// vs · fathom
Notabium vs Fathom.
Fathom is the most generous free tier in the bot category. Notabium is the most generous free tier in the no bot category. Pick the line that matters more to you.
The two pieces that matter
Fathom built its reputation on a free tier with unlimited transcription. Most competitors cap free at 300 minutes a month or 25 meetings a month. Fathom does not. The catch: it is still a bot. Fathom Note Taker joins your meeting as a visible participant, and the audio is uploaded to Fathom's servers.
Notabium also offers unlimited free transcription. The difference is the bot. Notabium runs as a desktop app on your laptop. Nothing joins your meeting. Audio stays local. Same generous free tier, different architecture.
Quick comparison
| Fathom | Notabium | |
|---|---|---|
| Free transcription | unlimited | unlimited |
| Bot in meeting | yes | no |
| Audio leaves your machine | yes (to Fathom) | only if you opt in |
| Paid tier starts at | $15/mo (Team) | $8/mo yearly (Pro) |
| Video share links | limited | full Loom style |
| Local AI summary option | no | Qwen3 |
| BYO API key | no | yes |
| Per template model routing | no | yes |
Pick Fathom if
- You need a mobile app and Notabium's lack of one is a deal breaker.
- You have already standardised on Fathom's Zoom and Salesforce integrations and the swap is not worth the friction.
- The bot in your meeting is not a problem in your industry.
Pick Notabium if
- The bot is a problem (sales, therapy, legal, medical).
- You want audio to stay on your machine by default.
- You want video share links and bot mode in the same app.
- You want to pay $8 a month yearly instead of $15 at the entry paid tier.
Test drive Notabium on one meeting. No bot, no card.
download_notabium
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