Fathom is generous: unlimited recordings on the free plan. The trade is the bot. By default, Fathom sends a notetaker into your call, and your recording goes to its cloud. Its privacy page says it may use de-identified meeting content to train its own models, unless you opt out in settings.
Off Grid AI Desktop (OGAD) Pro takes notes with nobody else in the call. It records your computer's audio and your microphone, and with local models selected, it writes the transcript and summary on your machine.
Get Pro for $79.99 once · Download Off Grid AI
Off Grid AI and Fathom side by side
| Off Grid AI Pro | Fathom | |
|---|---|---|
| Bot joins the call | No | Yes, by default |
| Where recordings live | Your disk | Fathom's cloud, hosted in the US |
| Your data trains their models | No | De-identified content may be used; opt out in settings |
| AI features | All included | Free plan: "Limited use" |
| Price | $79.99 once, or $7.99 a month | Premium $20 a month, or $16 billed yearly |
| Computers | Mac (Apple silicon), Windows, Linux | Not stated on Fathom's own pages |
Checked 30 October 2026 against Fathom's pricing and privacy pages. Off Grid AI's price is a limited-time lifetime offer, down from $119.
What it costs over three years
| 1 year | 3 years | |
|---|---|---|
| Fathom Premium, billed yearly | $192 | $576 |
| Off Grid AI Pro, lifetime | $79.99 | $79.99 |
Why the bot matters
A notetaker bot shows up in the participant list. Clients ask who it is. Some companies block outside bots. And on a sensitive call, a new name in the room changes how people talk.
OGAD doesn't join anything. When a Zoom, Teams or Google Meet call starts, it records two tracks on your computer: the call's audio and your microphone. In a room, press Record meeting and it uses the microphone. The other people see the same call they always see. Still tell them you're recording, as you would with any notetaker.
What you get after the call
A local Whisper model writes the transcript. A local text model writes the summary, the decisions and the follow-ups, with who owes what. You can ask a question about the call, and the answer cites the line it came from.
Your meetings also join the rest of your Off Grid AI memory. Before your next call with the same client, God's meeting prep shows what you discussed last time and what's still open.
Meetings are one part of Pro
Fathom records calls. Off Grid AI Pro covers your working day on your own hardware:
- Memory. Screens, meetings, mail and documents in one local memory you can search and ask.
- Actions you approve. Replies and issues through Gmail, Linear, Jira and Notion, sent only with your yes.
- God, your chief of staff. A morning brief, meeting prep and what people owe you.
- Reflect. Time by project, app and person, without timers.
- Vault, Clipboard and Sync. Encrypted secrets, a searchable clipboard, and your devices in sync without a server.
When Fathom is the better pick
Fathom's free plan costs nothing and works on any laptop, because its servers do the heavy work. It also has team plans with CRM sync. OGAD needs a computer that can run a speech model; most Apple silicon Macs and recent PCs can, and the app shows which models fit.
If free and cloud suits your calls, Fathom is fine. If the call is a client, a patient or a deal, keep it on your own machine.
Switch in ten minutes
- Download OGAD for Mac, Windows or Linux.
- Get Pro and enter your key.
- In Models, download a transcription model and a text model.
- Allow microphone and screen-audio access, then join a short test call.
- Open Meetings and read the summary.
FAQ
Is there a Fathom alternative without a bot?
Yes. Off Grid AI Desktop Pro records your computer's audio and microphone, so no bot joins the call. It works with Zoom, Teams and Google Meet on Mac, Windows and Linux.
Does Fathom train on my meetings?
Fathom's privacy page says it may use de-identified meeting content to train its own models, and you can opt out in account settings. Off Grid AI does not train on your meetings.
Is Fathom free?
Fathom's free plan has unlimited recordings and transcripts, with limited AI features. Premium is $20 a month, or $16 a month billed yearly.
How much does Off Grid AI cost?
On 30 October 2026, Off Grid AI Pro is $79.99 once for lifetime access, a limited-time price, or $7.99 a month. One key covers up to 5 devices.
Where are my Off Grid AI meeting recordings stored?
On your own disk. There is no Off Grid AI server holding them.
Get Off Grid AI Pro and take the bot out of your next call.
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