Transcription Services
Updated 2026-09-08
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Otter.ai Review 2026

Otter.ai records and transcribes in real time, and the free Basic plan covers 300 minutes a month. Pro is $16.99 per user a month ($8.33 billed annually) for 1,200 minutes, Business is $30 per user a month ($19.99 billed annually) with unlimited in-app transcription, and Enterprise is quoted individually. Otter records directly through its web and mobile apps and joins Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet calls, then produces a speaker-labeled transcript with summaries and action items. It is built for meetings rather than published shows, which shows in the per-conversation length caps and 6-language coverage.

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Pricing

Free tier: 300 mins/month, 30-min max per conversation

Free

$0

  • 300 minutes/month
  • 30-min per conversation
  • 3 file uploads lifetime
  • Basic features

Pro

$16.99/mo

  • 1,200 minutes/month
  • 90-min per conversation
  • 10 imports/month
  • Custom vocabulary
  • $8.33/user/month billed annually

Business

$30/mo

  • Unlimited in-app transcription minutes
  • 6,000 minutes/month for imported files (per user)
  • 4 hours per conversation
  • Unlimited imports
  • Join 3 concurrent meetings
  • Admin controls
  • $19.99/user/month billed annually

Enterprise

Custom

  • SSO, SCIM, domain capture
  • Otter API & webhooks
  • HIPAA compliance (add-on)
  • Custom integrations & security controls

Pros

  • Real-time transcription during meetings
  • Excellent meeting integration (Zoom, Teams)
  • Action item detection and summaries
  • Team collaboration features
  • Mobile app for on-the-go recording

Cons

  • Hard minute caps with no overage option
  • Limited to 6 languages
  • No API access on lower tiers
  • Primarily designed for meetings, not podcasts

Best For

  • Business meetings and interviews
  • Teams needing collaborative transcription
  • Real-time transcription needs
  • Zoom and Teams users

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Frequently asked questions

Is Otter.ai free?
Yes, up to a point. Otter.ai has a free plan, which covers 300 mins/month, 30-min max per conversation. Paid plans start at $16.99/month with Pro, which includes 1,200 minutes/month and 90-min per conversation.
Can Otter record audio?
Yes. Otter records and transcribes live, either in its web and mobile apps or by joining a Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet call for you, and the transcript appears as the recording happens. Every plan can record, including the free Basic tier, which covers 300 minutes a month with a 30-minute cap on any single recording. Pro raises that to 1,200 minutes and 90 minutes per conversation, and Business gives unlimited in-app recording minutes and 4 hours per conversation. Importing existing audio files is metered separately: 3 uploads for the lifetime of a free account, 10 a month on Pro, unlimited on Business.
What are Otter.ai's minute limits?
The free plan allows 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation, and 3 file uploads for the lifetime of the account. Pro ($16.99/mo) raises that to 1,200 minutes a month, 90 minutes per conversation, and 10 imports a month. Business ($30/mo) gives unlimited in-app transcription minutes plus 6,000 minutes a month for imported files per user and 4 hours per conversation. The caps are hard, with no overage option.
Is Otter.ai good for podcast transcription?
It works, with caveats. Otter transcribes podcast audio at 90-95% accuracy with speaker labels and a usable browser editor, and the free 300 minutes a month is enough to try it on a few episodes. The problems are structural: it is built for meetings, so a free account gets 3 file imports for the lifetime of the account and Pro allows 10 a month, which is thin for a weekly show. Per-conversation caps of 30 minutes (free) and 90 minutes (Pro) can cut an episode short, and only 6 languages are supported. If you are transcribing published episodes rather than calls, check your episode length against the per-conversation cap before subscribing.
How much does Otter.ai cost?
The Basic plan is free. Pro is $16.99 per user a month, or $8.33 billed annually. Business is $30 per user a month, or $19.99 billed annually. Enterprise is quoted individually.

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