Source availability
- Screenpipe
- Source available; personal use is free and commercial use requires a license
- Fathom
- Not available
VS
Product comparison · reviewed August 1, 2026
Screenpipe vs Fathom: which is right for your workflow?
Full screen and audio capture vs meeting-only notetaker. A side-by-side look at scope, data control, platform support, and extensibility—without pretending one product is best for everyone.
Same criteria
Both products are evaluated against the same feature and deployment questions.
Trade-offs included
Fathom's strengths are shown alongside Screenpipe's.
No winner score
The right choice depends on the job, risk model, and operating environment.
The practical differences
Where the products differ
Start with the criteria that can actually change your decision. Marketing category labels are less useful than concrete operating constraints.
Platform Support
- Screenpipe
- Mac, Windows, Linux
- Fathom
- Mac, Windows (Zoom, Meet, Teams)
Capture Scope
- Screenpipe
- Screen + audio, 24/7
- Fathom
- Meeting audio only
Meeting Recording
- Screenpipe
- Available
- Fathom
- Available
Screen Recording
screenpipe captures slides, dashboards, and documents shown on screen. Fathom captures audio only.
- Screenpipe
- Available
- Fathom
- Not available
No Bot in the Call
screenpipe captures audio locally on your device with no bot joining. Fathom traditionally joins with a visible notetaker bot; its newer desktop mode can capture without a bot, but still processes in the cloud.
- Screenpipe
- Available
- Fathom
- Newer bot-free desktop mode
Side by side
Screenpipe vs Fathom
Capabilities can change. Treat this as an evaluation starting point and verify purchase-critical requirements with each vendor.
| Criterion | Screenpipe | Fathom |
|---|---|---|
| Source availability | Source available; personal use is free and commercial use requires a license | Not available |
| Platform Support | Mac, Windows, Linux | Mac, Windows (Zoom, Meet, Teams) |
| Capture Scope | Screen + audio, 24/7 | Meeting audio only |
| Meeting Recording | Available | Available |
| Screen Recordingscreenpipe captures slides, dashboards, and documents shown on screen. Fathom captures audio only. | Available | Not available |
| No Bot in the Callscreenpipe captures audio locally on your device with no bot joining. Fathom traditionally joins with a visible notetaker bot; its newer desktop mode can capture without a bot, but still processes in the cloud. | Available | Newer bot-free desktop mode |
| Local Storagescreenpipe stores everything on your device. Fathom processes and stores recordings in the cloud. | Available | Not available |
| Cloud Sync | Optional | Required |
| Works Offline | Available | Not available |
| Developer APIFathom offers a public REST API with webhooks and SDKs (as of 2026-07). screenpipe adds an MCP server so any MCP-compatible AI agent can query your memory directly. | REST + MCP server for agents | REST API + webhooks |
| AI Model Choice | Any: Claude, GPT-4, Ollama, local models | Fathom AI only |
| PricingFathom's free tier covers meeting notes; paid tiers run Premium $20, Team $19, Business $34 per user/month (as of 2026-07). screenpipe starts at $25/month for full screen and audio capture, local-first storage, and API access. | From $25/month | Free tier; paid from $19/user/mo (as of 2026-07) |
Decision guide
Choose based on the job
Choose Fathom if
- Generous free tier with unlimited meeting recordings
- Clean, polished meeting summary and action item UI
- Real-time transcription during live calls
- CRM sync: HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zapier integrations
- Broad meeting platform support: Zoom, Google Meet, Teams
Choose Screenpipe if
- You need continuous screen and audio context, not only meeting notes or active-window context.
- You want local-only capture and search as a supported operating mode.
- Your team uses a mix of macOS, Windows, and Linux.
- You need an auditable, source-available capture engine and an API for agents or internal workflows.
Context
Key trade-offs in detail
screenpipe is the fathom ai notetaker alternative for your full workday
The best fathom ai notetaker alternative captures more than meetings. screenpipe records your full screen and all audio continuously, stores everything locally on your device, and lets any AI model query your complete work history. Fathom captures what was said in your calls. screenpipe captures everything: calls, documents, browser research, terminal output, and Slack threads.
Meeting notes without the bot
Fathom sends a visible bot to your Zoom, Meet, or Teams call. screenpipe records audio directly from your device. No bot appears in the meeting as a participant. You get the same meeting summaries and action items plus the screen content shown during the call.
Beyond meetings: screen and audio, all day
Fathom only hears your meetings. screenpipe sees and hears your full workday: the research you browsed, the code you debugged, the Slack thread with the key decision, the email with the contract terms. All indexed locally. All searchable by any AI model. Meetings are one input, not the whole picture.
Local-first privacy
Fathom processes and stores your meeting recordings in its cloud (hosted in the US, as of 2026-07). With screenpipe in local-only mode, captured data stays on your device; optional cloud AI, sync, connectors, exports, and team workflows are separate deployment choices. For sensitive conversations (legal, HR, financial) that is a meaningful difference, and screenpipe's open-source code lets you audit exactly what happens to your data.
Fathom pricing vs screenpipe pricing
Fathom's free tier is generous for individual meeting notes. Paid tiers, as of 2026-07: Premium $20/user/month, Team $19/user/month (from $15 billed annually, 2-user minimum), and Business $34/user/month. screenpipe starts at $25/month for full screen and audio capture, local-first storage, and developer API access. For teams that need more than meeting transcripts, the comparison changes.
FAQ
Questions worth asking
Disclosure: this comparison is written and maintained by Screenpipe, not an independent review publication.
Are Screenpipe and Fathom direct substitutes?+
Fathom is a freemium AI notetaker that records your Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams calls, transcribes them in real time, and generates AI summaries with action items. It has a generous free tier with unlimited recordings and syncs with HubSpot and Salesforce for sales teams. The overlap depends on the job you are buying for: Screenpipe focuses on continuous, searchable screen and audio context, while Fathom may be a better fit for the narrower workflows described above.
Where is Fathom stronger?+
Fathom is a credible choice for teams that value generous free tier with unlimited meeting recordings, clean, polished meeting summary and action item ui, real-time transcription during live calls. Those strengths should be weighed against the deployment, data-control, platform, and extensibility differences in the table.
Where is Screenpipe stronger?+
Screenpipe is designed for continuous screen and audio capture, local-only capture and search, cross-platform deployment, and programmatic access through its local API and MCP integrations. Those advantages matter most when privacy, broad work context, or custom automation is the buying criterion.
Is this an independent comparison?+
No. Screenpipe publishes this page. We include Fathom's strengths, avoid a numeric winner score, and state the criteria so readers can verify the claims that matter to them. Product capabilities change, so confirm critical details with each vendor before purchasing.
Evaluate with your own data
Try Screenpipe before you decide.
Install it, test the workflows that matter, and compare the result against your real requirements—not a vendor scorecard.