom scores 5/5 here against 4/5.
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.
Choose Hedy if…
- → Offline Capability matters to you. Hedy scores 5/5 here against 1/5.
- → Privacy & Data Security matters to you. Hedy scores 5/5 here against 3/5.
- → Real-Time / Live Capability matters to you. Hedy scores 5/5 here against 3/5.
The only tool among the 28 we tested that can 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.
Fathom at a glance
Strengths
- +Genuinely generous free tier
- +Very easy to use
- +Clean summaries
- +Bot-free capture and real-time summaries
Limitations
- −Cloud processing required
- −Advanced summaries capped at 5 calls/month on free plan
- −No mobile app yet (iOS announced, not shipped)
- −No offline mode
Hedy at a glance
Strengths
- +Entire AI pipeline can run on-device — transcription, summaries, and coaching
- +No meeting bot — silent system-audio capture on any platform
- +Works fully offline
- +Real-time AI coaching, now glanceable on Apple Watch
Limitations
- −Deep two-way CRM syncs still rely on Zapier/API rather than native connectors
- −Full on-device AI needs recent Apple Silicon or comparable hardware