Fathom is a free Zoom-only cloud notetaker. Clearminutes works with any audio source, runs locally on Mac and Windows, and doesn't need Zoom.
Local-first vs Zoom-centric free.
Clearminutes is the better choice if you use platforms beyond Zoom, need Windows support, or want local processing with optional cloud AI. Fathom is great for Zoom-centric users who want a genuinely free tool, but it requires bots, only supports 3 meeting platforms, and doesn't work offline. Clearminutes also adds a built-in local LLM (Gemma) and bring-your-own API keys that Fathom doesn't offer.
| Clearminuteslocal-first | Fathomcloud-first | |
|---|---|---|
| Capture & privacy | ||
| Meeting bots | No | Yes (bot joins call) |
| Local processing | Yes (on-device models) | No (cloud-only) |
| AI & summaries | ||
| AI summaries | Yes (local or BYO keys) | Yes (cloud) |
| Bring-your-own cloud AI keys | Yes (Claude, Groq, OpenRouter) | No |
| Transcription | ||
| Speaker identification | Yes (Pro) | Yes |
| Workflow | ||
| Action items + decisions | Yes + TickTick sync (Pro) | Yes |
| Platform & performance | ||
| Cross-platform | macOS + Windows + Linux | macOS + Windows |
| GPU acceleration | GPU-accelerated | N/A (cloud) |
| Audio & export | ||
| Audio file import | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Works with | Any audio source | Zoom, Meet, Teams only |
| Capture & privacy | ||
| Works offline | Yes (local models) | No |
| Integrations | ||
| CRM integrations | Not yet | Yes (Pro) |
| Pricing | ||
| Free tier | Yes | Yes (unlimited recordings) |
| Transcription | ||
| Language support | 6+ languages | 28 languages |
Local transcription for unlimited meetings, no bot, no cloud. Pro only if you want speaker ID and cross-device sync.
Last updated: 2026-04-01. Compared from each tool's public pricing and feature data (see sources), as of the last-updated date.
Sources: Fathom official site (2026-06-21), Fathom pricing page (2026-06-21), Fathom privacy page (2026-06-21).
Clearminutes is our own product; we've kept the comparison fair.