Capvo vs Fathom
Capvo and Fathom both transcribe meetings, but Fathom joins your calls to record them. Capvo captures calls in the background from your desktop with no bot or extension, adds a developer REST API and webhooks, and stores your data in the EU (Frankfurt) under the GDPR.
| Feature | Capvo | Fathom |
|---|---|---|
| How it captures | Desktop app that records in the background. No bot joins the call, no browser extension. | Joins your meeting to record and summarize it. |
| Platforms | Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, phone, and microphone, on Windows and macOS. | Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. |
| Developer API and webhooks | Yes. REST API, signed webhooks, and an MCP server for AI agents on the Pro plan. | Not the main focus; check their site. |
| Data residency | European Union (Frankfurt), encrypted at rest, operated under the GDPR. | US-based; review their data processing terms. |
| Free plan | 5 recordings per week with transcription included. | Generous free note-taking tier; check their site. |
Fathom pricing and features reflect publicly available information and may change. Check their site for the latest.
Fathom is well known for a generous free note-taking experience, recording meetings it joins and producing summaries. Capvo takes a different approach to capture, recording on your machine in the background so nothing joins the call.
Capvo also targets automation and European hosting: transcripts are available through a REST API and webhooks, and all data is stored in the EU under the GDPR.
Capvo is built and used daily at Astry, where every internal meeting is recorded and the transcripts flow into the team’s own tooling through the API.
Questions
- Is Capvo a good alternative to Fathom?
- Capvo suits you if you want recording without a bot, a developer REST API and webhooks, and EU data residency. Fathom is popular for a generous free note-taking tier.
- Does Capvo join my meetings like Fathom?
- No. Capvo records in the background from your desktop and does not join the meeting, so there is no extra participant on the call.
See what Capvo does or compare plans and pricing.