Krisp vs Read.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 Krisp and Read.ai

Krisp is an audio enhancement tool that filters out background noise and echo from both microphone and speaker audio in real-time across communication platforms. It expanded functionality to include meeting recording, transcription and AI-generated summaries with key points and action items. The software works as an audio layer that integrates with virtually all communication apps, making it suitable for remote workers, call centers, and anyone needing clearer calls or meeting documentation.

The application offers tiered pricing with a free version providing 60 minutes of noise cancellation and 2 meeting summaries daily. Paid plans start at $8/month for unlimited noise cancellation and meeting features, with business plans ($15/user/month) adding administrative controls and SSO. Krisp runs on Windows and Mac desktops, supports 90+ languages, and integrates with calendars and HubSpot CRM, though it lacks a mobile app and can sometimes cause high CPU usage or occasional audio distortion.

Read.ai is a meeting intelligence platform that transcribes and analyzes meetings in real-time. It provides transcription, summaries with key points and action items, plus metrics on speaker engagement, sentiment analysis, and participation balance. The tool integrates with major meeting platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Meet, while offering cross-meeting search capabilities and the ability to summarize Slack threads or emails.

The platform supports over 20 languages and provides various integration options including HubSpot, Salesforce, Confluence, and Notion. Read.ai offers tiered pricing with a free plan limited to 5 meetings monthly, while paid plans ($19.75-40/user/month) unlock unlimited meetings and advanced features. It works for both virtual meetings via browser extensions and in-person meetings through an iOS app, though it lacks a dedicated desktop application.

Comparing Krisp and Read.ai

Krisp

• Krisp functions as both a noise cancellation tool and meeting assistant, removing background noise from audio in real-time while providing transcription and AI summaries. The free tier offers limited usage with 60 minutes daily of noise cancellation and two meeting summaries, while paid plans unlock unlimited features but can strain CPU resources. Krisp's limited integrations beyond basic calendar and HubSpot connectivity hinder workflow automation, restricting its ability to help users effectively manage meeting outcomes.

Read.ai

• Read.ai transcribes meetings while analyzing engagement metrics and sentiment, providing real-time transcription and post-meeting reports with key points and speaker metrics. The service features more robust integrations with platforms like Salesforce and Confluence but lacks comprehensive workflow automation capabilities, falling short on helping users take meaningful action based on meeting content. Read.ai's free tier restricts users to just five meetings monthly, with significant price jumps for premium features that some teams find prohibitively expensive.

Krisp makes more sense for individual users who prioritize audio quality in noisy environments or need basic meeting transcription at a lower price point. The noise cancellation technology works across all communication apps without requiring special integration, making it ideal for remote workers, call center staff, or anyone who takes calls from less-than-ideal acoustic settings.

Read.ai better serves teams that need deeper meeting insights and already use integrated platforms like Zoom, Slack, or various CRMs. Though more expensive, it provides richer data on meeting engagement and more robust documentation options, making it valuable for sales teams, customer success departments, or managers who want to analyze team communication patterns across their organization.

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