Bluedot delivers highly accurate transcription through a discreet Chrome extension that requires no meeting bot, making it ideal for situations where bot presence would be awkward. The tool excels at real-time transcription across major platforms and offers automated syncing to popular business applications. However, the free tier is extremely limited at just 5 lifetime meetings, and higher-tier pricing can be steep for smaller teams.

Fathom provides a more generous free plan with unlimited meeting recordings and offers quick, accurate transcriptions with intuitive AI summaries. The platform's simple interface and multiple summary formats make it accessible for users who want to focus on conversations rather than note-taking. The main limitations include restriction to live meetings only (no external audio upload) and some advanced features being locked behind paid tiers.

Bluedot suits user researchers, sales representatives, and teams requiring precise transcripts with seamless workflow integration, particularly in environments where bot-free recording is essential. Fathom appeals more to budget-conscious users and teams who primarily need straightforward meeting summaries and action items from their online meetings. Both tools target professionals who want to be more present during meetings while ensuring important information is captured.

While both platforms offer integrations with popular business tools, neither provides deep workflow automation that truly transforms meeting outcomes into actionable business processes. Users often find themselves manually processing the generated summaries and action items rather than having meetings automatically drive meaningful organizational workflows.

Comparison table

What users say about Bluedot and Fathom

Bluedot receives highly positive user reviews, with users praising its discrete transcription capabilities and ease of use. According to G2 reviews, users love that Bluedot allows them to transcribe meetings they don't own discreetly, with the platform being simple to use and delivering transcriptions immediately after meetings. Users also highlight that Bluedot makes it incredibly easy to keep track of meetings, notes, and action items, with AI-generated summaries that are accurate, well-structured, and time-saving.

Fathom users report positive experiences with the platform's core functionality, particularly its transcription accuracy and user-friendly interface. A comprehensive 3-month user review notes that Fathom's transcription feature is accurate and easy to use, helping users save time during online meetings so they can focus on what matters most. The platform appears to excel at providing reliable meeting recording and transcription services that enhance productivity during virtual meetings.

Users switch away from Bluedot primarily due to its restrictive free tier and steep pricing structure. The free version offers only 5 meetings lifetime, which essentially serves as a trial rather than a functional free tier. This limitation becomes particularly problematic when compared to competitors like Fathom, which provides unlimited meetings and AI summaries for 5 meetings per month on their free plan. After the trial period, users must commit to paid plans that can be costly, with the Basic plan starting at $18 per user per month and higher tiers reaching $40 per user per month for Business features.

Platform limitations and device compatibility issues drive users to seek alternatives to Bluedot. Bluedot's best experience requires Chrome on desktop, which creates barriers for organizations that don't use Chrome or need mobile support. The lack of a mature mobile app means users cannot access the service on their phones or tablets, limiting flexibility for remote work or on-the-go meeting participation. This desktop-centric approach becomes a significant drawback for teams that require cross-platform accessibility and mobile functionality.

Feature restrictions across pricing tiers also contribute to user churn. Advanced capabilities like longer video recordings, custom templates, and comprehensive CRM integrations are locked behind higher-tier plans, forcing users to upgrade for functionality they may consider essential. Small teams often find it difficult to justify the relatively steep pricing purely for note-taking features, especially when the Pro and Business plans require substantial financial commitments. These limitations can make Bluedot feel restrictive compared to competitors that offer more features at lower price points or include advanced capabilities in their standard offerings.

Users typically switch away from Fathom due to significant limitations with platform compatibility and recording flexibility. Unlike competitors that support a broader range of meeting scenarios, Fathom is restricted to scheduled online meetings on specific platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams. This means users cannot import external audio files for transcription or use the tool for in-person meetings, forcing them to seek alternatives to Fathom when they need more versatile recording capabilities across different meeting contexts.

The absence of mobile app support creates another major friction point for users who need meeting recording functionality on their smartphones or tablets. While Fathom requires a desktop application to function properly, many users find this limitation inconvenient in today's mobile-first work environment. When users need to capture meetings or access their notes on mobile devices, they must turn to competitors that offer comprehensive mobile app experiences alongside their desktop solutions.

Advanced feature limitations in Fathom's free and lower-tier plans also drive users toward alternatives. While Fathom offers a generous free plan for basic functionality, important features like meeting templates for structured note sections are only available in the Team edition at $19 per user per month. Users who require more sophisticated AI note-taking capabilities, custom templates, or extensive integrations often find better value propositions with competitors who include these features at lower price points or offer more comprehensive functionality in their mid-tier plans.

Using Bluedot

Does Bluedot work for in-person meetings?

Yes, Bluedot works for in-person meetings. Since it's a bot-free recorder that can capture any meeting on your device, it can record in-person meetings without requiring a bot to join calls.

Does Bluedot require a meeting bot to join the meeting?

No, Bluedot does not require a meeting bot to join the meeting. It works as a Chrome extension that can quietly record and transcribe meetings without any bot presence, which means no awkward bot in meetings and it works even when you're not the host.

What do users say about the quality of Bluedot transcriptions?

Users widely praise Bluedot for its transcription accuracy. Marketing and early users often note it as "the most accurate" AI notetaker they've tried.

How does Bluedot help users follow up on action items?

Bluedot's AI generates follow-up emails from notes and can log action items to participants automatically.

Does Bluedot integrate with software like Hubspot, Salesforce, or Linear?

Yes, Bluedot integrates with CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot, as well as project tools like Notion and Slack, Google Docs, and other popular apps. It offers one-click sync to these systems and can automatically log summaries to other platforms.

Using Fathom

Does Fathom work for in-person meetings?

No. Fathom cannot import external audio and only works for scheduled online meetings on platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams.

What do users say about the quality of Fathom transcriptions?

Users praise Fathom's transcriptions as quick and accurate, with AI-generated summaries appearing just seconds after meetings end.

How does Fathom help users follow up on action items?

Fathom auto-generates summaries and action items, and can push them to CRM deals. It also provides draft follow-up emails after meetings.

Does Fathom integrate with software like Hubspot, Salesforce, or Linear?

Yes, Fathom integrates with CRM systems like HubSpot and Salesforce to sync call notes, and also connects with Slack and Notion via Zapier. However, there is no mention of Linear integration.

Another alternative: Circleback

Circleback provides best-in-class AI-powered meeting notes and automations. We support over 100 languages and automatic participant identification in both in-person and online meetings.

• Automatically-identified and assigned action items

• AI-enabled search across all meetings

• Automations with 100+ app integrations

• Industry-leading security with SOC 2 Type II, EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, and HIPAA compliance

• Ability to capture both online and in-person meetings with desktop and mobile apps