Google Meet Transcription: 7 Best Tools (2025)

Google Meet handles over 300 million daily participants. That's a lot of conversations, decisions, and action items. Without transcription, most of that information disappears the moment you click "Leave call."

The good news? You don't have to rely on memory or frantic note-taking anymore. Several excellent tools can automatically transcribe your Google Meet sessions. Some upload audio to the cloud. Others process everything locally on your device. The right choice depends on your priorities: convenience, cost, or privacy.

This guide covers the 7 best Google Meet transcription tools in 2025. We'll compare their features, pricing, and privacy approaches so you can pick the one that fits your workflow. For those who prioritize data control, LocalMeetNotes offers a compelling alternative with 100% local processing.

Why Transcribe Google Meet Calls

Meeting transcription isn't just about convenience. It fundamentally changes how you work with meeting content.

Never Miss Important Details

Manual note-taking captures maybe 20-30% of what's discussed. AI transcription captures everything. Every decision, every action item, every "let's circle back to that later" that would otherwise be forgotten.

Create Searchable Archives

Three months from now, you'll need to find that conversation about the Q4 budget. With transcripts, you can search across all your meetings instantly. No more scrubbing through recordings or asking colleagues "remember when we talked about...?"

Improve Accessibility

Team members who are deaf or hard of hearing rely on transcripts. People who join late can catch up quickly. Those who process information better by reading than listening get the format they need.

Generate AI Summaries

Modern transcription tools don't just create text. They identify speakers, extract action items, and generate summaries. LocalMeetNotes uses local Llama 3.2 models to summarize meetings without sending your data anywhere.

Google's Built-in Transcription (Gemini)

Before exploring third-party tools, let's look at what Google offers natively.

What You Get

Google Meet includes Gemini AI features for transcription and note-taking. Hosts can enable automatic transcription, and Gemini generates meeting notes with timestamps that link to specific moments in recordings. As of March 2025, Gemini supports note-taking in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish.

The Catch: Paid Plans Only

Here's the limitation most people discover too late: Google Meet transcription requires paid Google Workspace plans. The free version doesn't include it.

• Business Starter ($7/user/month): No transcription
• Business Standard ($14/user/month): Includes transcription
• Business Plus ($22/user/month): Includes transcription
• Enterprise: Custom pricing, includes transcription

(Pricing as of December 2025)

Limitations

Even with paid plans, Google's transcription has gaps:

• No speaker identification (you'll need to figure out "who said what")
• Can only transcribe live meetings (no uploading past recordings)
• Accuracy drops with multiple speakers, accents, or poor audio
• Multilingual meetings (multiple languages in one session) aren't supported

If you need more robust features, better accuracy, or don't want to pay $14+/user/month, third-party tools offer compelling alternatives.

7 Best Google Meet Transcription Tools

Here are the top options for transcribing Google Meet, from fully local solutions to feature-rich cloud services.

1. LocalMeetNotes (Best for Privacy)

Price: Free (macOS only)
Processing: 100% local, on-device
Best for: Mac users who prioritize privacy

LocalMeetNotes takes a different approach than every other tool on this list. It processes everything locally using OpenAI's Whisper large-v3 model and Llama 3.2 for AI summaries. Your audio never leaves your Mac. No cloud. No subscriptions. No data collection.

The app records system audio automatically when you join a Google Meet call. After the meeting, it transcribes, identifies speakers, and generates summaries. All on your device. For anyone handling sensitive conversations, this on-device AI approach eliminates cloud-related risks entirely.

Key features:

• 100% local processing with Whisper large-v3
• Speaker diarization (who said what)
• AI summaries with local Llama 3.2 model
• Automatic meeting detection
• No bot joining your calls
• Zero ongoing costs

2. Tactiq (Best Chrome Extension)

Price: Free (10 meetings/month); Pro $12/month (as of December 2025)
Processing: Browser-based (no audio stored)
Best for: Google Workspace users who want quick, lightweight transcription

Tactiq works as a Chrome extension rather than a standalone app. It captures audio directly from your browser tab and transcribes in real-time. The big advantage? No bot joins your meeting. Other participants won't see an unfamiliar "recording" notification.

Tactiq claims it doesn't store audio files, only the transcript text. This addresses some privacy concerns, though data still flows through their servers. The tool supports 60+ languages and holds SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA certifications.

Key features:

• No visible bot in meetings
• Real-time transcription
• 60+ language support
• SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA certified
• Integrates with Google Workspace

3. Otter.ai (Best Free Tier)

Price: Free (300 min/month); Pro $16.99/month (as of December 2025)
Processing: Cloud
Best for: Teams needing collaboration features

Otter.ai is probably the most well-known meeting transcription service. It joins your Google Meet as a visible bot called "OtterPilot," records audio, and generates real-time transcripts with speaker identification. The free tier gives you 300 minutes monthly, enough for several meetings per week.

The downside? All audio goes to Otter's cloud servers. If you're discussing confidential business strategy or client information, that's a significant privacy concern. Otter also only supports English, French, and Spanish.

Key features:

• 300 free minutes monthly
• Real-time transcription with speaker ID
• OtterPilot AI Chat for asking questions about meetings
• CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot)
• Slide capture for presentations

4. Fireflies.ai (Best for CRM Integration)

Price: Free (limited); Pro $10/user/month; Business $19/user/month (as of December 2025)
Processing: Cloud
Best for: Sales and customer success teams

Fireflies positions itself as a conversation intelligence solution. It joins Google Meet as a bot called "Fred," records everything, and integrates deeply with CRM platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, and 58+ other tools.

For sales teams, the conversation analytics are valuable. You can track talk time, sentiment, and key topics across calls. But like Otter, all processing happens in the cloud. Video recording requires the Business plan at $19/user/month.

Key features:

• 69+ language support
• Deep CRM integrations
• Conversation analytics (talk time, sentiment)
• AskFred AI assistant
• Works with Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, Webex, and more

5. Fathom (Best Free Unlimited)

Price: Free (unlimited recordings, 5 AI summaries/month); Premium ~$15-19/month (as of December 2025)
Processing: Cloud
Best for: Individual users wanting unlimited free recording

Fathom's free plan is unusually generous: unlimited recordings and transcripts. You only hit limits with AI summaries (5/month on free). The summaries include sections for decisions and next steps, making it easy to share meeting outcomes.

Fathom supports 28 languages and integrates with Zapier for workflow automation. Transcription accuracy ranges from 85-90% depending on audio quality, which is typical for cloud services.

Key features:

• Unlimited free recordings
• AI summaries with action items
• 28 language support
• Zapier integration
• Works across Google Meet, Zoom, Teams

6. tl;dv (Best for Video Clips)

Price: Free (unlimited transcripts); Pro $18/user/month (as of December 2025)
Processing: Cloud
Best for: Teams needing shareable video clips

tl;dv stands out for its clip-sharing capabilities. Instead of sending entire meeting recordings, you can highlight specific moments, tag them, and share timestamped clips directly to Slack, Notion, or HubSpot.

The free plan includes unlimited video recordings, transcripts, and AI moment summaries. That's more generous than most competitors. The tool also handles concurrent meetings, useful if you're double-booked.

Key features:

• Unlimited free transcripts
• Timestamped clip sharing
• 30+ language support
• Concurrent meeting recording
• Speaker insights on Business plan

7. Fellow (Best for Teams)

Price: Free plan available; Pro $7/user/month (as of December 2025)
Processing: Cloud
Best for: Teams wanting meeting management beyond transcription

Fellow was named the top pick by The New York Times Wirecutter for transcribing and summarizing meetings in 2025. It's more than a transcription tool. Fellow handles meeting agendas, action item tracking, and team feedback alongside AI notes.

The tool supports 90+ languages and holds enterprise-grade security certifications including SOC 2 and HIPAA. Fellow never trains its AI on customer data, which is a privacy plus compared to some competitors.

Key features:

• 90+ language support
• Meeting agendas and action tracking
• SOC 2, HIPAA compliant
• No AI training on customer data
• 4.7/5 rating on G2

Cloud vs Local: Privacy Matters

The biggest decision when choosing a transcription tool isn't features or price. It's where your audio goes.

The Cloud Privacy Problem

When you use cloud transcription services, your audio travels to external servers. This creates several risks:

• Data exposure: Your meetings become targets for hackers
• Third-party access: Provider employees may access recordings for "quality assurance"
• AI training: Some services use customer audio to improve their models
• Regulatory issues: GDPR, HIPAA, and attorney-client privilege may restrict where your data can go

Recent privacy lawsuits against AI note-taking services allege concerning practices: joining meetings as silent participants, taking screenshots, storing data indefinitely, and sharing transcripts without proper consent.

The Local Alternative

Local transcription tools like LocalMeetNotes process everything on your device. Your audio never uploads anywhere. You control storage, retention, and deletion according to your own policies.

Is local AI for everyone? Not necessarily. Cloud tools offer collaboration features, cross-device sync, and web access that local tools can't match. But for anyone handling sensitive information, local processing eliminates an entire category of risk.

Quick Comparison

How to Choose the Right Tool

The best tool depends on your specific priorities. Here's a quick decision framework:

Choose LocalMeetNotes if:

• Privacy is non-negotiable
• You use a Mac
• You want free, unlimited transcription
• You handle confidential or sensitive information
• You prefer local AI summaries over cloud processing

Choose a cloud service (Otter, Fireflies) if:

• You need team collaboration and sharing
• You work across multiple devices (Windows, Mac, web)
• You want CRM or productivity tool integrations
• Privacy concerns are less critical for your use case

Choose Tactiq if:

• You want lightweight, browser-based transcription
• You prefer no audio recording (text-only capture)
• You need HIPAA or SOC 2 compliance

Choose tl;dv or Fathom if:

• You need generous free tiers
• You want to create shareable video clips
• You're okay with cloud processing

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Google Meet have free transcription?

No. Google Meet's built-in transcription requires paid Google Workspace plans (Business Standard or higher, starting at $14/user/month as of December 2025). Free Google accounts don't include transcription. However, third-party tools like Tactiq's free tier and LocalMeetNotes offer alternatives without subscription costs.

What's the most accurate Google Meet transcription tool?

Tools using OpenAI's Whisper large-v3 model, like LocalMeetNotes and MacWhisper, typically achieve 95%+ accuracy with clear audio. Cloud services like Otter.ai report 85-95% accuracy depending on audio quality and accents.

Can I transcribe Google Meet without a bot joining?

Yes. Tactiq uses a Chrome extension that captures audio directly from your browser. LocalMeetNotes records system audio locally without joining as a participant. Both approaches avoid the visible bot that services like Otter.ai and Fireflies use.

Is local transcription as good as cloud services?

Yes. Modern local tools use the same Whisper AI models that power cloud services. On Apple Silicon Macs, local processing is often faster than cloud alternatives since there's no upload time or server queues. Plus, you get better privacy by default.

Do I need consent to transcribe Google Meet calls?

It depends on your location. GDPR requires explicit consent from all participants. In the U.S., 13 states require all-party consent for recording (as of December 2025). Best practice: always inform participants at the start of the meeting that you're recording and transcribing.