# Fathom vs Fireflies

> For most users, Fathom is the better choice: unlimited free, no visible bot, and easier to use. Fireflies is for sales teams that need analytics...

- URL: https://toolguide.io/en/compare/fathom-vs-fireflies/
- Last updated: 2026-01-19
- Published: 2026-01-15
- Author: [Ruud Caris](https://toolguide.io/over-toolguide/)
- Language: en
- Site: ToolGuide (https://toolguide.io/)

Links to tools go through toolguide.io/go/; some are affiliate links. Prices are as listed by the maker, in the maker's currency, with the date they were last checked.

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Comparison

[Fathom](https://toolguide.io/en/tool/fathom/) · 4.2/5 · $ 15/mo · Winner [View Fathom →](https://toolguide.io/en/tool/fathom/)

[Fireflies](https://toolguide.io/en/tool/fireflies/) · 4.2/5 · $ 10/mo [View Fireflies →](https://toolguide.io/en/tool/fireflies/)

**Quick verdict**

For most users, Fathom is the better choice: unlimited free, no visible bot, and easier to use. Fireflies is for sales teams that need analytics and advanced search features.

Winner: **Fathom**

By **Ruud Caris** January 19, 2026

## The differences at a glance

| Feature | Fathom | Fireflies |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free plan | Yes - unlimited recording and transcription | Yes - max. 800 minutes storage |
| Starting price | $15/month | $10/month |
| Platforms | MacOS, Windows, Web | MacOS, Windows, Android, iOS, Web |
| Bot-free recording | Yes - via desktop app | No - bot always visible |
| AI assistant chat | Basic search function | Yes - AskFred for complex questions |
| Transcription accuracy | High, even with accents | Inconsistent, struggles with jargon |
| CRM integrations | HubSpot, Salesforce, Close (paid) | 40+ integrations incl. CRMs (paid) |
| Sales analytics | Basic scorecards | Extensive: sentiment, talk-ratio |
| Action item detection | Yes - automatic | Yes - via AI summaries |
| Free storage limit | Unlimited | 800 minutes |
| Rating | ★ 4.2 | ★ 4.2 |
| European company | No | No |

Last checked: November 2, 2026

Prices as listed by the maker, excluding VAT where stated. Always check the maker's site before you buy.

## Prices side by side

### [Fathom](https://toolguide.io/en/tool/fathom/)

**Per month, in US dollars. Sorted by price.**

| Plan | Billed monthly | Yearly, per month | Per year | Trial | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free Free | Free |   |   | · | Unlimited recording/transcription and unlimited chronological summaries, but max. 5 'Advanced' AI summaries per month |
| Premium Subscription | $ 19 | $ 15 | $ 180 | 30 days |   |
| Team Edition Subscription | $ 29 | $ 19 | $ 228 | 30 days |   |

Prices checked on January 15, 2026, 9 months ago · Amounts in US dollars, as listed by the maker. VAT may be added.

### [Fireflies](https://toolguide.io/en/tool/fireflies/)

**Per month, per user, in US dollars. Sorted by price.**

| Plan | Billed monthly | Yearly, per month | Per year | Trial | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free Free | Free |   |   | · | 800 minutes storage, limited AI summaries, no CRM integrations |
| Pro Subscription | $ 18 | $ 10 | $ 120 | 7 days |   |
| Business Subscription | $ 29 | $ 19 | $ 228 | 7 days |   |
| Enterprise Subscription, per user | · | $ 39 | $ 468 | · |   |

Prices checked on November 2, 2026 · Amounts in US dollars, as listed by the maker. VAT may be added. · Source: [fireflies.ai/pricing](https://toolguide.io/go/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffireflies.ai%2Fpricing)

### Choose Fathom if you

- want unlimited free recording without limits
- want no visible bot in customer conversations
- prefer simplicity over advanced analytics
- mainly need transcripts and summaries
- frequently meet with accents or jargon

### Choose Fireflies if you

- need advanced sales analytics
- want to ask complex questions of your meeting data
- want to use more than 40 integrations
- find sentiment analysis and talk time metrics important
- want to build custom workflows with AI Apps

Fathom and Fireflies both do the same thing: record, transcribe, and summarize your meetings. But Fathom wins on simplicity and a generous free plan, while Fireflies offers more depth for teams that need sales analytics and advanced search features.

## Fathom in brief

Fathom is an AI meeting assistant focused on speed and simplicity. The tool automatically records your Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams meetings, transcribes them, and generates summaries with action items. What makes Fathom special: the free plan has no limit on the number of recordings or transcriptions. Additionally, you can record with the desktop app without a visible bot appearing in your meeting – ideal for customer conversations where you don’t want an extra participant.

## Fireflies in brief

Fireflies is an AI notetaker focused on conversation intelligence. The tool transcribes your meetings but goes further with features like AskFred (a chatbot that lets you ask questions about your meeting data), sentiment analysis, and detailed analytics on talk time and conversation patterns. Fireflies has more than 40 integrations and offers an AI Apps store where you can build custom workflows. The tool is more powerful than Fathom, but also more complex and with more limitations on the free plan.

## Fathom vs Fireflies: the differences

The biggest difference is in the approach. Fathom chooses simplicity: you get transcriptions, summaries, and action items without hassle. Fireflies loads your dashboard with metrics, filters, and analysis tools. For individual users or small teams who just want to capture their meetings, Fathom is the better choice. For sales teams looking to discover patterns in their conversations, Fireflies offers more value.

A second crucial difference: the bot. Fireflies sends a visible bot to all your meetings by default, including internal calls. That can be disruptive, especially in customer conversations. Fathom recently introduced a bot-free recording option through the desktop app – you record locally without others seeing it. This feature also works on mobile. If discretion is important, Fathom scores points here.

Then the free plans. Fathom gives you unlimited recording and transcription, with five advanced AI summaries per month. Fireflies limits you to 800 minutes of storage and doesn’t provide access to CRM integrations. For those who meet frequently without a budget, Fathom is the clear winner. Fireflies pushes you toward a paid plan more quickly.

Where Fireflies excels: search functionality and analytics. With AskFred you can ask questions like “What were customer objections in Q4?” and get answers based on all your meetings. Fathom has a basic search function, but lacks this conversational interface. Fireflies also shows detailed metrics like talk-to-listen ratio and sentiment per speaker – useful for sales coaching. Fathom did introduce AI Scorecards for sales teams, but that feature is less comprehensive.

Integrations are another difference. Fireflies has more than 40 connections, including Slack, HubSpot, Salesforce, and Notion. Fathom focuses on a selection of popular tools: HubSpot, Salesforce, Close, and Zapier. If you use specific niche tools, check whether Fireflies supports them. Both tools integrate well with the major meeting platforms.

Finally: transcription accuracy. Users report that Fathom handles accents and jargon better. Fireflies sometimes struggles with technical terms and speaker recognition, especially in larger groups. Not a dealbreaker, but relevant if you have a lot of specialized conversations.

## Pricing compared

Fathom starts at $1 per month for the Premium plan (annual subscription) or $1 monthly. That gives you unlimited advanced AI summaries and keyword alerts. The Team plan costs $1 per user per month (annually) or $1 monthly, with CRM sync and team features. Fireflies starts at $1 per month for Pro (annually) or $1 monthly, with more storage and AI summaries. The Business plan is $1 per user per month (annually) or $1 monthly.

On paper, Fireflies seems cheaper, but watch out for the limitations of the free plan. If you need more than 800 minutes, you’ll pay sooner with Fireflies. With Fathom you can use the free version longer. For teams that need multiple users, the costs are comparable: both charge per seat starting at the Team/Business level.

Fathom has no storage limits on the free plan. Fireflies does. That makes Fathom more attractive for those who have a budget but meet frequently. Fireflies is more interesting if you want immediate access to analytics and advanced search features without paying for the more expensive tier.

## Conclusion

Fathom wins for individual users and small teams who want a reliable, simple meeting assistant without hassle. The unlimited free plan, bot-free recording option, and high transcription accuracy make it the practical choice. Fireflies is the better option for sales teams and power users who want to dig deeper into their meeting data, need advanced analytics, and want to take advantage of the extensive integrations. If you mainly want to record and transcribe: choose Fathom. If you want to discover patterns and query your meetings like a database: choose Fireflies.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can both tools record meetings without a bot?**

Only Fathom offers bot-free recording via the desktop app. With Fireflies, a visible bot always joins the meeting.

**Which tool has the best free plan?**

Fathom has a more generous free plan with unlimited recording and transcription. Fireflies limits you to 800 minutes of storage.

**Are the transcriptions equally accurate?**

Users report that Fathom handles accents and technical terms better. Fireflies sometimes struggles with speaker recognition in larger groups.

**Which tool has better integrations?**

Fireflies has more than 40 integrations, Fathom focuses on popular tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zapier. For niche tools, Fireflies is likely the better choice.

**Can I ask questions about my meetings with both tools?**

Fireflies has AskFred, an AI assistant that lets you ask complex questions across multiple meetings. Fathom has a basic search function but no conversational interface.

**What do the paid plans cost?**

Fathom Premium costs $15/month (annually), Fireflies Pro $10/month (annually). For teams, both are around $19-29 per user per month.

### Fathom

- [Read the review](https://toolguide.io/en/tool/fathom/)
- [Alternatives to Fathom](https://toolguide.io/en/alternative/fathom/)

### Fireflies

- [Read the review](https://toolguide.io/en/tool/fireflies/)
- [Alternatives to Fireflies](https://toolguide.io/en/alternative/fireflies/)

### Comparisons

- [MeetGeek vs Fireflies](https://toolguide.io/en/compare/meetgeek-vs-fireflies/)
- [tl;dv vs Fathom](https://toolguide.io/en/compare/tldv-vs-fathom/)
- [Granola AI vs Fathom](https://toolguide.io/en/compare/granola-ai-vs-fathom/)
- [Otter vs Fathom](https://toolguide.io/en/compare/otter-vs-fathom/)
- [Fireflies vs Otter](https://toolguide.io/en/compare/fireflies-vs-otter/)
- [Granola AI vs Fireflies](https://toolguide.io/en/compare/granola-ai-vs-fireflies/)

### View the tools

**Fathom** 4.2/5

[Try Fathom →](https://toolguide.io/go/fathom/?p=compare-side)

**Fireflies** 4.2/5

[Try Fireflies →](https://toolguide.io/go/fireflies/?p=compare-side)