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Updated 11 Nov 2026 · prices read on vendor pages

10 best Otter.ai alternatives in 2027

Mehmet ElmicenniReviewed by Mehmet Elmicenni, founder of Zekai•Prices checked •How we check

The short answer

The best Otter.ai alternatives in 2027 are Fireflies.ai (best overall, $10/seat/mo billed yearly), Fathom (best free plan: Unlimited recordings and transcripts) and Meetily (best open source, MIT). Otter.ai itself starts at $8.33/user/mo billed yearly. Zekai checked these prices on vendor pages on 11 Nov 2026; 7 more are compared below, including 4 with a free plan and 2 open source.

Open the Zekai Cost Finder Get price alerts
Best overallSee in table →
Fireflies.ai logo

Fireflies.ai

$10/seat/mo billed yearly · free plan

9.3
Best free planSee in table →
Fathom logo

Fathom

$16/user/mo billed yearly · free plan

8.8
Best open sourceSee in table →
Meetily logo

Meetily

Free to self-host · MIT

8.4
10alternatives compared
6with a free plan
3open source
$10/seat/mo billed yearlycheapest paid · Fireflies.ai
$8.33/user/mo billed yearlyOtter.ai starts at
01 · Zekai Price Ledger

Which Otter.ai alternatives are worth it in 2027?

The strongest Otter.ai alternatives for 2027 are Fireflies.ai for teams, Fathom for free unlimited recording, Granola for pre-meeting briefs, Read AI for reports and Avoma for sales teams. Prices below were read on each vendor page on 11 November 2026; open-source options Meetily, Vexa and Muesli keep transcripts on your own systems.

ToolTypeStarting priceFree plan limitBest forCost for your teamChecked
Otter.ai logo
Otter.aiThe tool you are replacing
 You are here
$8.33/user/mo billed yearlyPro, billed yearly
 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation Live meeting transcription with a free tier — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
Fireflies.ai logo
Fireflies.ai Zekai score 9.3Best overall
 Free plan + paid
$10/seat/mo billed yearlyPro, billed annually
 400 mins of storage per team, 20 AI credits Teams wanting a free tier with no minute cap — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
Fathom logo
Fathom Zekai score 8.8Best free plan
 Free plan + paid
$16/user/mo billed yearlyPremium, billed yearly
 Unlimited recordings and transcriptions Individuals wanting free unlimited call recording — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
Granola logo
Granola Zekai score 8.6Cheapest paid
 Free plan + paid
$14/user/moBusiness, monthly
 Limited meeting history, 30 days Individuals wanting pre-meeting briefs — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
Read AI logo
Read AI Zekai score 8.2
 Free plan + paid
$15/user/mo billed yearlyPro, billed annually
 5 meeting transcripts per month, 1 hour max Light users wanting meeting reports and metrics — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
Avoma logo
Avoma Zekai score 7.9
$19/seat/mo billed yearlyStartup, annual, per recorder seat
 No free plan Sales teams needing conversation intelligence — 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
MeetGeek logo
MeetGeek Zekai score 7.5
 Free
Free plan; paid price not publishedPro (billing cycle not labelled on page)
 3 hours of transcription a month Free users wanting stated retention periods $0 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
tl;dv logo
tl;dv Zekai score 8.8
 Free
Free plan; paid price not published
 Users wanting a free start and annual discounts $0 11 Nov 2026 Pricing ↗
Meetily logo
Meetily Zekai score 8.4Best open source
 Open source
Free (self-hosted)
 No limit, self-hosted (MIT) Local-first meeting notes without subscriptions $0 15 Nov 2026 Code ↗
Vexa logo
Vexa Zekai score 7.8
 Open source
Free (self-hosted)
 No limit, self-hosted (Apache-2.0) Developers building transcription into products $0 15 Nov 2026 Code ↗
Muesli logo
Muesli Zekai score 6.8
 Open source
Free (self-hosted)
 No limit, self-hosted (MIT) Mac users wanting on-device transcription $0 15 Nov 2026 Code ↗

Every price was read on the vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. The Cost Finder assumes one entry plan per person, so it multiplies by your team size; yearly prices are shown per month, and team or business plans can cost more per seat. "Not checked" means we could not confirm a public price.

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02 · Free plan

Is there a free version of Otter.ai?

Yes. Otter.ai has a free Basic plan. The vendor lists 300 monthly transcription minutes per user, 30 minutes per conversation, 3 lifetime audio or video imports, the 25 most recent conversations in history, and 20 AI Chat queries a month. Pro, the first paid plan, raises these limits.

Source: Otter.ai pricing page, read 11 Nov 2026.

Free$0

300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation

Paid from$8.33/user/mo billed yearly

Pro, billed yearly

03 · Free alternatives

What are the best free Otter.ai alternatives?

Fathom lists unlimited recordings and transcriptions on its free plan, the most generous free tier we read. Fireflies.ai offers free transcription with 400 minutes of storage per team, MeetGeek gives 3 hours of transcription monthly, and Read AI allows 5 transcripts monthly. Otter Basic gives 300 minutes monthly.

Fireflies.ai logo

Fireflies.ai

Best overallFree plan + paid
400 mins of storage per team, 20 AI credits
Paid from $10/seat/mo billed yearly
vs Otter.ai →Zekai review
Fathom logo

Fathom

Best free planFree plan + paid
Unlimited recordings and transcriptions
Paid from $16/user/mo billed yearly
vs Otter.ai →Zekai review
Granola logo

Granola

Cheapest paidFree plan + paid
Limited meeting history, 30 days
Paid from $14/user/mo
vs Otter.ai →Zekai review
Read AI logo

Read AI

Free plan + paid
5 meeting transcripts per month, 1 hour max
Paid from $15/user/mo billed yearly
vs Otter.ai →Zekai review
MeetGeek logo

MeetGeek

Free
3 hours of transcription a month
vs Otter.ai →Zekai review
tl;dv logo

tl;dv

Free
vs Otter.ai →Zekai review
04 · Open source

What are the best open-source Otter.ai alternatives?

Three open-source alternatives are listed. Meetily is MIT-licensed and transcribes locally on Windows or macOS. Muesli is MIT-licensed and runs on-device on Apple Silicon Macs. Vexa is Apache-2.0 and provides meeting bots plus a transcript API you self-host with Docker. All need you to run and maintain the software.

Meetily logo

Meetily

MIT★ 30.9k GitHub stars · Sep 2026
To self-host: Desktop install on Windows x64 or macOS Apple Silicon, Linux built from source; older releases cited 8GB RAM minimum and 16GB+ recommended, plus disk for local models.
Zekai open-source pageSource code ↗Managed hosting slot
Vexa logo

Vexa

Apache-2.0★ 2.9k GitHub stars · Oct 2026
To self-host: Docker Compose or Helm with Postgres and Valkey; needs an INTERNAL_API_SECRET and any OpenAI-compatible speech-to-text endpoint; no GPU requirement is stated.
Zekai open-source pageSource code ↗Managed hosting slot
Muesli logo

Muesli

MIT★ 1.4k GitHub stars · Oct 2026
To self-host: Apple Silicon Mac running macOS 14.2 or later; speech models download when selected; building from source needs Xcode 26.6 on macOS 26.
Zekai open-source pageSource code ↗Managed hosting slot
05 · Side by side

How does Otter.ai compare with each alternative?

Each row below sets one specific difference against Otter.ai, taken from the vendor's own pricing page read on 11 November 2026. Differences cover free-plan limits, seat pricing, storage, uploads and hosting. Prices that could not be read are marked Not checked instead of being guessed from third-party sources.

01
Fireflies.ai logo

Otter.ai vs Fireflies.ai

Best overallFree plan + paid$10/seat/mo billed yearly · checked 11 Nov 20269.3
The differenceFree plan lists unlimited transcription with 400 minutes of storage per team and 20 AI credits, while Otter Basic caps recording at 300 minutes a month per user.
Switch to Fireflies.ai ifyou want a free tier without a monthly transcription-minute cap and per-seat annual pricing.
Stay with Otter.ai ifyou rely on Pro's 1,200 monthly minutes and 90-minute conversations with an Otter workspace.
Pros
  • Automatically creates tasks in tools like Asana, Jira, and Trello.
  • Free forever plan available with unlimited transcription.
Cons
  • Free plan has limited storage (400 mins/team).
  • Video recording and advanced analytics are behind a paywall.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of Fireflies.ai · Verdict: Automated Meeting Accountability

Visit Fireflies.aiRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
02
Fathom logo

Otter.ai vs Fathom

Best free planFree plan + paid$16/user/mo billed yearly · checked 11 Nov 20268.8
The differenceVendor lists unlimited recordings and transcriptions on the free plan, while Otter Basic stops at 300 monthly minutes and 3 lifetime file imports; Premium is $16 per user billed yearly.
Switch to Fathom ifyou mostly record live calls and want free recording and transcription without a monthly minute allowance.
Stay with Otter.ai ifyou need to import audio or video files beyond three, which Otter Pro raises to ten monthly.
Pros
  • Generous 'Free Forever' plan with unlimited recordings.
  • Automatically syncs call notes and summaries to popular CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot.
Cons
  • The free plan has limited use of advanced AI features like action items and 'Ask Fathom'.
  • Team features and CRM sync require a paid plan with a 2-user minimum.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of Fathom · Verdict: Automate Sales Call Admin

Visit FathomRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
03
Granola logo

Otter.ai vs Granola

Cheapest paidFree plan + paid$14/user/mo · checked 11 Nov 20268.6
The differenceBasic is free with a 30-day meeting history; Business at $14 per user monthly adds pre-meeting briefs, follow-up emails and integrations that Basic excludes.
Switch to Granola ifyou want pre-meeting briefs and follow-up emails and accept a $14 per user monthly plan.
Stay with Otter.ai ifyou need a workspace of up to 25 members with unlimited meeting minutes, as on Otter Business.
Pros
  • Operates locally without an intrusive bot, ensuring client privacy.
  • Generous free tier with unlimited meeting notes (30-day history).
Cons
  • Free plan has a 30-day limit on accessing past notes.
  • Advanced AI models and key integrations (Notion, Slack) require a paid plan.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of Granola · Verdict: Private, Bot-Free Meeting Notes

Visit GranolaRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
04
Read AI logo

Otter.ai vs Read AI

Free plan + paid$15/user/mo billed yearly · checked 11 Nov 20268.2
The differenceFree plan allows 5 meeting transcripts and 5 reports a month, a one-hour meeting maximum, and no audio or video uploads; Pro is $15 per user billed annually.
Switch to Read AI ifyou want per-meeting reports and live notes metrics and can live with five free meetings monthly.
Stay with Otter.ai ifyou import recordings, since Read AI's free plan excludes uploads while Otter Basic allows three lifetime imports.
Pros
  • Integrates directly with Salesforce & HubSpot, reducing manual CRM entry.
  • Automatically generates summaries and action items from calls.
Cons
  • Free plan is limited to 5 meetings per month and 1-hour duration.
  • Video playback and advanced features require more expensive Enterprise plans.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of Read AI · Verdict: Automate Sales Call Notes

Visit Read AIRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
05
Avoma logo

Otter.ai vs Avoma

$19/seat/mo billed yearly · checked 11 Nov 20267.9
The differenceNo permanent free plan: a 14-day Organization trial, then Startup at $19 per recorder seat billed yearly, with viewers always free and revenue add-ons at $29 each.
Switch to Avoma ifyour team sells and wants conversation and revenue intelligence add-ons with free view-only seats.
Stay with Otter.ai ifyou want a permanent free tier, which Otter provides with 300 monthly minutes.
Pros
  • All-in-one platform replaces multiple point solutions (scheduling, notes, CI).
  • Significantly more affordable than competitors like Gong or Chorus.
Cons
  • Individual modules may lack the deep feature set of dedicated market leaders.
  • The all-in-one approach can be overwhelming for teams needing only a simple note-taker.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of Avoma · Verdict: Unified Sales Intelligence

Visit AvomaRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
06
MeetGeek logo

Otter.ai vs MeetGeek

FreeFree plan; paid price not published7.5
The differenceFree Basic gives 3 hours of transcription a month with 3 months of transcript storage and 1 month of audio storage, plus a 2-hour per-meeting recording limit.
Switch to MeetGeek ifyou want a free plan that states transcript and audio retention periods up front.
Stay with Otter.ai ifyou want 300 free monthly minutes and the 25 most recent conversations kept in history.
Pros
  • Works across all major video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Teams, Meet).
  • Flexible recording options including a bot, browser extension, and mobile app.
Cons
  • AI summaries may require review to perfectly capture internal jargon or context.
  • Free tier has limitations on storage and features.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of MeetGeek · Verdict: Automated Meeting Mastery

Visit MeetGeekRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
07
tl;dv logo

Otter.ai vs tl;dv

FreeFree plan; paid price not published8.8
The differenceThe pricing page title says start free and its description advertises 40% off every annual plan; plan limits did not load today, so none are stated here.
Switch to tl;dv ifyou prefer a free start and annual-plan discounts and will confirm the limits on its own page.
Stay with Otter.ai ifyou want Otter's published Pro caps of 1,200 monthly minutes and 90-minute conversations.
Pros
  • Generous 'Free Forever' plan with unlimited recordings.
  • Saves significant time on manual note-taking and summarization.
Cons
  • Lacks a native mobile app, relying on auto-recording for on-the-go meetings.
  • Advanced AI reports and coaching features are geared more towards sales teams.

Pros and cons from the Zekai review of tl;dv · Verdict: Effortless Meeting Mastery

Visit tl;dvRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
08
Meetily logo

Otter.ai vs Meetily

Best open sourceOpen sourceFree (self-hosted)8.4
The differenceLocal-first app that transcribes meetings on your own machine and writes summaries with no per-user subscription; installers exist for Windows and macOS, Linux builds from source.
Switch to Meetily ifyou want recordings and transcripts kept on your own computer rather than in a cloud workspace.
Stay with Otter.ai ifyou need shared team workspaces and hosted storage without maintaining any software yourself.
Visit MeetilyRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
09
Vexa logo

Otter.ai vs Vexa

Open sourceFree (self-hosted)7.8
The differenceSelf-hostable meeting bots join calls and stream real-time transcripts through an API with MCP support, aimed at building into your own product rather than using an app.
Switch to Vexa ifyou need to build meeting transcription into your own product through an API instead of using an app.
Stay with Otter.ai ifyou want a finished notetaker app rather than infrastructure to deploy and maintain.
Visit VexaRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
10
Muesli logo

Otter.ai vs Muesli

Open sourceFree (self-hosted)6.8
The differencemacOS app capturing microphone and system audio with on-device speech recognition and pyannote-based speaker labels; requires Apple Silicon and macOS 14.2 or later.
Switch to Muesli ifyou work on an Apple Silicon Mac and want fully on-device transcription with speaker labels.
Stay with Otter.ai ifyou use Windows or Linux, or need a web workspace across devices.
Visit MuesliRead the Zekai reviewPrice alert
06 · What changed

Why do people leave Otter.ai?

  • Otter's free Basic plan limits transcription to 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation and 3 lifetime file imports. (source)

  • Pro caps conversations at 90 minutes and imports at 10 files a month, with unlimited recording minutes only on Business and Enterprise. (source)

08 · FAQ

Questions people ask about Otter.ai alternatives

What is the best alternative to Otter.ai in 2027?

Fireflies.ai is the best overall Otter.ai alternative on this page ($10/seat/mo billed yearly). For no cost, Fathom has a free plan (Unlimited recordings and transcriptions). To self-host, Meetily is open source (MIT).

Is there a free version of Otter.ai?

Yes. Otter.ai has a free plan: 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation. Paid plans start at $8.33/user/mo billed yearly, checked on 11 Nov 2026.

Is there a 100% free alternative to Otter.ai?

Yes. Meetily, Vexa, Muesli are open source and free to self-host. Fireflies.ai, Fathom, Granola, Read AI, MeetGeek, tl;dv have a free plan with limits, shown in the table.

What is cheaper than Otter.ai?

Granola starts at $14/user/mo, against $8.33/user/mo billed yearly for Otter.ai, as listed on each vendor's pricing page on 11 Nov 2026.

How much do Otter.ai alternatives cost for a team of 5?

If each of 5 people buys the entry paid plan, at the prices Zekai checked on 11 Nov 2026, the monthly cost is Fireflies.ai $50/mo, Granola $70/mo, Read AI $75/mo, against Otter.ai $41.65/mo for Otter.ai. Team and business plans can cost more per seat. The Zekai Cost Finder on this page recalculates for any team size.

Which is better, Fireflies.ai or Otter.ai?

Free plan lists unlimited transcription with 400 minutes of storage per team and 20 AI credits, while Otter Basic caps recording at 300 minutes a month per user. Choose Fireflies.ai if you want a free tier without a monthly transcription-minute cap and per-seat annual pricing. Stay with Otter.ai if you rely on Pro's 1,200 monthly minutes and 90-minute conversations with an Otter workspace.

Why are people leaving Otter.ai?

The documented reasons are: Otter's free Basic plan limits transcription to 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation and 3 lifetime file imports (11 Nov 2026); Pro caps conversations at 90 minutes and imports at 10 files a month, with unlimited recording minutes only on Business and Enterprise (11 Nov 2026). Each is sourced in the section above.

What is better than Otter.ai?

It depends on the job. Fathom suits free call recording, Fireflies.ai suits teams, and Avoma suits sales conversations. Each has a different limit than Otter.

09 · Method

How did Zekai check this page?

Zekai independently reviews AI tools. For this page we read each vendor's own pricing and product pages and recorded the starting price, the free-plan limit and the date of the check. Only tools that do the same job as Otter.ai are listed, and sponsors never change the order or the scores.

Mehmet Elmicenni, founder of Zekai
Mehmet Elmicenni

Founder of Zekai. Reviews the alternatives pages and the price checks behind them.

About the founder · How Zekai scores tools

JSON copyMarkdown copy
1 · Same job onlyEvery alternative does the same task as Otter.ai; tools for other jobs are left out.
2 · Vendor pages onlyPrices and free limits come from each vendor's own pricing page, never from blogs.
Zekai score0–10, from four published weights: ease 25%, output quality 30%, value 20%, time saved 25%. How we score
3 · Re-checkedA price older than 35 days is re-read or the page falls back to an older version.
Change log

  • Page rebuilt on v6; all prices re-read on vendor pages.

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