Fathom excels as a meeting-focused AI notetaker with exceptional transcription accuracy and quick AI summaries across multiple formats. Its generous free plan and intuitive interface make it accessible, while features like speaker identification and the "Ask Fathom" Q&A capability add meaningful value. However, key features like meeting templates are locked behind paid tiers, and it lacks mobile app support and external audio upload capabilities.

Otter.ai offers broader flexibility with its ability to handle both live meetings and uploaded audio files, plus native mobile apps for on-the-go recording. The platform provides real-time transcription with highlighting capabilities and works well for various use cases from business meetings to interviews. The main drawbacks include verbose, poorly structured transcripts that can be difficult to parse, accuracy issues with complex audio, and intrusive calendar management behavior.

Fathom appears best suited for sales teams and business professionals who primarily conduct scheduled video meetings and want polished, actionable summaries with minimal setup. Its focus on video conferencing platforms and CRM integration makes it ideal for users who need clean, professional meeting outputs. Otter.ai better serves users who need flexible recording options across different environments, including students, journalists, and professionals who frequently work with varied audio sources and require mobile accessibility.

Both tools offer solid transcription and basic integrations, but neither provides the deep workflow automation or comprehensive third-party connections that would truly transform meeting follow-up processes. Users often find themselves manually transferring insights and action items to their preferred productivity systems. The automation engines, while present, remain relatively surface-level and don't fully bridge the gap between meeting content and meaningful task execution.

Comparison table

What users say about Fathom and Otter.ai

User reviews of Fathom are overwhelmingly positive, with customers praising its accuracy and functionality. According to Capterra reviews, users find that Fathom is quick and accurate and adds tons of value, with features like hyper-text links to videos being described as game changers. A detailed review on The Business Dive notes that Fathom's transcriptions are pretty accurate, achieving between 85% and 90% accuracy, with the added benefit of manual editing capabilities.

Otter.ai receives mixed reviews from users, with particular criticism around multi-speaker scenarios but praise for its transcription quality in ideal conditions. Reddit users in the Product Management community report that it's absolutely horrible at capturing multi-speaker transcripts, which significantly limits its usefulness for meeting minutes. However, Trustpilot reviews highlight that users find the summarized transcription amazingly accurate, and CNET's review describes Otter AI as an easy-to-use recording and transcription service, though with some hard limits on its capabilities.

Users switch away from Fathom primarily due to feature limitations that restrict their workflow flexibility. The platform only supports live meetings through specific platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams, which means users cannot upload external audio files or transcribe pre-recorded content. This limitation becomes particularly problematic for professionals who need to process various types of audio content beyond just scheduled online meetings, forcing them to seek alternatives to Fathom that offer more comprehensive transcription capabilities.

The lack of mobile accessibility represents another significant reason for user departure. Fathom requires a desktop application and has no mobile app available for iOS or Android devices. This desktop-only approach creates substantial inconvenience for users who need to access meeting notes, review transcripts, or manage their content while mobile. In today's increasingly mobile-first work environment, this limitation can be a dealbreaker for professionals who expect to access their tools seamlessly across all devices.

Pricing structure and feature gating also drive users to explore other options. While Fathom offers a generous free plan, advanced capabilities like meeting templates and structured note sections are restricted to paid Team edition plans. Users who require these organizational features must upgrade to higher-tier plans, which can become expensive especially for teams. Additionally, some users find the on-screen widgets and live transcript features distracting during calls, and while these can be hidden, the overall user experience may not align with everyone's preferences for meeting management tools.

Poor transcript structure and organization is a major reason users move away from Otter.ai. Many users find that transcripts are overly verbose and difficult to navigate, making it challenging to quickly locate key takeaways or action items from meetings. This lack of structure forces users to spend additional time manually sorting through lengthy transcripts to find the information they need, which defeats the purpose of using an AI note-taking tool to save time.

Technical limitations and accuracy issues drive users to seek alternatives. Otter.ai struggles with complex audio situations, frequently making mistakes in transcription and speaker identification. Additionally, the platform has limited language support, primarily handling English with only basic support for Spanish and French, which restricts its usefulness for international teams or multilingual organizations. The absence of a desktop app also limits functionality for users who prefer native applications over web-based solutions.

Meeting management problems and subscription constraints create frustration for many users. The Otter.ai assistant can spam calendar invites or join unwanted meetings when not properly configured, causing disruptions and privacy concerns. The free version's restrictions, including a 40-minute cap on Zoom meetings, force users to upgrade sooner than they might prefer, while the monthly minute limits on paid plans can be restrictive for heavy users who need consistent access to transcription services.

Using Fathom

Does Fathom work for in-person meetings?

No. Fathom cannot import external audio and only works for scheduled online meetings (Zoom, Google Meet, Teams).

What do users say about the quality of Fathom transcriptions?

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

How does Fathom help users follow up on action items?

Fathom automatically generates action items after meetings and can even draft follow-up emails. It also has an automation engine that auto-generates summaries and action items, pushing them to CRM deals.

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

Yes. Fathom integrates with CRM systems including HubSpot and Salesforce to sync call notes, plus Slack and Notion via Zapier.

Using Otter.ai

Does Otter.ai work for in-person meetings?

Yes. Otter.ai can transcribe live in-person conversations via its app.

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

Otter.ai integrates with Zoom, Teams, and other platforms via an assistant that can join meetings in real time. However, it can also record audio directly via web or mobile app without requiring a meeting.

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

Users have mixed feedback on transcription quality. While many find it extremely easy to use and appreciate having real-time transcripts, some note that accuracy can suffer with complex audio, with mistakes in transcription or speaker identification. Transcripts can also be overly verbose and lack structure, making it hard to quickly find key takeaways.

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

Otter.ai's "OtterPilot" feature automatically generates summaries, follow-up emails, and CRM updates to help with action item follow-up.

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

Yes. Otter.ai integrates with HubSpot and Notion via OtterPilot, as well as Zoom and Slack. However, the context doesn't mention Salesforce or Linear specifically.

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