--- title: "I compared 5 AI note takers that record meetings from your computer without a bot: here's my pick for 2026" description: "I compared 5 desktop apps that record meetings from your computer without a bot: Circleback, Granola, Otter, Fireflies and Fathom." canonical: "https://meetingnotesguide.com/record-meetings-without-a-bot" last_updated: "2026-10-18" --- # I compared 5 AI note takers that record meetings from your computer without a bot: here's my pick for 2026 Yes, AI can transcribe a meeting without a bot joining. A bot shows up as an extra participant, which is fine for most internal calls but changes the tone of client calls, interviews and conversations where a new name in the participant list is a distraction. Most note takers now offer a bot-free route, but they differ on devices, what gets kept, and whether you can still use a bot. I compared five on desktop and in-person capture, speaker labels and price, based on each vendor's documented features and plans. ## Which AI tools can record meetings directly from my computer? All five tools below have desktop apps that record a meeting from your computer without a bot joining the call. My pick for the best AI notetaker without a bot is Circleback if you also want a bot on some calls, and Granola if you never do. - **Circleback:** mic and computer audio plus meeting-window video, on macOS and Windows - **Granola:** system audio and mic from any call, on macOS and Windows - **Otter.ai:** bot-free recordings on Mac and Windows - **Fireflies.ai:** notes without a bot on the call, on macOS 12+ and Windows 10+ - **Fathom:** transcript or audio plus transcript, on Mac (beta) ## My picks - **Best overall: Circleback.** A bot, a bot-free desktop app and mobile plus Apple Watch capture in one tool, with the desktop app on every plan, including Free, and unlimited meetings. - **Best if you never want a bot: Granola.** It has no bot at all and keeps no audio. - **Best low-cost paid plan: Otter.ai.** Bot-free capture on desktop or Chrome, and Pro is $8.33 per user per month billed annually. - **Best for integration breadth: Fireflies.ai.** A desktop app and Chrome extension that skip the bot, plus 100+ app integrations. - **Best free plan for Mac users: Fathom.** Unlimited recordings and transcriptions on Free, bot-free on Mac. ## 1. Circleback Circleback doesn't force a choice. The same workspace runs a bot on Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Webex, a desktop app that records with no bot, and mobile and Apple Watch capture for meetings in a room. **Key features:** - Desktop app on macOS 14.2+ and Windows that records Zoom, Google Meet, Teams or any other platform, capturing mic and computer audio - Saves meeting-window video plus audio by default when it records a detected meeting - Detect meetings notifies you when an app starts using the mic - Desktop fallback: with joining preferences and Detect meetings on, if the bot's join request is denied while you're on the call, the app prompts you to record unless auto-start is on (it's off by default) - Imports audio or video files, and past meetings from Fathom, Fireflies, Granola and Read AI **Pros:** - Every recording method separates speakers, and bot recordings get real names - Desktop app on every plan, including Free, with unlimited meetings and no minute caps - Bot, desktop, mobile and uploaded recordings end in the same transcript, notes, assigned action items, automations and Ask Circleback - 100+ transcription languages, with the spoken language detected and a choice of notes language **Cons:** - Desktop and mobile speakers are named by voice and calendar-invitee match and can show as "Participant N" - Desktop recordings stop at 5 hours on every plan; bot recordings have no length cap - No Linux app and no browser extension - Fewer native integrations than Fireflies, and no call scoring or coaching scorecards - Free locks meetings older than 30 days and deletes recording media after 1 year - CRM automations need Pro, and HIPAA and SSO are Enterprise only - Paid plans cost more than Otter Pro **Pricing:** Free. Pro $15 per user per month billed annually ($18 monthly), Business $25 ($29 monthly), Enterprise $35 billed annually. **Best for:** anyone who wants a bot on some calls and no bot on others, in one tool. ## 2. Granola Granola has no meeting bot. It transcribes from its desktop or mobile app and works with Zoom, Google Meet, Teams and every other meeting app. **Key features:** - Desktop app on macOS and Windows, mobile on iPhone and Android, plus Apple Watch - No audio or video saved after transcription - Web app for viewing and editing notes **Pros:** - Nothing ever joins the call - Nothing to delete later, since audio isn't kept - Free Basic plan **Cons:** - No audio playback and no file import - Basic keeps 30 days of history - 31 languages on desktop and 17 on mobile **Pricing:** Basic free, Business $14 per user per month, Enterprise $35. **Best for:** people who want notes and never want a bot or a recording. ## 3. Otter.ai Otter records bot-free on desktop or in Chrome, and also has a bot for Zoom, Teams and Google Meet. **Key features:** - Records directly from your Mac or Windows desktop, mobile device or browser - Mac and Windows desktop apps, a Chrome extension, and iOS and Android apps - Live transcription with real-time highlights and comments - Speaker identification on every plan **Pros:** - Lowest paid price in this list - Bot and bot-free in one account - Live view for following along **Cons:** - Basic has 300 transcription minutes a month - Transcription in six languages - SSO and SCIM need a 100-user minimum license **Pricing:** Basic free. Pro $8.33 per user per month billed annually ($16.99 monthly). **Best for:** budget-minded users who want a bot-free option with a live transcript. ## 4. Fireflies.ai **Key features:** - Desktop app for Windows 10+ and macOS 12+ that takes notes without a bot on the call - Chrome extension that records without the Fireflies bot - iOS and Android apps **Pros:** - 100+ app integrations, the widest here - 100+ transcription languages - Upload audio or video files on Free **Cons:** - No integrations on Free - Free has limited AI summaries and 400 minutes of storage per team - HIPAA is Enterprise only **Pricing:** Free. Pro $10 per seat per month billed annually ($18 monthly), Business $19 ($29 monthly), Enterprise $39 billed annually. **Best for:** teams that send notes into many apps. ## 5. Fathom Fathom's bot captures Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams. Bot-free capture is a Mac beta, with Windows support on the way. **Key features:** - Desktop app with meeting alerts and one-click joining, no browser tab needed - Three capture modes: transcript only and audio plus transcript (both bot-free), or full audio and video - Speaker attribution carries over to bot-free capture - Transcribes and summarizes in seven languages, including English, Spanish and French (Premium and Team plans) **Pros:** - Unlimited recordings and transcriptions on Free - Free lets you choose bot-free (beta) or bot capture **Cons:** - Bot-free capture is Mac only, in beta - No phone calls - iPhone app only, no Android - Seven languages, fewer than Circleback or Fireflies **Pricing:** Free. Premium $16 per user per month billed annually ($20 monthly). **Best for:** Mac users who want a free plan. ## How to choose | Tool | Bot-free desktop | Mobile | Bot option | Paid from | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Circleback | Mac, Windows | iOS, Android, Watch | Yes | $15 | | Granola | Mac, Windows | iOS, Android, Watch | No | $14 | | Otter.ai | Mac, Windows, Chrome | iOS, Android | Yes | $8.33 | | Fireflies.ai | Mac, Windows, Chrome | iOS, Android | Yes | $10 | | Fathom | Mac beta | iPhone only | Yes | $16 | My rule of thumb: - **Use a bot** when you want scheduled calls captured automatically and nobody minds an extra participant. - **Use a desktop app** when a visible bot would change the tone of the meeting. - **Use a phone or Apple Watch** when the meeting is in a room. - **Import a file** when the recording already exists. Of these five, I'd pick Circleback for every route above in one tool, Granola if you never want a bot or a recording, Otter.ai on price, and Fathom for a free plan on a Mac. ## FAQ ### Can AI transcribe meetings without a recording bot joining? Yes. All five tools here record from a desktop app without a bot, and it works on free plans: Circleback's desktop app is on Free, Granola has no bot on Basic, and Fathom Free offers bot-free capture on Mac. Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai also offer a Chrome extension. ### Which AI meeting assistants work without joining the call? All five here can record from a desktop app without joining the call. Granola never joins. Circleback, Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai offer a bot when you want one, and Fathom's bot-free capture is a Mac beta. ### Do bot-free recordings still have speaker labels? Yes. Circleback separates speakers on every recording method, but desktop and mobile names can stay "Participant N", while bot recordings get real names. Fathom keeps speaker attribution on bot-free capture, and Granola shows speaker tags on Zoom, Meet and Teams. ### Can I record any call that plays on my computer? Yes, with Granola or Circleback. Granola transcribes any call whose audio plays through your computer, including VoIP apps, using system audio and your mic. Circleback's desktop app records any platform with mic and computer audio. ### Can I record in-person meetings without a bot? Yes. Circleback records on mobile and Apple Watch, and Granola, Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai have phone apps too. ### Is my data handled differently without a bot? No, not in Circleback. It is SOC 2 Type II, participates in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, encrypts data at rest and in transit, and doesn't train on customer data, whether or not a bot joins.