Best AI Note Taker for Meetings: The Top 6 in 2026
You nodded through the whole meeting. Now someone asks what you all agreed, and your notes just say "follow up???"
The short answer
Granola Best overallThe best AI note taker for meetings is Granola. It listens through your computer or phone, so no bot joins the call. It works in person too. For the clearest free plan, pick Otter.ai. Students should try Gemini Notebook, and Fireflies.ai suits sales and team calls.
We checked every app's store page, prices and privacy label in October 2026, then scored each on 5 things. How we rank
Which one is for you?
Best overallGranolaAnyone in back-to-back meetings who hates a bot showing up first
2
Best free planOtter.aiStudents and reporters who want every single word written down
3
Best for sales callsFireflies.aiSales, hiring and support teams who spend all day on video calls
4
Best for studentsGemini NotebookStudents turning lectures and readings into something to study
5
Best built-in optionZoom WorkplaceTeams who already meet on Zoom and want one less app
6
Most private on iPhoneJotteriPhone users who want quick, private voice notes after a meeting
- Granola is the top pick. No bot joins your call, and it runs on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android.
- Otter.ai's free plan gives 300 minutes a month, but each recording stops at 30 minutes.
- Want privacy? Jotter turns voice notes into text on your iPhone, with no account at all.
Taking notes while you talk is like patting your head and rubbing your tummy. Something slips. The best AI note taker for meetings listens for you and writes it all down. It even pulls out the to-dos. So you can look people in the eye instead of at your keyboard.
Keep reading
These picks are ranked for real meetings: video calls, chats in the same room and lectures. What matters most? What the free plan gives you, whether a bot joins your call, and what happens to your recordings.
No pick ticks every box.
-
Best overall
1. Granola
0It takes the notes while you hold the conversation, and no robot guest joins the call.
- Free + paid plans
- Mac · Windows · iPhone +1
- No ads
8.5Your client is mid-sentence and you're typing "budget??" in a panic. Relax. Granola listens through your computer or phone, so no bot joins the call. Afterwards it mixes your messy notes with what was said. You get clean notes, laid out with a template you pick.
More about Granola
It works with Zoom, Meet, Teams and meetings in the same room. You can chat with all your past meetings, or send notes to Slack or Notion. The catch: the free plan keeps notes for only 30 days. There's no audio to replay. It also learns from your data, with names removed, unless you switch that off.
Great forAnyone in back-to-back meetings who hates a bot showing up first
The catchFree plan keeps notes for 30 days, and there's no audio to replay
Source: granola.ai -
Best free plan
2. Otter.ai
0Live captions for your meeting, with a name next to every line so you know who said it.
- Free + paid plans
- Web · iPhone · Android +2
- No ads
8.0The lecture is racing ahead and your pen can't keep up. Otter writes down every word as it's said, with a name next to each speaker. Later, ask its AI chat what was said about the exam. No more scrolling through pages of notes.
More about Otter.ai
The free plan gives you 300 minutes a month. Its bot can also join Zoom, Meet and Teams by itself. The catch: free recordings stop at 30 minutes. Otter trains its AI on recordings with names removed. It also faces a lawsuit claiming its bot recorded people without asking, which Otter denies.
Great forStudents and reporters who want every single word written down
The catchFree recordings stop at 30 minutes, and there's no AI training switch
Source: otter.ai -
Best for sales calls
3. Fireflies.ai
0A memory for teams who live on calls and need every promise in writing.
- Free + paid plans
- Web · iPhone · Android +2
- No ads
8.3A customer said something big on a call last month. What was it? Fireflies joins your Zoom, Meet or Teams calls and saves a transcript, summary and to-do list. Then you ask AskFred, its AI chat, and it digs the answer out of all your meetings.
More about Fireflies.ai
Don't want a bot in the call? The desktop app records without one, and the phone app works in person. Fireflies says it doesn't train AI on your meetings. The catch: the free plan has limited transcription and 400 minutes of storage. Regular users end up paying.
Great forSales, hiring and support teams who spend all day on video calls
The catchThe free plan is tight, and a bot joins unless you use the desktop app
Source: fireflies.ai -
Best for students
4. Gemini Notebook
0Turns a messy pile of class notes into flashcards and a podcast you can study on the bus.
- Free + paid plans
- Web · iPhone · Android
- No ads
8.7It's the night before the test, and your notes are spread across PDFs, Google Docs and web links. Put them all in Gemini Notebook. Ask a question and it answers from your stuff, with links showing where each answer came from.
More about Gemini Notebook
It can turn those notes into flashcards or a podcast-style Audio Overview. A voice recorder is built into the app too. The free plan holds 100 notebooks with up to 50 sources each. The catch: it doesn't join your calls like a meeting bot. And it can still get things wrong, so check its links.
Great forStudents turning lectures and readings into something to study
The catchIt doesn't join your calls, and it can still misread your notes
Source: blog.google -
Best built-in option
5. Zoom Workplace
0If your meetings already happen on Zoom, the note taker is already in the room.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone · Android · Mac +3
8.3Your whole team already meets on Zoom. So why add another app? Zoom can write AI summaries of your meetings by itself. Paid plans get unlimited summaries at no extra cost. Nobody has to install anything new.
More about Zoom Workplace
The free plan gives you three AI summaries a month, and free group meetings end after 40 minutes. The catch: it's built for Zoom calls. Chats in the hallway or meetings on other apps need another tool.
Great forTeams who already meet on Zoom and want one less app
The catchFree plan: three summaries a month and 40-minute group meetings
Source: zoom.us -
Most private on iPhone
6. Jotter
2Say a quick note after the meeting, and it turns into text right on your iPhone.
- Free
- iPhone
- No subscription
9.1You walk out of a meeting in a coffee shop with three things to remember. Open Jotter, record a quick voice note, and it turns into text right on your phone. Your voice isn't sent to a server, and you don't need an account.
More about Jotter
Checklists, handwriting and photos can sit in the same note, and search even finds words inside pictures. It's free with no ads. The catch: it's a notes app, not a meeting bot. There are no AI summaries or speaker names, and it only runs on iPhone and iPad.
Great foriPhone users who want quick, private voice notes after a meeting
The catchNo AI summaries or speaker names, and it's iPhone and iPad only
Source: thebighead.ca
Side by side
| # | App | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Granola |
Best overall |
| 2 |
Otter.ai |
Best free plan |
| 3 |
Fireflies.ai |
Best for sales calls |
| 4 |
Gemini Notebook |
Best for students |
| 5 |
Zoom Workplace |
Best built-in option |
| 6 |
Jotter |
Most private on iPhone |
How to choose
How do you pick the best AI note taker for meetings?
Start with where you meet. Almost any of these handle video calls. For meetings in the same room, you need a phone app that can hear the room. Granola, Fireflies and Otter can. Then decide if a bot joining your call is OK. Some people find it awkward.
Next, read the free plan closely. Look for time limits on each recording and how long notes are kept. Also check if your recordings train the AI. Those three things decide if free really works for you.
Do you need to tell people an AI is taking notes?
Yes, ask first. It's polite, and some places have laws that say everyone must agree to be recorded. Fireflies itself advises getting everyone's OK. Otter faces a lawsuit claiming its bot recorded people without asking, which Otter denies. A quick "mind if I take AI notes?" saves trouble.
Get Granola if you sit in meetings all day and hate bots crashing the call. Tight budget or a student? Otter's free plan writes down every word, and Gemini Notebook turns your notes into study time.
See why Granola is #1Compare the top picks
Questions people ask
What is the best free AI note taker?
Otter.ai has the clearest free plan, with 300 minutes a month, but each recording stops at 30 minutes. Granola is free too, but its free plan only keeps 30 days of notes.
Is Granola better than Otter?
For most meetings, yes: Granola needs no bot and turns your own rough notes into clean ones. Otter is better if you want a word-for-word live transcript with speaker names.
What is the best AI note taker for in-person meetings on iPhone?
Granola, because its iPhone app listens to the room with no call or bot needed. Fireflies and Otter can also record in person from their phone apps.
What is the best AI note taker for students?
Gemini Notebook is best for studying, because it turns your notes and readings into flashcards and audio. Otter is better for writing down a lecture live, but free recordings stop at 30 minutes.
