Fathom vs Zoom AI for meeting automation

Here's what you should look for in an AI meeting automation tool:

• Transcripts that create a word-for-word record of the meeting. For example, a one-hour product development meeting generates a searchable document containing every feature discussion, technical requirement, and team decision.

• Action items are pulled directly from the conversation. When someone says "John will update the wireframes by Friday," the AI automatically creates a tracked task with the assignee and deadline.

• Meeting summaries distill hour-long conversations into 2-3 paragraphs. A 45-minute sprint planning meeting becomes a concise overview of sprint goals, resource allocation, and key decisions.

• Topic segmentation breaks discussions into labeled sections. A client call covering multiple projects is automatically divided into sections like "Website Redesign," "Q1 Marketing Campaign," and "Budget Review."

Other key features

In addition to the quality of these deliverables, we'll want to look at a number of other key factors:

• Ease-of-use: does it have a simple, intuitive setup that works for non-technical users?

• In-person meeting support: can it transcribe audio from live recordings or uploaded files, not just virtual calls?

• Security and privacy: how is customer data handled on the platform?

• Integrations: can it connect with your existing stack, like HubSpot, Notion, or Slack?

• Functionality: does it go beyond transcriptions and actually help you take action?

• Languages: can it transcribe and summarize meetings in different languages?

• Desktop and mobile apps: can you access it on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android for on-the-go meetings?

Understanding Fathom and Zoom AI

Fathom is an AI meeting notetaker that integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. It records and transcribes meetings in real-time across 25+ languages, then produces AI summaries in various formats including bullet lists, action items, and detailed chronological summaries. The system identifies speakers, allows users to tag key moments during calls, and offers post-meeting features like meeting overviews and draft follow-up emails. Users can query meeting content through an AI Q&A feature.

Fathom offers a free plan with unlimited recordings and full AI summaries for 5 meetings monthly. Paid tiers range from $15/month for individuals to $29/user/month for team collaboration with advanced CRM integrations. The service requires a desktop app and doesn't support external audio uploads or mobile access. While it automatically syncs with platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce, some users note that advanced capabilities like meeting templates are restricted to higher-tier plans.

Zoom AI is an integrated feature within the Zoom platform that automatically generates meeting summaries and action items after calls. It allows participants to ask questions during meetings, supports composing emails and documents related to meetings, and works directly within the Zoom interface without requiring additional setup. It's included at no extra cost for paid Zoom subscribers.

The tool only functions within Zoom meetings and isn't available for other platforms or in-person meetings. While it offers transcription in over 30 languages and works across desktop and mobile Zoom clients, it has limited external integrations. Users on free Zoom accounts have restricted access, and some reviewers note that certain features aren't as robust as dedicated meeting assistant tools.

Comparing Fathom and Zoom AI

Fathom

• Fathom works with multiple meeting platforms but lacks a mobile app and in-person recording capabilities. It offers a generous free tier with accurate transcription and AI summaries, though advanced features require paid plans.

• While it integrates with some CRMs and offers workflow automations, Fathom's integration ecosystem remains limited compared to more established tools. Users still need to manually move insights from meetings to their actual workflow systems.

Zoom AI

• Zoom AI provides built-in meeting intelligence exclusively for Zoom calls with no additional setup required. It's included with paid Zoom plans but offers limited functionality outside the Zoom ecosystem.

• Despite convenient in-platform summarization and action items, Zoom AI's lack of external integrations means users must manually transfer insights to other tools. The system falls short in connecting meeting outcomes to broader work processes.

Fathom makes more sense for teams using multiple meeting platforms who need a dedicated note-taking solution. Its free tier allows for experimentation, and paid plans offer more sophisticated summaries and some CRM integrations. However, its desktop-only requirement and limited integration scope make it less practical for mobile workers or those needing deep workflow connections.

Zoom AI fits best for teams already heavily invested in Zoom's ecosystem who want simple meeting intelligence without additional costs or setup. The seamless integration and mobile support make it convenient for existing Zoom users, but the platform lock-in limits its utility for organizations using multiple meeting tools or needing advanced integrations to operationalize meeting outcomes.

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