Otter.ai alternatives for meeting notes and transcription
Short answer
Fathom is the best free Otter alternative, with unlimited recordings and AI summaries on its free plan. Fireflies is the closest all-round paid match, from $10 a user per month billed yearly. Granola suits people who don't want a bot joining their calls, because it records from your own computer. If your company already pays for Zoom, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 Copilot, check the built-in meeting notes before buying anything.
Otter is one of the best-known AI note-takers, but its free plan is limited and several competitors now offer more for less. Prices below come from each company's pricing page, as listed in our AI tools directory when we checked on October 6, 2026. This guide is research-based, drawing on official pages and our earlier comparison, not hands-on testing.
Otter alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | Paid from (yearly / monthly) | Joins as a bot? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fathom | The most generous free plan | Unlimited recordings and summaries | $16 / $20 | Yes; bot-free Mac beta |
| Fireflies.ai | All-round team note-taker | Unlimited transcription, limited storage | $10 / $18 | Yes |
| Granola | Notes without a bot | Yes, notes kept 30 days | Business $14 per user | No, records from your device |
| tl;dv | Recording and clipping calls | Yes | $18 / $29 | Yes |
| Read AI | Search across meetings, email and chat | Yes | $15 / $19.75 | Yes |
| Otter (for comparison) | Live transcripts | 300 min/mo, 30 min per meeting | $8.33 / $16.99 | Yes |
Prices are per user per month. Check each tool's limits on minutes, storage and AI questions against how many meetings you have.
Fathom: best free alternative
Fathom records, transcribes and summarizes Zoom, Google Meet and Teams calls, and its free plan includes unlimited recordings and summaries, with limits on its AI question feature. Premium ($16 a month billed yearly) lifts those limits. If Otter's 300 free minutes run out every month, Fathom is the first thing to try.
Fireflies: closest all-round match
Fireflies joins your calls as a bot, then transcribes, summarizes and lets you search across past meetings. Its free plan offers unlimited transcription with limited storage; Pro is $10 a user per month billed yearly and Business $19. It's the most direct swap for teams already using Otter.
Granola: no bot in the meeting
Granola captures audio from your own computer, so nothing joins the call, and it turns your rough notes into a clean summary. It suits people who find meeting bots awkward with clients. Because no bot announces itself, tell others you're taking AI notes.
tl;dv and Read AI
tl;dv records and summarizes calls and makes it easy to clip and share moments, from $18 a month billed yearly. Read AI adds search across your meetings, email and messages, from $15 a month billed yearly.
When Otter is still the right pick
Otter Pro is the cheapest of the paid plans here ($8.33 a month billed yearly) and its live transcript during the call is a strength. If 300 free minutes are almost enough, Pro is good value. See all five side by side in AI meeting note-takers compared.
Who should pick which
- Free and unlimited: Fathom.
- A team replacing Otter like-for-like: Fireflies.
- Client calls where a bot feels awkward: Granola.
- Sharing clips of calls: tl;dv.
- Searching meetings alongside email and chat: Read AI.
- Transcribing recordings rather than live calls: see how to transcribe and edit a podcast with AI.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to Otter.ai?
Fathom. Its free plan includes unlimited recordings and AI summaries, while Otter's free plan is capped at 300 minutes a month and 30 minutes per meeting, according to each company's pricing page.
Is there an AI note-taker that doesn't join the call as a bot?
Granola records audio from your own computer, so no bot appears in the meeting. Fathom also lists a bot-free option for Mac, in beta. Without a visible bot, you need to tell other people yourself that you're taking AI notes.
Is Fireflies better than Otter?
They're close. Both transcribe and summarize Zoom, Meet and Teams calls. Fireflies' free plan allows unlimited transcription with limited storage; Otter Pro is slightly cheaper billed yearly ($8.33 versus $10 a user per month).
Do I need to tell people I'm recording a meeting?
Recording rules depend on where participants are and the situation. Tell everyone how the meeting is being captured, get permission, and check the rules that apply to you.