Otter.ai
AskZyro PickOtter.ai is a capable AI meeting assistant for live transcription, searchable conversation history, automated summaries and action items across online and in-person meetings.
Best for
Professionals, students, journalists, recruiters and teams that need live transcription, searchable meeting records and reliable support across desktop and mobile devices.
Skip it if
You want unlimited free transcription, regularly hold meetings longer than 30 minutes on the free plan, or need transcription in a language outside Otter's six supported languages.
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Independently researched · Pricing checked 31 July 2026 · 15-minute read
The 30-second verdict
Otter.ai is one of the most established and versatile AI meeting note-takers available.
It can join Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet calls, capture in-person conversations through its desktop or mobile applications, produce live transcripts, recognise speakers and turn discussions into summaries and action items.
Read our full verdict ↓Collapse ↑
Its biggest strength is live transcription. Participants can see words appear while a conversation is happening, search the transcript later and select individual words to hear the corresponding section of audio. This makes Otter useful for meetings, interviews, lectures, research and accessibility-related note-taking.
Otter has also expanded beyond basic transcription. Otter AI Chat can answer questions across meeting history, Channels organise conversations by project or team, and AI workflows can convert discussions into follow-ups and actions. Its MCP server can make meeting knowledge available to compatible AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude.
The Free Basic plan is useful but restrictive. It includes 300 transcription minutes each month, a maximum of 30 minutes per conversation, access to only the 25 most recent conversations and three lifetime file imports. Fathom is more generous for people who primarily want unlimited free meeting capture.
Otter Pro removes many of these restrictions and offers good value when billed annually. Business adds longer meetings, larger transcription allowances, multiple concurrent meeting agents, workspace administration and more extensive integrations.
Otter remains an excellent choice for anyone who values real-time text, mobile recording and searchable transcripts. Fathom is the stronger free option, while Fireflies.ai may be preferable for sales-focused conversation analysis. Otter occupies a useful middle ground between those products.
4.7
Output quality
4.8
Ease of use
4.4
Value for money
Reviewed by AskZyro Editorial Team · 31 July 2026
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What is Otter.ai?
Otter.ai is an artificial intelligence transcription and meeting-assistance service. It records spoken conversations and converts them into searchable text. It can capture virtual meetings, in-person discussions, interviews, lectures, podcasts and uploaded audio or video files. A user can record directly through Otter's web, desktop or mobile application. Alternatively, the Otter Notetaker can automatically join supported Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams meetings through a connected calendar. During a recording, Otter creates a live transcript. Participants can highlight sections, add comments, correct errors and mark action points. After the meeting, Otter generates a summary, outline and suggested actions. Depending on the selected plan, Otter can transcribe speech in real time, join scheduled online meetings, record without a visible bot through the desktop application, identify and label speakers, produce meeting summaries, extract decisions and action items, answer questions across previous conversations, import existing audio and video files, capture presentation slides, export transcripts and captions, organise meetings into Channels, synchronise notes with workplace applications, send meeting information into Salesforce or HubSpot, provide live sales-call coaching, and connect meeting knowledge to ChatGPT and Claude. Otter increasingly describes itself as a "Conversational Knowledge Engine" rather than only a transcription service. The idea is that discussions become searchable organisational knowledge rather than disappearing when a meeting ends. Users create an Otter account and choose how they want to capture a conversation. They can record directly in Otter through the web, desktop or mobile application, use bot-free desktop recording on Mac and Windows, send the Otter Notetaker to automatically join supported Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams calls, or import existing audio or video files for transcription. After processing, the transcript is synchronised with the audio. Selecting a word moves playback to the corresponding moment in the recording. Users can edit words, correct speaker labels, highlight passages, add comments and search for specific terms. Otter AI Chat lets users question individual meetings or search across multiple conversations. Users can ask what the client agreed to, which deadlines were mentioned, what actions were assigned, how the customer's position changed across recent calls, or request a drafted follow-up email based on the meeting.
What you can do with Otter.ai
Create live transcripts
Otter displays text as people speak, useful for visual follow-up, immediate interview notes or searchable lecture records.
Record in-person conversations
Mobile and desktop applications can record through a device microphone for interviews, lectures, workshops, research conversations, brainstorming sessions, training and in-person meetings.
Transcribe Zoom meetings
Otter can join Zoom meetings and provide live transcription, summaries, action items and searchable playback with automatic synchronisation of supported Zoom cloud recordings.
Transcribe Google Meet calls
Otter supports Google Meet through its meeting agent, browser and desktop experiences with live notes and captioning.
Transcribe Microsoft Teams meetings
Otter Notetaker can join supported Microsoft Teams calls and create a transcript and summary with Teams recording-permission capture on eligible plans.
Identify speakers
Otter attempts to distinguish and identify different speakers with labelling that can be applied across the conversation.
Generate AI summaries
Automatically reduce a conversation into an outline, key discussion points, decisions, questions, action items, assigned tasks and important moments.
Capture action items
Detect potential tasks and next steps from a conversation and associate actions with participants for pushing into connected workplace tools.
Search meeting history
Every transcript becomes searchable, allowing users to locate words, names, dates and discussions without replaying an entire recording.
Question previous conversations
Otter AI Chat can answer questions using information from meetings, with higher plans providing more monthly queries and broader access.
Key features
Live transcription
Speech is converted into text while a conversation is taking place.
Multilingual transcription
Otter supports English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Simplified Chinese.
Otter Notetaker
The meeting bot automatically joins supported Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams calls.
Bot-free desktop recording
The Mac and Windows applications can capture meetings without placing a bot in the call.
Mobile recording
Native Android and iOS applications support portable and in-person recording.
Speaker identification
Otter attempts to identify who said each section of the transcript.
Automated summaries
Every processed conversation can receive an AI-generated outline and recap.
Action-item detection
Suggested tasks and next steps are extracted from the conversation.
Otter AI Chat
Users can question individual meetings and search across their conversation history.
AI meeting workflows
Reusable AI templates transform conversations into follow-ups, reports and other outputs.
Custom meeting templates
Plans include varying allowances for standard, advanced and custom meeting templates.
Searchable playback
Clicking transcript text takes the user to the corresponding audio.
Editable transcripts
Users can correct words, punctuation, timing and speaker labels.
Automated slide capture
Presentation slides can appear alongside relevant transcript sections.
Custom vocabulary
Users and teams can teach Otter names, abbreviations and specialist terminology.
Channels
Meetings can be organised by team, project or topic.
Highlights and annotations
Participants can highlight text, add comments and create notes during a meeting.
Sharing controls
Conversations can be shared through workspace channels, private access or public links.
File importing
Existing audio and video files can be uploaded for transcription within plan limits.
Transcript exporting
Paid plans support formats including TXT, PDF, DOCX and SRT.
CRM integrations
Eligible subscriptions can send information into Salesforce and HubSpot.
Workflow integrations
Otter connects with Slack, Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Docs, Jira, Notion, Asana and Zapier.
MCP server
Supported AI tools can access authorised Otter meeting knowledge through the Model Context Protocol.
Otter API and webhooks
Enterprise customers can build custom integrations and automated workflows.
Sales Notetaker
Enterprise sales features include centralised customer calls, CRM workflows and live coaching.
Recruiting Agent
Otter can support structured interview notes and candidate-conversation insights.
SDR Agent
Otter's sales-development agent provides website demonstrations and qualifies prospects automatically.
Administration and security
Business and Enterprise plans add activity logs, usage analytics, centralised conversation management and more detailed sharing controls.
Pricing
Checked 31 July 2026| Plan | Price | Best for | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | 300 min/mo, 30 min/conversation, 25 most recent conversations, 3 lifetime imports, 20 AI Chat queries, live transcription, speaker ID, summaries, mobile apps | Trying live transcription |
| Pro | $8.33/user/mo annual ($16.99 monthly) | 1,200 min/mo, 90 min/conversation, 10 monthly imports, unlimited history, advanced search, 50 AI Chat queries, 2 concurrent meetings, advanced exports | Individuals and small teams |
| Business | $19.99/user/mo annual ($30 monthly) | Unlimited meetings and in-app recordings, 4 hr/conversation, 6,000 imported min, 3 concurrent meetings, admin features, 200 AI Chat queries, bulk exporting | Growing teams |
| Enterprise | Custom | Enterprise controls, SSO, SCIM, API, webhooks, custom integrations, Sales Notetaker, optional HIPAA compliance, custom branding | Large organisations |
Basic
$0
Best for: 300 min/mo, 30 min/conversation, 25 most recent conversations, 3 lifetime imports, 20 AI Chat queries, live transcription, speaker ID, summaries, mobile apps
Includes: Trying live transcription
Pro
$8.33/user/mo annual ($16.99 monthly)
Best for: 1,200 min/mo, 90 min/conversation, 10 monthly imports, unlimited history, advanced search, 50 AI Chat queries, 2 concurrent meetings, advanced exports
Includes: Individuals and small teams
Business
$19.99/user/mo annual ($30 monthly)
Best for: Unlimited meetings and in-app recordings, 4 hr/conversation, 6,000 imported min, 3 concurrent meetings, admin features, 200 AI Chat queries, bulk exporting
Includes: Growing teams
Enterprise
Custom
Best for: Enterprise controls, SSO, SCIM, API, webhooks, custom integrations, Sales Notetaker, optional HIPAA compliance, custom branding
Includes: Large organisations
Strengths, limitations & watch-outs
What it does brilliantly
- Real-time transcription
- Clear synchronisation between text and audio
- Strong desktop, web and mobile coverage
- Zoom support
- Google Meet support
- Microsoft Teams support
- Bot and bot-free recording options
- Speaker identification
- Searchable meeting history
- AI-generated summaries
- Action-item detection
- Otter AI Chat
- AI meeting workflows
- In-person mobile recording
- Existing audio and video file imports
- Automated slide capture
- Custom vocabulary
- Transcript editing
- Flexible playback speeds
- Multiple export formats
- Channels for team organisation
- Salesforce and HubSpot integrations
- Slack, Jira, Notion and Asana workflows
- ChatGPT and Claude connectivity through MCP
- Useful accessibility applications
- Good annual Pro pricing
- Enterprise administration and security controls
Where it falls short
- Basic is limited to 300 minutes per month
- Free conversations can last only 30 minutes
- Basic displays only the 25 most recent conversations
- Free accounts receive only three lifetime imports
- Pro is much more expensive when paid monthly
- Only six transcription languages are supported
- Portuguese and many other widely used languages are unsupported
- Transcription errors occur with poor sound or overlapping speech
- Speaker identification is not always correct
- Summaries can misunderstand uncertainty or context
- AI Chat has monthly query limits
- Imported transcription and live-recording allowances can be confusing
- Some integrations are restricted by plan or user count
- Advanced Enterprise features may require large licence commitments
- Meeting bots can feel intrusive
- Automatic calendar joining must be configured carefully
- Sharing links can expose sensitive conversations if permissions are incorrect
- Otter states that de-identified user data can be used to train its own models
- It is less generous than Fathom for free meeting capture
What to know before paying
- Test Basic first, but use a short meeting because of the 30-minute limit.
- Pro offers much better value annually than monthly.
- Transcription minutes do not roll over between billing periods.
- Basic's three-file import allowance is for the lifetime of the account, not each month.
- Pro supports 10 imports per month.
- Business advertises unlimited meetings but still has separate imported-file limits.
- Check whether your primary requirement is live meeting capture or transcription of existing recordings.
- Confirm that Otter supports the language spoken in your meetings.
- Review calendar settings before enabling automatic meeting joining.
- Check whether attendees are comfortable with a visible AI meeting bot.
- Use bot-free desktop capture where appropriate, while still notifying attendees.
- Verify names, numbers, dates and contractual commitments in every important transcript.
- Review how conversation data may be used to improve Otter's proprietary models.
- Enterprise SSO and SCIM can require a minimum user commitment.
- HIPAA compliance is an Enterprise add-on rather than a standard feature of every account.
- A subscription does not remove the user's legal responsibilities when recording other people.
Privacy & data
Meeting recordings can contain names, voices, personal opinions, customer details, employment information, business strategy and other confidential material.
Otter states that it has achieved SOC 2 Type 2 and incorporates GDPR and CCPA standards into its data practices. It says it does not sell personal data or use personally identifiable information for third-party advertising.
Otter's security information states that data stored in AWS S3 is protected with AES-256 server-side encryption, two-factor authentication is available across plans, conversations are accessible to the owner and people they choose to share with, deleted conversations move to Trash and are automatically removed after 30 days, Otter employees require explicit customer consent before accessing a transcript or recording for support, Otter does not voluntarily give customer information to law enforcement without a legally compelling process, and external AI service providers do not use Otter customer data to train their models.
One point deserves particular attention: Otter says it uses an automated process to de-identify user data before using it to train its own models. It says individual users cannot be identified, the process does not involve routine human review of recordings and training data is encrypted.
Organisations with strict confidentiality requirements should assess whether this arrangement satisfies their internal policies and contractual responsibilities.
Otter explicitly says users must follow local laws, ask for consent where required and indicate when conversations are being recorded or transcribed. UK businesses should explain that Otter is recording, why the record is being created, how it will be used, who can access it, how long it will be retained, whether it will be shared with connected applications, and how participants can raise an objection.
Commercial use
Otter is designed for professional and organisational use. It can support business meetings, sales conversations, customer-support calls, interviews, recruitment, journalism, research, education, training, project planning, podcast production and internal knowledge management.
Users remain responsible for checking transcript accuracy, protecting confidential material, complying with recording laws, controlling sharing and reviewing any actions generated by AI.
A transcript should not automatically be treated as a legally authoritative record. Words can be misheard, speakers can be confused and contextual meaning can be lost.
Alternatives to Otter.ai
| If you need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited free meeting notes | Fathom | Unlimited individual recordings and transcripts |
| Sales-call analytics | Fireflies.ai | More conversation-intelligence and CRM emphasis |
| Bot-free personal notes | Granola | Improves handwritten notes without a visible meeting participant |
| Enterprise revenue intelligence | Gong | Deeper forecasting, deal analysis and sales coaching |
| Native Microsoft workflows | Microsoft Teams Copilot | Meeting summaries within Microsoft 365 |
| Native Google workflows | Gemini for Google Meet | Summaries within Google Workspace |
| Summarising a transcript | AskZyro | Turns existing text into notes, actions and follow-up messages |
If you need…
Unlimited free meeting notes
Choose
Why
Unlimited individual recordings and transcripts
If you need…
Sales-call analytics
Choose
Why
More conversation-intelligence and CRM emphasis
If you need…
Bot-free personal notes
Choose
Why
Improves handwritten notes without a visible meeting participant
If you need…
Enterprise revenue intelligence
Choose
Gong
Why
Deeper forecasting, deal analysis and sales coaching
If you need…
Native Microsoft workflows
Choose
Microsoft Teams Copilot
Why
Meeting summaries within Microsoft 365
If you need…
Native Google workflows
Choose
Gemini for Google Meet
Why
Summaries within Google Workspace
If you need…
Summarising a transcript
Choose
AskZyro
Why
Turns existing text into notes, actions and follow-up messages
More productivity tools to consider:
Fathom
Productivity
AI meeting assistant for automatic transcripts, summaries, action items and searchable conversation insights.
Fireflies.ai
Productivity
AI meeting assistant for transcription, summaries, conversation intelligence and automated workflows in more than 100 languages.
Granola
Productivity
Bot-free AI meeting notepad that turns rough notes and conversation context into clear summaries, actions and follow-ups.
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Productivity
AI assistance across Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Teams, grounded in your organisation's Microsoft 365 data.
Frequently asked questions
What is Otter.ai?+
Otter.ai is an AI transcription and meeting-assistance service that converts spoken conversations into searchable transcripts, summaries and action items.
Is Otter.ai free?+
Yes. The Basic plan includes 300 transcription minutes per month, with a maximum of 30 minutes per conversation.
How much does Otter.ai cost?+
Otter Pro costs $8.33 per user each month when billed annually or $16.99 monthly. Business costs $19.99 annually or $30 monthly per user. Enterprise pricing is customised.
How many minutes does Otter Basic include?+
Basic includes 300 transcription minutes per user each month.
How long can a free Otter recording be?+
A Basic conversation can last up to 30 minutes. A longer conversation may stop transcribing once the limit is reached.
Does Otter Pro have unlimited transcription?+
No. Pro includes 1,200 transcription minutes per month and a maximum of 90 minutes per conversation.
Does Otter Business have unlimited transcription?+
Business provides unlimited meetings and in-app recordings, with conversations lasting up to four hours. Separate allowances apply to imported files.
Do Otter minutes roll over?+
No. Unused monthly transcription minutes do not roll over to the following month.
Can Otter join Zoom meetings?+
Yes. Otter Notetaker can join supported Zoom calls and create live transcripts, summaries and action items.
Does Otter work with Google Meet?+
Yes. Otter supports Google Meet through its meeting agent, desktop and browser experiences.
Does Otter work with Microsoft Teams?+
Yes. Otter can join supported Microsoft Teams meetings and produce notes and transcripts.
Can Otter record without a bot?+
Yes. Otter's Mac and Windows desktop applications support bot-free recording.
Can Otter record in-person meetings?+
Yes. Users can record in-person conversations through Otter's web, desktop, Android or iOS applications.
Can Otter import an existing audio file?+
Yes. Basic permits three lifetime imports, Pro permits 10 each month and higher plans provide larger allowances.
Can Otter transcribe video files?+
Yes. Supported audio and video files can be imported within the account's allowance.
Which languages does Otter support?+
Otter supports English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Simplified Chinese.
Does Otter support Portuguese?+
No. Otter's official language guidance says Portuguese transcription is not currently supported.
Can Otter translate transcripts?+
Otter Chat can translate conversation content and respond in additional languages, but this is different from native live transcription support.
Can Otter recognise different speakers?+
Yes. Otter provides speaker identification, although users may need to correct labels.
Can Otter create meeting summaries?+
Yes. Otter automatically creates meeting summaries, outlines and action points.
Can Otter identify action items?+
Yes. Otter attempts to extract actions and associate them with participants.
Can Otter write follow-up emails?+
Otter AI Chat and meeting workflows can draft follow-up material using conversation context.
Can I edit an Otter transcript?+
Yes. Users can correct text, punctuation, timing and speaker labels.
Can I export an Otter transcript?+
Yes. Available formats depend on the plan and can include TXT, PDF, DOCX and SRT.
Does Otter have an Android app?+
Yes. Otter provides a native Android application.
Does Otter have an iPhone app?+
Yes. Otter provides an iOS application for iPhone and compatible Apple devices.
Does Otter integrate with Salesforce?+
Yes. Salesforce syncing is available on eligible subscriptions.
Does Otter integrate with HubSpot?+
Yes. Eligible plans can send meeting notes and insights to HubSpot.
Does Otter integrate with Slack?+
Yes. Otter can share transcripts, summaries and key takeaways through Slack.
Can Otter connect with ChatGPT?+
Yes. Otter's MCP server can allow compatible AI assistants, including ChatGPT, to access authorised meeting knowledge.
Does Otter have an API?+
Otter API and webhook access are available through Enterprise.
Is Otter.ai secure?+
Otter states that it has achieved SOC 2 Type 2 and uses measures including AES-256 storage encryption and two-factor authentication.
Does Otter use recordings for AI training?+
Otter says it uses an automated proprietary process to de-identify user data before using it to train its models. It states that individuals cannot be identified and the process does not involve manual human review of recordings.
Does Otter sell personal data?+
Otter says it does not sell personal information or share personally identifiable information for advertising.
Is Otter HIPAA compliant?+
HIPAA compliance is available as an Enterprise add-on. Organisations should confirm the applicable contract and configuration before processing protected health information.
Is Otter GDPR compliant?+
Otter states that it incorporates GDPR standards into its data practices. Customers remain responsible for their own lawful basis, transparency and data governance.
Is it legal to use Otter in the UK?+
It can be legal when used transparently and in compliance with UK data-protection and recording requirements. Participants should be informed before recording begins.
Is Otter better than Fathom?+
Otter is stronger for live transcription, mobile recording and importing existing files. Fathom provides a more generous free plan with unlimited individual meeting recordings and transcripts.
Is Otter better than Fireflies.ai?+
Otter is better suited to general transcription, education and interviews. Fireflies.ai may be preferable for sales analytics and team conversation intelligence.
Is Otter Pro worth it?+
Pro is worth considering for users who regularly exceed 300 minutes or need conversations longer than 30 minutes, additional imports, full history and advanced exports. Annual billing provides substantially better value than monthly billing.
Can AskZyro summarise an Otter transcript?+
Yes. Paste an Otter transcript into AskZyro to create concise meeting notes, extract actions, draft a client follow-up or reorganise the discussion into a project plan.
Reviewed by AskZyro Editorial Team
We assess AI tools for output quality, ease of use, pricing, practical value and limitations. Where possible, we test tools directly and verify product and pricing details with the provider.
Last reviewed: 31 July 2026
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