Fireflies.ai offers a comprehensive AI meeting assistant that works across multiple platforms including Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet through a bot participant. The tool excels at generating quick summaries and action items with good transcription accuracy, making it valuable for sales teams, project managers, and anyone needing detailed meeting documentation. However, users report that summaries can sometimes lack nuance, transcription struggles with accents or technical jargon, and the free plan significantly limits advanced features.

Fireflies.ai is best suited for teams using multiple meeting platforms who need robust meeting documentation and knowledge sharing capabilities. The tool's strength lies in its broad platform compatibility and mobile app support for in-person meetings, though users may find the interface cluttered and the existing integrations somewhat basic for complex workflow automation. Organizations looking for a dedicated meeting assistant with good language support will find value here, despite limitations in truly automating follow-up actions.

Zoom AI provides integrated meeting assistance exclusively within Zoom's ecosystem, automatically generating summaries and allowing real-time queries during meetings. The seamless integration means no additional setup for existing Zoom users, and the tool comes at no extra cost with paid Zoom subscriptions. The main drawbacks include platform limitation to Zoom only, relatively immature features compared to dedicated tools, and minimal integration capabilities with external systems like CRMs or project management tools.

Zoom AI works best for organizations already committed to Zoom who want basic meeting documentation without additional software complexity. The tool suits teams prioritizing simplicity and cost-effectiveness over advanced features, particularly those conducting primarily virtual meetings within the Zoom environment. However, users seeking comprehensive meeting workflows or cross-platform functionality will find Zoom AI's capabilities insufficient for their broader productivity needs.

Comparison table

What users say about Fireflies.ai and Zoom AI

Users generally praise Fireflies.ai for its reliability and ease of use, with detailed reviews highlighting its automatic meeting transcription capabilities and over 95% accuracy rate. Many users report being heavily dependent on the tool, with one reviewer noting they use "Fred Fireflies in every meeting" and would be "literally lost without him now." The platform is consistently described as a great tool that makes work easier by recording meetings, taking detailed notes, and providing AI-powered summaries through its chatbot feature.

Zoom AI Companion receives mixed feedback from users, with some appreciating its real-time assistance and engagement features like the Zoom Whiteboard and sentiment analysis during meetings. However, user adoption appears inconsistent, as evidenced by Reddit discussions questioning whether people actually find the AI-generated summaries and transcripts helpful or if they're just sitting unused. The general sentiment suggests that while Zoom AI has useful features, there's uncertainty about its practical value and widespread adoption among users.

One major reason users switch away from Fireflies.ai is the lack of platform flexibility compared to more integrated solutions. While Fireflies works across multiple meeting platforms by sending a bot participant, some users find this approach less seamless than native integrations. For organizations heavily invested in a single ecosystem like Zoom, having AI capabilities built directly into their primary platform eliminates the need for external bots and provides a more streamlined experience within their existing workflow.

Cost considerations also drive users to alternatives, particularly when they're already paying for meeting platforms that include AI features. While Fireflies offers a free tier, users who need advanced features like video recording must upgrade to higher-priced plans at around $10-19 per user per month. For teams already using Zoom's paid plans, the included AI Companion provides meeting summaries and action items at no additional cost, making it a more economical choice than paying separately for Fireflies' premium features.

The quality and customization limitations of Fireflies' AI output prompt some users to seek alternatives. Users have reported that Fireflies tends to generate high-level summaries that occasionally lose the original phrasing or tone, and some desire more concise or nuanced summaries. Additionally, transcription accuracy can suffer with heavy accents or technical jargon, with several users noting issues like misidentified speakers or missed slang. These AI inaccuracies, combined with interface complaints about clutter and excessive email notifications, lead users to explore other solutions that might better match their specific needs for meeting documentation and analysis.

Users often switch away from Zoom AI due to its platform limitations and lack of versatility. The service only works within Zoom meetings, which creates significant constraints for organizations that use multiple video conferencing platforms or need to record in-person meetings. This limitation becomes particularly problematic for teams that conduct meetings across various platforms like Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or Webex, as they would need separate solutions for each platform rather than having one unified meeting assistant.

The integration capabilities of Zoom AI present another major drawback that drives users to seek alternatives. The service offers limited native integrations and lacks direct connectivity with popular productivity tools like HubSpot, Notion, or comprehensive CRM systems. Users find themselves stuck within Zoom's ecosystem with few options for seamlessly transferring meeting insights to their existing workflows. Additionally, the automation engine is quite basic, providing only automated summaries and Q&A functionality without the ability to create external workflow automation or automatically log notes to CRM systems.

Feature limitations and control restrictions also contribute to user migration away from Zoom AI. The service provides limited control over which meetings to record or summarize, and users have reported that the AI's meeting management capabilities are not as full-featured as dedicated tools. The chat integration remains basic, and users occasionally experience difficulties retrieving or sharing AI notes outside of the Zoom environment. These limitations become more apparent when users compare Zoom AI to specialized meeting assistant tools that offer more granular control, better integration options, and more sophisticated automation capabilities.

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" to join virtual meetings on platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Webex to record, transcribe, and summarize discussions.

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

Users report good transcription quality overall, with many highlighting that it accurately captures meeting content, even in other languages like Dutch. However, some users note that transcription accuracy can decrease 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 also auto-log notes to CRM systems for contacts and deals, and create tasks in project management tools like Asana.

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

Yes, Fireflies.ai offers dozens of integrations including native integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, Slack, and others, plus additional integrations through Zapier.

Using Zoom AI

Does Zoom AI work for in-person meetings?

No. Zoom AI only works for virtual Zoom calls and cannot independently capture in-person audio.

Does Zoom AI require a meeting bot to join the meeting?

No. Zoom AI is built into the Zoom platform itself, so it doesn't require a separate bot to join meetings.

What do users say about the quality of Zoom AI transcriptions?

Users find Zoom AI extremely easy to use and appreciate that summaries and highlighted action items are generated almost instantly after meetings. The seamless integration keeps everything in one place within the Zoom app.

How does Zoom AI help users follow up on action items?

Zoom AI automatically generates meeting summaries and next-action items at the end of Zoom calls. It also assists with composing emails, chats, and creating documents related to meetings, making it handy for sharing recaps.

Does Zoom AI integrate with software like Hubspot, Salesforce, or Linear?

No. Zoom AI has limited integrations and stays within Zoom's ecosystem with few native integrations. There is no direct HubSpot or Notion sync available.

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