Listed whether or not they pay us. Prices from each tool's own pricing page, checked Oct 16, 2026.

Otter.ai

Real time meeting transcription and AI summaries, with an auto joining notetaker and a bot free desktop app.

Best for Individuals and teams wanting reliable live transcripts

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What it does

Otter.ai is meeting software that captures audio from virtual calls, desktop computers, and mobile devices. It turns spoken conversations into searchable transcripts, automated summaries, and assigned action items. It is built for business teams, sales representatives, educators, and media professionals who need clear meeting records and follow ups.

Read more: 4 features and how people use themShow less

  1. Live transcription

    Transcribes spoken dialogue during calls in real time and identifies different speakers across multiple supported languages.

    Use caseA teacher records a classroom discussion to automatically generate an exact written record for students to review later.

    From otter.ai
  2. Otter.ai: Bot free desktop recording

    Bot free desktop recording

    Records audio directly from a computer operating system without requiring an automated bot participant to join the meeting.

    Use caseA remote worker wears headphones during an internal discussion and records the conversation without a bot joining the call room.

    From otter.ai · image from Otter.ai
  3. Otter.ai: Otter AI chat

    Otter AI chat

    Searches stored transcripts and connected tools to answer questions and draft follow up messages or reports.

    Use caseA project manager searches across multiple past team conversations to compile a status update and action summary.

    From otter.ai · image from Otter.ai

  4. CRM sync

    Extracts deal details, meeting transcripts, and call notes and exports them directly into customer relationship management platforms.

    Use caseA sales representative finishes a discovery call with a prospect and logs the notes directly into Salesforce or HubSpot.

    From otter.ai

Written from Otter.ai's own website, checked . Each feature links to the page it comes from; images are Otter.ai's own.

Every plan

PlanMonthlyBilled yearlyPerWhat it includes
BasicFree$0per user300 min/month, 30 min/conversation, 3 lifetime imports, 20 AI chat queries/month
Pro$16.99$8.33per user1,200 min/month, 90 min/conversation, 10 imports/month, 50 AI chat queries
Business$30$19.99per userunlimited meeting transcription, 4 hr/conversation, 6,000 import min/month, 200 AI chat queries
EnterpriseNot listedNot listedper usercontact sales

From Otter.ai's own pricing page, checked . Prices are in US dollars per month; "billed yearly" is the monthly price when you pay for a year up front. A few figures (often the yearly price) are derived rather than printed on the page.

Before you pay

Refunds
All fees are non refundable, and refunds for prior subscription fees are not offered.
What Otter.ai saysAll fees are in U.S. Dollars and are non refundable. Source page
Unused credits roll over
No
What Otter.ai saysMeeting & recording transcription monthly limit (no rollover) Source page
Data retention
Custom data retention is available on Enterprise plans.
What Otter.ai saysCustom data retention Source page
Export your data
Yes
What Otter.ai saysExportable audio, text, and captions mp3, txt mp3, txt, pdf, docx, srt Source page
HIPAA
Yes
What Otter.ai saysHIPAA compliance (add on) Source page
Discounts
Discounts are available for students and teachers on the Pro plan, as well as nonprofit discounts via TechSoup.
What Otter.ai saysThe Student & Teacher program offers a discount on our Pro monthly or annual plan for individuals. Source page
Support
Email support (standard on Basic/Pro, prioritized on Business/Enterprise), help center
What Otter.ai saysEmail support Standard Standard Prioritized Prioritized Source page

Only what Otter.ai's own pages state, with the quote behind each answer. Anything they don't publish is left out rather than guessed.

Getting started with Otter.ai

  1. Sign up for an Otter account using your work email.
  2. Verify your email address by clicking the validation link sent to your inbox.
  3. Download Otter's mobile app to record conversations and sync across devices.
  4. Connect your calendars and contacts by clicking Apps in the left navigation menu.
  5. Click Import in the top right to upload an existing audio or video file for transcription.
  6. Configure your profile and add custom vocabulary by clicking your profile photo or initial in the top left and selecting Account Settings.

Tips

  • Check your spam or junk folder if you have not received the verification email, and add Otter.ai as a contact to ensure emails reach your inbox.
  • Automatically share a conversation with a Channel by navigating to that Channel and clicking Start recording.
  • Submitting an edit to an earlier message in AI Chat removes all messages that follow it, so save anything you need before editing.

Written from Otter.ai's own help pages: help.otter.ai/hc/en-us/articles/360049722894-... · help.otter.ai/hc/en-us/articles/1968218016757...

Otter.ai video tutorials

How To Use Otter AI To Transcribe Audio - Features and OverviewElegant Themes · 4 min
Otter AI Tutorial: How To Use Otter AI For Beginners (AI Transcribe)Tutorials by Manizha & Ryan · 9 min
Otter.ai tutorial 2026 | Say goodbye to handwritten notes!Cybernews · 10 min

Independent creators on YouTube, not Otter.ai or us. The video loads from YouTube only when you press play.

What the free plan includes

300 transcription minutes/month per user, 30 min max per conversation, 3 lifetime file imports, 25 most recent conversations, 20 AI Chat queries/month

Questions people ask about Otter.ai

How much does Otter.ai cost?

Paid plans start at $16.99 a month (Pro). 4 plans are listed above, from Otter.ai's own pricing page.

Is Otter.ai free?

Yes, there is a free plan: 300 transcription minutes/month per user, 30 min max per conversation, 3 lifetime file imports, 25 most recent conversations, 20 AI Chat queries/month.

Can I get a refund from Otter.ai?

All fees are non refundable, and refunds for prior subscription fees are not offered. Source

Do unused Otter.ai credits roll over?

No, unused credits do not carry over to the next month. Source

Is Otter.ai HIPAA compliant?

Yes. Source

Does Otter.ai have a student or other discount?

Discounts are available for students and teachers on the Pro plan, as well as nonprofit discounts via TechSoup. Source

Does Otter.ai have an API?

Yes.

My colleagues and I already have Otter accounts. Can we switch to Business?

Yes! Just log in to your account, go to Settings, and select “Upgrade to Business”. Follow the prompts and you’ll be set. Source

Works with

Languages
6 languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and Chinese)

Where this came from

Plans, prices and limits were copied from Otter.ai's own pages and the other sources listed, then checked .

How we collect prices and rank tools · Is something wrong? Correct this listing

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