When is Fireflies still the best choice?
Fireflies works best when you need a tool that integrates with virtually any video platform. The tool supports Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, and even less common platforms. You get automatic transcriptions in multiple languages, and the search function lets you find specific moments in conversations within seconds.
For teams that have many meetings and want to analyze this data, Fireflies offers extensive analytics. You can see who spoke the most, which topics come up, and how much time is spent on different parts of the conversation. The integrations with CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot make it suitable for sales teams who want to incorporate conversation insights directly into their workflow. The free plan gives you 800 minutes of storage per month, which is enough for about 10 to 15 meetings.
When is a Fireflies alternative better?
If you want to save video recordings in addition to transcripts, Fireflies falls short. The tool focuses on audio and text, but doesn’t save video footage. For teams that want to review presentations, demos, or screen shares, tl;dv or Grain are better options. Both tools make complete video recordings and let you cut out specific clips to share.
Privacy also plays a role in the choice. Fireflies sends a visible bot to every meeting, which some participants find disruptive or even refuse to allow. Tactiq and Krisp work differently: they run locally as a browser extension without others seeing a bot appear. This makes them more suitable for sensitive conversations or situations where you want to take notes discreetly. Fathom and tl;dv also offer unlimited transcriptions in their free versions, while Fireflies forces you to a paid plan after 800 minutes.
In conclusion
Choose Fireflies if you use a wide range of platforms and meeting analytics are important. Go for tl;dv or Grain if you need video recordings for training or product demos. Consider Tactiq or Krisp when privacy is a priority and you don’t want a bot in meetings. For freelancers and small teams on a tight budget, Fathom and tl;dv are interesting because of their unlimited free plans. Otter remains the standard for those who primarily need English real-time transcription during interviews or lectures.
