Best Agency Meeting Notes Software
This guide covers software that captures what was said in a meeting: transcripts, summaries, decisions and action items. It does not cover scheduling the meeting, which is a different job.
Find My Software StackWhy agencies look at meeting notes tools
Client calls produce decisions, changes of direction and small promises. When the person who took the notes is the only one who has them, the rest of the team works from memory. A notes tool creates a record that anyone on the project can search.
This is not a scheduling topic: booking links and calendars are covered in agency scheduling software. It also differs from client communication tools, which manage ongoing messaging, and from onboarding, where a kickoff call is one step among many. Stored decisions can also feed a knowledge base.
What to look for in a meeting notes tool
How the tool joins the call
Some tools add a visible bot to the meeting; others capture audio from your device. Choose based on how comfortable your clients are with each approach.
Action items you can move on
A summary is useful, but decisions and tasks need to reach the people responsible. Check whether action items can be exported or integrated into your project tool.
Which meeting platforms are supported
Confirm support for the video tools your clients use, such as Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams.
Searching across past meetings
Finding what a client said two months ago is where a searchable archive earns its keep.
Consent and data handling
Recording and transcription can carry consent and privacy requirements depending on where you and your clients are. Tell participants and review each vendor’s security information.
Software worth evaluating
Fathom
Best suited for: Recording and summarizing video calls, with a free option for individuals
Strengths: Captures, transcribes and summarizes Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams calls, records action items and key moments, and describes a free-forever plan and bot-free capture.
A limitation is: Centred on video calls, so tasks still need to reach your project tool
Fireflies.ai
Best suited for: Teams that want notes connected to email, chat and CRM as well as meetings
Strengths: Describes taking notes, managing tasks and automating workflows across meetings, email, chat, CRM and other apps, and building a searchable record of team work.
A limitation is: A wide scope means more to configure than a simple notetaker
Otter
Best suited for: Live transcription with automated summaries
Strengths: Supports real-time transcription, live chat, automated summaries, insights and action items.
A limitation is: A general-purpose notetaker that is not tied to agency project tools
tl;dv
Best suited for: Recording and summarizing Zoom, Google Meet and Teams meetings
Strengths: States that no bot is required and that it can log call notes and outcomes to a CRM automatically.
A limitation is: Its CRM features matter mostly if you use a supported CRM
Granola
Best suited for: People who prefer notes without a meeting bot joining the call
Strengths: Uses your computer’s audio instead of inviting a bot, works with Zoom, Google Meet, Teams and other meeting apps, and is available on macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
A limitation is: Capture happens on the device running it, so each note-taker needs the app
Google Meet “Take notes for me”
Best suited for: Agencies whose calls already happen in Google Meet
Strengths: Built into Meet to capture meeting notes automatically, with no additional vendor to add.
A limitation is: Requires an eligible Google Workspace edition or Google AI plan, and supports one language at a time
Productive AI Notetaker
Best suited for: Agencies that already run projects and sales in Productive
Strengths: Productive describes putting recordings, notes and action items where work happens, inside its agency management platform.
A limitation is: Only relevant if you use Productive
Quick comparison
| Software | Best suited for | Key capabilities | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fathom | Recording and summarizing video calls, with a free option for individuals | Transcripts, summaries, action items, searchable calls | Centred on video calls, so tasks still need to reach your project tool |
| Fireflies.ai | Teams that want notes connected to email, chat and CRM as well as meetings | Notes, tasks, automations, searchable record | A wide scope means more to configure than a simple notetaker |
| Otter | Live transcription with automated summaries | Live transcription, summaries, action items | A general-purpose notetaker that is not tied to agency project tools |
| tl;dv | Recording and summarizing Zoom, Google Meet and Teams meetings | Recording, summaries, action items, CRM logging | Its CRM features matter mostly if you use a supported CRM |
| Granola | People who prefer notes without a meeting bot joining the call | Bot-free capture, notes, actions | Capture happens on the device running it, so each note-taker needs the app |
| Google Meet “Take notes for me” | Agencies whose calls already happen in Google Meet | Automatic notes inside Meet | Requires an eligible Google Workspace edition or Google AI plan, and supports one language at a time |
| Productive AI Notetaker | Agencies that already run projects and sales in Productive | Notes, action items inside agency management | Only relevant if you use Productive |
Summaries reflect each vendor’s public website as reviewed in September 2026. Plans, limits and pricing change, so confirm current details with the vendor before deciding.
How to choose
Decide how notes should behave in front of clients. If a visible bot is a problem, look at tools that capture audio from the device or that state bot-free capture. If clients are already used to bots, the choice widens.
Then decide where actions should end up. A notes tool that stands alone is fine for a solo operator; a team usually wants decisions and tasks to land where projects are tracked. If you use an agency management platform, check whether it includes its own notetaker before adding another tool.
Common mistakes
Relying on the summary alone
Summaries can miss nuance or misattribute a comment. Skim the transcript for anything that affects scope or money.
Recording without telling participants
Tell clients that the call is recorded or transcribed, and check the requirements that apply to you.
Leaving action items in the notes
A decision only counts once it is a task with an owner. Move actions into your project tool.
Using notes as a substitute for written confirmation
For agreed changes, follow up in writing. A transcript is not a contract.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as scheduling software?
No. Scheduling handles booking the meeting. This category handles what is captured in it. See scheduling software.
Do we need a paid tool?
Several tools describe a free option, and some platforms include notes in existing plans. Limits vary, so check them against the number of calls you record.
Can these tools replace a kickoff document?
They record the discussion, but a kickoff summary sent to the client is still the reference for what was agreed. See client onboarding software.
Where should the notes be stored?
Where the team already looks for project information, so the record does not sit in one person’s account.
Conclusion
Meeting notes software is worth adding when decisions and action items from client calls are getting lost between people. Choose based on how the tool joins the call, where actions end up, and what your clients are comfortable with.
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