Comparison · AI Notetakers

tl;dv vs Otter vs Fathom: Which AI notetaker is right for you?

We tested three popular AI notetakers on real calls. And here's the honest breakdown.

tl;dv
vs
Otter
vs
Fathom
Quick verdictAt a glanceFull comparisonPricingWhich to choose

Quick verdict

tl;dv is the pick if you want free unlimited recording with the most integrations and CRM auto-fill. Otter is the most accurate for live transcription and captions, and it has the cheapest paid plan. Fathom is the best genuinely free recorder, with unlimited recordings that it keeps, clean summaries, and a bot-free option. All three are excellent free notetakers, so the real choice is integrations versus live accuracy versus durable free recording.
tl;dv is best for teams who want a free, unlimited recorder with the most integrations.
Otter is best for people who want the most accurate live notes and captions on any device.
Fathom is best for solo users and small teams who want a durable free recorder with clean summaries.
How we compared them
We ran all three on the same set of real calls, interviews, and a recorded webinar, then scored them on transcription accuracy, free-plan value, integrations, summaries, ease of use, and overall value. Pricing and free-plan limits were checked on each vendor's site in June 2026. We are not affiliated with any of them. Want the wider field first? See our guide to the best AI note takers.

tl;dv vs Otter vs Fathom at a glance

tl;dvOtterFathom
Best forFree unlimited recording + integrationsAccurate live notes & captionsDurable free recording & clean summaries
Standout strength6,000+ integrations + CRM auto-fillReal-time transcription & captionsGenuinely free, bot-free, recordings kept
Starting priceFree; Pro ~$18/user/moFree; Pro ~$8.33/user/moFree; Premium ~$16/user/mo
Free tierUnlimited (auto-delete after 3 mo)300 min/mo, 30 min/recordingUnlimited, recordings kept
Key integrations6,000+ incl. CRM auto-fillZoom, Meet, Teams, SlackZoom, Meet, Teams, Slack, CRM
Ease of useSimple, recording-firstVery simple, minimal setupAuto-joins and summarizes, hands-off
Our rating4.7 / 54.4 / 54.6 / 5

What are tl;dv, Otter, and Fathom?

tl;dv

tl;dv is a meeting recorder built around a generous forever-free plan. It records and transcribes calls in 30+ languages, creates highlight clips, and auto-fills CRMs through thousands of integrations, making it a favorite for teams that want free recording at scale.

Otter

Otter.ai is an AI transcription and notetaking app that records meetings, lectures, and interviews and turns them into searchable, summarized notes in real time. Its AI Chat answers questions about any conversation, and it is best known for accurate live captions on web and mobile.

Fathom

Fathom is an AI meeting assistant built around a generous free plan. It records, transcribes, and summarizes calls fast, with one-click highlights and shareable clips, and offers a bot-free capture option, making it a favorite for solo users and small teams.

Feature-by-feature comparison

Here is how the three stack up on the things that decide most notetaking setups. The winner in each row is shown in purple.
tl;dvOtterFathom
Transcription & accuracySolid, recording-firstExcellent live accuracy and captionsAccurate, fast after the call
Languages & reach30+ languagesMainly EnglishMultiple, English-strong
AI summaries & recallSummaries and clip searchAI Chat across conversationsFast, clean summaries with action items
Capture method (bot vs local)Bot joins the callBot or app joins the meetingBot-free capture option
Highlights & clip-sharingClip reels and shareable highlightsBasic clipsOne-click highlights and clips

Pricing & value for your team

All three offer a free plan and per-seat paid tiers. Otter is the cheapest on paid, while tl;dv and Fathom both give you unlimited free recording, with the difference being that Fathom keeps your free recordings and tl;dv auto-deletes them after three months. Prices change often, so confirm on each vendor's site before you subscribe.
Plantl;dvOtterFathom
FreeUnlimited recordings (auto-delete after 3 mo)300 min/mo, 30 min/recordingUnlimited recording & summaries
Pro / MidPro ~$18/user/mo (annual)~$8.33/user/mo (annual)Premium ~$16/user/mo (annual)
Business / TopBusiness ~$59/user/mo~$20/user/mo (annual)Team ~$15/user/mo (annual)
Value verdictBest free recorder for CRM-driven teamsBest for accurate live captions on a budgetBest durable free recorder for solo & small teams

Pros & cons

tl;dv

Forever-free unlimited recording

6,000+ integrations incl. CRM auto-fill

Clip-sharing and 30+ languages

Free recordings auto-delete after 3 months

Pricier paid tiers; lighter live captions

Otter

Excellent live transcription and captions

Works on web and mobile anywhere

Cheapest paid plan

Free plan capped at 300 minutes

Mainly English; fewer integrations

Fathom

Genuinely free, unlimited, recordings kept

Bot-free capture option

Fast, clean summaries

Fewer integrations than tl;dv

Lighter live captions than Otter

Which should you choose?

Choose tl;dv if…

  • You want free unlimited recording with the most integrations.
  • You need CRM auto-fill and Zapier workflows.
  • You share clips and highlights with your team.

Choose Otter if…

  • You want the most accurate live notes and captions.
  • You need web and mobile access anywhere.
  • You want the cheapest paid plan.

Choose Fathom if…

  • You want a genuinely free recorder that keeps your recordings.
  • You want clean summaries with a bot-free option.
  • You are a solo user or a small team.

Can you use all of them together?

All three have strong free plans, so some people trial more than one, but running multiple recorders on the same calls is rarely worth it. For most people, picking the one that matches your priority, integrations, live accuracy, or durable free recording, beats stacking tools. tl;dv wins for free unlimited recording with the most integrations and CRM auto-fill; Otter is the most accurate for live captions and the cheapest paid; Fathom is the best free recorder that keeps your recordings and adds clean summaries. All three are excellent free options. The real difference is integrations versus live accuracy versus durable free recording.

If none fits, are there are other options available?

Fireflies.ai Conversation intelligence and CRM workflows for sales. See the comparison →
Granola No-bot AI notepad that enhances your own notes. See the comparison →
Notta Multi-language transcription with visual recaps. See the comparison →

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best free AI notetaker: tl;dv, Otter, or Fathom? ⌄
tl;dv and Fathom both offer unlimited free recording, while Otter caps its free plan at 300 minutes a month. The difference is that Fathom keeps your free recordings, whereas tl;dv auto-deletes them after three months. For durable free recording, Fathom; for free recording plus the most integrations, tl;dv.
Is tl;dv really free forever? ⌄
Yes. tl;dv's free plan includes unlimited recordings and transcripts in 30+ languages, but recordings auto-delete after three months, and advanced AI features and some integrations require a paid plan.
Is Otter better than tl;dv and Fathom? ⌄
Otter is better for accurate live transcription and captions and has the cheapest paid plan, but its free plan is the most limited of the three. tl;dv and Fathom have far more generous free plans. For live accuracy, Otter; for free value, tl;dv or Fathom.
Which has the most integrations? ⌄
tl;dv, with 6,000+ integrations including CRM auto-fill through Zapier. Otter and Fathom cover the essentials like Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Slack, with CRM sync on paid plans.
Do they work without a bot joining the call? ⌄
Fathom offers a bot-free capture option, and Otter can record via its mobile app, while tl;dv typically joins meetings with a bot. If you want to avoid a bot, Fathom is the most straightforward of the three.

Related comparisons

Related Blogs

Get the AI tools that actually matter, weekly

Join 50,000+ AI leaders getting the Weekly Briefing. Free. Subscribe to Weekly Briefing →