# AI Note Takers That Work With Slack Huddles and WhatsApp Calls

By [David Wilson](https://testbenchlab.com/authors/david-wilson/). Updated 2026-11-02. US prices checked 2026-10-29.

Most AI note takers are built around your calendar: a bot joins the Zoom or Teams link and writes the notes. Notta Desktop works differently — it records your computer's audio without joining the call, which is exactly what you need when your real meetings happen somewhere a bot cannot go: a quick Slack Huddle, or a call with a client or supplier on WhatsApp. Neither platform lets calendar bots in, so the usual tools silently miss these conversations. The good news is that every situation here has a workable answer. For internal Huddles, Slack's own AI huddle notes are the natural starting point on a paid plan. For Huddles with external guests and for WhatsApp Desktop calls, Notta Desktop is the route that works — it is the one tool in this category that names both Slack Huddles and WhatsApp Desktop among its supported apps. For WhatsApp calls taken on your phone, a hardware recorder with a call mode, such as Notta Memo, is the practical answer. This page explains what each option covers, what it costs, and where the limits are.

**How we assessed:** These recommendations are based on vendor documentation, published specifications, and our prior reviews, checked 29 October 2026. Platform coverage claims — including Notta Desktop's supported-apps list, Fathom's Huddle capture behaviour, and Plaud's call-recording modes — are vendor-documented rather than independently tested, so test your own call setup before relying on it for important meetings.

## Quick list

| # | Award | Product | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best overall for Huddles with externals and WhatsApp Desktop | Notta Desktop |  | Pro $8.17/mo ($97.99/yr), 1,800 minutes; desktop app free for all Notta users |
| 2 | Best for internal Huddles | Slack AI huddle notes |  | Included on Pro ($7.25/user/mo billed yearly, $8.75 monthly), Business+ ($15/$18), and Enterprise+ |
| 3 | Best free option for Huddles | Fathom |  | Free; Premium $16/mo billed yearly |
| 4 | Best for teams already on Fellow | Fellow |  | Business $15/user/mo billed yearly |
| 5 | Best for WhatsApp calls on a phone | [Notta Memo](https://testbenchlab.com/reviews/notta-memo-review/) | 8.4 | $149 (as reviewed 2 Oct 2026) |

## 1. Best overall for Huddles with externals and WhatsApp Desktop: Notta Desktop

Notta Desktop is the most complete bot-free option for the meetings calendar bots cannot reach. It records your computer's system audio and microphone without joining the call as a participant, and Notta's bot-free documentation names both Slack Huddles and WhatsApp Desktop among the 40+ apps it supports — making it the only pick here that explicitly covers both platforms this page is about. It auto-detects meetings and prompts you to record, so capturing an unscheduled Huddle takes a click rather than a setup ritual. The desktop app is free to download for all Notta users, though the Free plan caps each conversation at 3 minutes (120 minutes a month), so teams using it for real Huddles will want a paid plan. Pro includes 1,800 minutes of transcription a month.

**Price:** Pro $8.17/mo ($97.99/yr), 1,800 minutes; desktop app free for all Notta users

**Pros:**
- Vendor documentation explicitly lists Slack Huddles and WhatsApp Desktop among supported apps
- No bot joins the call, so it works for external guests and cross-platform calls where Slack's own AI notes cannot
- Auto-detects meetings and prompts you to record, which suits unscheduled Huddles
- Same ecosystem covers phone calls via Notta Memo's call mode

**Cons:**
- Free plan caps each conversation at 3 minutes (120 minutes a month), so practical use needs a paid plan
- WhatsApp on a phone still requires separate hardware (Notta Memo) rather than the desktop app

## 2. Best for internal Huddles: Slack AI huddle notes

If your Huddles are internal and you're on a paid Slack plan, Slack's own AI huddle notes are the simplest answer: nothing to install, and the transcript and notes are saved as a canvas in the Huddle thread, with all members notified when notes start. The limits matter, though. AI notes don't work in Huddles with external people or guests, transcripts don't show up in Slack search results, and by default someone in the Huddle has to turn notes on unless a channel is set to auto-start. For Huddles with clients or outside collaborators, pair it with a bot-free desktop tool such as Notta Desktop.

**Price:** Included on Pro ($7.25/user/mo billed yearly, $8.75 monthly), Business+ ($15/$18), and Enterprise+

**Pros:**
- Native to Slack — no extra app to install or manage
- Transcript and notes saved as a canvas in the Huddle thread
- Included on every paid Slack plan from Pro upward
- Channels can be set to auto-start notes

**Cons:**
- Does not work in Huddles with external people or guests
- Transcripts don't appear in Slack search results
- Manual start by default in most Huddles

## 3. Best free option for Huddles: Fathom

Fathom's desktop app can capture Slack Huddles, and its free plan makes it the easiest way to try bot-free Huddle notes at no cost. The caveats are documented by Fathom itself: recording a Huddle is a manual start — auto-record doesn't apply to Slack Huddles — and video capture depends on what Slack surfaces to the app. Fathom's help article also notes that its bot-free capture is in beta on Mac, so Windows users should check current availability before relying on it. WhatsApp is not named in Fathom's documentation; if you need WhatsApp Desktop coverage, Notta Desktop is the option that names it explicitly.

**Price:** Free; Premium $16/mo billed yearly

**Pros:**
- Free plan includes Huddle capture via the desktop app
- Clear, documented behaviour for Huddles, including capture modes (Transcript Only, Audio Only, Audio + Video)

**Cons:**
- Manual start required — auto-record doesn't apply to Huddles
- Bot-free capture is a Mac beta
- WhatsApp Desktop not named in vendor documentation

## 4. Best for teams already on Fellow: Fellow

Fellow supports Huddles through its 'Record Botless' mode in the Fellow Desktop App, and its Slack integration syncs tasks and notes back into your channels. For teams that already run meetings, agendas, and action items in Fellow, adding Huddle capture keeps everything in one workflow. Fellow's documentation centres on Meet, Teams, and Zoom for its botless desktop capture, with Huddles supported via the desktop app, so teams whose calls span Huddles and WhatsApp may still find Notta Desktop's explicit platform coverage a better fit.

**Price:** Business $15/user/mo billed yearly

**Pros:**
- Record Botless mode captures Huddles via the desktop app
- Deep Slack integration for task and note sync
- Fits teams already using Fellow for meeting workflows

**Cons:**
- No free tier at the Business plan level teams need for recording
- WhatsApp not documented; platform coverage narrower than Notta Desktop's

## 5. Best for WhatsApp calls on a phone: Notta Memo

When the WhatsApp call happens on your phone rather than your computer, desktop apps can't help: WhatsApp has no built-in recorder, and phone operating systems block apps from capturing another app's call audio. Notta Memo solves this with a hardware call mode — Notta's documentation lists a 'phone + internet call mode' — so the device captures both sides of a WhatsApp call and feeds it into the same Notta workspace as your Huddle transcripts from Notta Desktop. We reviewed the Memo at $149. Plaud's Note recorders are the main alternative, using a vibration-conduction sensor attached to the phone, but Plaud does not name WhatsApp specifically and its NotePin S lacks call recording entirely.

**Price:** $149 (as reviewed 2 Oct 2026)

**Pros:**
- Hardware call mode captures WhatsApp calls on a phone, where apps cannot
- Transcripts land in the same Notta workspace as Notta Desktop recordings

**Cons:**
- Requires buying and carrying a hardware device
- Phone-call capture quality depends on the call mode working with your setup — test before relying on it

## Also considered

- Granola: Granola captures Huddles via device audio with a manual start — its guide notes that Huddles won't appear in your calendar, so you start recording yourself. It requires macOS 13+, its iOS app processes audio after the meeting rather than live, and sharing notes to Slack needs the Business plan. WhatsApp is not mentioned in its Huddle guide, so if WhatsApp Desktop coverage matters, Notta Desktop is the documented option. Price: Free Basic (30-day history); Business $14.
- Krisp: Krisp works at the audio level with any app, including Slack Huddles, which makes it a flexible fallback. WhatsApp is not confirmed for its meeting notes, and there is no free tier. Its softphone layer handles calls differently from a native dialer, so phone-call WhatsApp capture is not its strength. Price: Core $8/mo billed yearly or $16 monthly; no free tier.
- [Plaud Note / Note Pro](/reviews/plaud-note-review/): Plaud's recorders capture phone audio through a vibration-conduction sensor attached to the phone — headphones are not supported — making them an alternative to Notta Memo for WhatsApp calls on a phone. Plaud does not name WhatsApp specifically, and the NotePin S has no call-recording feature at all. Price: See our reviews.

## How we chose

We started from the two constraints that define this page: calendar bots cannot join Slack Huddles or WhatsApp calls, and WhatsApp calls often happen on a phone rather than a computer. We then checked each tool's own documentation for how it handles each situation — whether it names Slack Huddles or WhatsApp Desktop as supported, whether capture is automatic or manual, and whether it can reach phone calls at all. Where a vendor does not document a platform, we say so rather than assuming it works. Pricing is listed as published by each vendor in USD.

## Which tool covers which call

| Tool | Slack Huddles | WhatsApp Desktop | WhatsApp on phone | Starts automatically? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slack AI huddle notes | Native, on paid plans (not with external people or guests) | No | No | Only if the channel is set to auto-start; otherwise manual |
| Notta Desktop | Yes — named in vendor docs | Yes — named in vendor docs | No (use Notta Memo) | Auto-detects meetings and prompts you |
| Fathom | Yes — via desktop app, manual start | Not documented | No | No — auto-record doesn't apply to Huddles |
| Fellow | Yes — Record Botless via desktop app | Not documented | No | Manual |
| Granola | Yes — device audio, manual start | Not documented | No | No — Huddles don't appear in your calendar |
| Krisp | Yes — audio level, any app | Not confirmed for notes | No | Manual |
| Notta Memo | No | No | Yes — phone + internet call mode | Manual |
| Plaud Note / Note Pro | No | No | Yes — vibration sensor attached to phone (WhatsApp not named) | Manual |

## Can Slack transcribe Huddles itself?

Yes — on paid plans. Slack's AI huddle notes are available on Pro, Business+, and Enterprise+ subscriptions, and when enabled they write a transcript and notes into a canvas saved in the Huddle thread. Everyone in the Huddle is notified when notes start, which makes consent straightforward. Channels can be configured to auto-start notes, though by default someone in the Huddle has to turn them on.

The limits are worth knowing before you rely on it. Slack's own documentation states that it's not possible to use AI notes in Huddles with external people or guests — so any Huddle involving a client, candidate, or collaborator outside your workspace is uncovered. Transcripts are embedded in the notes canvas but won't show up in search results, so past Huddle discussions are hard to find again later (a problem our guide to searching past meetings covers separately). And Slack doesn't offer native Huddle recording on any plan; the AI writes notes and a transcript, but there's no recording to revisit. Notta Desktop, by contrast, records the audio itself, so you can revisit the call as well as read the notes.

For internal Huddles, Slack's built-in notes are the simplest answer. For everything else on this page, you need a different approach — and Notta Desktop, which names Slack Huddles among its 40+ supported apps, covers the calls Slack's own notes can't reach.

## What works when Slack's notes can't be used?

For Huddles with external people or guests, the answer is a desktop note taker that records your computer's audio without a bot. Because these tools capture whatever audio plays on your machine — system audio plus your microphone — they don't care whether the call is a Zoom link, a Huddle, or anything else, and no participant sees a bot join.

Notta Desktop is the strongest option here. Notta's bot-free documentation names Slack Huddles among its 40+ supported apps, it auto-detects meetings and prompts you to record, and it's the same app that covers WhatsApp Desktop calls (below), so one tool handles both platforms this page is about. The desktop app is free for all Notta users, though the Free plan caps each conversation at 3 minutes (120 minutes a month).

Fathom captures Huddles through its desktop app with a manual start — its help article is explicit that auto-record doesn't apply to Slack Huddles, and that video capture depends on what Slack surfaces. Its bot-free capture is currently a Mac beta. Fellow offers Huddles via its Record Botless mode in the desktop app, which suits teams already running their meeting workflows in Fellow. Granola captures Huddles via device audio with a manual start on macOS 13+, and Krisp works at the audio level with any app, including Huddles — though none of them name WhatsApp Desktop the way Notta Desktop does.

One pattern is consistent across every tool here: Huddle capture is manual. Huddles are unscheduled by nature, so no tool can rely on your calendar the way meeting bots do. Notta Desktop's auto-detection and prompt is the closest thing to automatic in this group.

## Can an AI note taker record WhatsApp calls on a computer?

Yes, if the call happens in WhatsApp Desktop on your computer. The same system-audio capture that records Huddles can record a WhatsApp Desktop call, and Notta Desktop is the tool that names WhatsApp Desktop explicitly in its supported-apps list — the only pick here whose documentation does.

For the other desktop tools, WhatsApp is not named in vendor documentation. In principle, any recorder that captures system audio and microphone should work with WhatsApp Desktop, but we haven't verified each one hands-on, and vendor silence isn't a guarantee. If WhatsApp Desktop coverage is a requirement rather than a nice-to-have, choose the tool that documents it: Notta Desktop.

One practical note: WhatsApp Desktop calls can include video, and what a note taker captures depends on how it handles audio versus screen. For transcription purposes, the audio is what matters — both sides of the call need to reach the app, one through system audio and one through your microphone.

## How do you record a WhatsApp call on your phone?

This is the hardest case, because the phone operating systems get in the way. WhatsApp has no built-in call recorder, and both Android and iOS restrict apps from capturing another app's call audio — so a regular recording app can't simply grab a WhatsApp call. Our guide to recording and transcribing calls on mobile covers the OS-level methods in detail.

The practical route is hardware. Notta Memo's call mode — 'phone + internet call mode' in Notta's documentation — captures both sides of a phone or internet call and sends the transcript into your Notta workspace, alongside transcripts from Notta Desktop. Plaud's Note and Note Pro take a different approach: a vibration-conduction sensor attached to the phone picks up audio from the speaker (headphones aren't supported), though Plaud doesn't name WhatsApp specifically, and the NotePin S has no call-recording feature at all. We compare the two devices directly in our Notta Memo vs Plaud Note Pro face-off.

Whichever device you use, test it on a real WhatsApp call before relying on it for an important one, and check that both sides are audible in the transcript.

## Is it legal to record a Huddle or WhatsApp call?

Recording laws depend on where the participants are, and consent requirements vary — some jurisdictions require only one party's consent, others require everyone's. Our guide to recording consent laws by state covers the detail for the US.

Slack makes the consent question easy for internal Huddles: all members are notified when AI notes start, so nobody is recorded unknowingly. Desktop note takers don't have that built-in notification, so if you're recording a Huddle with external guests or a WhatsApp call — whether with Notta Desktop or Notta Memo — the responsibility to disclose sits with you. A brief 'I'm taking notes with a recorder' at the start of the call is both good practice and, in many places, a legal requirement.

For client and supplier calls, disclosure is usually welcomed rather than resented — most people prefer accurate notes to a colleague typing furiously.

## What does each option cost?

Costs fall into three patterns. Slack's AI huddle notes are bundled into plans you may already pay for: Pro at $7.25 per user per month billed yearly ($8.75 monthly), Business+ at $15/$18, and Enterprise+ by quote. Desktop note takers are subscription software: Notta Desktop's app is free to download for all Notta users, with the Free plan capping each conversation at 3 minutes (120 minutes a month) and Pro at $8.17 per month ($97.99 per year) including 1,800 transcription minutes; Fathom has a genuinely usable free plan with Premium at $16 per month billed yearly; Fellow's Business plan is $15 per user per month billed yearly; Granola is free for 30-day history with Business at $14; Krisp's Core plan is $8 per month billed yearly or $16 monthly with no free tier. Hardware phone recorders are one-time purchases: Notta Memo at $149 as reviewed, and Plaud's recorders at their current review pricing.

The cheapest workable setup depends on your situation. Internal Huddles only? You may already have Slack covered. Huddles with externals plus WhatsApp Desktop? Notta Desktop's Pro plan covers both in one subscription, and its auto-detection means unscheduled Huddles are captured with a click. WhatsApp on your phone? Budget for hardware.

See the support table above for which tool covers which call, at what price.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Slack record Huddles?

No. Slack doesn't offer native Huddle recording on any plan. What Slack offers is AI huddle notes on paid plans: the AI writes notes and a transcript into a canvas saved in the Huddle thread. If you need the actual audio recorded, use a bot-free desktop tool such as Notta Desktop, which names Slack Huddles among its supported apps.

### Can I use Slack AI huddle notes with clients in Slack Connect?

No. Slack's documentation states it's not possible to use AI notes in Huddles with external people or guests. For Huddles with clients or outside collaborators, use a bot-free desktop note taker that records your computer's audio — Notta Desktop names Slack Huddles explicitly, and Fathom, Fellow, and Granola also document Huddle capture.

### Can Otter or Fireflies join a Slack Huddle?

No calendar bot can join a Slack Huddle — Huddles don't produce a joinable meeting link in the way Zoom or Teams calls do. Some tools, including Otter, offer app or device recording that may capture Huddle audio, so check whether their desktop apps support it. Bot-free desktop capture, as offered by Notta Desktop, Fathom, Fellow, and Granola, is the reliable route.

### Can I transcribe a WhatsApp voice call?

Yes, but the method depends on where the call happens. For WhatsApp Desktop calls on your computer, a system-audio recorder works — Notta Desktop names WhatsApp Desktop among its supported apps. For WhatsApp calls on your phone, apps are blocked from capturing another app's call audio, so you need hardware with a call mode, such as Notta Memo's phone + internet call mode or Plaud Note's attached vibration sensor.

### Will the other person know I'm recording a WhatsApp call?

WhatsApp doesn't notify participants when a call is being recorded by an external device such as Notta Memo, so no — the other person won't be told automatically. That puts the disclosure responsibility on you, and consent requirements vary by jurisdiction. Slack is different: it notifies all members when AI huddle notes start. Check our recording consent laws guide for the rules that apply to your calls.

## Related reading

- [The best bot-free AI note takers: tools that don't join your meeting](https://testbenchlab.com/best/bot-free-ai-note-takers/)
- [How to record and transcribe sales calls on a mobile phone](https://testbenchlab.com/guides/record-and-transcribe-sales-calls-on-mobile/)
- [How to record a phone call on iPhone (built-in, apps and AI recorders)](https://testbenchlab.com/guides/how-to-record-a-phone-call-on-iphone/)
- [One-party vs two-party consent states: can you use an AI voice recorder?](https://testbenchlab.com/guides/recording-consent-laws-by-state/)
- [The best automatic meeting recorder for scheduled calls](https://testbenchlab.com/best/best-automatic-meeting-recorder/)
- [AI meeting tools that let you search past meetings](https://testbenchlab.com/best/ai-tools-to-search-past-meetings/)
- [Notta Memo review](https://testbenchlab.com/reviews/notta-memo-review/)
- [Plaud Note review](https://testbenchlab.com/reviews/plaud-note-review/)
- [Notta Memo vs Plaud Note Pro](https://testbenchlab.com/compare/notta-memo-vs-plaud-note-pro/)

## Sources

1. [Slack — Use AI to take huddle notes in Slack](https://slack.com/help/articles/31377193680019) — Slack
2. [Slack — Plans and pricing for AI features](https://slack.com/help/articles/39264531104275) — Slack; vendor pricing page
3. [Slack — Pricing](https://slack.com/pricing) — Slack; vendor pricing page
4. [Notta — Bot-free meeting capture (supported apps)](https://notta.ai/en/features/bot-free) — Notta
5. [Fathom — Recording Slack Huddles](https://help.fathom.video/en/articles/11870465) — Fathom
6. [Fellow — Slack integration and Record Botless](https://fellow.ai/blog/fellow-slack-integration/) — Fellow
7. [Granola — How to use Granola with Slack Huddles](https://www.granola.ai/blog/how-to-use-granola-slack-huddles) — Granola
8. [Krisp — Pricing](https://krisp.ai/pricing/) — Krisp; vendor pricing page
9. [Plaud — Note recording vs phone call recording](https://support.plaud.ai/hc/en-us/articles/50837232018585-What-is-the-difference-between-Note-Recording-and-Phone-Call-Recording) — Plaud
10. [Engadget — Slack AI will generate transcripts and notes from huddles](https://www.engadget.com/ai/slack-ai-will-generate-transcripts-and-notes-from-huddles-120026621.html) — Engadget
11. [Recall.ai — Get recordings and transcripts from Slack Huddles](https://www.recall.ai/blog/get-recordings-and-transcripts-from-slack-huddles-api) — Recall.ai
12. [Pocketables — The Notta Memo: an AI-backed voice recorder that travels with you](https://pocketables.com/2025/09/the-notta-memo-an-ai-backed-voice-recorder-that-travels-with-you.html) — Pocketables