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Productivity · head to head

Bluedot vs Roam Research

Bluedot logo

Bluedot

Productivity

Bot-free meeting recorder and AI note taker that runs as a browser extension

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Roam Research logo

Roam Research

Research

A note-taking tool for networked thought

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bluedot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bluedot cancelling ends access immediately and recordings are permanently deleted after thirty days, so the product is unsuitable as a meeting archive and any record you need to keep must be exported before the subscription lapses.; Roam Research cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers
  • They diverge on capability: Bluedot covers Bot-free capture, Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bluedot and Roam Research actually diverge.

Attributes where Bluedot and Roam Research differ
AttributeBluedotRoam Research
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelPer recording user per monthUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Chrome, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, macOS, Windows
CategoryProductivityResearch
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bluedot

  • Bot-free capture
  • Transcript-based video editing
  • Custom note templates
  • Record-only seat pricing
  • CRM and ATS push
  • Imports
  • Webhooks
  • SSO and SCIM

Only in Roam Research

  • Bi-directional linking
  • Block references
  • Daily notes
  • Graph visualization
  • Sidebar navigation
  • Version history
  • Markdown support
  • TODO management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bluedot

  • A sales team where prospects decline to admit recording bots but the manager still needs call notes in the CRMnot Roam Research
  • A recruiter conducting interviews who wants a structured summary per candidate without a visible third party in the callnot Roam Research
  • A customer success team of thirty where only four people run calls, so per-recorder pricing costs a fraction of a per-seat competitornot Roam Research
  • Cutting a short clip from a long call to share internally, done by deleting text from the transcript rather than opening a video editornot Roam Research

Roam Research

  • Research notesnot Bluedot
  • Writing projectsnot Bluedot
  • Personal knowledge managementnot Bluedot
  • Academic worknot Bluedot
  • Creative thinkingnot Bluedot

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bluedot

  • Cancelling ends access immediately and recordings are permanently deleted after thirty days, so the product is unsuitable as a meeting archive and any record you need to keep must be exported before the subscription lapses.
  • The Basic tier at $14 records audio only and caps recordings at one hour, which excludes most workshops, training sessions and long client calls and pushes anyone with real meetings to Pro.
  • The free tier gives five meetings in total rather than five a month, so it functions as an extended trial and cannot be used as a genuine free option for occasional users.
  • Recording without a visible bot removes the prompt that alerts participants, but not the consent obligation in jurisdictions requiring all parties to agree, and the product design makes that omission easy to overlook.
  • It is a small independent vendor in a category where Zoom, Microsoft and Google now bundle equivalent summarisation into subscriptions customers already hold, which is sustained pressure on both pricing and survival.

Roam Research

  • Cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers
  • Offline sync issues: offline databases experience slow startup and synchronization problems
  • No native Android app
  • Requires internet connection for most functionality

Pricing, plan by plan

Bluedot

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 meetings in total, not per month
    • Chrome extension and desktop and mobile apps
    • Basic integrations
  • Basic$14/month
    • Unlimited audio meetings
    • One hour maximum per recording
    • Webhook access
  • Pro$20/month
    • Video meetings as well as audio
    • No recording duration limit
    • Custom templates
  • Business$32/month
    • CRM and applicant tracking integrations
    • SSO and SCIM
    • Admin controls

Roam Research

$15/month
  • Pro$15/month
    • Unlimited graphs
    • Unlimited blocks
    • Daily notes
  • Believer$500/5 years
    • All Pro features
    • Cost effective long-term subscription

Which should you pick?

Choose Bluedot if

  • You need bot-free capture.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want transcript-based video editing.
Bluedot review

Choose Roam Research if

  • You need bi-directional linking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want block references.
Roam Research review

Questions people ask

Is Bluedot or Roam Research better?
Neither clearly leads. Bluedot starts at Free and Roam Research at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bluedot or Roam Research?
Bluedot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bluedot and $15/month for Roam Research.
Does Bluedot or Roam Research run on more platforms?
Bluedot runs on Web, Chrome, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Roam Research runs on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Bluedot for free?
Yes. Bluedot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Roam Research starts at $15/month.
What is Bluedot best used for?
Bluedot is most often used for a sales team where prospects decline to admit recording bots but the manager still needs call notes in the crm, a recruiter conducting interviews who wants a structured summary per candidate without a visible third party in the call, a customer success team of thirty where only four people run calls, so per-recorder pricing costs a fraction of a per-seat competitor, cutting a short clip from a long call to share internally, done by deleting text from the transcript rather than opening a video editor. Of those, a sales team where prospects decline to admit recording bots but the manager still needs call notes in the crm and a recruiter conducting interviews who wants a structured summary per candidate without a visible third party in the call are not what Roam Research is typically brought in for.
What can Bluedot do that Roam Research cannot?
Bluedot covers Bot-free capture, Transcript-based video editing, Custom note templates, Record-only seat pricing. Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking, Block references, Daily notes, Graph visualization.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bluedot: Does Bluedot join the meeting as a bot?

No. It captures through the browser extension or desktop app, so no additional participant is visible to anyone in the call.

Roam Research: Does Roam Research have a free plan?

No, Roam Research does not offer a free plan. However, it includes a 31-day free trial before requiring a subscription to either the Pro plan ($15/month) or Believer plan ($500 for five years).

Source
Bluedot: How is it priced?

Per workspace, with charges only for users who record. Free covers five meetings in total, Basic is $14, Pro is $20 and Business is $32 a month on annual billing.

Roam Research: Can I use Roam Research offline?

Roam Research has limited offline support. Offline databases have significant performance issues, including slow startup times and sync problems. The platform is cloud-dependent and requires internet connectivity for most functionality.

Source
Bluedot: What happens to my recordings if I cancel?

Access ends at cancellation and recordings are permanently deleted after thirty days. Export anything you need to keep before you cancel.

Roam Research: What platforms does Roam Research support?

Roam Research is available as a web app and native mobile apps for iOS and macOS. Windows users access it through the web app or Electron desktop wrapper. Android support is limited.

Source
Bluedot: Can I record video, not just audio?

Only from the Pro tier. Basic is audio only and limits each recording to one hour.

Roam Research: Can I export my data from Roam Research?

Yes, you can export your entire database or individual pages as JSON or Markdown format by clicking the three-dot menu. However, block references do not translate perfectly, and migration to other tools may require manual cleanup.

Source
Roam Research: Does Roam Research integrate with Slack?

Roam Research integrates with Slack through Zapier, allowing you to send Slack messages to Roam or add Slack messages to your Roam daily notes. No native Slack integration is available.

Source
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