Alter: macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required. Fathom: AI meeting assistant with a generous free tier — unlimited recording and transcription plus instant AI summaries. The right pick comes down to team size, budget, and the workflows you want to automate.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Alter when freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot matters most, and Fathom when sales teams using summary templates matters most. Trial each on a few real meetings before you commit — the better fit usually shows fast.
macOS-native AI meeting assistant that records and transcribes calls locally with built-in Whisper and Parakeet models, no bots required.
AI meeting assistant with a generous free tier — unlimited recording and transcription plus instant AI summaries.
Alter is a native macOS application that records, transcribes, and analyzes meetings directly on the user's Mac without sending a bot into the call. Instead of joining a meeting as a visible participant, Alter captures audio from the system output and microphone, so it works across Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Skype, Discord, and in-person conversations. Transcription runs through on-device models, with a choice of an optimized Parakeet model for major languages or Whisper for broader language coverage, and speaker identification is performed locally. Because processing happens on the device, recordings and transcripts stay on the Mac and the app can operate without an internet connection. Beyond raw transcripts, Alter generates summaries and action items, lets users chat with their meetings, and connects to tools such as Notion, Slack, Linear, Asana, and Jira. It targets solopreneurs, freelancers, consultants, and other professionals who want private, bot-free meeting capture on macOS. The product is actively developed and operating in 2025 and 2026. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Fathom (fathom.ai) records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings across Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Its free plan is unusually generous: unlimited recording and transcription with instant AI summaries. Paid plans add 15+ summary templates (BANT, Sandler, etc.), AI action items, CRM sync (HubSpot, Salesforce), and a bot-free capture option (beta on Mac).
Best suited for
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Fathom is from $16/mo (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Alter | Fathom |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | On-device transcription using built-in Whisper and Parakeet models | Unlimited free recording |
| Standout feature | Bot-free capture of system audio and microphone across any meeting or call app | AI summary templates |
| Team usage | Automatic speaker identification performed locally | Bot-free option (Mac beta) |
| Integrations | AI summaries, action items, and chat-with-your-meeting Q&A | CRM sync |
| Languages & capture | Integrations with Notion, Slack, Linear, Asana, Jira and other tools | Unlimited free recording |
| Best-fit workflow | Offline operation with recordings and transcripts stored locally | AI summary templates |
Alter
Choose Alter if you need freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot — strengths include local processing keeps recordings and transcripts on the user's own mac.
Fathom
Choose Fathom if you need solo users and small teams wanting the most generous free recording — strengths include unlimited recording and transcription on the free plan.
Alter
Fathom
It depends on your workflow. Alter is strong for freelancers and consultants privately capturing client calls without a visible bot, while Fathom is strong for solo users and small teams wanting the most generous free recording. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Alter is a free tier with paid upgrades and Fathom is from $16/mo. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Sure. Running both makes sense when their strengths don't overlap and the budget allows.
More head-to-head comparisons involving Alter and Fathom.
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