Fireflies.ai

Fireflies.ai is an AI-powered meeting assistant designed to automate note-taking, transcription, and analysis of conversations across various platforms. Founded in 2016 by Krish Ramineni and Sam Udotong, Fireflies.ai emerged from a vision to eliminate the inefficiencies of manual note-taking during meetings. Initially experimenting with Slack bots and automated to-do lists, the founders pivoted to focus exclusively on meeting transcription after recognising the universal need for reliable, automated documentation in professional settings.

Key milestones include:

• 2019: Public launch with support for major conferencing tools like Zoom and Google Meet.

• 2021: Introduction of AskFred, an AI chatbot for querying meeting content.

• 2023: Expansion to 100+ languages and added conversation intelligence features (e.g., sentiment analysis, speaker talk time tracking).

• 2025: Launch of 200+ AI “mini-apps” for role-specific automation (e.g., sales follow-ups, recruiting scorecards).

Today, Fireflies.ai serves over 10 million users and 500,000+ companies, positioning itself as a versatile tool for transforming meetings into actionable, searchable knowledge bases.

Features and Functionality

Fireflies.ai combines speech recognition with AI-driven insights to enhance meeting productivity:

• Automated Transcription: Records and transcribes meetings in real-time across 100+ languages with 95% accuracy in clear audio conditions. Supports speaker identification and auto-language detection.

• AI Summaries: Generates structured post-meeting summaries, including key points, action items, decisions, and custom highlights (e.g., metrics, questions).

• Conversation Intelligence: Analyses speaker talk time, sentiment, and engagement levels. Tracks topics like objections, pricing, and competitors via custom topic trackers.

• Collaboration Tools: Allows users to leave timestamped comments, create shareable Soundbites (audio clips), and organise meetings into channels for team access.

• Integrations: Works seamlessly with Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, Webex, and productivity tools like Slack, Notion, Salesforce, and Trello. Also offers an API for custom workflows.

• Mobile Accessibility: iOS and Android apps for recording in-person conversations and accessing transcripts on the go.

• Security: Complies with SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, and HIPAA standards. Offers private storage and zero data retention for training.

Pros & Cons Table

Overall Rating

4.5/5 ★★★★☆
Fireflies.ai excels in transcription accuracy, multilingual support, and workflow automation, making it ideal for teams seeking to minimise manual note-taking and leverage meeting insights. However, its bot-based approach and internet dependency may deter users from prioritising discretion or offline use. It outperforms rivals like Otter.ai in language coverage and analytics but trails in real-time mobile efficiency.

Key Reviews

• G2 (4.8/5): Praised for ease of use, integrations, and time-saving summaries. Criticised for occasional lag in long meetings.

• TheBusinessDive (2025): Highlighted its versatility across platforms and languages but noted the free plan’s limitations.

• TechPoint Africa (2025): Favoured Fireflies over Otter.ai for accuracy and features but acknowledged its bot-centric model.

Summary: Key Points

• 🏆 Core Strength: Automated, accurate transcription and AI-powered summaries that save time and enhance meeting recall.

• 🚀 Ideal For: Sales teams, recruiters, educators, and global organisations needing multilingual support and conversation analytics.

• ⚠️ Limitations: No offline mode; bot presence may feel intrusive; free plan is minimal.

• 💰 Pricing:

  • Free: 800 mins storage, basic features.

  • Pro ($10/user/month): Unlimited transcription, AI apps, 8,000 mins storage.

  • Business ($19/user/month): Video capture, conversation intelligence, API access.

  • Enterprise ($39/user/month): Custom models, HIPAA compliance, dedicated support.

• 🛠️ Alternatives: Otter.ai (better for real-time mobile use), Jamie (offline support, no bots), Rev.com (human-level accuracy).