Shadow and Tactiq 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. Tactiq: Live transcription and AI-summary tool that works as a browser extension for Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. 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 Tactiq when no-bot live transcription in the browser 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
Shadow is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Tactiq 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
Real-time browser-based transcription
Standout feature
On-device (local) transcription on macOS
AI summaries and action items
Team usage
Speaker identification during transcription
Custom AI prompts over transcripts
Integrations
Captures on-screen content in addition to spoken audio
Works with Meet, Zoom, and Teams
Languages & capture
Customizable prompts/Skills to generate notes, summaries, and emails
Export and sharing options
Best-fit workflow
Webhook integration to connect outputs to other tools
Real-time browser-based transcription
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.
Tactiq
Choose Tactiq if you need no-bot live transcription in the browser — strengths include lightweight browser extension, no meeting bot.
Pros & cons
Shadow
+ Does not add a visible bot to meetings
+ Local transcription keeps core audio processing on the device
- Available for macOS only
Tactiq
+ Lightweight browser extension, no meeting bot
+ Live transcripts as the meeting happens
- Browser-extension model depends on your browser session
FAQ
Is Shadow or Tactiq 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 Tactiq is strong for no-bot live transcription in the browser. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
How do Shadow and Tactiq compare on price?
Shadow is a free tier with paid upgrades and Tactiq 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 Tactiq?
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary and the budget is justified.