Fathom receives generally positive user feedback, with reviewers highlighting its quick and accurate transcription capabilities that achieve between 85% and 90% accuracy rates. Users appreciate that the platform integrates seamlessly with their existing applications and operates quietly in the background during meetings. The service is praised for delivering clear meeting summaries and action points immediately after calls, with features like hypertext links to video recordings being noted as particularly valuable.

Read.ai faces more mixed reviews, with users raising significant concerns about the platform's behavior and security practices. Multiple reviewers report that Read.ai continues to join calls without proper authorization, even after users have attempted to delete their accounts or revoke permissions. The platform appears to be experiencing user retention issues, with various sources noting that many people are leaving the service due to these ongoing technical and privacy concerns.

For additional insights, readers can explore these detailed reviews and comparisons: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Fathom excels with its generous free plan and intuitive interface, making it particularly appealing for individual users and small teams who want straightforward meeting transcription and summaries. The tool provides accurate transcriptions in 25+ languages and generates AI summaries within seconds of meeting completion. However, advanced features like meeting templates are locked behind paid tiers, and the platform lacks mobile app support and external audio file upload capabilities, though its basic integrations help with CRM workflows.

Read.ai positions itself as a comprehensive meeting "copilot" that goes beyond transcription to provide engagement analytics, sentiment analysis, and speaker balance metrics. The platform offers robust integrations across multiple productivity tools and includes features like real-time translation and cross-meeting AI search functionality. The interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming for users seeking simplicity, while the limited free tier (5 meetings monthly) and higher pricing may deter smaller teams, despite having more extensive integration options than Fathom.

Fathom works best for sales professionals, small business owners, and individual contributors who prioritize ease of use and cost-effectiveness over advanced analytics. The tool suits users who primarily conduct virtual meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams and need reliable basic functionality without complexity. Read.ai targets larger teams and organizations that want detailed meeting insights, analytics-driven improvements to meeting culture, and comprehensive integration with existing business tools.

Both tools, while offering solid transcription and summary capabilities, fall short in providing deep workflow automation that truly helps users act on meeting outcomes. Their integration ecosystems, though present, lack the sophistication needed to seamlessly connect meeting insights with broader business processes and task management systems. Users often find themselves manually transferring information and action items rather than benefiting from truly automated follow-up workflows.

Why users switch away from Fathom or Read.ai

Users switch away from Fathom due to platform limitations and meeting format restrictions. Fathom only works with scheduled online meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams, and cannot import external audio files for transcription. This means users cannot transcribe in-person meetings, pre-recorded audio, or meetings from other platforms. The lack of a mobile app further restricts functionality, as users must rely on desktop applications to capture meetings.

Feature limitations present another reason for switching, particularly regarding advanced capabilities that are restricted to paid tiers. Meeting templates with structured note sections are only available in the Team edition, not in the free or individual plans. Additionally, Fathom's automation and integration capabilities are more limited compared to some alternatives, with CRM integrations available but fewer workflow automation options for users who need more sophisticated meeting management systems.

The visual interface during meetings can cause users to seek alternatives due to distracting elements. Some users find the on-screen widgets, live transcript displays, and pop-ups disruptive during calls. While these elements can often be hidden, users who prioritize a clean meeting interface without any overlay elements may choose platforms that offer less intrusive recording methods or better customization options for the meeting experience.

Users switch away from Read.ai due to its restrictive free tier, which only allows 5 meeting transcripts per month with basic summaries and analytics. This limitation is frequently cited as too restrictive compared to competitors who offer more generous free plans.

The platform's complex interface and steep learning curve create usability challenges for users. With numerous features including notes, analytics, and search functions, some users find the UI cluttered and confusing, leading to longer adoption times and reduced efficiency gains.

Privacy concerns and pricing barriers also drive users to alternative solutions. Some users raise concerns about joining others' meetings without explicit consent, while the higher-tier pricing for full functionality (Pro at $19.75/month and Enterprise at $29.75/month annually) can deter small teams and individual users seeking more affordable options.

FAQs

Would Fathom work for in-person meetings? What about Read.ai?

Fathom would not work for in-person meetings - it only works for scheduled online meetings on platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams, and cannot import external audio files. Read.ai would work for in-person meetings through its iOS app, which can capture in-person/offline meetings with one tap.

What do users say about the quality of transcriptions?

For Fathom, users praise the transcriptions as quick and accurate. For Read.ai, users consider the summaries "smart" and appreciate that it captures questions asked and topics discussed effectively.

Do these tools help a user follow up with action items from the meeting? How so?

Yes, both tools help with follow-up. Fathom automatically generates action items and can even create draft follow-up emails after meetings. It also has an automation engine that pushes action items to CRM deals. Read.ai generates reports with action items after meetings and can automatically sync meeting summaries to platforms like Slack.

Do these tools integrate with software like Hubspot, Salesforce, or Linear?

Yes, both integrate with major business software. Fathom integrates with CRM systems like HubSpot and Salesforce to sync call notes, plus Slack and Notion. Read.ai has robust integrations including HubSpot, Salesforce, Confluence, Jira, Notion, and Slack.

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