Our team tested Fathom across 47 client calls, internal strategy sessions, and vendor meetings over 6 weeks. The verdict: this is the AI meeting assistant we've been waiting for—and the free tier is genuinely generous enough for most SMB marketing teams.
Here's why marketing teams are switching, what actually works, and whether it's right for your team.
What Fathom Actually Does
Fathom is an AI-powered meeting assistant that joins your Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams calls to record, transcribe, and summarize everything automatically. But unlike competitors that bury useful features behind paywalls, Fathom's free tier includes:
Unlimited recordings (no monthly caps)
Unlimited transcriptions (no minute limits)
Instant AI summaries after every call
Automatic calendar sync (it knows when to join)
Email delivery of summaries and recordings
The paid tiers ($15-29/user/month) add CRM sync, team collaboration, custom summary templates, and the "Ask Fathom" feature that lets you query across all your recorded meetings.
Why Marketing Teams Are Switching
1. The Free Tier Actually Works
Most "free" AI meeting tools give you 300 minutes per month, then hit you with upgrade prompts. Fathom's free plan includes unlimited recordings and transcriptions—no artificial caps designed to force upgrades.
For a 3-person marketing team running 15-20 meetings per week, this alone saves $50-100/month compared to Otter or Fireflies.
2. Summaries That Capture What Matters
The most common complaint about AI meeting notes: they're either too vague ("discussed marketing strategy") or too verbose (5 pages of transcript nobody reads).
Fathom's summaries hit the middle ground. From our testing:
"The notes are precise and the language used is alike the one used in the meeting which makes them easy to read and to remember. Other note takers use a language that is too vague that defeats the purpose of the notes."
— Trustpilot review, December 2025
Our team found the action item extraction particularly useful. After a 45-minute client call, Fathom correctly identified who was responsible for what—without us having to manually tag anything.
3. CRM Integration That Actually Saves Time
For marketing teams using HubSpot or Salesforce, Fathom syncs meeting summaries directly to contact records. No more copying notes into your CRM after every call.
The integration captures:
Meeting summary
Key discussion points
Action items with owners
Full transcript (searchable)
This is a paid feature ($15/user/month), but for teams doing significant client-facing work, the time savings justify the cost.
4. It Stays Out of the Way
Fathom joins calls automatically based on your calendar. No manual start/stop. No forgetting to hit record. No awkward "let me start my notetaker" moments.
One reviewer captured this perfectly:
"I can now confidently be fully present on calls and rest assured that Fathom will take detailed notes for me."
The Honest Limitations
Team Collaboration Requires Paid Plans
The free tier is individual-only. If you want shared meeting libraries, team-wide search, or collaborative note editing, you'll need Team Edition ($19-29/user/month).
Privacy Considerations
One Trustpilot reviewer raised concerns about Fathom's calendar and meeting platform access. Like all AI meeting assistants, Fathom requires significant permissions to function. Review the permissions carefully before connecting, especially if you're in a regulated industry.
No Offline Recording
Fathom only works with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. In-person meetings or phone calls require a different solution.
Fathom vs. The Competition
Feature | Fathom (Free) | Otter (Free) | Fireflies (Free) |
|---|---|---|---|
Monthly Minutes | Unlimited | 300 min | 800 min |
Recordings | Unlimited | Limited | Limited |
AI Summaries | Yes (5 premium/month) | Basic | Basic |
Calendar Sync | Yes | Yes | Yes |
CRM Integration | Paid only | Paid only | Paid only |
Team Features | Paid only | Paid only | Paid only |
Price (Paid) | $15-29/user/mo | $16.99/user/mo | $18/user/mo |
Bottom line: Fathom's free tier is significantly more generous than competitors. If you're a solo marketer or small team that doesn't need CRM sync or team collaboration, you may never need to upgrade.
Who Should Use Fathom
Best for:
Marketing teams running 10+ meetings per week
Teams that need accurate action item tracking
HubSpot/Salesforce users who want automatic CRM sync
Anyone tired of paying for meeting minutes they don't use
Not ideal for:
Teams needing offline/phone call recording
Organizations with strict data residency requirements
Teams that need real-time collaboration during meetings
How to Get Started This Week
Step 1: Sign Up (5 minutes)
Create a free account at fathom.video. Connect your calendar (Google or Microsoft).
Step 2: Test on Low-Stakes Calls (1 week)
Let Fathom join your next 5-10 internal meetings. Review the summaries. Get comfortable with the output quality before using on client calls.
Step 3: Evaluate Upgrade Need (Week 2)
After a week, assess:
Do you need CRM sync? → Upgrade to Premium ($15/mo)
Do you need team sharing? → Upgrade to Team Edition ($19/mo)
Is free tier sufficient? → Stay on free
Step 4: Roll Out to Team (Week 3)
If upgrading, have each team member create their own account and connect calendars. Schedule a 15-minute team sync to review best practices.
The Bottom Line
Fathom isn't trying to be everything. It's trying to be the best at one thing: making meeting notes effortless.
For SMB marketing teams, the free tier alone solves 80% of the meeting documentation problem. The paid tiers add genuine value for teams that need CRM integration or collaboration features.
If you're currently paying for Otter or Fireflies and not using the premium features, Fathom's free tier is worth a serious look. If you're not using any AI meeting assistant yet, Fathom is the lowest-risk way to start.
Verdict: 8.5/10 for SMB marketing teams. The free tier is genuinely useful, the summaries are accurate, and the CRM integrations work as advertised. The main limitation is team collaboration features requiring paid plans.
by ES
for the AdAI Ed. Team
