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Last updated: May 2, 2026
Fathom is the most-loved AI notetaker on G2 — 500,000+ users, dominant in HubSpot and Zoom marketplaces, $17M Series A in early 2026. The 2026 catch: the famously generous free tier is now capped at 5 AI summaries/month.
Here's how Fathom stacks up against tools that go further: live coaching, sales-specific roleplay, and conversation intelligence.
Overall score
Ease of use
Features
Head-to-head
Overall score
Ease of use
Features
Head-to-head
Fathom captures what already happened — recordings, transcripts, summaries. SalesEcho changes what happens next — live in-call coaching that whispers the right answer mid-objection, plus AI roleplay practice so reps build the muscle before the call. Different jobs: Fathom is a notetaker; SalesEcho is a coach and a sparring partner.
Here's what each tool actually ships, side by side. Honest cells — no marketing fluff.
| Feature | Fathom | SalesEcho |
|---|---|---|
| Live coaching during calls | — | ✓ Real-time prompts |
| AI roleplay practice | — | ✓ Built-in |
| AI meeting summaries | ✓ (5/mo cap on free) | ✓ Unlimited |
| Call recording + transcription | ✓ Unlimited | ✓ |
| Transcription accuracy | 90-95% | Modern speech models |
| Ask Fathom (search past calls) | ✓ Premium tier | — |
| AI Scorecards / coaching | Business tier ($25-$34/mo) | Built-in (all tiers) |
| Free tier | ✓ (5 AI summaries/mo) | Free trial |
| Bot-as-participant on calls | Visible bot (intrusive) | No bot |
Fathom is free for solo reps who only need recordings + 5 summaries/month. Beyond that, Premium ($16-20/mo) or Team Edition ($15-19/seat/mo) is required for unlimited AI features.
Unlimited recording. 5 AI summaries/month cap (new in 2025).
Unlimited summaries, action items, limited Ask Fathom.
2-user min. Team search, shared library, collaboration.
2-user min. Adds AI Scorecards, coaching metrics, CRM sync.
Full feature access. No card. No summary cap.
Live coaching + roleplay + recording all included.
Manager dashboards + analytics.
AI scorecards on all tiers, not gated to Business.
SalesEcho is built to coach you live on calls and let you practice between them — so reps actually improve, not just review.
Themes paraphrased from G2, Capterra, Reddit, and Trustpilot reviews — not vendor-curated testimonials.
What users love
“90-95% transcription accuracy and instant post-call summaries — the best free notetaker on the market.”
— Paraphrased from g2.com
What users love
“Generous free tier let our team self-install in 60 seconds without IT or admin approval — ramp was instant.”
— Paraphrased from producthunt.com
Common complaint
“Free-tier squeeze in 2026 — capping AI summaries at 5/month feels like a bait-and-switch.”
— Paraphrased from tldv.io
Common complaint
“Visible bot joining as a meeting participant is intrusive — prospects ask about it, and Google Meet flags third-party bots.”
— Paraphrased from g2.com
Find your scenario below for a direct recommendation.
If you...
Are a solo rep / small team that just needs notes + recordings
Free tier covers the basics. Easiest install in the category. Stays free for individual use.
If you...
Want coaching, not just recording
Fathom's AI Scorecards are gated to Business tier and are post-call. SalesEcho coaches live during the call.
If you...
Want AI roleplay practice between calls
Fathom doesn't do practice at all. SalesEcho includes it; Hyperbound is standalone roleplay.
If you...
Hate the visible meeting bot
Granola pioneered bot-free meeting capture and is winning the 2026 'bot-free' battle. Worth a look if Fathom's bot has been a friction point.
If you...
Need enterprise CI + forecasting
Both are way more than Fathom (and way more expensive). Right call for 50+ rep B2B SaaS sales orgs.
If you...
Want one tool for notes AND coaching
Replaces the Fathom + coaching-tool stack with a single per-seat subscription.
Fathom is a great free starting point, but most teams outgrow it once they want coaching, sales-specific analytics, or training — and reviewers are increasingly weighing it against Granola, which raised $125M Series C at a $1.5B valuation in March 2026 and is winning on the bot-free experience. Here's the lineup.
SalesEcho goes beyond notes — it coaches reps live during calls and lets them practice between calls. Where Fathom records the call, SalesEcho helps you win it.
Avoma is the natural step up from Fathom — same notetaker DNA plus conversation intelligence and team analytics. Paid (starts at $19/seat/mo, fully-loaded $48-77/seat), more capable.
Fireflies is Fathom's closest competitor — also a notetaker, slightly different feature set, has a free tier and paid upgrades. Comparable quality, different UX.
Gong is the enterprise endpoint — way more than Fathom, way more expensive (~$1,200+/rep/yr). The right call when notes aren't enough and you need full conversation intelligence at scale.
Chorus is similar to Gong — conversation intelligence at enterprise scale. Cheaper inside a ZoomInfo bundle. Different problem than Fathom solves.
Hyperbound is AI roleplay — totally different category. Pair with Fathom if you want notes + practice; replace both with SalesEcho if you want one tool.
Closer Coach is roleplay practice for individual reps. Affordable, complementary to Fathom (notes + practice), or replaceable by SalesEcho (one tool covers both).
SalesEcho coaches reps during calls and lets them practice between calls. Free to try, no credit card.