Two strong AI notetakers, two different priorities. Granola puts no bot in the call at all; Fathom offers the most generous free plan in the category (unlimited recording and summaries) but joins the meeting as a bot. Short answer: Granola for client calls where you don't want a bot, Fathom for unlimited recording without paying.
The details below come from both tools' own pages and independent 2026 comparisons; all sourced. I'm a Granola affiliate, but I name clearly where Fathom wins too.
When Fathom is the better pick
Let's be fair: on free generosity Fathom leads the category. It gives unlimited recording, transcription and AI summaries with no time limit; post-call processing takes ~30 seconds, and it has a 5.0/5 rating with over 6,000 reviews on G2. If you want a serious notetaker without paying and a bot joining the call isn't a problem for you, Fathom is very strong.
When Granola wins
The real divide is the bot. Granola adds no visible participant to the call; it captures your computer's audio and cleans up your notes. If you don't want a recording bot at the table in client and external calls, you care about personal note quality, and you even want it to work in in-person meetings, Granola pulls ahead.
| Granola | Fathom | |
|---|---|---|
| Bot joins call | No | Yes |
| Free plan | Last 25 notes | Unlimited recording + summaries |
| Strongest at | Bot-free client calls | Most generous free |
If you don't want a bot: try Granola.
Download Granola through my link and run it bot-free in your client calls — start free, at no extra cost to you.