Bot notetakers vs recording on your Mac
A bot joins the call as a participant. A desktop recorder listens on your computer. Where the audio becomes text matters more.
How a meeting bot works
A bot is an extra participant that joins Zoom, Meet or Teams and records what the platform sends it. Everyone in the call sees it. Inside the meeting it can read participant names, and some bots join from your calendar when you aren’t there. Otter, Fireflies, Fathom and tl;dv use a bot by default.
How recording on your computer works
A desktop app records your microphone and the sound your computer plays. No one gets a join request, and it works with any call app, including phone calls through your Mac. Every tool on this page now offers this in some form.
Where transcription happens
Most bot-free tools still upload the audio and transcribe it in the cloud. Aside transcribes on your Mac with an on-device speech model and never uploads the audio. Only the text a feature needs, like part of the transcript for a summary, is sent to an AI model.
What you give up
On-device transcription needs an Apple silicon Mac and a one-time model download of about 650 MB. Aside is Mac only and has no web or phone app. A bot can attend a meeting without you; Aside records only while you’re in the call on your Mac.
Tell people either way
Whether a bot joins or not, recording laws differ by place and many require everyone’s consent. Say you’re recording at the start, for example with a line in the call’s chat.
How each tool records
| Bot by default | Bot-free option | Where audio is transcribed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aside | No | Yes, the only mode | On your Mac |
| Granola | No | Yes, the only mode | Cloud |
| Cluely | No | Yes, the only mode | Cloud |
| Notion AI Meeting Notes | No | Yes, the only mode | Cloud |
| Jamie | No | Yes, the only mode | Cloud (EU) |
| Otter | Yes | Desktop app | Cloud |
| Fireflies | Yes | Desktop app, Chrome extension | Cloud |
| Fathom | Yes | Mac beta | Cloud for the bot; not stated publicly for bot-free |
| tl;dv | Yes | Desktop app, audio only | Cloud |
From each company’s own pages on 8 Oct 2026.
Questions
Is a bot-free recorder hidden from others?
Others don’t get a join request, but you should still tell them you’re recording. If you share your screen, share a single window.
Does on-device mean nothing leaves my Mac?
With Aside, audio never leaves your Mac. When you use guidance or write-ups, the text those features need is sent to an AI model. Nothing is used for training.
Do bots name speakers better?
Often, because they can read the meeting’s participant list. Aside suggests names from clues in the call and from voices it has learned on your Mac, and shows why.
Last checked 8 Oct 2026. Products change, so check each company’s pages before you decide.
Sources
Facts about each tool come from its own pages, read on 8 Oct 2026. Each comparison page lists more.