Otter.ai Review
AI meeting assistant that transcribes, summarizes, and provides action items from conversations in real-time.
Our Review
Otter.ai transforms spoken words into searchable, shareable text. After using it for 50+ meetings, interviews, and lectures, we found it indispensable for anyone who attends frequent meetings. The real-time transcription is accurate (around 85-90% for clear English), and features like action item detection and speaker identification add significant value beyond simple transcription.
How to Use Otter.ai
Getting Started with Otter.ai
Create a free account at otter.ai. The free tier provides 300 transcription minutes per month across 3 meetings. Start by connecting Otter to your calendar (Google Calendar or Outlook) — this automatically joins your scheduled meetings and begins recording.
Meeting Transcription Best Practices
For best accuracy, ensure the meeting has clear audio. Otter works best when participants speak one at a time. Background noise and overlapping conversations reduce accuracy significantly. If you're recording an in-person meeting, use a good microphone or position your device centrally on the table.
Action Item Extraction
After a meeting, Otter automatically identifies action items, decisions, and key phrases. Review these highlights rather than re-reading the entire transcript — this is where Otter saves the most time. You can edit the identified action items to add assignees and due dates, then share them with your team.
Integrations and Sharing
Connect Otter to Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams for automatic recording. Share transcripts with team members and let them add comments directly on specific sections. For researchers and journalists, Otter's search across all past transcripts lets you quickly find specific quotes or topics from recorded interviews.
Key Features
Pricing
300 transcription minutes/month, 3 meetings
300 minutes/month, limited integrations
Pro: $20/month (unlimited transcription), Business: $30/user/month
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Accurate real-time transcription
- Saves significant meeting documentation time
- Strong calendar and video meeting integrations
- Good searchability of past meetings
Cons
- Accuracy drops with accents or background noise
- Free plan limited to 300 minutes/month
- Some transcription errors require manual correction
- Premium features are essential
Best For
Our Verdict
Otter.ai is the most practical meeting transcription tool available. The free tier is useful enough for occasional meetings, but teams attending daily standups and client calls will want the Pro plan. It's replaced meeting notes for our entire team.