"Free" AI note takers usually hide a catch — a minute cap, an AI-summary limit, or recordings that expire. Below are three tools with genuinely usable free tiers, with the exact limits that matter called out (verified June 2026). Always re-check current limits on each vendor's site, since free plans change often.
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Best free overall
Fathom's free plan gives unlimited recording and transcription plus instant AI summaries — the most generous free tier among mainstream note takers. Free has limited action items; paid adds 15+ summary templates and CRM sync.
Best free for teams + CRM
Unlimited transcription and AI summaries on free with 100+ languages and CRM integrations — but free storage is capped at 400 minutes per team, and conversation intelligence needs the Business tier.
Best free for video clips + EU
Free unlimited recording with shareable video clips and EU-friendly hosting — but recordings are kept only 3 months and free AI notes are capped at 10 for the account's lifetime. Native CRM is Business-only.
Fathom offers unlimited free recording, whereas most others cap minutes or the number of AI summaries on their free plans.
Review each tool's data-use terms — some free tiers handle data differently from paid plans. Bot-free tools like Granola and Krisp are worth considering if privacy is a priority.
Possibly, depending on the tool's caps. Check the current free-tier limits on the vendor's pricing page before relying on it for an important call.