Granola AI and Fathom are both AI assistants for meetings, but approach it radically differently. Granola runs locally on your device without a bot in the meeting, while Fathom has a bot join the call to capture everything. Which fits your way of working?
Granola AI in brief
Granola AI is a note-taking app that runs locally on your Mac, Windows PC, or iPhone. You start the app manually before a meeting, and Granola listens in via your system audio – without others seeing a bot. It combines what you type yourself with the AI transcription into one cohesive note. The interface is minimalist and reminiscent of Apple apps. Ideal if you want to maintain control and don’t want a bot in your conversations.
Fathom in brief
Fathom is a meeting assistant that automatically joins meetings via Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. The bot records video and audio, transcribes everything, and generates summaries with action items. Fathom syncs directly with CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot, and offers coaching tools for sales teams. Perfect for those who want full automation and need video recordings.
Granola AI vs Fathom: the differences
The biggest difference lies in the approach. Granola AI works bot-free: you start the app on your own device and it listens in via your microphone and speakers. No one in the meeting sees that it’s being recorded, unless you tell them. Fathom, on the other hand, sends a visible bot to your meeting that appears as a participant. For some users, that feels more professional (transparent), for others it’s disruptive – especially during client calls or sensitive meetings.
Video recording is a second important distinction. Fathom records both video and audio and lets you clip segments to share with colleagues. Granola focuses purely on audio and text. Do you work in sales and want to review conversations for coaching? Then Fathom is the only option. Do you primarily need written summaries? Then Granola is sufficient.
The quality of the summaries also differs. Granola combines your own notes during the conversation with the AI transcription. If you type “important client, budget 50k” during the meeting, the AI incorporates that context into the summary. The result reads more naturally and less like a generic list. Fathom produces more standardized summaries with bullet points and action items – practical for teams that want consistency, but sometimes a bit flat.
For teams, Fathom is more extensively equipped. The Team Edition offers shared workspaces, AI scorecards for sales coaching, and direct synchronization with CRM systems. Granola has introduced team folders for shared knowledge bases, but the CRM integrations are more basic (Slack, Notion, HubSpot). Do you work solo or in a small team without complex sales processes? Then Granola is sufficient. Do you run a sales team that pushes data to Salesforce? Choose Fathom.
Automation also makes a difference. Fathom automatically joins meetings in your calendar – you don’t have to do anything. Granola must be manually started for each meeting. If you forget, you won’t have a recording. For those who have many ad-hoc calls or just want everything to happen automatically, Fathom scores better. For those who want to consciously choose which meetings are recorded, Granola offers more control.
Pricing compared
Both tools have a free plan, but with different limitations. Granola gives you a maximum of 25 meetings total in the free plan, plus 14 days of history. Fathom lets you record and transcribe unlimited meetings, but limits advanced AI summaries to 5 per month. Do you mainly want transcripts and want to create summaries yourself? Then Fathom is more generous. Do you want good AI summaries? Then you’ll quickly run through your free credits with Fathom.
For paid plans, Granola costs $1 per month with an annual subscription (Business plan), or $1 monthly. The Enterprise plan costs $1 per month. Fathom charges $1 per month with annual payment (Premium), or $1 monthly. The Team Edition costs $1 per month annually or $1 monthly. On paper, Fathom seems slightly more affordable, but pay attention to what you get: Granola’s Business plan is comparable to Fathom Premium, while Fathom’s Team Edition offers extra team features that Granola doesn’t have.
Both tools don’t impose a limit on the number of meetings in paid plans. The difference mainly lies in features: Fathom gives you video recordings and CRM sync in the Premium plan, Granola offers unlimited AI summaries and customizable templates. Which features you need determines which tool offers more value for the price.
Conclusion
Fathom wins for teams and sales organizations that need video recordings, CRM integrations, and coaching tools. The automation and robust free version (for transcriptions) make it accessible. Granola AI is the better choice for solo users and small teams who don’t want a bot, are looking for better writing quality, and primarily use text-based summaries. The bot-free approach and local recording make Granola also more suitable for sensitive conversations. Do you mainly work in Zoom or Teams with clients who find a bot disruptive? Choose Granola. Do you run a sales team that needs to analyze and coach conversations? Choose Fathom.
