Fathom API vs Nylas Notetaker API

The Fathom API and the Nylas Notetaker API both return meeting transcripts and summaries, but they start from different places. The Fathom API reads meetings that people recorded with the Fathom app. The Notetaker API sends a bot that your product controls into Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet calls, then returns the recording, transcript, summary, and action items.

Both APIs change over time, so check Fathom’s developer documentation while you scope.

Fathom API vs Notetaker API at a glance

The table compares the two APIs on 7 points. Fathom cells come from Fathom’s API reference and FAQ; Notetaker API cells come from the Notetaker overview and media handling pages.

	Fathom API	Nylas Notetaker API
Where recordings come from	Meetings recorded in the Fathom app by your users	A bot you send with POST /v3/notetakers
Who records the meeting	A Fathom user, in the Fathom app	Your application, through the API
Authentication	Per-user API key in X-Api-Key, or OAuth for apps other Fathom users install	Your application’s API key
Transcript format	Speaker name, text, and an HH:MM:SS timestamp per entry	Speaker-labelled JSON with start and end in milliseconds
Summary	Account’s default template, Markdown only	JSON, with custom instructions up to 3,000 characters
Signed download URL lifetime	About 24 hours	60 minutes
Webhook verification	HMAC-SHA256 signature headers	HMAC-SHA256 X-Nylas-Signature header

What does the Fathom API do?

The Fathom API is a REST API that reads meeting data from Fathom accounts. It lists meetings, returns transcripts, summaries, and action items, starts recording downloads, lists teams and users, and manages webhooks. API keys belong to one user and reach only meetings that user recorded or that were shared with them or their team.

The Fathom quickstart generates a key in User Settings and calls GET https://api.fathom.ai/external/v1/meetings, which returns 10 meetings per page with a next_cursor. Fathom’s FAQ states there are no org-level keys. For products that other Fathom users install, Fathom offers OAuth apps.

Fathom’s rate limits allow 60 calls per 60 seconds per account. Summary and transcript requests count as heavy requests, capped at 30 per 60 seconds and lowered to 5 during elevated activity.

What’s the difference between the Fathom API and the Notetaker API?

The Fathom API gives you data from a meeting-notes app that your users already run. The Nylas Notetaker API is the recorder itself: your server sends a bot to a meeting link, and the meeting content goes to your application. Choose by whether your users record with Fathom or your product does the recording.

Fathom’s API reference covers meetings, recordings, teams, users, and webhooks, and a meeting appears only after a Fathom user records it. The Notetaker API supports 3 platforms and joins in 4 ways: immediately, at a scheduled join_time, from calendar sync rules, or from Scheduler bookings. You set the bot’s display name, recording type, and transcription language hints in notetaker_settings.

The request below sends a Notetaker to a Google Meet call with the standalone endpoint, which needs no connected account. It turns on transcription, a summary, and action items with custom instructions, and the bot leaves after 360 seconds of silence.

Request

curl --request POST \
  --url "https://api.us.nylas.com/v3/notetakers" \
  --header 'Accept: application/json' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer <NYLAS_API_KEY>' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{
    "join_time": 1732657774,
    "meeting_link": "https://meet.google.com/xyz-abcd-ijk",
    "notetaker_settings": {
      "name": "Nylas Notetaker",
      "action_items": true,
      "action_items_settings": {
        "custom_instructions": "Only return the 5 most important action items."
      },
      "leave_after_silence_seconds": 360,
      "recording_type": "audio_video",
      "summary": true,
      "summary_settings": {
        "custom_instructions": "Return this summary in the MEDPIC sales methodology."
      },
      "transcription": true,
      "transcription_settings": {
        "expected_languages": ["en", "es"],
        "fallback_language": "en"
      }
    }
  }'

The Notetaker API quickstart walks through the first request and the media download.

How do Fathom and Notetaker transcripts and summaries compare?

Fathom returns a transcript as a list of entries with the speaker’s display name, the text, and an HH:MM:SS timestamp, plus one Markdown summary from the account’s default template. The Nylas Notetaker API returns a speaker-labelled JSON transcript with millisecond start and end times, and JSON summary and action-item files.

Fathom’s FAQ on summaries states the API returns the account’s default template, one summary per recording, in Markdown only. Fathom transcripts are available only after post-call processing. Fathom also returns CRM matches for contacts, companies, and deals when a CRM is connected.

On the Notetaker side, summary_settings.custom_instructions and action_items_settings.custom_instructions each accept up to 3,000 characters, and transcription_settings takes expected languages from about 100 supported codes. See Notetaker media formats for each file’s shape.

How long do recording download URLs last?

Fathom’s recording download URLs expire about 24 hours after generation, and you request a new download once one expires. Nylas Notetaker media URLs expire after 60 minutes, and calling the media endpoint again returns a working URL while the files are still stored. Notetaker media stays for 14 days by default.

Fathom generates a download with POST /recordings/{recording_id}/download, then you poll its status or pass a destination_url, as described in the Fathom download FAQ. Downloads need more than view access, and limited-access shares receive 403 Forbidden.

Notetaker media retention is configurable from 300 to 2,592,000 seconds with retention_time. See Notetaker retention policies and secure meeting recordings for storing files in your own bucket.

How do Fathom and Notetaker webhooks work?

Fathom sends one webhook per meeting when new content is ready, tied to the same event that sends the post-call summary email. The Nylas Notetaker API has 5 webhook triggers, including notetaker.meeting_state for join and leave events and notetaker.media when recordings and transcripts are ready. Both sign payloads with HMAC-SHA256.

Fathom’s webhook FAQ states webhooks fire once and don’t re-fire when content or visibility changes, and calls without a summary send no webhook. Fathom suggests testing with a meeting of about 2 minutes, and each delivery carries webhook-id, webhook-timestamp, and webhook-signature headers for verification. See Notetaker notifications for the 5 Notetaker triggers and Notetaker webhooks for a handler.

When should you use the Fathom API instead?

Use the Fathom API when your users already record meetings with Fathom and you want that data in your tool, such as a CRM sync or an internal dashboard. Fathom’s FAQ states that API keys and webhooks are included on all plans. Use the Nylas Notetaker API when your product records Zoom, Teams, or Meet calls itself.

If your users record with Fathom, the Fathom API avoids adding a second bot to their calls, and syncs fit within its limit of 60 requests per 60 seconds. If you’re building recording into your own product, or your users don’t use Fathom, the Notetaker API gives you the bot, the media files, and calendar-driven scheduling through the same grant that reads email and calendar data. For bot-based alternatives, see Nylas vs Recall.ai and meeting transcription APIs compared.

What’s next

• Notetaker API quickstart to send your first bot
• Using Nylas Notetaker for join options, notetaker_settings, and webhooks
• Get a meeting transcript and recording for the media response and download pattern
• Nylas vs Recall.ai to compare meeting bot APIs