When an install is the thing standing in the way
Not because you dislike apps. Because right now, on this machine, an install is not going to happen.
A work computer
IT controls what gets installed and the request queue is a week long. The meeting is in ten minutes. A web page needs no ticket.
A borrowed or shared machine
A conference-room PC, a family laptop, a library computer. You should not be leaving software behind on it. A tab closes and it is gone.
A Chromebook or Linux box
Many notetaker apps ship for Mac and Windows only. If it has Chrome, MeetingSidekick works the same way it does anywhere else.
A one-off meeting
You need notes for one interview or one client call, not new software on your machine forever. Take the 5-minute trial with no account.
How it works with nothing installed
The browser already has everything needed: a microphone permission and, on Chrome or Edge, the ability to share a tab's audio.
Open meetingsidekick.ai
On a laptop or a phone. Sign in free, or press the trial button and skip the account for now.
Tick the box, press Start
You confirm you will handle consent for the recording. The browser asks for the microphone once. That is the only permission for an in-person meeting.
On a call, share the audio
For Zoom, Teams, Meet or Webex on a desktop, a share picker appears. Choose the meeting tab or your screen and tick the audio box. Chrome or Edge only; Safari and Firefox show an error here.
Stop, and the notes are ready
A summary with decisions and action items, an email recap, a share link, and a chat box scoped to that meeting. Every meeting is saved in your account.
What you need, and what you do not
| MeetingSidekick | Typical notetaker app | |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop app to download | No | Often, for bot-free recording |
| Browser extension | No | Sometimes |
| Admin rights on the machine | No | Often, to install |
| Calendar connection | No | Usually, for auto-join |
| Bot on the attendee list | Never | Depends on the tool |
| A browser | Yes. Chrome or Edge for call audio on a desktop | Varies |
The right column describes the category in general, not any one product. For a specific tool, see the named comparisons in the footer.
What "no install" costs you
You press Start yourself. Installed apps can watch your calendar and start recording when a call begins. A browser tab cannot, so you open it before the meeting. If you want every call captured automatically, a desktop app such as Granola, Fathom, tl;dv or Circleback is a better fit.
Desktop call audio needs Chrome or Edge. Hearing the other side of a video call means the browser has to share the tab or system audio. Chrome and Edge can. Safari and Firefox cannot, and show an error. Your microphone works in any of them, so an in-person meeting is fine everywhere; a call is not.
It records audio, not video. You get the transcript, the summary and the saved audio (replay on Pro and Max). No video file, and no CRM or team-workspace integrations, just an email recap and a share link.
You still tell people. Recording rules vary by place and workplace. Nothing joining the call means nothing announcing itself either, so you say you are taking notes. The app makes you acknowledge that responsibility before Start is enabled.
Meeting notes without an install, answered
Can I get AI meeting notes without installing any software?
Yes. MeetingSidekick is a web app. Open meetingsidekick.ai in your browser, press Start, and you get a live transcript, an AI summary with action items, and a chat box for the meeting. No desktop app, no browser extension, no admin rights.
Does anything join my call?
No. It captures the audio on your own device, so no bot appears on the attendee list and no host has to admit anything. You still tell the other people you are taking notes; the app asks you to acknowledge that before you start.
Does it work for meetings that are not on a computer?
Yes. Open it on your phone, press Start, and set the phone on the table. It records the room through the microphone, so in-person meetings, lectures and interviews get the same transcript and summary as a video call.
Do other no-install notetakers exist?
Several good notetakers can now record without a bot, including Granola, Fathom, tl;dv and Circleback, but each needs an app on your computer or phone. Bot-based tools such as Otter, Fireflies and Read AI need no install because their bot joins the call instead. MeetingSidekick has neither an install nor a bot.
How much does it cost?
Free is 2 hours of recording a month with no credit card. Pro is $15 a month or $120 a year for 30 hours, speaker names, search across all your meetings and audio replay. Max is $50 a month or $400 a year for unlimited hours plus screenshot chat. A 5-minute trial needs no signup at all.
Your next meeting, with nothing installed.
Free to start, no credit card. Open a tab, press Start.
Start free →