Granola vs Fathom

What Granola does

Granola runs on the user's computer and captures meeting audio without adding a bot. The user can type rough notes during the call, then Granola combines those cues with the transcript to produce a structured note in the user's preferred template.

Granola does not retain the meeting audio after transcription. The result is an editable, collaborative document rather than a recording archive. That tradeoff gives meetings a lighter feel but removes the ability to replay tone or verify a moment by listening.

What Fathom does

Fathom creates a video record of the meeting, a timestamped transcript, summary, action items, and shareable clips. Its strongest distinction is that every piece of the note can lead back to the source recording.

Fathom's established capture method joins the meeting as a participant. A newer bot-free mode is being rolled out, with visible consent signals preserved. The exact support differs by meeting platform.

At a glance

Details checked in July 2026 against product pages, help centers, pricing pages, and published policies. Confirm current limits before purchasing.

Capture and platform support

Granola captures system and microphone audio locally without entering the call. It works well when a team dislikes bots or when the meeting runs in an app that produces accessible desktop audio. Because Granola is a personal notebook, the participant remains responsible for consent.

Fathom's recording is more explicit. A visible assistant or bot-free consent signal tells participants the meeting is being captured. The resulting video gives stronger evidence after the call at the cost of retaining a larger and more sensitive artifact.

Notes, search, and workflows

Granola rewards active note-taking. A few rough bullets steer the AI toward what the user considered important, and templates turn the result into a 1:1 note, customer discovery document, interview debrief, or other reusable format. Multiple people can collaborate on the finished note.

Fathom reduces the need to type during the meeting. Its summary and action items stand alone, while the transcript, video, and clips make review and sharing more exact. It is better when a colleague needs to watch what happened rather than read a polished interpretation.

Free plans and pricing

Granola Free supports unlimited meetings but limits how far back a user can revisit notes, currently around 30 days. Business is $14 per user per month and expands history and team features. Enterprise is $35. See Granola pricing.

Fathom Free includes unlimited recordings, storage, and transcription, with advanced AI summaries limited after five calls in a month. Premium is $15 per user per month. Team and Team Pro are $19 and $29 annually. See Fathom pricing.

Privacy and AI training

Granola says meeting audio is deleted after transcription and its AI providers do not use customer content for training. Granola may use data to improve proprietary systems unless a user or organization opts out. Paid organizations should confirm workspace sharing and retention settings.

Fathom keeps recordings because replay and sharing are central features. It says third-party AI providers cannot train on meeting data and offers an opt-out from Fathom's deidentified proprietary improvement. Team policy may influence recording visibility and ownership.

A different option: coaching for the person in the meeting

Both products in this comparison are built to preserve and distribute what happened. That still leaves a personal question unanswered: how well did you handle the conversation?

Work Coach records locally on Mac or Windows with no bot, then coaches only the account owner. It applies role-aware rubrics, links feedback to timestamped evidence, counts filler words with playback, reviews voice delivery, and turns real moments into voice practice. The results never appear in a manager dashboard or shared meeting report. It costs $50 a month after a two-week free trial.

Which one should you pick?

Frequently asked questions

Does Granola record meeting audio?

Granola captures audio to create the transcript but says it does not store the audio after transcription. It produces notes, not a replayable recording.

Can Fathom record without a bot?

Fathom has a newer bot-free experience, but availability differs by meeting platform and operating system. It still presents a consent signal through chat or an on-screen prompt.

Which has the better free plan?

Fathom's unlimited recording and storage is stronger for a long-term archive. Granola's Free plan supports unlimited meetings but limits access to older notes.

Which is better for sharing?

Granola is better for sharing an editable written note. Fathom is better for sharing a recording or a short video clip with the surrounding transcript.

Which stores less sensitive data?

Granola avoids retaining audio, which reduces the stored artifact. Fathom deliberately keeps recordings. In both products, transcripts and notes still contain sensitive meeting content.