Meetings: sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe sh*t, as the legendary Italian footballer Gennaro Gattuso once so eloquently put it. But you know what’s always sh*t? Taking notes, recording transcripts, and writing the documentation afterwards.

There are a bunch of note taking tools on the market, but there is a lot to consider here–like transcriptions, formatting tools, templates, analog content like hand written notes and drawings, and even AI. Oh! And don’t forget hybrid and asynchronous work! Let’s take a look together.

The Best Free Note Taking Apps:

In this blog, we compare some of the biggest note takers on the market, and consider everything from price to functionality. A quick note before we dive deeper begin, this is how we chose our rankings:

• Comprehensiveness of Transcription: This included the ability to handle audio, video, and ideally, image-to-text capture.
• AI Features: Apps with features like document generation, key point identification, and multilingual transcription received higher marks.
• Free Tier Functionality: A generous free tier with a good amount of storage and features made the app more accessible.
• Ease of Use: Apps with clean interfaces and intuitive workflows were ranked higher.
• Value for Money: This considered the pricing structure and the features offered for the price.
• Focus on Note-Taking: While some apps offered transcription as an add-on feature, priority was given to apps designed specifically for note-taking with built-in transcription.

Right, let’s get started.

#1: Collato

Collato is a game-changer for meetings and note taking because it’s your sidekick throughout the whole process. Collato attends your meetings and transcribes them, so you don’t have to worry about scribbling down every word. Then you can use those transcripts to create documents like meeting minutes. Want to add more than transcripts? Collato can also use audio recordings, photos of messy white boards, and handwritten notes to make polished meeting notes in seconds.

We’ll gladly admit that we’re a bit biased, but there are a bunch of reasons why Collato is #1. Here’s why:

Record Everything, Transcribe Anything:

Forget scrambling to catch every word. Collato records and transcribes your meetings, whether they're in-person or virtual, with crystal-clear audio-to-text conversion. No more relying on shaky handwriting or missing key points while juggling notes.

Beyond Words: Capture Every Detail:

Collato goes beyond just audio. Add even more context by including images, like photos of whiteboards or sketches, and video snippets into your notes. There’s a lot going on in meetings, from sticky notes to Miro boards. Collato uses those, too. Which brings us to our next point…

From Notes to Documents in a Flash:

Collato doesn't just capture your meetings–it transforms them. Use customizable templates to instantly generate documents like action items, meeting summaries, or even PRDs, all directly from your notes and transcripts. Even better, it can connect to your other tools, like Google Docs and Figma, too, to make perfect documents in seconds.

Free Forever, Feature Packed:

The best part? Collato offers a generous free plan that lets you record up to 10 hours of meetings per month, with unlimited document creation. You can finally ditch the endless note-taking struggle and focus on what truly matters: collaborating and bringing ideas to life. If you need a little bit more, there are economical options for enterprise plans.

AI Magic

But Collato's not just about raw power. It's got smarts too. AI magic helps generate summaries, identify key points, and tag action items. Plus, multilingual transcription is on the horizon, so say "hasta la vista" and “auf wiedersehen” to language barriers.

Here’s the deal:

• Pros: Transcribes meetings like a boss (audio, video, AND images!), AI smarts for summarizing and tagging, multilingual on the way, free tier available.
• Cons: None that we could find. Seriously.

#2: Fireflies.ai

Fireflies.ai really brings the heat (get it?) with its robust transcription features. It tackles audio and video meetings with ease, spitting out searchable transcripts you can later access. Fireflies also boasts integrations with popular calendar and project management tools.

However, Fireflies.ai lacks image-to-text functionality and AI-powered features like document generation and key point identification.

That makes it a good choice for a meeting assistant, but a bad one for a 360 note taker. Additionally, the free tier is a bit stingier, offering 800 minutes per month. Fireflies is a solid contender, but not quite the champion.

Here’s the deal:

• Pros: Transcribes audio and video meetings with ease, integrates with popular tools, free tier available.
• Cons: Lacks image-to-text and some AI features, free tier has very limited minutes.

#3: Otter.ai

Otter.ai is a free note-taking app with a pretty loyal following. It boasts impressive audio and video transcription capabilities, offering free transcripts (albeit without downloads or uploads). Otter also integrates with popular scheduling tools, making it convenient to access recordings and transcripts.

However, Otter lacks the bells and whistles of Collato. It doesn't offer image-to-text functionality, and AI-powered features like document generation and key point identification are absent. While the free tier is generous with unlimited transcripts, you can't download or upload them without upgrading. And what is the point of having a free note taker if you have to indirectly pay for it when you have to integrate it with other expensive tools?

Here’s the deal:

• Pros: Free tier with unlimited transcripts (but limited functionality), transcribes audio and video, integrates with scheduling tools.
• Cons: Lacks image-to-text and AI features, free tier limits downloads and uploads.

#4: Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft Copilot throws its hat into the ring, offering transcription alongside other features like document generation and speaker identification. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365, making it a natural fit for enterprise users.

However, Copilot comes with a hefty price tag, especially considering the additional Microsoft 365 subscription requirement. The free tier is…limited, offering only 300 minutes per month. Copilot is a powerful tool, but for individual users or smaller teams, the cost might not be justified. And while the speaker identification is a cool feature, you’ll be paying for it. And if you're not a Microsoft 365 user, forget about it.

Here’s the deal:

• Pros: Transcribes meetings, generates documents, identifies speakers, integrates with Microsoft 365 (for a price).
• Cons: Expensive (requires Microsoft 365 subscription), limited free tier, speaker identification might not be essential for everyone.

#5: Confluence

Confluence isn't specifically a note-taking app, but it does offer some transcription capabilities – well, sort of. Here's the thing: Confluence integrates with Atlassian AI, which unlocks features like automatic meeting summaries based on transcripts from external services.

This indirect approach feels clunky compared to Collato's all-in-one solution. Plus, you need a premium Atlassian subscription to access AI features, adding another layer of cost. Confluence excels at team collaboration and knowledge sharing, but for note-taking with built-in transcription, it's a convoluted workaround.

Here’s the deal:

• Pros: Integrates with Atlassian AI for meeting summaries (requires external transcription service), good for team collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Cons: No built-in transcription, requires premium Atlassian subscription for AI features, indirect approach feels unnecessarily complicated.

#6: Sembly.ai

Sembly tackles a wide range of languages, making it a good choice for global teams. Sembly also offers standard audio and video transcription features, along with functionalities like speaker identification and diarization (fancy speech for separating different speakers).

Sembly lacks some of the key features we've come to expect. There's no image-to-text functionality, and no AI-powered features like document generation and action identification. Plus, Collato will soon have multilingual transcriptions anyway! 😉

Here’s the deal:

• Pros: Excellent for multilingual transcription, offers speaker identification and diarization, transcribes audio and video.
• Cons: Lacks a lot of other common features, like image-to-text and AI features. It might be overkill for teams that don't need multilingual capabilities.

#7: Notion

You might use it, and if you don’t you probably work with someone who does. Notion is a productivity powerhouse.

While Notion doesn't offer native transcription, it integrates with external services like Otter.ai, allowing you to import transcripts and weave them into your notes. Notion excels at organization, with features like nested pages, drag-and-drop functionality, and a clean, customizable interface.

But here's the rub: in our experience, you're essentially cobbling together a Frankenstein's monster of note-taking. Notion requires some elbow grease to set up your ideal workflow, and without built-in transcription, it adds an extra step to the process. Plus, forget about image-to-text or fancy AI features. Notion promises easy collaboration but falls a bit short. Adding others to your workspace is annoying and expensive, let alone sharing a page with someone who is on a free plan.

Notion's a great tool, but for note-taking with built-in transcription, it falls short.

Here’s the deal:

• Pros: Powerful organizational features, integrates with external transcription services, clean and customizable interface.
• Cons: Lacks built-in transcription, requires external tools for a complete solution, no image-to-text or AI features. Not a good notetaker, but good for organization.

#8: tl;dv

tl;dv focuses on summarizing video meetings, offering a concise version of the key points. It's a great option for those who loathe watching endless recordings but still want to stay in the loop. tl;dv also integrates with popular video conferencing platforms, making it convenient to access summaries.

It is a pretty popular tool, but ranks a little lower on our list because it doesn’t record in-person meetings, it doesn’t have image-to-text, and it can’t generate any documents. It’s a good choice if you just need a transcript to have your receipts 🧾, but falls a bit short with everything else.

Here’s the deal:

• Pros: Summarizes video meetings, integrates with video conferencing platforms, good for catching key points quickly.
• Cons: Doesn't offer full transcriptions, limited functionality compared to other apps.

#9: Fathom

Fathom positions itself as a video meeting platform with built-in transcription. It offers features like screen recording, speaker identification, and integrations with popular project management tools. Fathom shines for those who prioritize video conferencing and want transcription as an added bonus. It supports multilingual transcription

Fathom lacks some of the core functionalities we've seen elsewhere. There's no image-to-text capability, and AI features like document generation and key point identification are out of the picture. Additionally, Fathom's pricing can be a bit steeper compared to some competitors.

Here’s the deal:

• Pros: Built-in transcription for video meetings, offers screen recording, speaker identification, integrates with project management tools.
• Cons: Lacks image-to-text and AI features, steeper pricing compared to some competitors.

#10: Grain

Grain offers audio and video transcription, along with features like speaker identification and basic tagging functionalities. Grain boasts a clean interface and integrates with popular calendar tools.

However, Grain lacks some of the battle-tested features of its competitors. There's no image-to-text functionality, and AI-powered features like document generation and key point identification are absent. Additionally, Grain's free tier is limited, offering fewer minutes compared to some established players.

Here’s the deal:

• Pros: Simple and easy-to-use interface, transcribes audio and video, offers speaker identification and basic tagging, integrates with calendar tools.
• Cons: Lacks image-to-text and AI features, limited free tier compared to some competitors.

The Rankings

1. Collato: Seamless recording and transcription, AI features, generous free plan.
2. Fireflies.ai: Robust transcription for audio and video, lacks some AI features.
3. Otter.ai: Free with unlimited transcripts, integrates with scheduling tools, lacks advanced AI.
4. Microsoft Copilot: Transcription, document generation, speaker identification, higher cost.
5. Confluence: Integrates with AI for meeting summaries, requires premium subscription.
6. Sembly: Multilingual transcription, speaker identification, lacks image-to-text and advanced AI.
7. Notion: Powerful organizational features, integrates with external transcription, lacks built-in transcription.
8. tl;dv: Summarizes video meetings, integrates with conferencing platforms, limited functionality.
9. Fathom: Built-in transcription for video meetings, integrates with project management tools, lacks advanced AI.
10. Grain: Simple interface, transcribes audio and video, lacks advanced AI, limited free tier.

No matter your choice, remember that the key to conquering your meetings is to find an app that empowers you to capture every detail, free your mind to focus on the bigger picture, and unleash your inner productivity.