Shadow and Summary 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. Summary AI: Mobile-first AI note taker that records and transcribes meetings on-device and offers an AI agent that joins online calls to summarize them. 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 Summary AI when recording and summarizing in-person meetings or interviews from a phone 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
Mobile-first AI note taker that records and transcribes meetings on-device and offers an AI agent that joins online calls to summarize them.
AI bullet-point summaries with decisions, action items, and deadlinesAI Meeting Assistant agent that joins Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams callsChat-with-your-meeting Q&A and keyword jump-to-moment search
Shadow is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Summary 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
One-tap recording with transcripts and speaker labels
Standout feature
On-device (local) transcription on macOS
AI bullet-point summaries with decisions, action items, and deadlines
Team usage
Speaker identification during transcription
AI Meeting Assistant agent that joins Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams calls
Integrations
Captures on-screen content in addition to spoken audio
Chat-with-your-meeting Q&A and keyword jump-to-moment search
Languages & capture
Customizable prompts/Skills to generate notes, summaries, and emails
Recording and transcription across many languages with live translation
Best-fit workflow
Webhook integration to connect outputs to other tools
Export to PDF and team sharing
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.
Summary AI
Choose Summary AI if you need recording and summarizing in-person meetings or interviews from a phone — strengths include flexible capture via both on-device recording and an agent that joins online calls.
Pros & cons
Shadow
+ Does not add a visible bot to meetings
+ Local transcription keeps core audio processing on the device
- Available for macOS only
Summary AI
+ Flexible capture via both on-device recording and an agent that joins online calls
+ Mobile-first design suits in-person meetings, interviews, and lectures
- Centered on mobile, with no dedicated Mac or Windows desktop recorder app
FAQ
Is Shadow or Summary 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 Summary AI is strong for recording and summarizing in-person meetings or interviews from a phone. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
How do Shadow and Summary AI compare on price?
Shadow is a free tier with paid upgrades and Summary 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 Summary AI?
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary and the budget is justified.