User reviews indicate that Fathom is praised for its speed and accuracy, with transcription quality reported between 85-90% accuracy and the ability to manually edit transcriptions. Users appreciate its seamless integration with other applications and its ability to work quietly in the background while delivering clear meeting summaries and action points after calls. The platform receives consistently high ratings, with a 5.0 rating from 790 reviews on Capterra and 4.4 from 29 reviews on Trustpilot.

Notion's AI Meeting Notes feature is described as a clever and lightweight solution for recording conversations. However, reviewers note that it is not positioned as a comprehensive meeting assistant tool. The feature is characterized as a simple way to record conversations within the Notion ecosystem rather than a full-featured meeting recording solution.

For more detailed information, readers can explore these sources: 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Notion Meeting Recorder excels at keeping everything in one workspace, automatically generating summaries and action items that seamlessly integrate with existing Notion pages and databases. The tool works well for both virtual and in-person meetings through local audio capture, supporting 16 languages with desktop and mobile apps. However, it requires heavy Notion adoption to be truly effective, comes as a paid add-on ($8-10/month per user), and offers limited third-party integrations beyond basic Zapier connections.

Fathom provides a straightforward meeting transcription service with a generous free tier (5 AI summaries monthly) and accurate real-time transcription in 25+ languages. It integrates directly with major video platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams, offering multiple summary formats and CRM sync capabilities. The tool is limited to online meetings only, lacks a mobile app, and while it connects to some CRMs, its integration ecosystem remains relatively narrow for comprehensive workflow automation.

Notion Meeting Recorder suits teams already invested in the Notion ecosystem who want unified workspace management and don't mind configuring databases and pages for optimal functionality. Fathom appeals to sales teams, consultants, and professionals who primarily conduct online meetings and need quick, accurate transcriptions with basic CRM integration. Both tools, while competent at transcription and summary generation, fall short of providing deep integrations that would truly streamline post-meeting workflows and task execution.

Neither tool offers the comprehensive automation or extensive third-party connectivity needed to transform meeting insights into actionable business outcomes without significant manual intervention. Users often find themselves still needing to manually transfer information, create follow-up tasks in other systems, or build custom workflows to bridge the gap between meeting notes and actual productivity gains. The integration limitations mean both tools function more as documentation aids rather than true workflow accelerators.

Why users switch away from Notion Meeting Recorder or Fathom

Users switch away from Notion Meeting Recorder primarily due to its requirement for full Notion ecosystem adoption. The tool assumes users manage tasks and notes within Notion and requires configuration of Notion pages and databases to achieve optimal functionality. Users who do not already use Notion heavily face a learning curve and may fall into what reviewers describe as a "build your setup" trap, making the experience less plug-and-play compared to standalone meeting recording solutions.

Cost concerns drive users to seek alternatives, as Notion's AI meeting notes require a paid add-on of $10 per member per month (or $8 annually) in addition to existing plan fees. Some users find this additional cost difficult to justify on top of their current Notion subscription, particularly when dedicated meeting recording tools offer more generous free tiers or lower-cost options for similar functionality.

Technical limitations and dependency on device audio capture cause users to switch to more reliable solutions. Unlike dedicated meeting tools that use bots to join calls, Notion relies on the user's device audio setup, creating potential failure points where meetings could be missed if audio capture fails. Additionally, the tool cannot import external audio files for transcription and works only for live meetings, limiting its flexibility compared to competitors that offer broader audio processing capabilities.

Users switch away from Fathom primarily due to platform limitations that restrict meeting recording capabilities. The tool only works with scheduled online meetings through specific platforms (Zoom, Google Meet, Teams) and cannot capture in-person meetings or import external audio files. This limitation prevents teams who conduct face-to-face meetings or use other conferencing platforms from utilizing the service effectively.

The absence of mobile applications creates workflow barriers for users who need flexible recording options. Fathom requires desktop applications and cannot accommodate users who attend meetings via mobile devices or need to record discussions while away from their computers. This desktop-only requirement limits accessibility and convenience compared to solutions that offer cross-platform compatibility.

Feature restrictions based on pricing tiers drive users toward alternatives when they need advanced functionality. While Fathom offers a free plan, key capabilities like meeting templates and structured note sections are only available in paid Team editions. Additionally, the lack of manual recording capabilities means users cannot transcribe pre-recorded audio files or meetings that weren't originally scheduled through supported platforms.

FAQs

Would Notion Meeting Recorder work for in-person meetings? What about Fathom?

Notion Meeting Recorder works well for in-person meetings - it can capture face-to-face discussions using your device's microphone, whether that's your phone, laptop, or computer placed in a conference room. It even has a mobile app to record meetings on the go.

Fathom does not work for in-person meetings. It only works for scheduled online meetings on platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, and cannot import external audio files.

Does either of these tools require a meeting bot to join the meeting?

Notion Meeting Recorder does not require a meeting bot. It records audio locally from your computer, capturing system output and microphone input directly.

Fathom appears to function as a meeting bot that joins your online meetings on supported platforms, though this isn't explicitly stated in the provided information.

What do users say about the quality of transcriptions?

For Notion Meeting Recorder, early users report that the AI does a good job extracting key points from dense conversations and making them accessible and actionable for teams.

For Fathom, users consistently praise the transcriptions as quick and accurate, with AI-generated summaries appearing just seconds after meetings end.

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

Notion Meeting Recorder automatically generates organized summaries with key points and action items as soon as meetings end. These action items can be converted into checkboxes, assigned to owners, or moved into your task database within Notion with minimal manual effort.

Fathom produces various styles of AI summaries including action items, and can even generate draft follow-up emails. It auto-generates summaries and action items, and can push them directly to CRM deals for sales teams.

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

Notion Meeting Recorder focuses on deep integration within the Notion ecosystem rather than external software. While you could potentially route meeting notes to other systems via Notion's API or tools like Zapier, it doesn't directly integrate with third-party CRMs out-of-the-box.

Fathom integrates directly with CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce to sync call notes, and also connects with Slack and Notion via Zapier for broader workflow integration.

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