Guides
AI note takers without a bot: how they work and which to use
An AI note taker without a bot records the meeting audio on your own computer or phone, so no "Notetaker" ever joins the call. Hark, Granola, Jamie and Krisp work this way, and Otter, Fireflies and Fathom now offer bot-free modes as well.
Two ways to take AI meeting notes
1. Meeting bots
A bot is a virtual participant. You connect your calendar, and when a meeting starts, the service dials into the Zoom, Teams or Google Meet call as an extra attendee named something like "Otter Notetaker" or "Fireflies Notetaker." It records the meeting from the inside, sends it to the vendor's servers, and emails notes afterward.
2. Device recording (no bot)
A desktop note taker runs on your computer. It records two things: your microphone (your voice) and your computer's audio output (what you hear from everyone else). Because it records your computer rather than joining the meeting, it works the same with Zoom, Teams, Meet, Webex, Slack huddles or a call in your browser. Some apps run on phones and record in-person conversations the same way.
Pros and cons
| Meeting bot | On-device, no bot | |
|---|---|---|
| Visible to others | Yes, in the participant list | No; you announce it yourself |
| Works when you're absent | Yes, it can join meetings you skip | No, your device must be in the meeting |
| Meeting apps | Only the ones the bot supports | Almost any app, plus in-person |
| Can be blocked | Hosts can remove it or block bots | Not by the meeting app |
| Who said what | Often uses the meeting app's names | Must tell voices apart from the audio |
| Video | Often records video | Usually audio only |
The short version: bots are convenient for teams and for meetings you can't attend. Device recording is quieter, works everywhere, and doesn't depend on the host allowing bots. Neither is automatically more private; that depends on where the audio is transcribed and stored.
AI note takers that don't join the meeting
We checked each company's website in October 2026.
Hark (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Our app. Records your microphone and computer audio as separate tracks and transcribes on your computer, so audio isn't uploaded for transcription. Recognises voices you've named before. Free forever for recording and transcription; AI meeting notes by Claude are $12/month. English only, and on a Mac it records the microphone only.
Granola (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android)
Uses your device's audio and never sends a bot. You type rough notes and Granola turns them into finished notes. It deletes the audio after transcription, which is done in the cloud by providers it names on its security page. Free plan with 30 days of history; Business is $14 per user per month (as of October 2026).
Jamie (Mac, Windows)
Says it runs directly on your device without a meeting bot, works with Zoom, Teams, Google Meet and in-person meetings, and never stores audio after transcription. It offers a free plan.
Krisp
Known for noise cancellation, Krisp also takes AI meeting notes at the audio level on your device, with an optional bot for Zoom. It says English transcription runs on-device, with server-based transcription for other languages.
Otter desktop app (Mac, Windows)
Otter's desktop app records Zoom, Google Meet, Slack huddles and in-person conversations without a bot. Audio is still transcribed and stored in Otter's cloud. Good if you want Otter's transcript without the bot.
Fireflies Chrome extension and desktop app
Fireflies' Chrome extension captures Google Meet calls without its bot, and its new desktop app offers notes without a bot on the call, with an on-screen indicator so participants know.
Fathom bot-free capture (Mac, beta)
Fathom's pricing page lists bot-free capture as a beta for Mac only, as an alternative to its usual bot.
Built into your meeting app
Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet each offer their own AI summaries on certain paid plans. These don't add a bot because they're part of the platform, but participants usually see a notice, and the host's account and settings decide whether they're available.
For a fuller ranking, see our list of the best AI note takers, or compare two bot-free-friendly tools in Granola vs Otter.
Bot-free notes that stay on your computer
Hark records any meeting app from your desktop and transcribes it locally, with no minute limits. Free forever, plus a 2-day preview of AI meeting notes.
How to set up bot-free note taking
- Install a desktop note taker and give it permission to use your microphone (and, where needed, to record system audio or the screen).
- Use headphones if you can. The app records the call from your computer's audio, and headphones stop your speakers from echoing into the mic.
- Do a test call with a friend or a test meeting and check that both your voice and the other side appear in the transcript.
- Start recording when the meeting starts, and announce it.
- Name the speakers afterward if the app asks. In Hark you listen to a short clip of each voice and name it once; next time Hark suggests the name for you.
On a Mac, capturing other apps' audio needs special permission and not every tool supports it. Hark currently records only the microphone on macOS, so the other side is captured only if it plays through your speakers.
Consent etiquette when there's no bot
A bot announces itself. A desktop recorder doesn't, so the responsibility moves to you. Recording laws vary: some US states and many countries require everyone's consent, and workplaces often have their own rules. Good habits:
- Say it at the start: "I'm recording this so I can take notes. Is that OK with everyone?"
- Put it in the invite for recurring meetings, so new people know before they join.
- Stop or pause if someone says no, and offer to share your notes instead.
- Share the notes or transcript with participants if they ask.
- Delete recordings you no longer need.
This isn't legal advice. Check the rules where you and the other participants are.
No bot is not the same as private
Many bot-free tools still upload your audio and transcribe it in the cloud. If privacy is the reason you're avoiding bots, ask where transcription happens. Hark runs speech recognition on your computer (see how local AI transcription works). Its optional AI features send transcript text, not audio, to Claude. For a closer look at one popular cloud tool, read Is Otter AI safe?
Related
- Is Otter.ai safe? How Otter handles your data and what to ask any note taker.
- Local AI transcription How on-device speech recognition works, and the trade-offs.
- Best AI note takers An honest roundup of AI note takers, with what each does best.
- Best free AI note takers What the free plans of popular AI note takers really include.
- Best AI meeting assistants Meeting assistants compared: notes, summaries, privacy and price.
- Best AI note takers for Microsoft Teams Options for Teams meetings, from Copilot to desktop recorders.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an AI note taker that doesn't join the meeting? +
Yes. Desktop note takers such as Hark, Granola, Jamie and Krisp record the audio on your own computer instead of sending a bot into the call. Otter, Fireflies and Fathom, which are known for bots, now offer bot-free modes too, though some are limited to certain apps or to Mac.
How does an AI note taker work without a bot? +
It captures audio on your device: your microphone for your voice and your computer's audio output for everyone else. Because it records the computer rather than the meeting, it works with almost any meeting app. The audio is then transcribed, either on your computer or on the vendor's servers, and turned into notes.
Can other people tell if I use a bot-free note taker? +
Usually not. There's no extra participant and the meeting app may not show a recording notice. That's exactly why you should tell people yourself and get their consent, since many places require everyone's agreement to record.
Is a bot-free note taker more private? +
It hides the recording from the participant list, which is not the same as privacy. What matters is where the audio goes. Many bot-free tools still upload audio for cloud transcription. A local tool like Hark transcribes on your computer, though its optional AI notes still send transcript text to Claude.
Do bot-free note takers work for in-person meetings? +
Most do, because they can record from your computer's or phone's microphone. Granola, Jamie and Otter's desktop app all mention in-person meetings. Hark records the microphone too, and on a Mac the microphone is all it records.
Record, transcribe and remember every meeting
Hark records your calls on your own computer, transcribes them privately, and learns who is speaking. Free forever, with a 2-day preview of AI meeting notes.