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Fathom vs Shadow

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. Fathom starts at $20, Shadow at $8. Both have a free tier. Only Fathom ships a public API.

FathomMeeting recorder with instant summaries and CRM write-backShadowMac app that records meetings without a bot and runs custom AI Skills to draft notes, emails, or summaries.

Side by side

FactFathomShadow
CategoryMeeting AssistantsMeeting Assistants
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$20 month$8 month
Public APIYesNo
PlatformsWeb, macOS, APImacOS
CompanyFathomTaper Labs, Inc.
Launched2020—
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 1, 2026

What our research says

Fathom

The best free notetaker on the market, and the paid tiers are cheap enough that most sales teams can skip a dedicated revenue-intelligence platform. Pick it unless you need deep conversation analytics, in which case Gong is still a different class of product.

Pros

  • Free tier includes unlimited recordings, transcripts and clips, which competitors gate
  • Bot-free capture avoids the awkward third participant in the call
  • Public API and MCP server on paid plans, plus native Claude and ChatGPT integrations
  • Aggressive switching offers: free Business for Gong contract holders, 10 free nonprofit seats

Cons

  • CRM sync is capped at three users per domain on lower tiers
  • Team plan requires a two-seat minimum, so a solo user pays the $20 Premium rate
  • Advanced and custom summary templates sit behind the higher tiers
  • Account-wide Ask Fathom search is still marked beta and has lookback limits by tier

Shadow

Shadow's bot-free recording and on-device transcription solve two real complaints about meeting-notetaker tools: awkward bot participants and audio leaving your machine. Skills give it more range than a plain transcription tool, but the whole product is Mac-only, so it's not an option for Windows-based teams.

Pros

  • Free tier includes unlimited transcription and recording, not just a trial
  • No bot joins the call, capture happens locally on the Mac
  • Custom Skills extend beyond notes into emails and structured summaries
  • On-device processing keeps audio off external servers

Cons

  • Mac only, no Windows or Linux client
  • Not joining as a visible bot could raise meeting-recording consent questions depending on jurisdiction

Which one fits

Choose Fathom if you need

  • Individuals who want unlimited recording and summaries without paying anything
  • Small sales teams that need CRM notes written automatically after every call
  • Anyone who wants meeting context piped into ChatGPT or Claude via API/MCP

Choose Shadow if you need

  • Mac users wanting meeting notes without a visible bot joining the call
  • Privacy-conscious teams wanting on-device transcription
  • Sales teams wanting BANT or similar structured meeting breakdowns automatically

More comparisons

All Fathom alternatives →All Shadow alternatives →Browse all Meeting Assistants →