Fathom vs tl;dv (2026): which meeting note-taker — and what to use for videos & podcasts
Fathom and tl;dv are the two most popular free meeting note-takers: both record and transcribe your video calls with unlimited usage. Fathom leans on CRM-synced notes; tl;dv on call intelligence and sales coaching. Neither transcribes video or podcast URLs — for that, sipdigest.com is the cheaper companion at $9.9/month with a 7-day refund.
Try sipdigest.com free for video & podcast transcriptionHead-to-head: Fathom vs tl;dv
| Fathom | tl;dv | sipdigest.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary use | Meeting notes + CRM sync | Call intelligence & coaching | Video & podcast URL transcription |
| Free tier | Unlimited recording/transcription | Unlimited recording/transcription | 3 transcriptions/day |
| Paid plan | Premium $16/mo | Pro $18/seat/mo | Plus $9.9/mo · Pro $19.9/mo |
| CRM integrations | Strong (HubSpot, Salesforce…) | Available on Pro | — |
| Meeting types | Live calls only | Live calls only | YouTube · TikTok · Podcasts · Twitch URLs |
| URL transcription | No | No | RSS, Spotify, Apple, YouTube, TikTok, Twitch |
| Export | Notes, CRM fields | Notes, clips, CRM fields | TXT · Markdown · SRT |
| AI summary | Yes | Yes | Yes + translation (optional key) |
| 7-day refund | — | — | Yes, no questions |
Pricing and free-tier data from public listings collected in the Oct 2026 competitor research (fathom.video, tldv.io).
Pricing comparison
| Free | Paid | |
|---|---|---|
| Fathom | Unlimited recording/transcription | Premium $16/mo |
| tl;dv | Unlimited recording/transcription | Pro $18/seat/mo |
| sipdigest.com | 3 transcriptions/day | Plus $9.9/mo · Pro $19.9/mo |
Frequently asked questions
Fathom vs tl;dv — which is better for meeting notes?
Both record and transcribe meetings for free with unlimited usage: Fathom pairs live notes with a strong CRM sync (Free · Premium $16), while tl;dv focuses on cross-meeting insights and sales coaching (Free · Pro $18/seat/mo). Neither handles video or podcast URL transcription — that is where sipdigest.com comes in at $9.9/month.
Is Fathom really free?
Yes — Fathom has a free plan with unlimited recording and transcription, plus AI summaries. Premium adds advanced features (such as CRM integrations beyond the basics) at $16/month.
Is tl;dv really free?
Yes — tl;dv offers free unlimited recording and transcription with core summaries; Pro at $18/seat/month adds team analytics, CRM sync and sales coaching features.
Can Fathom or tl;dv transcribe videos or podcasts from URLs?
No — both are live meeting tools: they record what happens on your video call, not a YouTube video, TikTok clip, podcast episode or article link. For URL-based transcription, sipdigest.com transcribes YouTube, TikTok, podcasts (RSS/Spotify/Apple) and Twitch with 3 free transcriptions daily.
Which is better for a sales team, Fathom or tl;dv?
Both target revenue teams. tl;dv leans into call intelligence and sales coaching workflows; Fathom is known for clean UI and CRM integrations. Most teams pick by their CRM and coaching stack — both are free to start, so testing both is cheap.
What is the cheapest way to transcribe video and podcast content?
sipdigest.com: $9.9/month (Plus) for 20 transcriptions/day of YouTube, TikTok, podcast and Twitch URLs, with TXT/Markdown/SRT export, one-click cancel and a 7-day refund.