Menutes vs Read AI – Which Is Better? (2026)
Read AI is a meeting copilot that provides real-time transcription, AI-generated summaries, and engagement analytics for virtual meetings. It integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, and offers features like meeting scoring, sentiment analysis, and automated follow-up emails.
TL;DR
Menutes focuses on in-person meeting capture with EU data hosting and structured minutes. Read AI focuses on virtual meeting analytics with engagement scoring and sentiment analysis. Choose Menutes for in-room recording, GDPR compliance, and affordable team pricing. Choose Read AI for virtual meeting engagement insights.
What is Read AI?
Read AI is a meeting copilot that provides real-time transcription, AI-generated summaries, and engagement analytics for virtual meetings. It integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, and offers features like meeting scoring, sentiment analysis, and automated follow-up emails.
Feature comparison at a glance
| Feature | Menutes | Read AI |
|---|---|---|
| In-person meeting recording | Native: record from any device microphone | Not supported, requires virtual meeting platform |
| Virtual meeting recording | System audio recording and browser extension | Bot joins Zoom, Meet, Teams automatically |
| AI summaries | Structured minutes with decisions and action items | AI summaries with engagement scores and topics |
| Engagement analytics | Speaker identification and talk-time tracking | Real-time engagement scoring, sentiment analysis |
| Languages supported | 50+ languages | 30+ languages |
| Data hosting | EU infrastructure (GDPR native) | US-based |
| Free plan | 5 hrs/month, 30-day history | Limited meetings per month |
| Paid pricing | From €10/month | From $19.75/user/month (Pro) |
How do the AI meeting summaries differ?
Both Menutes and Read AI generate post-meeting summaries, but they emphasize different aspects. Menutes produces structured meeting minutes with clearly labeled decisions, action items, and next steps. The output reads like professional meeting documentation.
Read AI takes a different approach by adding engagement analytics to its summaries. You get topic-by-topic breakdowns alongside engagement scores that show how attentive participants were during each segment. Read AI also includes sentiment analysis, attempting to gauge the emotional tone of the meeting.
For teams that need formal meeting records (board meetings, compliance documentation, client calls), Menutes' structured output is more practical. For teams focused on improving meeting culture and participant engagement, Read AI's analytics provide unique insights.
Which handles in-person meetings?
Menutes is designed for both in-person and virtual meetings. For in-person meetings, you open Menutes on your phone or laptop, press record, and the AI handles transcription and speaker identification using the device microphone.
Read AI requires a virtual meeting platform to function. It joins as a participant (bot) in Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams calls. If your meeting doesn't happen on one of these platforms, Read AI can't capture it.
This is a fundamental difference for organizations with significant in-person meeting time. Whether you're in a conference room, at a client site, or running a workshop, Menutes handles these scenarios. Read AI only works when everyone is on a video call.
Pricing comparison
Menutes Premium is €10/month per user with unlimited transcription. Team plans are €9/user/month. There are no per-seat minimums or long-term commitments required.
Read AI Pro is $19.75/user/month (billed annually). The Enterprise plan is $29.75/user/month. The free tier provides a limited number of meetings per month.
For a 10-person team on annual plans: Menutes costs €90/month versus Read AI Pro at $197.50/month. That's a 54% cost reduction. The savings grow with team size, and Menutes includes full transcription and AI summaries at every tier.
Who should choose Menutes over Read AI?
Choose Menutes if you hold in-person meetings, need GDPR-compliant data hosting, want structured meeting documentation, or need support for non-English languages. Menutes is also the better value for teams on a budget.
Choose Read AI if your primary concern is improving virtual meeting culture through engagement analytics, you want real-time meeting coaching features, or sentiment analysis is valuable for your team. Read AI's unique selling point is its meeting quality insights.
For general meeting transcription and documentation across all meeting types, Menutes provides broader coverage at a lower price point.
The verdict
Menutes and Read AI serve different primary needs. Menutes excels at turning any meeting (in-person or virtual) into structured, professional documentation with EU data hosting and 50+ language support. Read AI's strength is virtual meeting analytics and engagement insights. If you need meeting minutes, Menutes delivers more at a lower cost. If you need meeting culture analytics, Read AI is the specialized tool.
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5 hours of free transcription per month. No credit card required. Works for in-person and virtual meetings.
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