Bluedot operates as a Chrome extension that records meetings without requiring a bot presence, making it particularly suitable for situations where discretion is important. The tool excels in transcription accuracy and offers seamless integration with popular CRM and project management platforms through one-click syncing. However, its free tier is extremely limited at just 5 meetings total, and the pricing becomes quite steep for higher-tier plans, which may deter smaller teams from adopting it.

Fireflies.ai functions as a cloud-based AI assistant that joins meetings as a bot participant to record and transcribe discussions across major platforms. It provides good transcription quality and delivers AI-generated summaries with action items shortly after meetings conclude. The tool offers a more generous free tier and lower entry-level pricing, though transcription accuracy can suffer with heavy accents or technical jargon, and some users find the summaries too high-level to be truly useful.

Bluedot appears best suited for sales teams, user researchers, and professionals who prioritize transcription accuracy and need discreet recording capabilities without bot interference. Its strength lies in serving users who require precise documentation and have workflows that benefit from direct CRM integration. The tool targets users willing to pay premium prices for accuracy and seamless workflow integration, making it more appropriate for established teams with dedicated budgets.

Fireflies.ai is better positioned for general business users, project managers, and teams looking for an accessible entry point into AI meeting assistance. Its bot-based approach and mobile app availability make it suitable for diverse meeting scenarios and users who prefer cloud-based solutions. While both tools offer integrations, neither provides the depth of automation or actionable insights that would truly transform how users handle post-meeting workflows and task management.

Comparison table

What users say about Bluedot and Fireflies.ai

Users consistently praise Bluedot for its discreet functionality and ease of use, with reviewers highlighting its ability to transcribe meetings that users don't own and its simple operation that delivers transcriptions immediately after meetings. The platform receives strong marks for its excellent AI assistant that users find remarkably responsive and precise in interactions. Additionally, Bluedot stands out for its better native integration options compared to competitors, making it particularly valuable for users whose workflows depend heavily on integrations.

Fireflies.ai receives widespread acclaim from users who consider it one of the best AI note-takers available, with reviewers emphasizing its versatility for both internal and external meetings. The platform has gained significant popularity among professionals who appreciate its comprehensive meeting transcription and note-taking capabilities. Users consistently report that Fireflies provides an ideal solution for their meeting documentation needs, contributing to its reputation as a top choice in the AI meeting assistant space.

Users often switch away from Bluedot due to its extremely restrictive free tier, which offers only 5 meetings lifetime before requiring payment. This limitation essentially treats the free version as just a trial, which can be frustrating for users who want to evaluate the tool more thoroughly or have occasional meeting recording needs. The pricing structure forces users into paid plans quickly, unlike competitors that offer more generous free tiers with monthly allowances.

The platform's dependency on Chrome for the best experience creates significant barriers for users in organizations that don't use Chrome or those who need mobile support. Since Bluedot's mobile and desktop app support are not fully mature yet, users who need flexibility across different devices and browsers often find themselves limited. This technical constraint can be particularly problematic for teams that work across diverse technology environments or need recording capabilities on mobile devices.

Cost concerns drive many users away from Bluedot, especially at the higher tier levels where pricing becomes relatively steep. Small teams often struggle to justify the expense purely for note-taking functionality, particularly when comparing to alternatives to Bluedot that offer similar features at lower price points. The Pro and Business plans, while feature-rich, can represent a significant budget commitment that smaller organizations find difficult to accommodate, leading them to seek more affordable solutions.

Users often switch away from Fireflies.ai due to concerns about transcription accuracy, particularly when dealing with diverse accents or technical terminology. Several users have reported issues with the AI misidentifying speakers during meetings and struggling to capture industry-specific jargon or slang accurately. This becomes especially problematic for teams working in technical fields or organizations with international participants, where precise documentation is crucial for effective follow-up and decision-making.

The quality of AI-generated summaries presents another significant challenge that drives users to seek alternatives. Many users find that Fireflies tends to produce high-level summaries that miss important nuances, losing the original phrasing and tone of discussions. This oversimplification can be particularly frustrating for professionals who need detailed meeting records that capture the context and subtleties of important conversations, making the summaries less useful for referencing specific points or understanding the full scope of discussions.

Feature limitations, especially within the free tier, also contribute to user dissatisfaction and eventual switching. While Fireflies offers a free plan, many advanced features like video recording are restricted to higher-tier subscriptions, forcing users to upgrade or look elsewhere for comprehensive meeting documentation. Additionally, some users find the interface cluttered and report being overwhelmed by excessive email notifications, which can disrupt workflow rather than enhance it, leading them to seek cleaner, more streamlined solutions.

When users seek alternatives to Fireflies.ai, they often look for tools that provide better transcription accuracy, more comprehensive features in free tiers, or cleaner interfaces. The market offers several options that address these specific pain points, making it easier for users to find solutions that better fit their needs and workflows.

Using Bluedot

Does Bluedot work for in-person meetings?

Yes, Bluedot works for in-person meetings. Its bot-free recorder can capture any meeting on your device 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's provided via a Chrome extension with no meeting bot needed, allowing it to quietly record and transcribe meetings without any awkward bot presence.

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 has an automation engine that generates follow-up emails from notes and can log action items to participants. It also offers one-click sync to CRM systems and project tools to automatically update meeting notes to popular apps.

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. It has a wide integration suite that includes Google Drive and other popular business applications.

Using Fireflies.ai

Does Fireflies.ai work for in-person meetings?

Yes, Fireflies.ai works for in-person meetings through its mobile app, which can record in-person meetings and voice notes.

Does Fireflies.ai require a meeting bot to join the meeting?

Yes, Fireflies.ai works by sending a bot participant called "Fred" that joins meetings to record, transcribe, and summarize discussions across platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Webex.

What do users say about the quality of Fireflies.ai transcriptions?

Users report that Fireflies.ai accurately captures meeting content with good transcription quality, even in other languages like Dutch. However, some users note that transcription accuracy can decline with heavy accents or technical jargon, and there are occasional issues with misidentified speakers or missed slang.

How does Fireflies.ai help users follow up on action items?

Fireflies.ai delivers summaries and bullet-point action items within minutes after a call, which professionals find extremely handy for follow-ups. It can auto-log notes to CRM systems for contacts and deals, and can create tasks in tools like Asana, though it doesn't have a custom automation engine.

Does Fireflies.ai integrate with software like Hubspot, Salesforce, or Linear?

Yes, Fireflies.ai offers dozens of integrations including native integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, and Slack, as well as connections through Zapier. These integrations are noted as a bonus for team workflows.

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