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Circleback introduces free tier to navigate competitive meeting-notetaker market

The profitable, eight-person startup is offering unlimited transcriptions with a 30-day history limit to attract new users.

The short version

  • Meeting-notetaker startup Circleback has launched its first free subscription tier, offering unlimited meeting transcriptions with a 30-day history limit.
  • The move comes amid intensifying market competition from rival services like Granola, Read AI, Fireflies, Wispr, and Calendly.
  • Circleback is positioning the free tier as a marketing alternative to traditional digital advertising to drive user acquisition.

Key facts

  • Circleback's new free tier includes access to mobile and Apple Watch apps, AI querying of transcripts, and integrations with Slack and Linear.[TechCrunch]
  • The company reduced its starting paid subscription price to $14 per month when billed annually, down from its previous entry price of $20.83 per month.[TechCrunch]
  • Circleback reports being profitable with a team of eight people and an estimated run-rate revenue of approximately $8 million.[TechCrunch]
  • The startup was founded in 2023 by Ali Haghani and Kevin Jacyna, and secured $2.5 million in funding in 2024.[TechCrunch]

Sources