Fathom vs Zoom AI Companion
Both scored against the same 13 criteria, from the same hands-on testing. Here is where each one actually wins.
Last updated October 2026 · 28 tools ranked
Fathom and Zoom AI Companion score identically at 3.7 out of 5 across our 13 weighted criteria, so the choice comes down to which criteria matter to you. Fathom leads on transcription accuracy and integration ecosystem. Zoom AI Companion leads on data retention & training transparency and platform support.
Fathom
#9 of 28Free AI meeting assistant with instant summaries
- Pricing
- Free tier available; paid from $16/mo
- Platforms
- Web, macOS, Windows
Zoom AI Companion
#13 of 28Zoom's built-in AI (formerly branded AI Companion), now reaching beyond Zoom meetings
- Pricing
- Free tier available; paid from $14.16/mo
- Platforms
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
All 13 Criteria, Side by Side
| Criterion | Weight | Fathom | Zoom AI Companion | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Privacy & Data Security | High | 3 | 3 | Tie |
| Transcription Accuracy | High | 5 | 3 | Fathom |
| AI Analysis Quality | High | 4 | 4 | Tie |
| Recording Consent & Compliance | Med | 4 | 4 | Tie |
| Data Retention & Training Transparency | Med | 2 | 4 | Zoom AI Companion |
| Real-Time / Live Capability | Med | 3 | 3 | Tie |
| Recording Method | Med | 4 | 4 | Tie |
| Ease of Use | Med | 5 | 5 | Tie |
| Platform Support | Med | 4 | 5 | Zoom AI Companion |
| Offline Capability | Med | 1 | 1 | Tie |
| Integration Ecosystem | Med | 5 | 4 | Fathom |
| Knowledge Connection | Low | 5 | 5 | Tie |
| Pricing & Value | Low | 4 | 4 | Tie |
| Overall (weighted) | 3.7 | 3.7 | Tie |
Overall is a weighted average, not a mean: high-weight criteria count triple and low-weight criteria count once. See the formula.
Choose Fathom if…
- → Transcription Accuracy matters to you. Fathom scores 5/5 here against 3/5.
The best free option for individuals who want simple, no-fuss meeting notes, now backed by a transparent paid ladder and a real-time desktop app.
Choose Zoom AI Companion if…
- → Data Retention & Training Transparency matters to you. Zoom AI Companion scores 4/5 here against 2/5.
No longer Zoom-only, and no longer branded AI Companion: Zoom's built-in AI is a credible agentic assistant, but it stays cloud-bound and lacks the on-device processing and live coaching that set Hedy apart.
Fathom at a glance
Strengths
- +Genuinely generous free tier
- +Very easy to use
- +Clean summaries
- +Bot-free capture and real-time summaries
Limitations
- −Cloud processing required
- −Only a limited number of advanced AI summaries on the free plan
- −Trains its own AI models on de-identified customer data by default (opt-out available)
- −No mobile app yet (iOS announced, not shipped)
Zoom AI Companion at a glance
Strengths
- +Core AI features included at no extra cost with any paid Zoom Workplace plan
- +Optional ZoomMate tier adds custom agents, deep research, and live audio translation
- +My Notes captures Teams, Google Meet, and in-person conversations
- +Agentic features with cross-app retrieval and document drafting
Limitations
- −All processing happens in Zoom's cloud — no offline mode
- −No real-time coaching
- −Cross-platform capture is full on desktop/web but Zoom-and-in-person only on mobile
- −Best value still assumes you live inside Zoom Workplace