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AI · head to head

Fathom vs Sigil

Fathom logo

Fathom

AI

Free AI meeting assistant

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sigil logo

Sigil

Publishing

Open source EPUB editor for working directly on the file, not generating it

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fathom team plan requires minimum 2 users; cannot purchase single seat at team pricing; Sigil it produces no print output whatever, so any book that needs a paperback interior requires a completely separate tool and a second workflow.
  • They diverge on capability: Fathom covers Auto-recording, Sigil covers Direct EPUB editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fathom and Sigil actually diverge.

Attributes where Fathom and Sigil differ
AttributeFathomSigil
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft TeamsWindows, macOS, Linux
CategoryAIPublishing
Founded2020Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Fathom

  • Auto-recording
  • AI summaries
  • Transcription
  • Highlight clips
  • Zoom
  • Google Meet
  • HubSpot
  • Salesforce

Only in Sigil

  • Direct EPUB editing
  • Code and preview views
  • EPUB 2 and EPUB 3
  • Regex across files
  • Validation
  • Python plugins

What people use each for

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

Fathom

  • AI-powered meeting transcription and automatic note-taking for sales teams and professionalsnot Sigil
  • Meeting analysis with AI scorecards and action item generation that syncs to CRMsnot Sigil

Sigil

  • Fixing an EPUB that a retailer validator has rejected, without re-exporting from the tool that generated itnot Fathom
  • Correcting the table of contents, reading order or metadata in a file supplied by a conversion servicenot Fathom
  • Preparing a back-catalogue title where the only surviving source is the EPUB itselfnot Fathom
  • Applying a consistent stylesheet or a bulk text correction across every chapter of a book at oncenot Fathom

Where each one falls short

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

Fathom

  • Team plan requires minimum 2 users; cannot purchase single seat at team pricing
  • CRM field sync and deal view summaries available only on Business plan ($34/user/month) and above

Sigil

  • It produces no print output whatever, so any book that needs a paperback interior requires a completely separate tool and a second workflow.
  • Meaningful use requires reading and writing HTML and CSS, which puts it out of reach of most authors who simply want a finished file.
  • There is no cloud storage, sync or collaboration, so the book exists as a file on one machine and version control is whatever you set up yourself.
  • Development depends on a small number of volunteer maintainers, so release timing and platform builds follow their availability rather than a roadmap, and a lapse in maintenance would leave no obvious successor.
  • It provides no distribution, no retailer connection and no Kindle-native output, so it sits in the middle of a workflow that other tools have to complete on both sides.

Pricing, plan by plan

Fathom

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Fathom review.

Sigil

Free
  • SigilFree
    • GPL licensed with no cost or account required
    • Full functionality with no feature gating
    • Community support through forums and the issue tracker

Which should you pick?

Choose Fathom if

  • You need auto-recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
  • You also want ai summaries.
Fathom review

Choose Sigil if

  • You need direct epub editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want code and preview views.
Sigil review

Questions people ask

Is Fathom or Sigil better?
Neither clearly leads. Fathom starts at Free and Sigil at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fathom or Sigil?
Fathom starts at Free and Sigil at Free.
Does Fathom or Sigil run on more platforms?
Fathom runs on Web, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams. Sigil runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Fathom for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Fathom best used for?
Fathom is most often used for ai-powered meeting transcription and automatic note-taking for sales teams and professionals, meeting analysis with ai scorecards and action item generation that syncs to crms. Of those, ai-powered meeting transcription and automatic note-taking for sales teams and professionals and meeting analysis with ai scorecards and action item generation that syncs to crms are not what Sigil is typically brought in for.
What can Fathom do that Sigil cannot?
Fathom covers Auto-recording, AI summaries, Transcription, Highlight clips. Sigil covers Direct EPUB editing, Code and preview views, EPUB 2 and EPUB 3, Regex across files.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fathom: What is the most affordable paid plan for individuals, and what does it include?

Fathom Premium costs $20 per month (or $16 per month billed annually). It includes advanced summaries, action items, and a conversational AI assistant, in addition to the features in the free plan.

Source
Sigil: Can I write my book in Sigil?

You can, but you should not. It is an EPUB editor, not a word processor, and writing long-form prose in it is unpleasant. Write elsewhere, import, then finish in Sigil.

Fathom: What is included in Fathom's free plan?

The free plan includes unlimited recordings, transcriptions, AI summaries, clips, and playlists at no cost forever.

Source
Sigil: Does it make Kindle files?

Not natively. Produce a valid EPUB in Sigil and let Amazon convert it, or use a separate conversion tool for other Kindle formats.

Fathom: How much does the Team plan cost per user, and what features does it add?

The Team plan costs $19 per month per user (minimum 2 users, or $15 per month annually). It includes everything from Premium plus global search, collaboration features, and team playlists.

Source
Sigil: Is it safe to rely on a volunteer project for commercial work?

The files it produces are standard EPUB, so nothing is locked in. The risk is that maintenance stops, not that your books become unreadable.

Fathom: What trial or guarantee is available before committing to a paid plan?

All paid plans offer a 90-day guarantee to test features risk-free.

Source
Fathom: Does Fathom offer free or discounted plans for startups or nonprofits?

Yes, qualified portfolio companies get up to 2 years free, and nonprofits can apply for 10 free seats.

Source
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