Sembly AI and Shadow are both AI meeting assistants for recording, transcription, and summaries, compared here on pricing, features, and workflow fit. Sembly AI: AI meeting assistant that transcribes in 40+ languages, generates notes and action items, and automates workflows across Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, and Webex. Shadow: A bot-free, Mac-based AI meeting assistant that transcribes and summarizes calls locally without joining as a participant. 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 Sembly AI when team ai notes with task automation matters most, and Shadow when capturing notes and summaries across multiple conferencing platforms without a bot joining matters most. Both record across Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams; trial each on real meetings before committing.
AI meeting assistant that transcribes in 40+ languages, generates notes and action items, and automates workflows across Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, and Webex.
40+ language transcriptionAutomated action itemsSemblian AI chat
Sembly AI is from $10/mo (paid); Shadow is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
Bot-free capture that records system audio without joining the meeting as a participant
Standout feature
Automated action items
On-device (local) transcription on macOS
Team usage
Semblian AI chat
Speaker identification during transcription
Integrations
Workflow automations
Captures on-screen content in addition to spoken audio
Languages & capture
40+ language transcription
Customizable prompts/Skills to generate notes, summaries, and emails
Best-fit workflow
Automated action items
Webhook integration to connect outputs to other tools
Best for
Sembly AI
Choose Sembly AI if you need team ai notes with task automation — strengths include transcription and ai notes in 40+ languages.
Shadow
Choose Shadow if you need capturing notes and summaries across multiple conferencing platforms without a bot joining — strengths include does not add a visible bot to meetings.
Pros & cons
Sembly AI
+ Transcription and AI notes in 40+ languages
+ Automated task and action-item detection
- No permanent free plan — only a time-limited Basic trial (since March 2026)
Shadow
+ Does not add a visible bot to meetings
+ Local transcription keeps core audio processing on the device
- Available for macOS only
FAQ
Is Sembly AI or Shadow better for AI meeting notes?
It depends on your workflow. Sembly AI is strong for team ai notes with task automation, while Shadow is strong for capturing notes and summaries across multiple conferencing platforms without a bot joining. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
How do Sembly AI and Shadow compare on price?
Sembly AI is from $10/mo and Shadow 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 Sembly AI and Shadow?
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary and the budget is justified.