Key facts
- Circleback, a meeting note-taker, has launched a free tier.
- The free plan allows unlimited meeting transcriptions but limits history to 30 days.
- Paid plans now start at $14 per month, a reduction from the previous $20.83.
- The company has raised $2.5 million and is profitable with a team of eight.
- Circleback aims to use the free tier as a customer acquisition and marketing tool.
In response to increasing competition in the meeting note-taker market, Y Combinator-backed Circleback has introduced a free subscription tier. This new plan allows users to transcribe an unlimited number of meetings, though access to meeting history is limited to the last 30 days. Previously, Circleback did not offer a free tier, with its paid plans starting at $20.83 per month.
The free plan includes features such as meeting recording, mobile and Apple Watch apps, AI-powered transcript querying, and integrations with Linear and Slack. For full access to all integrations, unlimited meeting history, and API/MCP capabilities, subscription plans begin at $14 per month when paid annually.
Founded in 2023 by Ali Haghani and Kevin Jacyna, Circleback raised $2.5 million in 2024 and has reportedly been profitable since then, achieving a run-rate revenue of over $1 million per employee with its team of eight. Haghani stated that the previous limited trial period led to significant user drop-off, prompting the introduction of the free plan as a strategy to increase product visibility and user acquisition. The company views this free tier as a marketing expense, noting it does not currently spend on Google or Meta Ads.
Haghani also indicated that Circleback is not actively seeking further funding, despite interest, as it perceives no growth bottlenecks. He expressed confidence in the company's ability to compete and win customers against larger, better-funded competitors.