You want to stop taking notes in Teams meetings. Good. The real question is whether Microsoft's built-in Copilot is enough or if a dedicated AI note taker is worth it.
The best choice depends on your budget and whether you need a transcript or a finished deliverable.
This guide breaks down Teams Copilot versus leading third-party options like Notta, Otter.ai, and Fireflies.ai.
You'll see exactly what each does, what it costs, and which one fits your specific workflow—especially if you need to turn discussions into slides or infographics.
What is an AI note taker for Microsoft Teams?
An AI note taker for Microsoft Teams automatically records, transcribes, and summarizes your meetings.
It listens to the conversation, identifies speakers, and creates a searchable text document you can reference later.
This frees you from frantic typing so you can actually participate.
Think of it as a super-powered assistant that never gets tired. The best tools go beyond a simple transcript.
They can highlight action items, generate meeting summaries, and even create visual assets like slides from the raw conversation.
The core benefit is reclaiming your time and attention.
Microsoft Teams Copilot for note-taking: The native option
Microsoft Teams Copilot is the AI assistant built directly into Teams. If your organization has the required license, it's right there in your meeting sidebar.
How it works & key features
Copilot works in real-time during your Teams meeting.
You can ask it questions via chat like, "What points of disagreement have been raised?" or "Summarize what was said about the Q3 budget."
It generates responses based on the live conversation. After the meeting, it provides a structured recap with topics discussed, key points, and action items.
Its biggest strength is deep integration. It knows your organization's data (via the Microsoft Graph) and can reference files shared in Teams or OneDrive.
It feels like a natural part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem you already use.
Pros of using teams Copilot
- Native & Built-In: No extra apps or bots to install. It's just there.
- Real-Time Q&A: Get answers to your questions during the meeting without interrupting.
- Organizational Context: Can pull data from your Microsoft 365 environment.
- Automated Recaps: Delivers a solid summary with topics and actions post-meeting.
Cons & limitations
- High Cost: Requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license at $30 per user, per month, on top of existing Microsoft 365 plans. This adds up quickly.
- Teams-Only: It only works within Microsoft Teams meetings. Offline chats, in-person talks, or calls on other platforms (Zoom, Google Meet) are out of scope.
- No Visual Outputs: It creates text summaries and lists. It cannot generate infographics, slides (PPT), comparison matrices, or flowcharts from the meeting content. The work stops at the transcript.
- License Dependency: If your company doesn't buy Copilot licenses, you have no access.
Best For: Large enterprises already committed to the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, with the budget for Copilot licenses, who primarily need real-time assistance and text summaries within Teams.
Third-party AI note takers: Specialized tools
Standalone AI note-taking apps are built for one job: capturing and processing conversations.
They often work across any meeting platform and provide features focused on turning talk into tangible work.
Notta: From meetings to finished work
Notta is an AI-powered meeting productivity platform.
Its key differentiator is Notta Brain, an AI Meeting Execution Engine that creates finished deliverables after the meeting ends.
How It Captures Teams Meetings: Notta uses a unique Bot-Free Desktop app for macOS and Windows. It records your Teams meeting locally on your computer without a bot joining the call—it's completely invisible to other participants and starts instantly.
What Notta Brain Delivers: This is where it diverges from simple note-takers. You feed it the meeting transcript (or multiple transcripts using @ mentions), and it generates:
- Slides/Presentations (PPT)
- Infographics and visual summaries
- Reports & Executive Summaries
- Action Item Lists & Tables
- Comparison Matrices & Flowcharts
- Email Drafts
In short, it captures the conversation, then delivers the work you'd normally do manually.
It also supports bilingual simultaneous transcription (a unique feature) in 58+ languages.
Pros:
- Bot-Free Desktop Recording: Invisible, instant recording for Teams and any other meeting software.
- Notta Brain Creates Visuals: Turns talk into slides, infographics, and reports—competitors stop at text.
- Broad Capture Scope: Also works with the Notta Memo pocket recorder for in-person talks and via file upload.
- Cost-Effective: Pro plan starts at $8.17/month (annual) with 1,800 minutes.
- High Accuracy: 98.86% transcription accuracy.
Cons:
- Processing is Not Instant: Generating Brain outputs like slides takes a few minutes of processing time.
- Growing in US Market: While trusted by brands like Nike and Salesforce, it's still expanding its enterprise presence in the US compared to incumbents.
- Free Plan is Limited: The free tier (120-200 min/month, depending on region) is good for testing but not for regular use.
Best For: Teams and individuals who need to transform meeting discussions into visual deliverables (slides, infographics) and actionable documents, especially across hybrid (online + in-person) meeting environments. A capable microsoft teams ai note taker that focuses on post-meeting execution.
Other notable third-party options
Otter.ai
A well-known player focused on conversation intelligence. It joins meetings as a bot participant.
Otter provides solid transcripts, speaker identification, and highlights action items. It integrates with a wide range of apps.
- Price: $8.33/user/month (Pro, annual)
- Best For: Teams wanting reliable, straightforward transcription with good integrations.
- Limitation: Output is primarily transcript and summary-based; no automated slide or infographic generation.
Fireflies.ai
Fireflies.ai specializes in automating workflow from meetings.
Its AI, Fred, captures meetings and can push action items directly into tools like Slack, Notion, or CRM systems.
- Price: $10/user/month (Pro, annual)
- Best For: Teams focused on automating post-meeting task management and CRM updates.
- Limitation: Like Otter, its core strength is in text-based summaries and workflow automation, not creating visual assets.
Side-by-side comparison
Feature | Microsoft Teams Copilot | Notta | Otter.ai | Fireflies.ai |
Core Function | Native AI assistant within Teams | AI meeting productivity & execution | Conversation intelligence & notes | Meeting workflow automation |
Key Output | Text summaries, real-time Q&A | Slides, infographics, reports, summaries | Transcripts, summaries, highlights | Summaries, action items, CRM sync |
Teams Recording | Native, real-time | Bot-Free Desktop app (invisible) | Bot joins meeting | Bot joins meeting |
Pricing (Starting) | $30/user/mo (add-on license) | $8.17/user/mo (Pro, annual) | $8.33/user/mo (Pro, annual) | $10/user/mo (Pro, annual) |
Visual Creation | No | Yes (Notta Brain) | No | No |
Works Beyond Teams | No | Yes (Memo, file upload, other apps) | Yes | Yes |
Best For | All-in Microsoft 365 enterprises | Creating slides/infographics from meetings | Reliable transcription & notes | Automating task workflows post-meeting |
How to choose the right Microsoft Teams AI note taker
Your decision hinges on two things: your budget and your desired outcome. Use this simple list to guide your choice.
- Define Your Need. Do you just want a searchable transcript, or do you need to create a presentation from the meeting? If it's the latter, you need a tool with visual generation like Notta Brain.
- Check Your Budget. The $30/month for Copilot is a significant line item. Could that budget cover multiple third-party licenses with more features?
- Consider Your Meeting Types. Are all your meetings on Teams? If you use Zoom, Google Meet, or have important in-person conversations, you need a cross-platform tool.
- Evaluate the Workflow. Where does the meeting information need to go? Into a summary email? A slide deck for leadership? Your project management tool? Match the tool's output to your next step.
- Test Drive. Most tools, including Notta, Otter, and Fireflies, offer free plans or trials. Use them in actual meetings to see which fits your flow.
Verdict & recommendations
So, which Microsoft Teams AI note taker should you choose? It's not one-size-fits-all.
Choose Microsoft Teams Copilot if: Your organization is all-in on Microsoft 365, has already purchased or will purchase Copilot licenses, and your primary need is real-time assistance and text summaries strictly within Teams meetings. The high cost is justified by deep native integration.
Choose Notta if: You need to turn meeting discussions into finished work like slides, infographics, or detailed reports. Its Notta Brain engine is unique in automating that creation process. It's also the most cost-effective for cross-platform and hybrid (online + in-person) meeting capture, especially with its Bot-Free Desktop recording for Teams.
Choose Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai if: You want a capable, dedicated transcriptionist that integrates with other apps. Pick Otter for strong basic notes and highlights. Pick Fireflies if your goal is to automatically push action items into task managers like Asana or CRMs like Salesforce.
For most teams looking to maximize value and output, a third-party tool like Notta provides more functionality—especially visual creation—at a fraction of Copilot's cost.
The ability to move from a meeting to a first-draft slide deck automatically is a tangible productivity leap that text summaries alone can't match.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best AI for taking notes in Teams meetings?
The "best" depends on your needs. For native, real-time help, it's Copilot.
For turning meetings into slides or infographics, it's Notta with its Brain engine. For straightforward, accurate transcripts, Otter.ai is a strong choice.
Does Microsoft Teams have built-in AI note-taking?
Yes, through Microsoft Teams Copilot.
However, it requires a separate Copilot license costing $30 per user, per month, on top of your standard Microsoft 365 subscription.
It provides real-time Q&A and post-meeting text summaries.
How does Notta Brain work with Microsoft Teams?
You record your Teams meeting using Notta's Bot-Free Desktop app. After the meeting, you open the transcript in Notta and use Notta Brain.
You can command it to generate slides, an infographic, a report, or other deliverables from the conversation content automatically.
Is an AI note taker secure for confidential company meetings?
You must check each tool's security credentials. Notta, for example, is SOC2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified with AES-256 encryption.
Always review a vendor's security compliance (like GDPR, HIPAA) to ensure it meets your organization's standards before use.
Can I use these tools for free?
Most third-party tools have free tiers with limits. Notta offers a free plan with 120-200 minutes of transcription per month (depending on region).
Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai also have free versions. Microsoft Teams Copilot does not have a free tier; it requires the paid license.