Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving Sumly.
Want the closest match?
inboxhiivMost similar to Sumly in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens inboxhiiv in a new tab)Need a free plan?
Decktopus AIHas a free plan, rated 4.0 out of 5.
Visit (opens Decktopus AI in a new tab)Want the lowest price?
MurmurCastFrom $4/mo, the lowest starting price here.
Visit (opens MurmurCast in a new tab)Want the best rated?
TubeOnAIRated 3.9 out of 5 in our review, against 3.2 for Sumly.
Visit (opens TubeOnAI in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than Sumly, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 SumlyBaseline | 3.2 | Free | Yes | Podcast summaries tailored to what you are trying to learn, rather than generic episode recaps. | |
| inboxhiiv | 3.7+0.5 | $5.99/mo | Yes | Podcast recaps in your inbox, for people following more shows than they can listen to. | vs Sumly |
 Scribbler | 3.8+0.6 | $10/mo | Yes | Summarises podcasts and YouTube videos, with timestamped transcripts you can chat to. | vs Sumly |
| MurmurCast | 3.8+0.6 | $4/mo | Yes | Turns subscribed YouTube channels, podcasts and newsletters into a daily brief. | vs Sumly |
 GistReader | 3.5+0.3 | $5/mo | Yes | Read-it-later web reader that strips distractions and uses AI to summarise articles and turn them into AI podcasts. | vs Sumly |
 Wudpecker | 3.6+0.4 | Free | Yes | AI meeting notes with templates and Ask Wudpecker for querying across past meetings, with privacy and security documented separately. | vs Sumly |
 RecapioGPT | 3.2Same | Free | Yes | Web summarizer that condenses a pasted link, text or file into a configurable summary. | vs Sumly |
| Decktopus AI | 4.0+0.8 | $14.99/mo | Yes | AI presentation software that turns a prompt or document into a formatted slide deck with speaker notes. | vs Sumly |
| TubeOnAI | 3.9+0.7 | Free | Yes | Summarizes YouTube, podcasts, PDFs and web articles, then repurposes the content into blog posts and social copy - free tier forever, 150,000+ users. | vs Sumly |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches Sumly.
inboxhiiv
3.7$5.99/mo
vs Sumly+0.5
Podcast recaps in your inbox, for people following more shows than they can listen to.
- AI-generated podcast episode summaries with key points and quotes
- Timestamped chapter breakdowns you can jump to
- Alerts for specific guests or topics across shows
Solves the real triage problem of following more shows than time allows
Summaries lose tone and context that matters on discussion-format shows
Scribbler
3.8$10/mo
vs Sumly+0.6
Summarises podcasts and YouTube videos, with timestamped transcripts you can chat to.
- Summaries of podcasts and YouTube videos
- Full transcripts with timestamps
- Chat interface over the content
Timestamps let you navigate rather than only skim
Hourly credits add up for a heavy listening habit
MurmurCast
3.8$4/mo
vs Sumly+0.6
Turns subscribed YouTube channels, podcasts and newsletters into a daily brief.
- Transcription of YouTube, podcasts and newsletters
- Daily brief across all subscriptions
- Summaries rather than full transcripts
Handles video, audio and text in one place
Summaries flatten tone and lose worthwhile digressions
GistReader
3.5$5/mo
vs Sumly+0.3
Read-it-later web reader that strips distractions and uses AI to summarise articles and turn them into AI podcasts.
- A distraction-free article view that strips ads
- Automatic AI summaries of every article
- AI podcasts: audio versions of articles
Automatic summaries keep the full article one click away
Summaries and podcasts are capped per month on the lower plans
Wudpecker
3.6Free
vs Sumly+0.4
AI meeting notes with templates and Ask Wudpecker for querying across past meetings, with privacy and security documented separately.
- AI meeting recording and summarisation
- Templates shaping notes to the meeting type
- Ask Wudpecker for querying across past meetings
Cross-meeting search is where meeting notes actually compound in value
Recording carries consent obligations that vary by jurisdiction
RecapioGPT
3.2Free
vs SumlySame
Web summarizer that condenses a pasted link, text or file into a configurable summary.
- Summaries from a URL, pasted text or an uploaded file
- Advanced summary configuration options
- Free account with saved and personalised summaries
Accepts links, text and files in one box
The pages reviewed name no model, limits or pricing
Decktopus AI
4.0$14.99/mo
vs Sumly+0.8
AI presentation software that turns a prompt or document into a formatted slide deck with speaker notes.
- Prompt-to-deck generation via the proprietary DecktoGPT engine
- Speaker notes and formatted layouts generated alongside slide content
- Built-in form builder for collecting audience input inside a presentation
Full deck (outline, imagery, layout, speaker notes) generated from a short prompt, not only slide text
Month-to-month pricing ($24.99-$49.99) costs noticeably more than the annual rate
TubeOnAI
3.9Free
vs Sumly+0.7
Summarizes YouTube, podcasts, PDFs and web articles, then repurposes the content into blog posts and social copy - free tier forever, 150,000+ users.
- Summarizes YouTube, podcasts, PDFs and web articles
- Repurposes content into blog posts, social copy and newsletters
- Channel subscriptions with automatic notifications
Repurposes into finished content formats, not just a condensed summary
User/satisfaction figures are vendor-reported marketing claims
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is Sumly free?
Sumly has a free plan.
What is the best free alternative to Sumly?
Decktopus AI is the highest-rated alternative here with a free plan (4.0 out of 5). Other free options: TubeOnAI, Scribbler, MurmurCast.
What is the cheapest alternative to Sumly?
Among paid plans, MurmurCast has the lowest starting price (from $4/mo). If you need it free, start with Decktopus AI.
How did you pick these alternatives?
We match tools on what they do, their category and their price, using the details in our directory. Ratings come from our reviews and reader reviews.