Otter

Otter is one of the best-known answers to "is there an app that takes notes for me?" It records what people say and turns it into text as they talk. Afterward you get a summary with the main points and action items, and you can ask Otter's AI chat questions like "what did we decide about the launch?" across one meeting or many.

It works in two ways. For video calls, Otter can join Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams as a meeting assistant and share notes when the call ends. For a meeting room, class or interview, you open the app on your phone or computer and record with the built-in mic, Bluetooth or AirPods. Live transcription needs an internet connection.

The free Basic plan is good for trying it, but it is tight: 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per recording, three file imports in total, and only your 25 most recent conversations stay visible. Plenty of meetings run past 30 minutes, so regular use usually means Pro. Otter's own guide on in-person meetings suggests telling people up front that you are recording and checking local consent rules, and the same goes for calls. Like any AI note taker, it can mishear names and words, so check anything important.