Granola vs Fathom for Freelancers: Which AI Notetaker for Client Calls? (2026)

Granola and Fathom both turn client calls into notes, but they go about it differently. Granola captures audio from your own device, so no bot joins the meeting. Fathom is known for a free plan with unlimited recordings and transcriptions. This comparison uses the notes in our directory plus each vendor's site, checked in Oct 2026. Plans change, so confirm on the vendor page, and get consent before recording anyone.

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The short version

Choose Granola if you do not want anything joining your client calls and you like typing a few rough notes that AI then fills out. Choose Fathom if you want to start free with unlimited recordings on Zoom, Meet and Teams. We have not tested accuracy side by side.

No bot in the meeting

Granola records from your device's audio instead of sending a bot into the call, and its pricing page lists bot-free, device-audio capture on every plan, including the free one. It also says audio is deleted after transcription. For clients who feel watched when a notetaker joins, this is the main reason to pick it. Fathom's homepage now says you can capture notes with or without a bot, so check which option fits your setup before you decide on this point alone.

Who Granola suits

Granola suits consultants, coaches and VAs who take lots of client calls. Its free Basic plan includes AI notes and templates but keeps only 30 days of meeting history, so regular users will likely need Business. Business adds unlimited history, follow-up emails and integrations with Notion, HubSpot, Zapier and others. Apps are listed for desktop, iOS and Android.

Who Fathom suits

Fathom suits solo freelancers who want a free notetaker for Zoom, Meet and Teams. Its free plan includes unlimited recordings and transcriptions, which makes it an easy first tool to test on real calls. Advanced summaries and integrations sit on paid tiers.

Pricing, as recorded

Granola lists Basic free, Business at $14 per user a month and Enterprise at $35 per user a month. Fathom lists Free at $0 and Premium at $16 a month on annual billing ($20 monthly). If you mostly need history beyond 30 days, compare Granola Business with Fathom's free plan before paying.

What about Otter and Fireflies?

Otter is strong on searchable transcripts, summaries and action items. Fireflies joins calls as a bot and pushes meeting records into the tools you already use. Both have their own trade-offs, which we cover in our Otter vs Fireflies vs Fathom comparison.

Consent still applies

No bot does not mean no recording. With either tool, tell clients you are taking AI notes and get their consent first. Granola's pricing page lists a setting to let people know you are using it.

At a glance

Granola

Best for: Consultants, coaches and VAs who take lots of client calls and want notes without a bot in the meeting.

Pricing (as of Oct 2026): Basic free; Business $14/user/mo; Enterprise $35/user/mo.

Pros

  • No meeting bot joins your calls
  • Free plan to try it
  • Business adds follow-up emails and CRM and Notion integrations

Cons

  • Free plan keeps only 30 days of history
  • Per-user pricing adds up for small teams
  • You still need participants' consent to record

Full review Visit Granola ↗

Fathom

Best for: Freelancers who want a free notetaker for Zoom, Meet and Teams.

Pricing (as of Oct 2026): Free $0; Premium $16/mo annual ($20 monthly).

Pros

  • Free unlimited recordings
  • Instant summaries
  • Works with Zoom, Meet and Teams

Cons

  • Best features paid
  • Consent required
  • Fewer team features

Full review Visit Fathom ↗

How we compared

How we compared: we used the recorded pricing, pros, cons and best-for notes for each tool in our directory, from public vendor information as of Oct 2026, and checked the bot-free details on Granola's pricing page and Fathom's homepage in Oct 2026. We have not been paid by either vendor for this page. Links marked sponsored may earn us a commission. We did not run side-by-side tests, so try each free plan on a real call first.

Our verdict

Our take: if a bot in the call is the problem, start with Granola's free plan and see whether 30 days of history is enough. If cost is the main concern and a bot is fine with your clients, Fathom's free plan is the easier start. Both are free to try, so test them on the same kind of call before paying.

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