Capture without an extra attendee
The best bot-free AI notetaker is the one your consent process can explain.
Bot-free capture removes the extra participant tile, not the responsibility to disclose recording. Krisp is the clearest bot-free-first choice; Fireflies is the more flexible choice when a team wants bot and device capture in one system.
What bot-free actually means
A bot-free tool captures audio from the user’s device instead of joining the call as a separate participant. That can reduce meeting friction and can work in calls a bot cannot join.
It does not automatically mean that transcription stays on the device, that recordings are never retained, or that consent is unnecessary. Review the current provider documentation and configure retention before a real rollout.
Krisp versus Fireflies desktop capture
- Krisp emphasizes bot-free transcription, notes, recording, and noise cancellation across communication apps.
- Fireflies Desktop can capture system audio without a bot and can also invite its Notetaker bot when speaker labels or saved audio/video are needed.
- Fireflies documents that its bot-free system-audio mode does not save audio or video and does not provide named speaker labels.
Privacy questions to ask before installation
- What audio, transcript, and summary data leaves the device?
- Where is each data type stored, and for how long?
- Can administrators set a default retention period?
- Is customer data used for model training, and can that use be disabled?
- Can a user export and permanently delete a meeting?
Who should avoid bot-free capture
Teams that rely on the visible bot as the primary disclosure signal may prefer bot-based capture. A regulated workflow may also require centralized admin controls, auditability, or a recording indicator that is harder to miss.
Primary sources checked
Product details change. We link to provider documentation so you can verify the current plan, capture behavior, and limits before buying.
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