Natively and Simon Says are both AI meeting assistants for recording, transcription, and summaries, compared here on pricing, features, and workflow fit. Natively: A free, open-source desktop AI meeting assistant offering real-time transcription, structured notes, and on-call answers with local processing and bring-your-own-key support. Simon Says: AI transcription, captioning, and translation built for professional video and audio workflows. They overlap on ai-meeting-assistants, so the right pick depends on team size, budget, and which meeting workflows you automate.
For ai-meeting-assistants workflows, shortlist Natively when capturing real-time transcripts and structured notes from calls without a visible bot matters most, and Simon Says when transcribing and captioning footage for video editing projects matters most. Both record across Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams; trial each on real meetings before committing.
A free, open-source desktop AI meeting assistant offering real-time transcription, structured notes, and on-call answers with local processing and bring-your-own-key support.
Bring-your-own-key support for Gemini, OpenAI, Claude, and GroqFully local/offline option through Ollama with local data storage by defaultOn-demand AI assist via keyboard shortcut during calls
AI transcription, captioning, and translation built for professional video and audio workflows.
AI transcription with speaker identificationIntegrations with Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and AvidSubtitle and caption generation with visual editing
Natively is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Simon Says is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
Real-time transcription with a low-latency Rust-based audio pipeline
AI transcription with speaker identification
Standout feature
Structured, searchable meeting notes with action items and decisions
Subtitle and caption generation with visual editing
Team usage
On-demand AI assist via keyboard shortcut during calls
Translation across many languages
Integrations
Bring-your-own-key support for Gemini, OpenAI, Claude, and Groq
Integrations with Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Avid
Languages & capture
Fully local/offline option through Ollama with local data storage by default
Support for professional audio and video formats
Best-fit workflow
Works alongside Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams without a visible bot
AI transcription with speaker identification
Best for
Natively
Choose Natively if you need capturing real-time transcripts and structured notes from calls without a visible bot — strengths include free and open source with active development.
Simon Says
Choose Simon Says if you need transcribing and captioning footage for video editing projects — strengths include integrates directly with professional video editing software.
Pros & cons
Natively
+ Free and open source with active development
+ Can run entirely offline and store data locally for privacy
- Cloud models require user-supplied API keys and incur external usage costs
Simon Says
+ Integrates directly with professional video editing software
+ Strong multilingual transcription and translation coverage
- Built for video production rather than meeting note-taking
FAQ
Is Natively or Simon Says better for AI meeting notes?
It depends on your workflow. Natively is strong for capturing real-time transcripts and structured notes from calls without a visible bot, while Simon Says is strong for transcribing and captioning footage for video editing projects. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
How do Natively and Simon Says compare on price?
Natively is a free tier with paid upgrades and Simon Says is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Can I use both Natively and Simon Says?
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary and the budget is justified.