🎯 Quick Answer
The best free AI meeting tools aretl;dv (unlimited meetings), Otter.ai (300 minutes), and Notta (120 minutes). Most tools offer 300-600 minutes monthly, while some enterprise tools have no free plans.
🏆 Top 3 Free Plans:
- tl;dv:Unlimited meetings+ highlights
- 300 minutes/month+ real-time transcription
- 120 minutes/month+ 58 languages
💎 Most Generous Free Plans
🥇 Unlimited Free Usage
Unlimited meetings + timestamped highlights
Free tier for internal video knowledge base
🥈 High Monthly Limits
300 minutes/month + real-time transcription
Free plan with automated workflows
120 minutes/month + 58 languages
📋 Complete Free Plans Comparison
| Tool | Monthly Limit | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| tl;dv | Unlimited | Timestamped highlights, async sharing | Remote teams |
| Otter.ai | 300 minutes | Real-time transcription, searchable notes | General users |
| Notta | 120 minutes | 58 languages, templates | Multilingual teams |
| MeetGeek | Free tier | 60+ languages, workflows | Company-wide use |
| Supernormal | Free plan | Bot-free notes, templates | Cross-functional teams |
| Fireflies | Free tier | 69+ languages, integrations | Sales & operations |
| Fellow | 5 recaps | Agenda templates, follow-ups | Leaders & managers |
| Wudpecker | Free tier | Customizable notes, templates | Teams |
| Tactiq | Free tier | Chrome extension, templates | Knowledge workers |
| Granola | Free tier | Human-led + AI notes | Executives |
❌ Tools With Limited/No Free Plans
🚫 No Free Plans
Paid only ($50+ starter)
Enterprise only (~$1.2k-1.6k/year/user)
Clari Copilot:$60-110/user/month
Pro $29/month
Equal Time:$15/month
⚠️ Very Limited Free
Only 5 meeting recaps
AI $0.25/min, Human $1.99/min
~$1.48/min (enterprise)
~$0.15-0.20/min
~$0.17/min (~$10/hour)
🏢 Ecosystem-Bundled Free Plans
Microsoft Ecosystem
MS Copilot:Bundled with 365
Included with Office 365 subscriptions for Teams integration
Google Workspace
Google Gemini:Bundled integration
Native AI assistance in Google Meet for Workspace users
Other Platforms
Zoom AI Companion:Bundled with Zoom
Webex AI:Bundled with Webex
Built-in AI features for platform users
🛠️ What's Included in Free Plans
✅ Usually Included
- ✅ Basic transcription- Convert speech to text
- ✅ Meeting summaries- AI-generated key points
- ✅ Action items- Extract tasks and follow-ups
- ✅ Search functionality- Find content in transcripts
- ✅ Basic sharing- Share notes with team members
- ✅ Popular integrations- Zoom, Teams, Meet support
❌ Usually Premium
- ❌ Advanced analytics- Speaking time, sentiment
- ❌ CRM integrations- Salesforce, HubSpot sync
- ❌ Custom templates- Branded note formats
- ❌ API access- Build custom integrations
- ❌ Priority support- Faster customer service
- ❌ Advanced security- SOC2, HIPAA compliance
📈 When to Upgrade From Free Plans
💼 Business Growth Indicators
- Monthly minutes exceeded:Consistently hitting free limits
- Team collaboration needs:More than 3-5 active users
- Integration requirements:Need CRM or advanced tool connections
- Compliance needs:HIPAA, SOC2, or security requirements
🎯 Feature Requirements
- Custom branding:White-label reports and summaries
- Advanced analytics:Speaking patterns, sentiment analysis
- API access:Custom integrations and workflows
- Priority support:Faster response times and training
💰 Free vs. Paid Value Analysis
| Tool | Free Limit | Paid Plan | Cost per Extra Minute | Break-Even Point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter.ai | 300 min/month | $17 (500 min) | ~$0.034/min | 500+ min/month |
| Notta | 120 min/month | $8.17 (1,800 min) | ~$0.0046/min | 300+ min/month |
| Fireflies | Free tier | $10 Pro | ~$0.0056/min | Heavy usage |
| tl;dv | Unlimited | $18 Pro | N/A | Advanced features only |
🎯 Tips for Maximizing Free Plans
💡 Smart Usage Strategies
- Rotate tools:Use different tools for different meeting types
- Record selectively:Only record important meetings
- Use tl;dv for unlimited:Primary tool with no limits
- Combine tools:Mix free plans for different features
🔧 Technical Optimization
- Meeting duration:Keep meetings focused and shorter
- Audio quality:Better audio = better transcription
- Clear speech:Slow, clear speech improves accuracy
- Minimize background noise:Use quiet environments
🔗 Related Comparisons
💰 Complete Pricing Comparison
Compare paid plans and pricing across all AI meeting tools
🛠️ Feature Comparison
Detailed feature breakdown across meeting AI tools
🔌 Integration Capabilities
Compare CRM, calendar, and tool integrations
❓ Best Free Meeting AI Tools
Detailed FAQ about choosing the right free tool
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