Basil AI: On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload. 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 Basil AI when transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device matters most, and Fathom when sales teams using summary templates matters most. Try them side by side on real calls before deciding — needs vary by team.
On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload.
AI meeting assistant with a generous free tier — unlimited recording and transcription plus instant AI summaries.
Basil AI (Basil Private AI Note Taker) is a privacy-first AI transcription and note-taking application that processes all audio locally on Apple devices using Apple's on-device speech and machine-learning frameworks. Because recordings, transcripts, and summaries never leave the device and no cloud servers are involved, Basil is positioned for privacy-conscious professionals handling sensitive conversations, including lawyers conducting client meetings and other client-services practitioners where confidentiality matters. The app records live meetings and can also process uploaded audio and DRM-free video files, then generates transcripts with speaker diarization plus AI summaries and key takeaways. It supports a large set of languages and can work offline, including in airplane mode. Outputs can be exported to formats such as text, PDF, CSV, and JSON, and integrated with Apple's ecosystem (Apple Notes, iCloud Drive, Files). Basil is distributed on the Apple App Store by TONSOR LLC and is available as a universal app across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision, with recent iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS versions required. 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
Basil AI 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 | Basil AI | Fathom |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | 100% on-device transcription with no cloud upload | Unlimited free recording |
| Standout feature | Speaker diarization to separate participants automatically | AI summary templates |
| Team usage | AI-generated summaries, minutes, and key takeaways | Bot-free option (Mac beta) |
| Integrations | Support for recording live meetings and uploading audio/video files | CRM sync |
| Languages & capture | Multi-language support and offline (airplane-mode) operation | Unlimited free recording |
| Best-fit workflow | Export to text, PDF, CSV, and JSON, plus Apple Notes/iCloud/Files | AI summary templates |
Basil AI
Choose Basil AI if you need transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device — strengths include strong privacy posture since data never leaves the device.
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.
Basil AI
Fathom
It depends on your workflow. Basil AI is strong for transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device, while Fathom is strong for solo users and small teams wanting the most generous free recording. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Basil AI 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.
You can — some teams pair them when each covers a different part of the meeting workflow.
More head-to-head comparisons involving Basil AI and Fathom.
Basil AI: On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload. BeAware Conference Captioning: AI real-time captioning and translation app for live in-person and hybrid events, with on-screen overlays and multilingual attendee access. Below, they line up on price, capture method, and how each fits a real meeting stack.
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