Same idea, no download
Both capture the audio on your side of the call instead of sending a participant into it. The difference is what has to be on your machine first.
Nothing to install
tl;dv's bot-free recording needs its desktop app and, on a Mac, a trip to Privacy and Security settings. MeetingSidekick needs a browser tab and one microphone prompt.
Works on your phone
tl;dv's site says it has no native mobile app yet. MeetingSidekick runs in any modern phone browser, which is how it captures a meeting in a room.
Any operating system
A Chromebook, a Linux desktop, a locked-down work laptop: if it has a browser, it works. No admin rights needed.
Keeps the audio
The recording stays with the transcript so you can hear the exact moment. Replay is on Pro and Max.
Recording a call without a bot or an app
Open meetingsidekick.ai
In Chrome or Edge on a desktop, or any browser on a phone. Sign in free, or use the 5-minute trial with no account at all.
Press Start, share the audio
Tick the consent box and press Start. On a desktop, pick your meeting tab or screen in the share dialog and tick the audio box. Your microphone and the call audio are captured together.
Say you are taking notes
Nothing joins the call and no attendee appears, so you tell the group yourself. Then listen; the transcript writes itself in the tab.
Stop, read, ask
A summary with decisions and action items, an email recap, and a chat box scoped to that meeting. Pro and Max add speaker names, search across meetings and audio replay.
MeetingSidekick vs. tl;dv
Only rows we could confirm on tl;dv's own website and help center on the date below. No pricing, because theirs changes.
| MeetingSidekick | tl;dv | |
|---|---|---|
| No bot on the attendee list | Yes, always | Bot, or its desktop app |
| Nothing to install | Browser tab | Desktop app (Mac, Windows) for bot-free |
| Works on a phone | Any modern browser | No mobile app yet, per tl;dv |
| Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams | Any call, via tab audio | Yes |
| Records video of the call | No, audio only | With the bot; audio only in bot-free mode |
| Auto-records scheduled calls | No, you press Start | Yes |
| Search across all your meetings | Pro and Max | Yes |
tl;dv rows reflect tldv.io, tldv.io/desktop-app and the tl;dv help article "Recording without a bot" as read on 2 September 2026. Features change, so check their current docs. tl;dv is a trademark of its owner. MeetingSidekick is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. See the full comparison with Otter, Fireflies and Fathom.
When tl;dv is the better choice
Pick tl;dv if you want video. Its bot records the call itself, so you can scrub back through what was on screen, and it can auto-record the scheduled calls on your calendar. If your team shares clips of calls, that matters. MeetingSidekick records audio, never video.
Pick MeetingSidekick when you cannot, or would rather not, install anything. A work laptop where IT controls installs, a Chromebook, a Linux machine, or a meeting away from a computer. It also fits people who want to start a recording on purpose rather than capture every calendar event by default.
Know the limits. Desktop call audio needs Chrome or Edge; Safari and Firefox show an error when asked to share system audio. Phones record through the microphone only, so put a call on speaker. There is no calendar integration and no team workspace. And you still tell the room you are taking notes; there is just no bot in the call to do it for you.
tl;dv vs. MeetingSidekick, answered
How is MeetingSidekick different from tl;dv?
Both can capture a call without a bot on the attendee list. tl;dv does it through a desktop app for Mac and Windows; MeetingSidekick does it in a browser tab with nothing to install, on any device including a phone. tl;dv can also record video of a call when its bot is used; MeetingSidekick records audio only.
Do I need to download an app like the tl;dv desktop app?
No. Open meetingsidekick.ai and press Start. There is no desktop app, no extension and no calendar connection, so it works on a locked-down work laptop, a Chromebook or a Linux machine where you cannot install software.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes. It runs in any modern phone browser and records through the microphone, which is how it captures in-person meetings. tl;dv's own site says it does not have a native mobile app yet.
Does it record the video of the call?
No. MeetingSidekick records audio, produces a live transcript and a summary, and keeps the audio for replay on Pro and Max. If you need a video recording of the call, tl;dv's bot mode does that and MeetingSidekick does not.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. Free is 2 hours of recording a month, no credit card. Pro is $15 a month or $120 a year for 30 hours with speaker names, cross-meeting search and audio replay. Max is $50 a month or $400 a year for unlimited hours and screenshot chat. A 5-minute trial needs no signup.
Try it on your next call. Nothing to install.
Free to start, no credit card. Open a tab, press Start.
Start free →