Fireflies.ai vs Otter.ai (2026)
By Noahlast updated
Fireflies.ai
Fireflies.aiAn AI meeting assistant for sales, recruiting and product teams that records, transcribes and summarizes Zoom, Google Meet and Teams calls, with a free plan and paid seats from $10/month billed annually.
- Pricing
- Free tier · paid from $10/mo
- License
- Freemium
Best for recording and summarizing sales and recruiting calls across languages and pushing the notes into a CRM or ATS
Otter.ai
Otter.aiAn AI meeting notetaker for teams that transcribes Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams calls into searchable transcripts, summaries and action items, free for 300 minutes a month.
- Pricing
- Free tier · paid from $8.33/mo
- License
- Freemium
Best for transcribing English-language Zoom, Google Meet and Teams calls into searchable notes with automatic summaries and action items
Which should you choose?
Choose Fireflies.ai if…
wins 4/6 use cases
- You record calls in languages beyond Otter.ai's six, since Fireflies.ai advertises 100+ with automatic language detection (non-English languages are in beta)
- You want talk time, sentiment, question detection and topic trackers for sales or recruiting reviews, on Fireflies.ai Business at $19 per seat per month billed annually
- Your developers need an API without an Enterprise contract; the Fireflies.ai free plan includes GraphQL API access at 30 requests per minute
- You push meeting notes into Greenhouse, Aircall, RingCentral or other tools among Fireflies.ai's 100+ integrations
- You need SSO, SCIM and HIPAA at a published $39 per seat per month billed annually, without Otter.ai's 100-user SSO minimum
Choose Otter.ai if…
wins 2/6 use cases
- You want the cheapest paid seat: Otter.ai Pro costs $8.33 per user per month billed annually versus $10 for Fireflies.ai Pro
- Your meetings run up to 4 hours and you want that on the $19.99 Otter.ai Business seat, where Fireflies.ai Business caps recordings at 3 hours
- You want unlimited storage on the entry paid plan; Otter.ai Pro includes it, while Fireflies.ai Pro stores 8,000 minutes per seat
- You want AI Chat to answer questions across past meetings and connected apps, with 200 queries on Otter.ai Business
- You want the more widely rated app: Otter.ai's iOS app holds 4.8/5 from 86K App Store ratings, against 5.3K ratings for Fireflies.ai
Fireflies.ai vs Otter.ai: feature comparison
| Feature | Fireflies.ai | Otter.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Yesfree plan; Pro from $10/seat/month, billed annually ($18 monthly) | Yesfree plan; Pro from $8.33/user/month, billed annually ($16.99 monthly) |
| Business tier price | Yes$19/seat/month, billed annually ($29 monthly) | Yes$19.99/user/month, billed annually ($30 monthly), up to 25 users |
| Free tier | Yeslimited AI summaries, 400 minutes of storage per team, 2-hour recordings | Yes300 minutes/month, 30 minutes per conversation, 3 lifetime file imports |
| Platforms | Yesweb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome extension | Yesweb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome extension |
| License | Noclosed-source, freemium | Noclosed-source, freemium |
| Transcription languages | Yes100+ advertised; English primary, others in beta | Partial6: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese |
| Meeting length cap | Partial2 hours on Free, 3 on Business, 4 on Enterprise | Partial30 minutes on Free, 90 on Pro, 4 hours on Business |
| Transcription on the entry paid plan | Yesunlimited on Pro; 8,000 minutes of storage per seat | Partial1,200 minutes per user per month on Pro; unlimited storage |
| Conversation intelligence (talk time, sentiment, topic trackers) | Yesfrom $19/seat/month, billed annually (Business) | Unknown |
| AI questions across meetings | YesAskFred; 20 AI credits/month on Pro, 30 on Business, 50 on Enterprise | YesAI Chat; 20 queries on Free, 200 on Business |
| API, webhooks and MCP | YesGraphQL API on every plan (Free: 30 requests/minute, 500/day), webhooks, MCP server | PartialMCP server for ChatGPT and Claude; API and webhooks on Enterprise only |
| CRM and app integrations | Yes100+, including Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Notion, Greenhouse | PartialZapier plus Salesforce or HubSpot sync for 1 user on Pro; custom CRM on Enterprise |
| Audio and video file imports | YesMP3, MP4, WAV, M4A uploads | Partial3 lifetime on Free, 10/month on Pro, 6,000 minutes/user on Business |
| SSO and SCIM | Yesfrom $39/seat/month, annual only (Enterprise) | PartialEnterprise only, 100-user license minimum |
| HIPAA | YesEnterprise ($39/seat/month, annual only) | Yesadd-on on Enterprise (custom pricing) |
| Security certifications | YesSOC 2 Type II, ISO 42001, GDPR | Unknown |
| iOS app rating | Yes4.8/5 from 5.3K ratings (App Store) | Yes4.8/5 from 86K ratings (App Store) |
Fireflies.ai vs Otter.ai: pricing
Every tier both tools publish, as we last checked them — not just the entry price.
Fireflies.ai
- FreeTranscription with limited AI summaries, 400 minutes of storage per team, 2-hour recording limit per meeting, desktop and mobile apps, API at 30 requests per minute and 500 per day.Free
- ProPer seat, billed annually ($18 billed monthly); unlimited transcription and AI summaries, 8,000 minutes of storage per seat, 20 AI credits, 720p video recording, downloads of transcripts and recordings.$10/mo
- BusinessPer seat, billed annually ($29 billed monthly); unlimited storage, 30 AI credits, 3-hour recording limit, multi-language mode, conversation intelligence, team analytics and public meeting access.$19/mo
- EnterprisePer seat, annual billing only; 50 AI credits, 4-hour recording limit, 1080p video, SSO and SCIM, HIPAA compliance, private storage, custom data retention, audit logs.$39/mo
Otter.ai
- Basic300 transcription minutes per month, 30 minutes per conversation, 3 lifetime audio/video file imports, 25 most recent conversations kept, 20 AI Chat queries per user.Free
- ProPer user, billed annually ($16.99 billed monthly); 1,200 minutes per user per month, 90 minutes per meeting, 10 file imports per month, unlimited storage, Zapier plus Salesforce or HubSpot sync for 1 user, up to 5 billed users.$8.33/mo
- BusinessPer user, billed annually ($30 billed monthly); unlimited meetings and in-app recordings, 6,000 imported-file minutes per user, 4 hours per meeting, 3 concurrent meetings, 200 AI Chat queries, usage analytics and activity logs, up to 25 billed users.$19.99/mo
- EnterpriseCustom pricing; SSO and SCIM (100-user license minimum), Otter API and webhooks, Sales Notetaker, custom CRM and dialer integrations, HIPAA compliance add-on.Custom
Fireflies.ai vs Otter.ai pricing: which costs less?
Otter.ai costs less on the entry paid plan, at $8.33 per user per month billed annually against $10 per seat for Fireflies.ai Pro, while Fireflies.ai is slightly cheaper on Business at $19 against $19.99.
Monthly billing keeps the same order: Otter.ai Pro is $16.99 and Fireflies.ai Pro $18, while Fireflies.ai Business is $29 and Otter.ai Business $30. The plans meter different things. Otter.ai Pro includes 1,200 transcription minutes per user per month and 90-minute meetings, while Fireflies.ai Pro offers unlimited transcription with 8,000 minutes of storage per seat. At the top, Fireflies.ai publishes Enterprise at $39 per seat per month on annual billing, while Otter.ai Enterprise is custom-priced and needs a 100-user license for SSO.
Which supports more languages, Fireflies.ai or Otter.ai?
Fireflies.ai supports far more languages, advertising transcription in 100+ languages with automatic detection, while Otter.ai transcribes six: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese.
Fireflies.ai's own pricing FAQ calls English the primary supported language and lists Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian and the 100+ others as beta. Fireflies.ai Business, at $19 per seat per month billed annually, adds a multi-language mode. Otter.ai builds its speech recognition in-house and transcribes in real time with speaker identification, but only in its six supported languages.
Which is better for developers, Fireflies.ai or Otter.ai?
Fireflies.ai is better for developers, because its GraphQL API is available on every plan, including Free at 30 requests per minute and 500 per day, while Otter.ai reserves its API and webhooks for custom-priced Enterprise.
Fireflies.ai also offers webhooks and an MCP server for Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor, and lists 100+ integrations including Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Notion, Greenhouse, Aircall and RingCentral. Otter.ai's MCP server lets ChatGPT and Claude query meeting history, and Otter.ai Pro connects to Zapier, Slack, Notion, Jira and Asana, with Salesforce or HubSpot sync for 1 user. Custom CRM and dialer integrations sit on Otter.ai Enterprise.
Which is better for compliance, Fireflies.ai or Otter.ai?
Fireflies.ai documents more, listing SOC 2 Type II, ISO 42001 and GDPR compliance and selling SSO, SCIM and HIPAA at a published $39 per seat per month, while Otter.ai puts SSO, SCIM and a HIPAA add-on on custom-priced Enterprise.
Fireflies.ai Enterprise also adds private storage, custom data retention and audit logs, but it is sold on annual billing only. Otter.ai requires a 100-user license for SSO, so a smaller team must license 100 users to get single sign-on. Otter.ai Business includes usage analytics and activity logs at $19.99 per user per month billed annually, capped at 25 billed users. The Otter.ai listing does not state its security certifications.
Which is easier to use, Fireflies.ai or Otter.ai?
Fireflies.ai and Otter.ai are equally easy to use, with a low learning-curve rating each and the same three ways to record: a notetaker that joins Zoom, Google Meet and Teams, bot-free desktop apps for Windows and Mac, and mobile apps for in-person meetings.
Fireflies.ai and Otter.ai draw the same complaint: the notetaker joins calendar meetings automatically until auto-join settings are changed. Fireflies.ai sign-in works only through a Google or Microsoft account. The free plans differ for testing: Otter.ai Basic stops each recording at 30 minutes, while the Fireflies.ai free plan allows 2-hour recordings but caps storage at 400 minutes per team.
Strengths and weaknesses
Fireflies.ai
Pros
- Advertises transcription in 100+ languages with automatic language detection from meeting to meeting.
- The free plan includes the notetaker, live transcription, desktop and mobile apps, a Chrome extension and API access.
- Conversation intelligence on Business (talk time, sentiment, question detection, topic trackers) suits sales and recruiting call reviews.
- Integrates with 100+ tools including Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Notion, Greenhouse, Aircall and RingCentral, plus a GraphQL API, webhooks and an MCP server.
- SOC 2 Type II, ISO 42001 and GDPR compliance, with HIPAA available on Enterprise.
Cons
- Fireflies' own pricing FAQ calls English the primary supported language, with Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian and 100+ others in beta.
- Sign-in works only through a Google or Microsoft account, and the notetaker auto-joins calendar meetings until settings are changed.
- Video recording starts on Pro at 720p, while 1080p capture and HIPAA require the annual-only $39 Enterprise seat.
- Monthly AI credits stay capped at 20 to 50 per seat even on paid plans.
Otter.ai
Pros
- Free Basic plan includes 300 transcription minutes a month with live transcription, speaker identification and the iOS and Android apps.
- Records three ways: a notetaker that joins Zoom, Meet and Teams from your calendar, a bot-free Mac and Windows desktop app, or mobile apps for in-person meetings.
- AI Chat answers questions across all past meetings, and the MCP server lets ChatGPT and Claude query the same meeting history.
- Pro syncs notes to Salesforce or HubSpot and connects to Zapier, Slack, Notion, Jira and Asana.
- Business covers unlimited meetings of up to 4 hours each for $19.99 per user per month billed annually.
Cons
- Transcription covers only English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese, far fewer languages than Fireflies.ai advertises.
- The free plan stops each recording at 30 minutes and allows only 3 audio or video file imports for the life of the account.
- Once connected to a calendar, the notetaker can join meetings automatically unless auto-join settings are changed, a common complaint from attendees who did not invite it.
- The Otter API, webhooks, SSO and the HIPAA add-on are reserved for custom-priced Enterprise, and SSO requires a 100-user license.
Which fits your use case?
| Use case | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting team interviewing candidates in several languages | Fireflies.ai | Fireflies.ai advertises 100+ languages with automatic detection, integrates with Greenhouse, and uses AI Skills to extract details such as candidate scores; Otter.ai covers six languages. |
| Freelancer who wants the cheapest paid notetaker | Otter.ai | Otter.ai Pro costs $8.33 per user per month billed annually with 1,200 minutes a month, against $10 per seat for Fireflies.ai Pro. |
| Sales team reviewing talk time and sentiment on calls | Fireflies.ai | Fireflies.ai Business includes talk time, sentiment, question detection and topic trackers at $19 per seat per month billed annually; the Otter.ai listing does not mention these metrics. |
| Team that holds workshops of up to 4 hours | Otter.ai | Otter.ai Business allows 4 hours per meeting at $19.99 per user per month billed annually, while Fireflies.ai needs the $39 Enterprise seat for 4-hour recordings. |
| Developer building on meeting transcripts without an enterprise contract | Fireflies.ai | Fireflies.ai includes its GraphQL API on every plan, including Free; Otter.ai keeps its API and webhooks on custom-priced Enterprise. |
| Company of 40 people that needs SSO | Fireflies.ai | Fireflies.ai Enterprise includes SSO and SCIM at $39 per seat per month billed annually, while Otter.ai requires a 100-user license for SSO. |
Neither a match?
Both lists carry verified pricing and honest weaknesses for every option.
Popular comparisons
Fireflies.ai vs Otter.ai: migration FAQ
Should I use Fireflies.ai or Otter.ai?
- Use Fireflies.ai if you need transcription beyond six languages, conversation intelligence or an API without an Enterprise contract; use Otter.ai if your meetings are in its six languages and you want the cheaper Pro seat at $8.33 per user per month billed annually.
Is Fireflies.ai cheaper than Otter.ai?
- Not on the entry plan: Fireflies.ai Pro costs $10 per seat per month billed annually against $8.33 for Otter.ai Pro. Fireflies.ai Business is slightly cheaper, at $19 against Otter.ai's $19.99, and both have a free plan.
Can Otter.ai replace Fireflies.ai?
- Yes, if your meetings are in English or the five other languages Otter.ai transcribes, since Otter.ai covers the same notetaker, desktop and mobile recording, summaries and AI search across meetings. Otter.ai keeps its API on Enterprise, and its listing does not mention talk-time or sentiment tracking.
Does Otter.ai have a free plan?
- Yes — Otter.ai Basic is free with 300 transcription minutes a month, a 30-minute cap per conversation and 3 lifetime file imports. The Fireflies.ai free plan instead caps storage at 400 minutes per team and recordings at 2 hours.
How many languages does Otter.ai support?
- Otter.ai transcribes six languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese. Fireflies.ai advertises 100+, though its pricing FAQ treats every language except English as beta.