Circleback makes basic meeting transcription free

What the free tier includes

Circleback introduced a free plan with unlimited meeting recording, mobile access and Apple^[1] Watch support. Users can ask questions about transcripts and use Linear and Slack integrations. [1 · TechCrunch]

The main restriction is that only the last 30 days of history remain accessible. Basic recording and transcription become tools for attracting users, while long-term memory remains part of the paid product. [1 · TechCrunch]

What the company still charges for

The paid plan starts at $15 per month with annual billing and includes full history, API access, MCP and the complete set of integrations. This separates an easily copied transcription feature from a deeper layer of automation and accumulated context. [1 · TechCrunch]

The most valuable uses are actions after a meeting: creating tasks, updating the customer relationship management system (CRM), drafting follow-up messages, linking decisions to documents and tracking execution. These are harder to replace with a standalone summary feature. [1 · TechCrunch]

The history limit also creates a natural upgrade path. Users can try the basic function for free but must pay to retain accumulated organizational memory and connect it to other systems. [1 · TechCrunch]

The economics, with a necessary qualification

The company reports profitability and ARR above $1 million per employee with a team of eight. This implies a rough benchmark of about $8 million in annual recurring revenue, but it is a calculation from Circleback’s own statement, not a figure from audited accounts. [1 · TechCrunch]

Analysis: Free basic AI features are becoming standard where the core function is easy to copy. Willingness to pay shifts toward memory, permissions, integration quality and responsibility for a completed workflow. [1 · TechCrunch]

The greatest market risk is for standalone meeting recording services whose product ends with a recording and a short summary. Circleback must demonstrate that API access, MCP and connections to other services provide enough retention to keep free-tier costs from growing faster than paid conversions. [1 · TechCrunch]

The company has not disclosed conversion data. [1 · TechCrunch]