Shadow and Sonnet AI are both AI meeting assistants for recording, transcription, and summaries, compared here on pricing, features, and workflow fit. Shadow: A bot-free, Mac-based AI meeting assistant that transcribes and summarizes calls locally without joining as a participant. Sonnet AI: Bot-free AI meeting assistant that records device audio, transcribes, and generates structured notes and action items across major conferencing apps. 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 Shadow when capturing notes and summaries across multiple conferencing platforms without a bot joining matters most, and Sonnet AI when sales reps capturing call notes and follow-ups without a bot in the room matters most. Both record across Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams; trial each on real meetings before committing.
A bot-free, Mac-based AI meeting assistant that transcribes and summarizes calls locally without joining as a participant.
Bot-free capture that records system audio without joining the meeting as a participantCaptures on-screen content in addition to spoken audioCustomizable prompts/Skills to generate notes, summaries, and emails
Bot-free AI meeting assistant that records device audio, transcribes, and generates structured notes and action items across major conferencing apps.
Action item extraction with assignees and deadlinesAutomatic transcription with AI-generated structured notesBot-free recording that captures device audio without joining the call as a participant
Shadow is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Sonnet AI 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
Bot-free recording that captures device audio without joining the call as a participant
Standout feature
On-device (local) transcription on macOS
Automatic transcription with AI-generated structured notes
Team usage
Speaker identification during transcription
Action item extraction with assignees and deadlines
Integrations
Captures on-screen content in addition to spoken audio
Template gallery for sales, recruiting, legal, medical and other meeting types
Languages & capture
Customizable prompts/Skills to generate notes, summaries, and emails
Searchable database of past conversations
Best-fit workflow
Webhook integration to connect outputs to other tools
Works across Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack and Discord
Best for
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.
Sonnet AI
Choose Sonnet AI if you need sales reps capturing call notes and follow-ups without a bot in the room — strengths include no visible bot joins the meeting, which can feel less intrusive to participants.
Pros & cons
Shadow
+ Does not add a visible bot to meetings
+ Local transcription keeps core audio processing on the device
- Available for macOS only
Sonnet AI
+ No visible bot joins the meeting, which can feel less intrusive to participants
+ Works across many platforms without separate integrations
- Device-audio capture depends on the user's own machine being present and active
FAQ
Is Shadow or Sonnet AI better for AI meeting notes?
It depends on your workflow. Shadow is strong for capturing notes and summaries across multiple conferencing platforms without a bot joining, while Sonnet AI is strong for sales reps capturing call notes and follow-ups without a bot in the room. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
How do Shadow and Sonnet AI compare on price?
Shadow is a free tier with paid upgrades and Sonnet AI 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 Shadow and Sonnet AI?
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary and the budget is justified.