Drowning in back-to-back Microsoft Teams meetings? In 2025, your most valuable colleague is an AI assistant that takes notes, summarizes discussions, and tracks action items, so you don’t have to. But with Microsoft’s own Copilot and Teams Premium competing against established players like Read.ai and Otter.ai, choosing the right tool can be confusing.
This guide breaks down Microsoft’s native AI tools and compares them head-to-head with the best third-party alternatives, helping you choose the perfect AI assistant for your needs and budget.
What the Community is Discussing
Copilot vs Teams Premium - Is it worth the extra cost? from r/MicrosoftTeams
Understanding Microsoft’s Native AI Tools
Before diving into third-party alternatives, let’s clarify Microsoft’s own AI offerings for Teams:
Level 1: Standard Teams (Basic Transcription)
Every Teams user gets access to basic meeting transcription. This provides:
- Speaker-attributed text transcripts
- Ability to download transcripts as text files
- Basic search within transcripts
Level 2: Teams Premium (Intelligent Recap)
Teams Premium adds AI-powered features:
- AI-generated meeting notes
- Topic-based chapters in recordings
- Automated task identification
- Timeline markers for when you join/leave
- Advanced search across meetings
💰 Teams Premium Pricing
Cost: $10 per user per month
Free Trial: 30-day trial available
Requirements: Microsoft 365 subscription
Level 3: Microsoft Copilot (Interactive AI Assistant)
Copilot represents Microsoft’s most advanced AI integration:
- Real-time meeting summaries
- Interactive Q&A about meeting content
- Automated follow-up email drafting
- Meeting preparation briefings
- Integration with Microsoft 365 apps
💰 Copilot Pricing
Cost: $30 per user per month
Requirements: Microsoft 365 E3/E5 license
Minimum: 300 seats for enterprise
Teams Premium vs. Copilot Feature Comparison
| Feature | Teams Premium | Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Transcription | ✅ | ✅ |
| AI Meeting Notes | ✅ | ✅ |
| Topic Chapters | ✅ | ✅ |
| Task Identification | ✅ | ✅ |
| Interactive Q&A | ❌ | ✅ |
| Email Drafting | ❌ | ✅ |
| Meeting Preparation | ❌ | ✅ |
| M365 Integration | Basic | Deep |
The Best AI Meeting Assistants for Teams at a Glance
| Tool | Best For | Free Plan | Starting Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Microsoft Copilot | Enterprise Teams Integration | No | $30/user/month | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 2. Teams Premium | Basic AI Features | No | $10/user/month | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| 3. Read.ai | Free Alternative | Yes | $12/user/month | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| 4. Otter.ai | Cross-Platform Use | Yes | $10/user/month | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| 5. Fireflies.ai | CRM Integration | Yes | $10/user/month | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| 6. Fathom | Individual Users | Yes | $15/user/month | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ |
| 7. Tactiq | Browser Extension | Yes | $8/user/month | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ |
| 8. Avoma | Sales Teams | No | $20/user/month | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| 9. Sembly AI | Enterprise Security | No | $15/user/month | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ |
| 10. ScreenApp | Screen Recording | Yes | $14/month | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
The 10 Best AI Meeting Assistants for Teams in 2025
Microsoft Copilot
Best for Enterprise Teams Integration
Microsoft Copilot represents the most powerful and deeply integrated AI assistant for Teams, offering real-time meeting intelligence and seamless connection with the entire Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
Key Features
- Real-Time Meeting Intelligence: Ask questions and get insights during live meetings
- Deep M365 Integration: Connects with Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and more
- Interactive Q&A: Ask about past meetings and get contextual answers
- Meeting Preparation: AI-generated briefings before meetings
- Smart Follow-up: Automated email drafting and task creation
✅ Pros
- Deepest possible Teams integration
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance
- Powerful real-time AI capabilities
- Seamless Microsoft 365 ecosystem integration
❌ Cons
- High cost per user ($30/month)
- 300-seat minimum requirement
- Requires E3/E5 license
- No free tier or individual plans
Best For Large enterprises already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem who need the most powerful and secure AI meeting assistant available.
💰 Pricing
Starting Price: $30 per user per month
Free Trial: Available through Microsoft
Enterprise Requirements: Microsoft 365 E3/E5 license, 300-seat minimum
Microsoft Teams Premium
Best for Basic AI Meeting Features
Teams Premium offers essential AI-powered meeting features at a more accessible price point than Copilot, making it an excellent starting point for organizations looking to enhance their meeting productivity.
Key Features
- Intelligent Recap: AI-generated meeting notes and summaries
- Chapter Markers: Automatically divided recordings with topics
- Task Identification: AI-detected action items and decisions
- Timeline Navigation: Jump to when you joined/left
- Advanced Search: Find content across all meetings
✅ Pros
- Native Teams integration
- More affordable than Copilot
- No minimum seat requirement
- Works with any Microsoft 365 license
❌ Cons
- Limited AI interaction
- No real-time assistance
- Basic summarization only
- No free tier available
Best For Organizations that want native Teams AI features without the enterprise requirements and cost of Copilot.
💰 Pricing
Starting Price: $10 per user per month
Free Trial: 30-day trial available
Requirements: Any Microsoft 365 subscription
Read.ai offers a powerful free alternative to Microsoft’s native tools, with unique features like engagement tracking and detailed meeting analytics that help teams understand and improve their meeting effectiveness.
Key Features
- Meeting Analytics: Detailed insights into speaker time, engagement, and participation
- Engagement Tracking: Real-time monitoring of participant attention and interaction
- Smart Summaries: AI-generated notes with key points and action items
- Team Insights: Analytics on meeting patterns and team collaboration
- Cross-Platform Support: Works with Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet
✅ Pros
- Generous free plan available
- Unique engagement analytics
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Easy bot integration
❌ Cons
- Less deep Teams integration
- Some features require paid plan
- No real-time assistance
- Limited customization options
Best For Teams and organizations looking for a free or low-cost alternative to Microsoft’s native tools, especially those interested in detailed meeting analytics and engagement tracking.
💰 Pricing
Free Plan: Available with core features
Pro Plan: $12 per user per month
Enterprise: Custom pricing for advanced features
Otter.ai stands out for its ability to seamlessly work across Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet, making it perfect for professionals who use multiple meeting platforms. Its OtterPilot feature provides real-time AI assistance during meetings.
Key Features
- OtterPilot: AI assistant that joins and summarizes meetings automatically
- Real-Time Collaboration: Live note-taking with inline comments and highlights
- Cross-Platform Support: Works seamlessly across all major meeting platforms
- Mobile App: Access transcripts and summaries on the go
- Custom Vocabulary: Train the AI on industry-specific terms
✅ Pros
- Excellent cross-platform support
- High transcription accuracy
- Real-time collaboration features
- Strong mobile experience
❌ Cons
- Free plan is limited
- Some advanced features cost extra
- Less native Teams integration
- Can be overwhelming for beginners
Best For Professionals and teams who regularly switch between different meeting platforms and need a consistent, reliable note-taking solution across all of them.
💰 Pricing
Free Plan: Basic transcription features
Pro Plan: $10 per user per month
Business: $20 per user per month with advanced features
Fireflies.ai excels at connecting your meetings with your business workflows, automatically pushing summaries and action items to popular CRM platforms and project management tools.
Key Features
- CRM Integration: Automatically sync with Salesforce, HubSpot, and more
- Custom Topics: Track specific keywords and topics across meetings
- Conversation Intelligence: Analyze customer sentiment and engagement
- Workflow Automation: Push meeting data to your favorite tools
- API Access: Build custom integrations and workflows
✅ Pros
- Extensive integration options
- Strong sales-focused features
- Powerful automation capabilities
- Developer-friendly API
❌ Cons
- Learning curve for setup
- Best features need paid plan
- Can be complex for simple needs
- Integration setup takes time
Best For Sales teams and organizations that want to integrate meeting insights directly into their CRM and workflow tools.
💰 Pricing
Free Plan: Available with basic features
Pro Plan: $10 per user per month
Business: $19 per user per month with advanced integrations
Fathom offers a generous free plan and simple setup process, making it an excellent choice for individuals and small teams who need basic AI meeting assistance without complexity.
Key Features
- One-Click Setup: Get started in minutes with simple installation
- Quick Highlights: Mark and save important moments during meetings
- Automated Summaries: Basic AI-generated meeting notes
- Free Forever Plan: Generous free tier for individual users
- Basic Integrations: Works with Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet
✅ Pros
- Generous free plan
- Very easy to set up
- Clean, simple interface
- No credit card required
❌ Cons
- Limited advanced features
- Basic integration options
- No team collaboration tools
- Less powerful AI capabilities
Best For Individual users and small teams who want a simple, free solution for basic meeting notes and summaries.
💰 Pricing
Free Plan: Available forever with core features
Pro Plan: $15 per user per month
Team: Custom pricing for additional features
Tactiq provides a lightweight browser extension that makes it easy to capture and organize meeting notes without the need for a separate app or bot to join your calls.
Key Features
- Browser Extension: Quick access without additional software
- Notion Integration: Direct sync with Notion workspaces
- Quick Capture: One-click note-taking during meetings
- Smart Templates: Pre-built formats for different meeting types
- Offline Access: View and edit notes without internet
✅ Pros
- Easy browser-based access
- No meeting bot required
- Affordable pricing
- Strong Notion integration
❌ Cons
- Limited to browser use
- Basic AI capabilities
- Fewer integrations
- No mobile app
Best For Users who prefer a lightweight, browser-based solution and don’t need complex features or integrations.
💰 Pricing
Free Plan: Available with basic features
Pro Plan: $8 per user per month
Team: $12 per user per month for collaboration features
Avoma combines AI meeting assistance with powerful revenue intelligence features, making it ideal for sales teams looking to improve their meeting effectiveness and close more deals.
Key Features
- Revenue Intelligence: Track deal progress and customer sentiment
- Sales Coaching: AI-powered feedback on sales conversations
- Deal Insights: Analyze patterns in successful deals
- Team Analytics: Monitor team performance and meeting metrics
- CRM Integration: Deep integration with major CRM platforms
✅ Pros
- Comprehensive sales features
- Strong analytics capabilities
- Excellent CRM integration
- Team coaching tools
❌ Cons
- Higher price point
- Complex for non-sales use
- Steep learning curve
- No free plan
Best For Sales teams and revenue-focused organizations that want to combine meeting assistance with advanced sales intelligence and coaching.
💰 Pricing
Starter: $20 per user per month
Professional: $45 per user per month
Enterprise: Custom pricing for advanced features
Sembly AI focuses on enterprise-grade security and compliance, offering both cloud and on-premise deployment options for organizations with strict data protection requirements.
Key Features
- Enterprise Security: SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliant
- On-Premise Option: Deploy behind your firewall
- Custom Integration: API access for enterprise needs
- Compliance Tools: Audit logs and data retention controls
- Advanced Search: Find any moment across all meetings
✅ Pros
- Enterprise-grade security
- On-premise deployment option
- Strong compliance features
- Customizable deployment
❌ Cons
- Higher cost
- Complex setup
- Limited free options
- Enterprise focus only
Best For Large enterprises and organizations in regulated industries that need maximum control over their meeting data and deployment options.
💰 Pricing
Business: $15 per user per month
Enterprise: Custom pricing for advanced security
On-Premise: Contact sales for deployment options
ScreenApp is a powerful tool for screen recording and real-time transcription, offering customizable output formats and seamless cross-platform compatibility.
Key Features
- Screen Recording: Record your entire screen or specific windows
- Real-Time Transcription: Get instant text output as you speak
- Customizable Output: Choose from various formats (MP4, WebM, WAV, etc.)
- Cross-Platform: Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android
- Cloud Storage: Save recordings to your preferred cloud services
✅ Pros
- Powerful screen recording capabilities
- High transcription accuracy
- Flexible output options
- Seamless cross-platform experience
❌ Cons
- More complex than simple transcription
- Requires a dedicated app
- Some features are paid
- Limited AI interaction
Best For Teams and organizations that need to record and transcribe meetings, especially those who want to capture screen activity alongside audio.
💰 Pricing
Free Plan: Basic screen recording and transcription
Pro Plan: $14 per month for advanced features
Business: Custom pricing for enterprise needs
How to Choose the Right AI Meeting Assistant
Choose Based on Your Needs
Enterprise Teams
→ Microsoft Copilot or Sembly AI
Small-Medium Business
→ Teams Premium or Read.ai
Cross-Platform Users
→ Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai
Sales Teams
→ Avoma or Fireflies.ai
Individual Users
→ Fathom or Tactiq
Screen Recording
→ ScreenApp or Teams Premium
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What’s the difference between Microsoft Copilot and Teams Premium? Microsoft Copilot offers advanced AI capabilities like real-time assistance, interactive Q&A, and deep Microsoft 365 integration, but requires an enterprise license and 300-seat minimum. Teams Premium provides essential AI features like meeting notes and task identification at a lower cost with no minimum seats.
Can I use these AI assistants with other meeting platforms? Yes, many third-party tools like Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai, and Read.ai work across multiple platforms including Zoom and Google Meet. However, Microsoft’s native tools (Copilot and Teams Premium) are exclusive to Teams.
Are AI meeting assistants secure for confidential meetings? Most enterprise-focused tools offer strong security features. Sembly AI and Microsoft Copilot provide enterprise-grade security with options for on-premise deployment. Always check each tool’s security certifications and compliance standards against your organization’s requirements.
How accurate are AI meeting transcriptions? Accuracy varies by tool and conditions but typically ranges from 85-95% for clear audio in English. Factors affecting accuracy include:
- Audio quality
- Speaker accents
- Background noise
- Technical terminology
- Number of simultaneous speakers
Do I need to install software for these tools? It depends on the tool:
- Browser extensions: Tactiq
- Desktop apps: ScreenApp
- Bot participants: Read.ai, Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai
- Native integration: Microsoft Copilot, Teams Premium
What happens if I exceed my meeting minutes limit? Most tools offer overage pricing or temporarily pause service until the next billing cycle. Some, like Read.ai and Fathom, offer generous free tiers that roll over unused minutes.
Conclusion: Choosing Your AI Meeting Assistant
The best AI meeting assistant depends on your specific needs:
-
Enterprise Organizations: Microsoft Copilot offers the deepest Teams integration and most powerful AI features, but comes at a premium price and requires significant commitment.
-
Mid-Size Companies: Teams Premium provides essential AI features at a reasonable price point, while Read.ai offers a compelling free alternative with unique analytics.
-
Small Teams: Fathom and Tactiq provide simple, affordable solutions for basic meeting assistance.
-
Sales Teams: Avoma and Fireflies.ai excel at revenue intelligence and CRM integration.
-
Cross-Platform Users: Otter.ai remains the most versatile option for those working across different meeting platforms.
For most organizations already using Microsoft 365, starting with Teams Premium is a logical first step. You can always upgrade to Copilot or switch to a specialized third-party tool as your needs evolve.
