Kimiko vs Zoom AI Companion: Local or Cloud Meeting Notes (2026)

The short answer

Zoom’s AI is built into Zoom meetings and included with paid Zoom Workplace plans. Its My Notes notetaker also captures Teams, Google Meet and in-person conversations from your computer, and everything is processed in Zoom’s cloud. Kimiko also records from your computer with any call app, and it transcribes and summarizes on the computer itself.

Choose Kimiko if

You want meetings transcribed and summarized on your own computer.
You need meetings processed offline once your models are downloaded.
You’d like to choose your AI models, or use your own provider account.
You want PDF, Word or Markdown exports and dictation in other apps.

Choose Zoom AI Companion if

Your meetings already happen in Zoom, on a paid Zoom Workplace plan.
You want AI included in the video meeting app you already pay for.
You need a Linux app, or notes on your phone.
Your company needs ISO 27001 coverage or a HIPAA agreement.

Side by side

Kimiko and Zoom AI Companion compared, checked 17 October 2026. Numbers link to the sources at the end of the page.
Feature	Kimiko	Zoom AI Companion
Recording
Records without a bot in the call	YesThe desktop app records your microphone and computer audio, so nobody new joins the call.17	YesBuilt into Zoom meetings. My Notes captures your computer’s audio for other calls; an optional Zoom AI participant can join instead.3
Zoom, Teams and Google Meet	Yes, and other call appsIt listens to your computer’s audio, so it works alongside Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet and other call apps.18	YesBuilt into Zoom; Teams and Google Meet through My Notes or the optional Zoom AI participant.4
Apps	Mac and WindowsApple silicon Macs with macOS 14.4 or later, and 64-bit PCs with Windows 11. No web or mobile app.19	Mac, Windows, Linux, web, phonesThe Zoom Workplace app, plus web, iPhone and Android. My Notes for other platforms needs desktop or web.3
Privacy and processing
Transcribes on your computer	Yes, by defaultLocal speech models run on your Mac or PC. Cloud transcription with Deepgram or ElevenLabs is optional.20	NoMy Notes streams audio to Zoom’s cloud for speech recognition.7
Summaries and chat on your computer	Yes, by defaultBuilt-in local AI writes summaries, suggests tasks and answers questions. Cloud AI is optional.21	NoBy default Zoom combines its own models with Anthropic, OpenAI and Google Gemini models in the cloud.8
Works without internet	Yes, after setupDownloaded models work offline. Downloads, activation and subscription checks still need a connection.22	NoTranscription and summaries run in Zoom’s cloud; no offline mode is described.7
Where your meetings are kept	On your computerAn encrypted database on your computer. Your Kimiko account doesn’t upload or sync your meetings.23	Zoom’s cloudStored in your account’s data-center region, encrypted with AES-256.9
Meeting audio	Not saved by defaultKimiko transcribes, then discards the audio, unless you choose to keep it for 7 or 30 days.24	Deleted by My NotesMy Notes deletes the audio after transcription. Cloud recording is separate and optional.7
AI training on your content	NoYour meetings don’t reach Kimiko’s servers. A cloud provider you choose applies its own terms.23	NoZoom says it doesn’t use your audio, video or chat to train its own or third-party models.8
Choose your AI models	YesPick local models, connect Ollama or LM Studio, or use OpenAI, Anthropic or OpenRouter with your own account.25	Admin setting onlyAdmins can ask Zoom to change the model setup. Users can’t pick a model or bring a key.8
Notes and AI
Write your own notes during the call	YesWrite in a full notes editor beside the live transcript. Your notes help shape the summary.17	YesMy Notes has a field for your own notes, which the AI organizes after the meeting.3
Ask questions across meetings	YesAsk about one meeting, a project or your whole library, then follow the source links back.26	YesAsk questions during a meeting with timestamped answers. Deeper search across your data needs ZoomMate.6
Action items	YesKimiko suggests next steps. You keep or dismiss each one, and it stays linked to its meeting.27	YesSummaries include next steps, and Zoom Tasks can turn them into tasks.11
Speaker labels	YesLive labels for up to eight remote voices; your microphone is “You”. Remembering voices is experimental.28	Named in ZoomNames speakers in Zoom meetings. My Notes uses labels like “Speaker 1” elsewhere.7
Voice dictation in other apps	IncludedTurn it on and dictate into most apps’ text fields with your shortcut, using local or cloud speech.29	NoNo dictation into other apps is listed; ZoomMate takes spoken prompts.14
Export formats	PDF, Word and MarkdownExport the summary, your notes or the transcript.30	Transcripts, Canvas docsHosts can download transcripts; summaries can be shared by email or Team Chat, or saved as Canvas docs.13
Connect AI assistants (MCP)	Yes, localDesktop AI apps can read your notes, meetings and tasks through local MCP, off until you turn it on.31	Yes, hostedHosted MCP servers for Zoom products, with setup guides for Claude and ChatGPT.16
Teams and plans
Integrations	Calendars and MCPOptional Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook connections. No CRM, Slack or Notion sync.32	Zoom apps, more with ZoomMateZoom Mail, Calendar, Chat and Canvas; ZoomMate adds Salesforce, HubSpot, Jira, Notion and more.15
Shared workspaces and admin	NoBuilt for individuals. One license works on up to 3 of your computers; ask us about team licensing.33	YesAdmins control AI settings and who receives summaries; SSO on Business and Enterprise.1
Security certifications	None yetKimiko doesn’t host your meetings: they stay in the encrypted database on your computer.23	ISO 27001, SOC 2Zoom’s AI features are ISO 27001 certified and in its SOC 2 report; summaries are available under a HIPAA BAA.10
Free option	Free trialTry the full app free. No credit card needed.34	Free planBasic: 3 meeting summaries, 3 My Notes uses and 20 AI questions a month; 40-minute meetings.1
Paid plans from	$12 a month, or $107.88 a yearThe full app, tax included.35	US$8.33 a month for My NotesMy Notes on its own, billed annually ($10 monthly). Included in Zoom Workplace Pro.2

Where they differ

Built into Zoom, or a separate app

Zoom’s AI is part of Zoom meetings: a host or admin turns on meeting summary, and participants see an AI icon and a transcription banner. For Teams and Google Meet, My Notes captures your computer’s audio without a bot, or an optional Zoom AI participant joins the call on Pro plans and up. My Notes shows no Zoom notice in other meeting apps, so it’s up to you to tell people.

Kimiko is a separate desktop app that records your microphone and your computer’s audio in any call app. Nothing new joins the meeting, so you let people know you’re taking notes.

Where meetings are processed

Zoom transcribes in its cloud and, by default, writes summaries with a mix of its own models and models from Anthropic, OpenAI and Google. Admins can ask Zoom to use Amazon Bedrock or Zoom-hosted models only. Zoom says it doesn’t train on your audio, video or chat, and My Notes deletes the audio after transcription.

Kimiko runs local speech and AI models and keeps your library in an encrypted database on your computer. Cloud providers are optional, with your own account.

What you pay for

Zoom’s AI comes with paid Zoom Workplace plans, from US$14.16 per user a month on Pro billed annually. My Notes is also sold on its own, and ZoomMate adds AI credits and connections to other apps. The free Basic plan includes a few summaries a month.

Kimiko is one plan for the full app. Local AI runs on your computer, so it isn’t metered; a cloud provider you connect bills you directly.

Pricing

Kimiko

$12 a month, or $107.88 a year

The full app on up to 3 of your computers, tax included. Free to try, no credit card needed.

See Kimiko’s plans

Zoom AI Companion

Basic: Free3 summaries and 3 My Notes uses a month; 40-minute meetings.
My Notes: $8.33 per user a monthBilled annually, or $10 monthly. The notetaker on its own.
Pro: $14.16 per user a monthBilled annually, or $16.99 monthly. Zoom Workplace with AI included.
Business: $18.33 per user a monthBilled annually, or $21.99 monthly. SSO and admin portal.
ZoomMate add-on: $16.67 per user a monthBilled annually, or $20 monthly. 2,200 AI credits a month.

As listed by Zoom Communications, Inc. on 17 October 2026, in US dollars.1

Questions

Is it still called Zoom AI Companion?

No. In June 2026 Zoom retired the AI Companion name. Its meeting features are now called Zoom AI, the notetaker for other meeting apps is My Notes, and the paid add-on is ZoomMate.

Does Zoom’s AI work in Teams and Google Meet?

Yes. My Notes captures your computer’s audio in Teams, Meet and in-person conversations without a bot, and an optional Zoom AI participant can join Teams and Meet calls on Pro plans and up. Kimiko records any call app from your computer.

Does Zoom use my meetings to train AI?

Zoom says it doesn’t use your audio, video or chat to train its own or third-party models, and that its AI providers don’t keep the data. Your Kimiko meetings stay on your computer.

Do I need a paid Zoom plan?

For regular use, yes. Zoom’s free Basic plan includes 3 meeting summaries and 3 My Notes uses a month, and My Notes is also sold on its own. Kimiko needs no Zoom account, and its trial is free with no credit card.

Does Zoom’s AI work offline?

No. My Notes sends audio to Zoom’s cloud for transcription, and summaries are written by cloud models. Kimiko’s local models work without internet once they’re downloaded.

Try Kimiko with your next meeting

Record a short call you have permission to record, then read the summary and the tasks Kimiko suggests. Free to try. No credit card needed.

Download for Mac

Apple silicon · macOS 14.4 or later

Download for Windows

64-bit Windows 11 PCs

Running locally? 16 GB of RAM is a practical starting point. See the system requirements

Sources

We read Zoom AI Companion’s pages on 17 October 2026. Plans and features change, so check them before you decide. Kimiko is an independent product and is not affiliated with Zoom Communications, Inc. Product names belong to their owners. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.