Fathom score factors
Editorial quality83
Practical utility86
Trust & transparency82
Freshness86
Engagement quality10
Momentum40
Decision guide · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026 · AI Meeting Assistants, AI Meeting Summaries & Action Items
Fathom
75.5
Fellow
79.3Choose Fathom when you need individual professionals and sales or success teams who want fast, high-quality summaries and CRM sync at low cost. Choose Fellow when you need regulated enterprises, financial firms, and security-conscious teams needing botless recording with strict data retention rules.
At a glance
The practical differences
| Decision factor | Fathom | Fellow |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | individual professionals and sales or success teams who want fast, high-quality summaries and CRM sync at low cost | regulated enterprises, financial firms, and security-conscious teams needing botless recording with strict data retention rules |
| Not ideal for | organisations that need extensive conversation analytics or unusual conferencing platforms | individuals looking for open-ended free transcription or teams wanting bot-only public web transcription without desktop software |
| Pricing | Fathom offers a generous free plan for individuals with paid Premium and Team editions adding advanced summaries, CRM sync, and team features at the review date; confirm the current lineup on the official pricing page. | At the review date (September 2026), Fellow offers a free tier (limited to 5 lifetime AI notes and 5 seats), a Team tier at $7/user/month billed annually ($11 monthly), Business at $15/user/month billed annually ($23 monthly), and Enterprise starting at $25/user/month billed annually (minimum 10 seats). Always verify current tiers on the official pricing page. |
| Key difference | A notably generous free plan and near-instant summaries, positioned for individual professionals and sales teams rather than enterprise analytics suites. | Fellow pairs flexible capture—including device-level botless recording—with regulated governance controls like zero-day audio retention, MNPI redaction, and compliance archiving via Global Relay. |
| Overall rank | #297 | #50 |
| Review verdict | The best starting point for individuals and small teams who want high-quality summaries without paying immediately. Teams needing deep analytics or broad platform coverage should compare paid alternatives. | Fellow is well suited for organizations in regulated sectors or privacy-sensitive corporate environments that need structured meeting records without introducing unvetted recording bots into client calls. It may not fit teams seeking an entirely free ongoing tool, as its free tier is strictly capped at five lifetime AI recordings. |
Fellow score factors
Editorial quality82
Practical utility86
Trust & transparency85
Freshness88
Engagement quality7
Momentum100
Fathom strengths
- Strong free plan
- Fast, well-structured summaries
- Simple setup
- CRM sync on team plans
Fellow strengths
- No training on customer data across all plans, including free
- Botless recording operates quietly via desktop app without disrupting client calls
- Robust compliance features including zero-day retention, HIPAA eligibility, and SOC 2 Type II certification
- Integrates with over 50 tools including CRMs, project management software, and Claude
Frequently asked
Fathom vs Fellow
Should I choose Fathom or Fellow?+
Choose Fathom when you need individual professionals and sales or success teams who want fast, high-quality summaries and CRM sync at low cost. Choose Fellow when you need regulated enterprises, financial firms, and security-conscious teams needing botless recording with strict data retention rules. ToolsRank scores Fathom 75.5 and Fellow 79.3; the gap reflects editorial quality, utility, trust, and freshness, not popularity or payment.
Is Fathom cheaper than Fellow?+
Fathom: Fathom offers a generous free plan for individuals with paid Premium and Team editions adding advanced summaries, CRM sync, and team features at the review date; confirm the current lineup on the official pricing page. Fellow: At the review date (September 2026), Fellow offers a free tier (limited to 5 lifetime AI notes and 5 seats), a Team tier at $7/user/month billed annually ($11 monthly), Business at $15/user/month billed annually ($23 monthly), and Enterprise starting at $25/user/month billed annually (minimum 10 seats). Always verify current tiers on the official pricing page. Compare the plan you would actually use and verify current prices on each vendor's pricing page before purchasing.
Which is better for ai meeting assistants?+
Fellow currently scores higher for ai meeting assistants work. Fathom remains the stronger pick when your priority is individual professionals and sales or success teams who want fast, high-quality summaries and CRM sync at low cost. Avoid Fellow if you are individuals looking for open-ended free transcription or teams wanting bot-only public web transcription without desktop software.
Can I use Fathom and Fellow together?+
Yes. Fathom stands out for a notably generous free plan and near-instant summaries, positioned for individual professionals and sales teams rather than enterprise analytics suites. Fellow stands out for fellow pairs flexible capture—including device-level botless recording—with regulated governance controls like zero-day audio retention, MNPI redaction, and compliance archiving via Global Relay. Pairing them makes sense when one workflow needs both strengths; otherwise pick the tool that matches your primary job.