389 posts and comments in 24 threads, counted by person, checked for copy-paste praise
The short answer: Granola has the broadest and least copied praise on Reddit, Fathom's free plan has steady fans, and Otter draws mostly complaints. Krisp tops the raw count, but most of its praise is copied text or arrives in same-hour bursts. We counted every mention of 34 tracked apps in the 24 Reddit threads Google shows for "best ai note taker reddit" and similar searches: 206 people gave at least one verdict.
Key takeaways
- Granola: 28 people positive, 6 negative, praised in 13 of the 24 threads. Its main gap was naming speakers.
- Krisp: 38 people positive, but 44 of its 72 praise comments were copies or same-hour bursts, and only 2 scored above 2 points.
- No bot in the call is the most praised feature after the summaries: 52 people praised a tool for it. A joining bot was the most common complaint, from 15 people.
- People still check the summaries. 14 complained about summary or transcript quality.
- For a room rather than a call, Reddit points to phone apps and recorders such as Jamie, Plaud and Circleback, but only 23 people weighed in.
What Does Reddit Recommend for AI Meeting Notes?
Granola, with the broadest support: 28 people praised it across 13 threads, and only 6 were negative. Fathom is liked for its free plan, Fireflies splits opinion (17 positive, 13 negative), and Otter is mostly criticized (5 positive, 25 negative). Krisp has the most fans on paper, 38, but read the next section before you trust that number.
| App | Positive | Negative | Mixed | Threads with praise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krisp | 38 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Granola | 28 | 6 | 5 | 13 |
| Fireflies | 17 | 13 | 6 | 6 |
| Fathom | 15 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| Jamie | 10 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Bluedot | 10 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| Shadow | 7 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Circleback | 7 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Plaud | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Fellow | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| tl;dv | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Otter | 5 | 25 | 8 | 3 |
"Negative" includes people who tried an app and switched to another, so it mixes real complaints with lost comparisons. Some negatives also come from accounts caught by the copy, burst or repeat checks covered below, or by our hand check for near-identical text, because a switch story counts against the app the writer left: 4 of Otter's 25 negative voices and 3 of Fireflies' 13. Votes don't help much either: most comments in these threads score 1 or 2. Treat this as a map of what people say, not a quality ranking.
Can You Trust the Recommendations on Reddit?
Some of them. In these threads, Krisp was praised in at least 72 comments from 52 accounts. 24 of those comments repeat text another account also posted, and 30 arrived in five same-hour chains, such as 10 comments from 10 accounts within 74 minutes. Together, 44 of the 72 are copies or bursts. Granola and Fireflies had none.
| App | Praise comments | From accounts | Copied or in a burst | From repeat accounts | Scored 3 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krisp | 72 | 52 | 44 | 34 | 2 |
| Granola | 37 | 30 | 0 | 13 | 6 |
| Fathom | 20 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Fireflies | 19 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Bluedot | 17 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Jamie | 13 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Circleback | 11 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Fellow | 8 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Our checks are mechanical. "Copied" means another account posted text sharing at least 80 percent of the shorter comment's four-word sequences, among comments praising the same app. A "burst" is a chain of praise where each comment came within an hour of the last, from at least three accounts. A "repeat account" praised the same app more than once. Two threads carry most of it: in r/NoteTaking's "Best AI note taker that doesn't join as a bot?" and r/ProductivityApps' in-person test, the same Krisp paragraphs appear under different accounts. One comment, in an r/AgentsOfAI thread, even contains four numbered Krisp testimonials, and two of them were later posted word for word by other accounts. We can't tell who wrote any of this, and we don't suggest Krisp did. We can only show what the text and the timestamps show.
Krisp isn't the only case. A post in r/NoteTaking that picks Fellow was copied word for word as a comment by another account 14 minutes later. One account started the two highest-scored threads in our set, and both name Bluedot favorably. 14 comments from 9 accounts link the same App Store app with Reddit campaign tags. And at least 43 comments come from people who say they build or work for a product. Before you act on a Reddit recommendation, check:
- Is it specific? Real users mention a workflow, a bug, a price. Seeded praise says "game changer".
- Does the same text appear elsewhere? Paste a sentence into a search.
- Does it have more than a point or two? In these threads, very little of the praise did.
- Does the account sell something? Look at its other posts.
- How old is it? Products change; a 2024 complaint may be fixed.
Why Do So Many People Want a Note Taker Without a Bot?
Because clients and colleagues notice the bot. 52 people praised a tool because no bot joins the call, and 30 of them named apps other than Krisp. 15 complained about a bot, most about Fireflies (8 people) and Otter (7), though 4 of the 15 come from accounts caught by the copy, burst or repeat checks above. The complaints are about awkward client calls, bots that need admitting, and bots that show up uninvited.
One commenter in the r/NoteTaking thread put it in a line: "Half my team stopped using Fireflies because clients weren't comfortable." Uninvited bots are the other half of the story. In an r/ExecutiveAssistants thread, an assistant describes a Fireflies bot their IT team couldn't remove, and another had to recreate a whole meeting series to get rid of an Otter bot. A reply suggests blocking the app in the Microsoft Teams admin center.
Which AI Note Takers Record Without a Bot?
Granola, Jamie, Bluedot and Shadow record from your own device by default, without a bot joining. Fathom, Circleback, Fellow, Otter and Fireflies offer both: a bot, or a bot-free mode. Fireflies' is the desktop app's Take Notes mode on Mac and Windows, plus a Chrome extension for Google Meet. Krisp's own pages disagree about whether it can use a bot.
| App | How it records | In person |
|---|---|---|
| Granola | "Bot-free, device-audio capture" | iPhone or Android app |
| Jamie | Runs on your device without a bot | From your laptop or phone |
| Bluedot | No bot; a visible bot can be turned on | Yes |
| Shadow | No bot; transcribes on your Mac (Apple Silicon, macOS 14.2+) | Not stated |
| Krisp | Pricing page lists "Bot-free", and also "Record with bot" | Yes, with a mobile app |
| Fathom | A bot, or a bot-free beta on Mac | iPhone app |
| Circleback | A bot, or the bot-free desktop app | Mobile and Apple Watch apps |
| Fellow | Both; you can try botless recording free for 14 days | Yes, without a computer |
| Otter | A bot, or a bot-free desktop app | Mobile recording |
| Fireflies | A bot that can auto-join your calendar meetings, or the desktop app's no-bot Take Notes mode on Mac and Windows; a Chrome extension covers Google Meet | Mobile app |
Is It OK to Record Without a Bot?
Tell people first; whether it's legal depends on where everyone is. A bot shows up as a participant. A bot-free recorder may show nothing: Granola and Jamie send a notice only if you switch it on (Granola a chat message or a watermark, Jamie an email before the meeting), while Fireflies' no-bot desktop mode plays an audio notice by default. MetaWhisp sends no notice. Bluedot's guidance for in-person meetings is to tell people and get their okay before you start, and Fellow says external guests get no in-app notice. One Reddit commenter reminds others to check one-party versus two-party recording rules.
This isn't legal advice, and the rules differ by state and country. The safe habit is the same everywhere: say you're recording at the start, and stop if anyone objects. Few people in these threads raised consent at all, and one Krisp burst comment even sells silence as a plus. Don't buy that framing.
Which Tools Work for In-Person Meetings?
Phone apps and recorders, mostly. 23 people praised a tool for meetings in a room. 8 named Krisp, whose praise is heavily copied; the rest named Jamie and Plaud (4 people each), Circleback (3), and single mentions of Leexi, Granola, Fellow and others. People want a phone on the table or a wearable recorder.
That praise is thin: 2 of Jamie's 4 and 2 of Circleback's 3 come from accounts that repeat themselves or post near-identical comments. Telling speakers apart is the other weak spot. 7 people complained about it, 5 of them about Granola; those who said where mostly meant calls, such as a conference line or several people on the other end. Granola now shows each participant's name on Google Meet, Zoom and Teams calls once speaker tags are set up, but can't tell apart several people sharing one meeting-room device; its phone app says it can identify different speakers, and Granola's in-person guide says accuracy varies. Plaud, a wearable recorder, came up for face-to-face client meetings. If your meetings are mostly in person, test with a real recording of three or four voices before you pay.
Can You Trust the AI Summaries?
Not blindly, Reddit says. 14 people complained about summary or transcript quality: Otter (9), Fireflies (7), Fathom (4) and Bluedot (3). In the biggest thread, r/AI_Agents' "What is actually the best AI note taking app for meetings?", 12 commenters say a person still has to check the summary, half of them with just a quick skim; 8 of them then name a small tool.
Some skip the dedicated apps entirely. At least 6 people describe recording with Teams, Zoom or a local Whisper app such as MacWhisper, then having ChatGPT, Claude or a local model write the minutes. One commenter warns that pasting client data into a chatbot can break company rules, so check yours first. Whichever tool you use, check the decisions, owners and dates against the transcript.
What Do the Free Plans Really Give You?
Fathom's free plan is the one Reddit praises most: 7 people cited it. It offers unlimited recordings and transcriptions. Granola and Circleback are free with a 30-day history window. Otter's free plan has 300 minutes a month and Jamie's 10 notes a month; Bluedot's stops at 5 meetings in total, Fellow's at 5 AI notes per user. Krisp offers a 7-day trial, not a free plan.
| App | Free plan | Cheapest paid plan |
|---|---|---|
| Fathom | Free forever: unlimited recordings and transcriptions | Premium: $20 monthly, $16 billed yearly |
| Granola | $0, with 30 days of meeting history | Business: $14 |
| Circleback | $0, with a 30-day meeting and recording history | Pro: $18 monthly, $15 billed yearly |
| Shadow | Free, unlimited transcription | Plus: $12 monthly, $8 billed yearly |
| Fireflies | Free forever, limited AI summaries, 400 minutes of storage per team | Pro: $18 monthly, $10 billed yearly |
| Otter | 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation | Pro: $16.99 monthly, $8.33 billed yearly |
| Jamie | €0: 10 AI notes a month, 30 minutes per meeting | Plus: €25 monthly, €21 billed yearly |
| Bluedot | 5 meetings in total | Basic: $18 monthly, $14 billed yearly |
| Fellow | 5 AI notes in total | Team: $11 monthly, $7 billed yearly |
| Krisp | 7-day free trial | Core: $16 monthly, $8 billed yearly |
Price was another big complaint: 14 people, half of them about Otter (4) and Fireflies (3), whether for minute caps, credits that ran out, or a trial checkout that pushed a bigger plan. Bluedot's pricing page adds a catch worth knowing: cancel your subscription and you lose access to your recordings, and after a month to restore it they're permanently deleted.
Where Does MetaWhisp Fit?
For calls on a Mac, if you want no bot and no cloud by default. MetaWhisp is a free Mac app (macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon) that records meetings from your microphone and your Mac's own audio, so no bot joins. By default it transcribes on your Mac with Whisper large-v3, and the free version needs no account. MetaWhisp didn't come up in any of these threads; it's our product, so weigh this section accordingly.
Here is what it does against Reddit's wish list. No bot joins, and nothing is sent to other attendees. Meeting Recording is free, but it's off until you turn it on in Settings, and you start each recording from the menu bar or the Meeting Coach window. By default no audio leaves the Mac. Your own Deepgram or Gemini key sends meeting audio to that provider (a Groq or OpenAI key sends dictation), and Pro, at $7.77 a month or $30 a year, moves transcription to Groq through MetaWhisp's server. MetaWhisp's privacy page says its servers don't store audio or transcripts.
Its limits, plainly:
- Not for rooms. It's Mac only, with no phone app, and in a room every voice is labeled "Me". On calls you get "Me" and "Them", never names.
- Consent is all on you. MetaWhisp sends no notice to anyone.
- Not automatic. No calendar bot and no auto-join; call detection and auto-start exist but are off by default.
- No file uploads. It can't transcribe an m4a, mp3 or wav from a recorder.
- Recaps need a model. A local model, your own API key, or Pro writes the summary.
If that fits, see how meeting notes work without a bot.
FAQ
Is Krisp really Reddit's most recommended AI note taker?
Only by raw count. 38 people praised Krisp in our 24 threads, more than any other app. But 44 of its 72 praise comments were copies of another account's text or came in same-hour bursts, and only 2 scored more than 2 points. Granola's 37 praise comments had no copies or bursts.
Which AI note takers don't join the call as a bot?
Granola, Jamie, Bluedot and Shadow record from your device by default. Fathom, Circleback, Fellow, Otter and Fireflies offer a bot-free mode next to their bot; Fireflies' is its desktop app's Take Notes mode, plus a Chrome extension for Google Meet. Check each vendor's page, since these modes change.
What is the best free AI note taker according to Reddit?
Fathom. Its free plan was the most praised in our threads, cited by 7 people, and its pricing page offers unlimited recordings and transcriptions for free. Granola and Circleback are free too but show only 30 days of history; Otter's free plan has 300 minutes a month.
Can AI note takers tell who said what?
On calls, some apps now show participants' names, Granola and Otter among them. 7 people in our threads complained about telling speakers apart, 5 of them about Granola; those who said where meant calls. In a room, test with a real recording of three or four voices before you pay.
Do I still need to review AI meeting notes?
Yes. 14 people in our threads complained about summary or transcript quality, and in the biggest thread 12 commenters say a person still has to check the summary. Check decisions, owners and dates against the transcript.
Is it legal to record a meeting with a note taker that has no bot?
It depends on where you and the others are, and this isn't legal advice. Some places require everyone's consent. Many bot-free recorders give no notice by default (Granola and Jamie can send one if you switch it on), so tell people at the start. Bluedot's guidance for in-person meetings is to get their okay before you record.
How we counted
On October 21, 2026, we ran 30 Google searches of the form "<topic> reddit" (one returned only threads we already had). This article uses the 24 threads that came up for the note-taker searches, such as "best ai note taker reddit", "ai note taker without bot reddit" and "free ai notetaker reddit". Reddit itself blocks automated reading, so we read public copies of the threads, with every comment, from the Arctic Shift archive. 389 posts and comments from 300 accounts named an app. We labeled each mention of 34 tracked apps as positive, negative, mixed or neutral, counted each person once per app and verdict, and left out thread authors, self-promotion and text copied between accounts (when at least 90 percent of the shorter text's wording appears in the other). A mixed verdict counts as praise for the points the person liked and as a complaint for the points they didn't. People who said they build or work for a product count as neutral. We didn't test these apps for this piece; we read what people wrote and checked the vendors' pages.
Related reading
- AI Note Taker for In-Person Meetings: What Works
- Granola Pricing: Is the Free Plan Enough?
- AI Note Taker Not Joining Meetings? Fixes That Work
- How to Cancel an AI Note Taker Before It Charges You
- AI note taker without a bot
Sources
Vendor pages and Reddit threads were read on October 21 and 22, 2026. Prices and features change, so check each vendor before you rely on a number. Reddit comment scores are from the archive copy and may differ from the live page.
- Pricing and product pages: Krisp pricing, Krisp AI note taker, Granola pricing, Fireflies pricing, Fathom pricing, Fathom iOS app, Jamie pricing, Jamie, Bluedot pricing, Bluedot iOS app, Shadow pricing, Circleback pricing, Fellow pricing, Fellow botless recording, Otter pricing, Otter
- Notices and speaker names: Granola transparency features, Granola speaker tags, Granola on iPhone, Granola in-person guide, Jamie recording consent
- Reddit threads quoted or summarized: r/AI_Agents (best AI note taking app), r/NoteTaking (no bot), r/ProductivityApps (in-person test), r/AI_Agents (in person), r/ExecutiveAssistants (bot removal), r/NoteTaking (comparison post), r/AI_Agents (not a bot), r/projectmanagement, r/buhaydigital, r/AgentsOfAI (numbered testimonials)
- MetaWhisp: pricing, privacy
