Fieldy vs Omi vs Limitless: Which AI Wearable Recorder Should You Buy in 2025?

The wearable AI recorder market hit a turning point on December 5, 2025, when Meta acquired Limitless and stopped selling pendants to new customers. Thousands of people who were evaluating their first AI wearable suddenly found their top choice unavailable. If you're one of them, you're probably asking: what now?

This guide compares the two strongest alternatives available today—Fieldy 3 and Omi—while explaining what existing Limitless owners should expect going forward.

TL;DR: Who Should Buy What

Buy Fieldy 3 if you want: A polished, privacy-first recorder with session-based capture (start/stop control), long battery life (up to 7 days), both pendant and watch form factors, and generous free tier (150 minutes/month). Best for professionals who want reliable transcription without always-on recording.

Buy Omi if you want: Open-source hardware and software you can hack, modify, and self-host. Best for developers and tinkerers who value transparency and customization over polish. Check current stock availability before committing.

If you already own Limitless: You're supported through 2026 with Unlimited free. The device still works. Evaluate alternatives when you're ready to upgrade, not before you need to.

Comparison Table

Capture Style: Session vs Always-On vs Open-Source

This is the most fundamental difference.

Fieldy 3 uses session-based recording. You press start when a conversation begins, press stop when it ends. This gives you explicit control over what gets captured—critical for HIPAA compliance and professional settings where consent matters. The trade-off is intentionality: you must remember to start recording.

Omi defaults to always-on recording with voice activity detection. The device captures ambient audio continuously, transcribing when it detects speech. Because Omi is open-source, you can modify this behavior, self-host the processing, or even run local models. The community has built alternative backends and privacy-preserving pipelines.

Limitless (for context) also used always-on capture but with cloud processing. That model worked well until the acquisition raised questions about long-term data control.

The session-vs-always-on choice comes down to use case. If you're a consultant, therapist, or anyone handling sensitive conversations, session-based capture (Fieldy) makes consent straightforward. If you want passive journaling or memory augmentation without manual triggers, always-on (Omi) fits better—especially if you're comfortable managing the privacy implications yourself.

Price & Subscription Models

Fieldy 3 is currently $129 (discounted from $179). It includes 150 free transcription minutes per month—enough for roughly 5 hours of conversation if you're strategic. The Unlimited plan costs approximately $15.99/month when paid annually, which is competitive for professionals who record daily.

Omi pricing has varied, and the product page has shown sold-out status at times. Use coupon code ANDERS for 10% off when available. Because Omi is open-source, technically-inclined users can self-host transcription using services like OpenAI Whisper or local models, avoiding recurring subscription costs entirely. However, this requires technical setup and ongoing maintenance.

Limitless is no longer sold to new customers. Existing owners receive Unlimited transcription free through 2026 as part of Meta's transition support. The company has stated they will continue supporting existing hardware during this period.

No affiliate relationships exist for Fieldy at this time. The Omi link above (https://www.omi.me/?ref=ANDERS) uses the ANDERS referral code already active on this site. Limitless previously had an affiliate path at limitless.ai/r/agency7, but new sales are closed.

When Fieldy Wins

Fieldy is the best choice for professionals who need:

• HIPAA compliance: Healthcare providers, therapists, and consultants handling protected health information benefit from Fieldy's explicit end-to-end encryption and session-based consent model.
• Long battery life: Up to 7 days between charges makes Fieldy practical for extended travel or multi-day conferences without worrying about power.
• Form factor flexibility: The option to wear it as a pendant or watch means you can match your style or professional context. A watch is less conspicuous in corporate environments than a pendant.
• Desktop meeting capture: Fieldy offers a dedicated desktop application for capturing Zoom, Google Meet, and other online meetings—critical for remote workers who need consistent transcription across in-person and virtual contexts.
• Global shipping: Fieldy ships worldwide without regional restrictions, unlike some competitors.
• Generous free tier: 150 minutes per month is workable for light use—strategic professionals can stretch this by recording only critical meetings rather than all conversations.

The community signal on Discord consistently shows Fieldy users calling it "night-and-day better than Omi" and comparable to the experience former Limitless users loved. If you valued Limitless for its polish and reliability, Fieldy is the closest spiritual successor.

When Omi Wins

Omi is the best choice for developers, researchers, and privacy advocates who need:

• Open-source transparency: Both hardware and software are open-source, meaning you can audit exactly what's happening with your data. No trust required—verify the code yourself.
• Self-hosting capability: Run transcription on your own infrastructure using Whisper, local LLMs, or custom pipelines. This eliminates recurring subscription costs and keeps data entirely under your control.
• Hackability: The Omi community has built custom firmware, alternative backends, and experimental features. If you want to modify behavior, integrate with unusual platforms, or experiment with edge ML models, Omi provides the foundation.
• Always-on capture without cloud lock-in: While Omi defaults to cloud transcription, the open architecture lets you route audio through local processing, combining the convenience of passive capture with the security of on-device inference.
• Philosophical alignment: If the Limitless acquisition reinforced your belief that closed platforms eventually betray users, Omi represents the alternative. Open-source hardware ensures no single company can unilaterally change terms, shut down servers, or sell your data.

The trade-off is polish. Omi requires more technical comfort than Fieldy. You'll encounter rough edges, community-built documentation, and occasional need to troubleshoot. But if that doesn't deter you—or if it excites you—Omi offers control no closed platform can match.

Check https://www.omi.me/?ref=ANDERS for current availability, as stock has been intermittent.

What Limitless Owners Should Do

If you already own a Limitless pendant, here's what you need to know:

Your device still works. Meta has committed to supporting existing hardware through 2026 with Unlimited transcription at no cost. The Rewind desktop app was sunset, but the pendant and mobile transcription remain functional for existing users.

EU and UK users lost access immediately following the acquisition due to regulatory considerations. If you're in these regions, you'll need to evaluate alternatives now rather than waiting.

For everyone else, you have time. There's no urgent need to switch if your current setup meets your needs. Use the transition period to evaluate Fieldy and Omi on their merits rather than rushing into a replacement.

When you do decide to upgrade, your choice depends on what you valued most about Limitless:

• Valued the seamless experience and reliability? Fieldy is the closest match.
• Valued the always-on memory augmentation? Omi offers that model with open-source transparency Limitless never provided.
• Valued integration with productivity tools? Check which platform better supports your specific workflow—both have APIs and community integrations, but coverage varies.

The acquisition proved the risk of closed ecosystems. Whichever direction you choose next, prioritize platforms with long-term resilience—whether through open-source architecture (Omi) or transparent business models and HIPAA-grade infrastructure (Fieldy).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use these devices in medical or legal settings?

Fieldy's HIPAA compliance and end-to-end encryption make it appropriate for healthcare and legal contexts where data protection regulations apply. Omi can be configured for compliance if you self-host and implement appropriate security measures, but this requires technical expertise. Always verify that your usage complies with local recording consent laws.

Which device has better transcription accuracy?

Both use state-of-the-art speech-to-text engines with support for 100+ languages. Accuracy depends more on audio quality, accent, and technical jargon than the device itself. Fieldy's session-based approach may produce slightly cleaner recordings because you position the device before starting, whereas always-on capture sometimes begins mid-sentence.

Do I need my phone nearby?

Both devices require a paired smartphone for processing and transcription. Neither offers fully offline operation out of the box, though Omi's open architecture theoretically allows custom offline configurations.

What about battery life in real-world use?

Fieldy's 7-day claim assumes moderate session recording—several hours per day, not continuous use. Always-on devices like Omi inherently drain faster because they're constantly listening. Expect to charge always-on devices every 1-3 days depending on usage intensity.

Can I export my transcripts?

Both platforms offer transcript export, though formats and ease of access vary. Fieldy provides structured export options through its dashboard. Omi's open ecosystem means you control the storage format entirely if you self-host.

What if stock is unavailable?

Omi has experienced supply constraints. If you need a device immediately, Fieldy's consistent availability makes it the safer choice. Set up stock alerts on Omi's site if you're committed to the open-source option but willing to wait.

The Bigger Picture

The Limitless acquisition is a case study in platform risk. When a closed system gets absorbed into a larger corporation, users become collateral in strategic decisions they can't influence. This isn't a critique of Meta specifically—it's the inherent vulnerability of depending on proprietary infrastructure for deeply personal data.

The wearable AI recorder market is projected to grow dramatically as transcription costs drop and LLMs make context more valuable. The devices that survive this growth will be the ones that respect user autonomy—either through open-source architecture (Omi) or through credible commitments to privacy and regulatory compliance (Fieldy).

Your choice between Fieldy and Omi isn't just about features. It's about which model you trust for the long term: polished commercial reliability with transparent data practices, or open-source control that requires technical engagement but eliminates platform risk entirely.

Both are valid answers. Choose the one that matches your skills, priorities, and threat model.