Fathom vs Sembly AI: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Fathom and Sembly AI comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
Bottom line: Fathom wins this matchup. Granola ranks #1 on our Transcription list. Granola is the highest-listed Transcription tool with a free plan. Pick Sembly AI if you need AI assistants.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Fathom
AI notetaker that summarizes your meetings so you can focus on the conversation.
Best for you if:
- • You want a fully free tool (Sembly AI requires payment)
Sembly AI
AI meeting assistant for teams
Best for you if:
- • You want supports a wide range of meeting platforms including Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, and Zoom, as well as offline conversations
| At a Glance | Fathom | Sembly AI |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free 100% free | Free Free plan |
Category | Productivity Transcription | AI Assistants Productivity |
Rating | 4.9/5 G2 5.0 · Trustpilot 4.8 7,187 reviews | 4.2/5 G2 4.6 · Trustpilot 3.0 49 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | Team tier requires 2+ users minimum. | n/a |
Choose Fathom or Sembly AI?
Choose Fathom if
- You want a fully free tool (Sembly AI requires payment)
- You want meeting transcription
- You want AI summaries
- You work in productivity, not AI assistants
Choose Sembly AI if
- You want supports a wide range of meeting platforms including Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, and Zoom, as well as offline conversations
- You want offers multilingual transcription and AI meeting notes in over 45 languages, enhancing global collaboration
- You work in AI assistants, not productivity
In-Depth Analysis
Fathom
AI notetaker that summarizes your meetings so you can focus on the conversation.
Fathom's pricing is very generous, especially with its robust Free tier offering unlimited recordings and transcription.
Watch out
Team tier requires 2+ users minimum.
Strengths
- Pro: Meeting transcription
- Pro: AI summaries
- Pro: Free tier generous
- Pro: Privacy focused
- Pro: Good accuracy
Weaknesses
- Con: Limited integrations
- Con: Newer platform
- Con: Enterprise features limited
- Con: Storage limits
- Con: Competition from others
Key features
Sembly AI
AI meeting assistant for teams
Sembly AI's pricing is quite fair, especially with a generous free 'Personal' tier offering 4 hours/month.
Strengths
- Pro: Supports a wide range of meeting platforms including Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, and Zoom, as well as offline conversations.
- Pro: Offers multilingual transcription and AI meeting notes in over 45 languages, enhancing global collaboration.
- Pro: Generates advanced AI artifacts such as project plans, requirements, use cases, and feedback reports directly from meeting content.
- Pro: Provides robust integration capabilities with CRMs, project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana), collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams), and productivity apps.
- Pro: Includes agent customization, allowing users to name their AI notetaker and personalize its avatar, and control its attendance at meetings.
Weaknesses
- Con: The free 'Personal' plan has significant limitations on recording and upload duration (1 hour/month each) and deletes meetings after 4 months.
- Con: The 'Team' plan has a user limit of 40, which may not be sufficient for larger organizations without upgrading to the custom 'Enterprise' plan.
- Con: Video recording is not available in the free 'Personal' plan, and its data storage is limited to 12 months in the 'Professional' plan.
Key features
Pricing: Fathom vs Sembly AI
| Plan | Fathom | Sembly AI |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 0 Free | Free Personal |
| Tier 2 | 20 Premium | $10 Professional |
| Tier 3 | 18 Team | $20 Team |
| Tier 4 | 28 Business | N/A |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Fathom pricing and Sembly AI pricing.
Key Takeaways
Fathom
- Higher user rating: 4.9/5 vs 4.2/5
- Larger review base (7,187 reviews)
- Completely free
- Our pick for this comparison
Sembly AI
- Better fit for AI assistants
The Bottom Line
Fathom wins this matchup. Granola ranks #1 on our Transcription list. Granola is the highest-listed Transcription tool with a free plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fathom or Sembly AI better in 2026?
Fathom wins this matchup. Granola ranks #1 on our Transcription list. Granola is the highest-listed Transcription tool with a free plan. Pick Fathom for productivity workflows (main strength: meeting transcription). Pick Sembly AI for AI assistants workflows (main strength: supports a wide range of meeting platforms including Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, and Zoom, as well as offline conversations).
What are Fathom and Sembly AI used for?
Fathom: AI notetaker that summarizes your meetings so you can focus on the conversation. Sembly AI: AI meeting assistant for teams.
What does Fathom cost vs Sembly AI?
Fathom is free. Sembly AI's paid plans start at Free (Professional).
What's the main difference between Fathom and Sembly AI?
Fathom's main strength: meeting transcription. Sembly AI's main strength: supports a wide range of meeting platforms including Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, and Zoom, as well as offline conversations.