The best free AI meeting note taker is not automatically the product with the largest allowance. A useful AI note taker should let you test live capture, speaker identification, summaries, owned action items, search, and playback together. note1.ai's trial is deliberately limited, but teams can use it to evaluate that complete workflow on real meetings before choosing a paid plan.

How we checked each free AI note taker

We read each vendor's official pricing or free-plan page on August 29, 2026, recording published allowances, retention, exports, capture mode, and platform support. unknown means the source did not document that detail clearly.

Fact-check note (2026-08-29): Plans change. Open the linked pricing page before connecting a calendar or uploading a sensitive recording.

Free AI meeting note takers compared

Tool	Best for	Free access	Monthly minutes or meetings	Meeting-length cap	Retention	Exports	Capture mode	Platform support
note1.ai	Best complete workflow to evaluate before paying	Limited trial	3 meetings and 180 transcription minutes	60 minutes	3 days	Paid plans: transcript, summary, video, and audio downloads	Visible Notetaker or note1.ai for Mac	Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and in-person Mac capture
Fathom	Frequent individual recording	Permanent free plan	Unlimited recordings and transcription	unknown	unknown	Unlimited call downloads and clips	Bot or bot-free beta on Mac	Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams
Fireflies	Several capture methods	Permanent free plan	Unlimited transcription	2 hours	unknown	Transcript and recording downloads require a paid plan	Bot, Chrome extension, desktop, or mobile app	Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and 10+ services
Otter	Short calls and direct recording	Permanent free plan	300 transcription minutes	30 minutes	25 most recent conversations visible; older conversations archived	MP3 and TXT	Bot, web/mobile recording, or file import	Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, web, desktop, iOS, and Android
tl;dv	Recording across three meeting platforms	Permanent free plan	Unlimited recordings and transcriptions	unknown	unknown	unknown	Bot-free capture available	Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams
Krisp	Testing noise cancellation with notes	7-day trial	Unlimited during trial	unknown	unknown	unknown	Bot and bot-free capture	Desktop and mobile; conferencing-service list unknown
Notta	Sampling very short conversations	Permanent free plan	120 transcription minutes	3 minutes per conversation	unknown	unknown	Web-meeting transcription; exact mode unknown	Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, and Slack

1. note1.ai: Best complete workflow to evaluate before paying

note1.ai lets a team evaluate the work that happens during and after a meeting. During a supported call, live transcription shows the conversation as it happens. Speaker identification combines diarization with participant details, names used in the conversation, calendar context, and user confirmation, so a reviewer can check who said what.

After the call, note1.ai keeps the AI summary beside action items with owners and timestamps. Meeting search finds details across the meeting history, while playback lets a reviewer jump back to the relevant transcript or action-item moment. The trial therefore tests whether generated notes support real follow-through after speech becomes text.

Teams can invite the visible Notetaker to supported online meetings. note1.ai for Mac provides local bot-free capture for supported online meetings and can capture in-person conversations through the Mac microphone. Review the current trial and paid options in the pricing section.

2. Fathom

Fathom publishes unlimited recording, transcription, call storage, downloads, and clips on its individual Free plan. Its pricing page does not state a meeting-length cap or retention period.

3. Fireflies

Fireflies includes unlimited transcription and summaries, with 400 minutes of storage per team and a two-hour meeting cap. It supports several capture methods, but transcript and recording downloads require a paid plan.

4. Otter

Otter Basic provides 300 transcription minutes per month with a 30-minute conversation cap. It shows the 25 most recent conversations, archives older ones, and supports MP3 and TXT exports.

5. tl;dv

tl;dv publishes unlimited free recordings and transcriptions for Zoom, Meet, and Teams. Its pricing material does not clearly document free retention, exports, or a meeting-length cap.

6. Krisp

Krisp offers a seven-day trial with transcription, noise cancellation, recording, notes, and action items. The trial page does not publish retention, export, or meeting-length limits.

7. Notta

Notta Free includes 120 transcription minutes per month but caps each conversation at three minutes. Its pricing page does not document free retention or exports.

Best free AI note taker by use case

Teams: note1.ai provides one shared workflow for live transcripts, speaker context, summaries, owned actions, search, and playback.
Google Meet: Use the visible Notetaker or local capture with note1.ai for Mac, then review the meeting in the same workspace.
Microsoft Teams: note1.ai keeps action owners connected to the recorded discussion with either the visible Notetaker or note1.ai for Mac.
Zoom: note1.ai provides searchable notes and timestamped playback after the call.
In-person meetings: note1.ai for Mac captures a conversation through the Mac microphone and stores it with the team's other meeting records.
Permanent free use: Fathom publishes a permanent individual plan with unlimited recording and transcription; its meeting cap and retention period are not documented.

Which limits matter before you connect your calendar

Start with meeting length. A large allowance does not help if capture stops after three or 30 minutes. Separate storage capacity from retention time, then check export rights before building a library you may need to move.

Calendar bots can join scheduled calls automatically, but guest restrictions may block them. A bot-free AI note taker avoids another participant but requires local capture to be running.

Bot-free capture removes the attendee tile but still requires disclosure. Tell participants what is recorded, why, who can access it, and how long it is kept. Obtain the required consent, then test capture internally.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free AI meeting note taker?

note1.ai is the best choice for teams evaluating a complete workflow of live capture, speaker identification, summaries, owned actions, search, and playback. It is a limited trial. Readers who require permanent free individual use may prefer Fathom, whose meeting cap and retention period are undocumented.

Can I try note1.ai before paying?

Yes. The note1.ai trial includes 3 meetings, 180 transcription minutes, meetings up to 60 minutes, and 3-day retention. Test the complete workflow on real meetings, then compare paid options if it fits how your team works.

Can a free AI note taker record without a bot?

Some can. note1.ai for Mac captures supported online meetings locally without adding another attendee, and it can record in-person conversations through the Mac microphone. Always disclose recording even when no Notetaker appears.

Open note1.ai and start your trial to test the full meeting workflow.