Quick verdict
Bottom line up front: Circleback is a meeting-notes tool built around what happens after the call: auto-assigned action items and automations that push notes into your CRM, Slack, Notion, or Linear. In August 2026 it added a genuine free plan — unlimited meetings with a 30-day history — and cut its paid entry to $15 per user per month billed annually. For teams drowning in follow-ups, it is now one of the easiest meeting tools to justify. For solo users who only need a transcript, cheaper options exist.
Research-based review — prices checked October 21, 2026. We do not claim hands-on testing.
What does Circleback do?
Circleback records meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Webex — with a bot, bot-free on Mac and Windows desktop, or in person through its iOS, Android, and Apple Watch apps. Every capture method produces the same package: a speaker-labeled transcript, AI notes, and action items assigned to the people who committed to them, in more than 100 languages according to the company.
After the meeting, two features do the heavy lifting. Search and Ask Circleback let you query your whole meeting history instead of re-reading individual notes. Automations then route the output — a summary to a Slack channel, a deal update to HubSpot or Salesforce, a task to Linear — based on rules you set. An API, MCP server, and CLI are available for teams that want meeting data inside their own tools.
How much does Circleback cost?
| Plan | Price | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Unlimited meetings, AI notes, action items, transcripts and search; 30-day meeting history; limited automations |
| Pro | $15/user/month billed annually ($18 monthly) | Unlimited meeting history, one-year recording storage, all integrations and automations, custom AI insights |
| Business | $25/user/month billed annually ($29 monthly) | Admin and member roles, unlimited free viewers, custom data retention, two-year recording storage |
| Enterprise | $35/user/month, annual only | SSO and SCIM, invoice/PO billing, priority support, HIPAA compliance, unlimited recording storage |
One warning from Circleback’s own materials: recordings are deleted after one year on Free and Pro and two years on Business, and free-plan meetings older than 30 days are locked, not deleted. Download anything you must keep before downgrading.
What are Circleback’s strengths?
- Every capture method, one output: bot, bot-free desktop, mobile, and Apple Watch all feed the same notes and action-item format.
- Automations are the product: conditional rules send notes and tasks to the CRM and apps your team already uses.
- A real free plan: unlimited meetings at $0 — the 30-day history is the catch, not a meeting cap.
- Searchable history: ask questions across past meetings instead of hunting call by call.
- Serious compliance on top tiers: SOC 2 Type II, with SSO, SCIM, and HIPAA on Enterprise.
What are Circleback’s weaknesses?
- Free history is short: 30 days is a trial in disguise for anyone building a long-term meeting archive.
- Per-seat math adds up: a 20-person team on Pro is $300 a month before anyone has saved a minute.
- English-first reputation: 100+ languages are claimed, but independent comparisons describe support as English-primary with thinner depth elsewhere.
- Recording retention limits on Free and Pro mean archivists must export on a schedule.
Who is Circleback for?
Founders, sales and customer-success teams, and managers whose meetings generate tasks for other people. If your pain is “nobody followed up,” Circleback attacks exactly that. If your pain is only “I need a transcript,” Fathom’s free plan or Otter’s cheaper tiers cover it for less.
Frequently asked questions
Is Circleback free?
Yes, since August 2026. The free plan covers unlimited meetings, notes, action items, and transcripts, with meeting history limited to 30 days.
Does Circleback need a bot in the meeting?
No. It can join as a bot, record bot-free from the Mac or Windows desktop app, or capture in-person meetings from mobile and Apple Watch apps.
What does Circleback Pro add?
Unlimited meeting history, all integrations and automations, custom AI insights, and one year of recording storage, for $15 per user per month billed annually.
Does Circleback work with my CRM?
It integrates with HubSpot, Salesforce, Attio, Notion, Slack, and Linear, among others, with the full automation set on Pro and above.
Verdict
Circleback’s 2026 repricing fixed its biggest problem — there was no way in without paying. Now there is, and the paid tiers are priced where a team that actually uses the automations will not flinch. Start free, watch whether the action items get done, and upgrade for history and integrations when they do.