Softonic’s piece this week on Microsoft Teams sandboxing suspicious meeting bots highlighted a real problem: the most common transcription bots show up as opaque guest accounts, and orgs are starting to block them by default. The cleanest workaround is a meeting recorder that runs on your own device, captures the audio locally, and processes it through a transcription service you control. These seven Android apps cover the realistic ways to record, transcribe, and summarise meetings in 2026, from the established AI assistants to the platform-native picks.
We tested each app over a working month of mixed meetings (in-person, hybrid, mobile only). The list below is ranked on transcription accuracy, how well the summary captures action items, and whether the workflow holds up when the meeting is on speakerphone.
What to look for in a meeting recorder
A few features separate the apps that survive a working week from the ones that get uninstalled:
- On-device or in-room recording, not just bot-based joins.
- Accurate speaker diarisation. “Who said the thing” matters more than the transcript itself.
- Action item extraction that does not invent commitments.
- Searchable transcript history across every recording.
- Encryption at rest and clear data retention controls.
- Calendar integration so the recording starts automatically.
- A workflow for sharing the summary without sharing the full transcript.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price/mo | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter | All-around meeting transcription with summaries | 300 minutes/month | $16.99/mo Pro | OtterPilot joins calendar meetings automatically |
| Fireflies.ai | Async transcription and team knowledge base | 800 minutes total | $10/mo Pro | Soundbites that clip key moments by topic |
| tl;dv | Free unlimited recording for personal use | Unlimited (personal) | $18/mo Pro | Highlight reels exportable as MP4 |
| Fathom | Free unlimited with high-quality summaries | Unlimited | $19/mo Team Edition | One-click summary share to Slack and Notion |
| Read AI | Sentiment analysis and meeting effectiveness | 5 hours/month | $19.75/mo Pro | Engagement metrics during the meeting |
| Google Recorder | Free on-device transcription with no account | Yes, fully free | Free | Works fully offline on Pixel devices |
| Granola | Note-driven recorder with manual highlights | 25 meetings/month | $14/mo Pro | Combines your manual notes with the AI transcript |
The 7 best apps for meeting recording on Android
1. Otter — Best all-around meeting transcription
Otter is the established leader and still the easiest to recommend. The Android app records in-person meetings, joins Zoom and Meet via OtterPilot, and produces summaries that capture action items reliably. Live transcription works during the call so you can search what was said in the last 30 minutes without waiting for the post-call processing.
Where it falls short: the free tier is generous on minutes but limited on summary features; Pro is required for many integrations.
Pricing:
- Free: 300 minutes/month, 30-minute meetings
- Paid: $16.99/mo Pro, $30/mo Business
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web, Chrome extension
Bottom line: the default pick, especially if your meetings span Zoom, Google Meet, and in-person.
2. Fireflies.ai — Best async transcription and knowledge base
Fireflies.ai treats the transcript archive as a searchable knowledge base. Sound Bites clip key moments by topic across every recording, channels group related meetings, and the search bar surfaces matching quotes across months of calls.
Where it falls short: the bot-based join model is exactly what Teams’ new sandbox flags; you may need to authorise it explicitly.
Pricing:
- Free: 800 minutes total (not monthly)
- Paid: $10/mo Pro, $19/mo Business
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web, Chrome extension
Bottom line: the pick when your team produces enough recordings that searching across them becomes the workflow.
3. tl;dv — Best free unlimited for personal use
tl;dv offers unlimited free recording on Google Meet and Zoom for individuals, which is unusual. Personal plans cover one user, no cap on minutes or storage. The mobile app handles in-person recording with the same flow. Pro tiers add team features, retention controls, and CRM integrations.
Where it falls short: the bot-based join is again what Teams is starting to flag; personal plans skip some compliance features.
Pricing:
- Free: unlimited for personal use
- Paid: $18/mo Pro, $42/mo Business
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web, Chrome extension
Bottom line: the pick for solo professionals who want unlimited recording without a subscription.
4. Fathom — Best free unlimited with high-quality summaries
Fathom also offers a free tier with unlimited recording, and the summaries are noticeably better than other free picks. Speaker labels are accurate, action items are short and actionable rather than verbose, and the share-to-Slack flow is one click. The Android app mirrors the web experience.
Where it falls short: Team Edition pricing is on the higher end; the bot model has the same Teams sandbox issue.
Pricing:
- Free: unlimited recording and summaries (with branding)
- Paid: $19/mo Team Edition, $29/mo Pro
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web, Chrome extension
Bottom line: the pick if the summary quality matters more than minute caps.
5. Read AI — Best sentiment and effectiveness analytics
Read AI is the outlier. It transcribes, but it also tracks sentiment, engagement, and meeting effectiveness in real time. The Android app shows a small dashboard that updates while the meeting is running, and the post-meeting summary includes coaching notes about who spoke too much, who disengaged, and where the conversation hit a wall.
Where it falls short: the analytics can feel intrusive to other attendees; the price is high.
Pricing:
- Free: 5 hours/month
- Paid: $19.75/mo Pro, $29.75/mo Enterprise
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web, Chrome extension
Bottom line: the pick for managers running a lot of recurring meetings who want analytics on how each one lands.
6. Google Recorder — Best free on-device transcription
Google Recorder is the quiet outlier. It runs entirely on-device on Pixel phones (and some Samsung devices via Android share intents), transcribes in real time, and works fully offline. The audio never leaves the phone unless you choose to share it. No subscription, no signup, no bot to authorise on Teams.
Where it falls short: no calendar integration, no summary, no team features. You get a transcript and an audio file.
Pricing: free, pre-installed on Pixel
Platforms: Android (Pixel and partner devices)
Bottom line: the pick for in-person meetings on a Pixel, when privacy and offline use matter.
7. Granola — Best note-driven recorder
Granola flips the model. You take handwritten notes during the meeting, and the AI fills in the gaps from the transcript afterwards. The final summary blends your live notes with the AI structure, which makes it feel less like a robot wrote it. The Android app finally caught up with the macOS client in mid-2025.
Where it falls short: newer and smaller catalogue of integrations; some teams find the blended notes harder to share than a clean AI summary.
Pricing:
- Free: 25 meetings/month
- Paid: $14/mo Pro
Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Web
Download: Granola
Bottom line: the pick if you take your own notes during meetings and want the AI to be a co-pilot, not a stenographer.
How to pick the right one
Pick Otter if you want the best all-around tool and your meetings span Zoom, Meet, and in-person. Pick Fireflies if your team produces enough meetings that the archive becomes the workflow. Pick tl;dv or Fathom for unlimited free recording, with Fathom for the better summaries and tl;dv for the better personal-use flow. Pick Read AI for the analytics layer. Pick Google Recorder when the meeting is in person and the device is a Pixel. Pick Granola when you take your own notes and want an AI assist rather than a replacement. If you only pick two, pair Otter for remote and Google Recorder for in-person.
FAQ
What is the best free meeting recording app for Android?
tl;dv and Fathom both offer unlimited free recording for personal use, and Fathom’s summaries are the strongest in the free tier. Google Recorder is the best free on-device option for Pixel phones.
Can I record a meeting on Android without telling the other person?
Many jurisdictions require all-party consent. Check local law before recording. Most of these apps announce when a bot joins; the in-device recorders (Google Recorder) do not announce themselves.
Does Microsoft Teams allow third-party meeting bots?
As of mid-2026, Teams sends unknown bots to a holding lobby by default. Authorise the specific bot in advance, or use a device-side recorder that does not join as a guest.
Which meeting recorder has the most accurate transcription?
Otter, Fireflies, and Fathom all land at 95%+ accuracy on clean audio. Speaker diarisation accuracy is the harder problem, and Otter has the slight edge there.
Are these recordings stored securely?
All the cloud-based apps encrypt at rest and in transit. Otter, Fireflies, and Fathom publish SOC 2 reports. For the most sensitive meetings, use Google Recorder on-device or check your org’s data handling policy first.
