The short version
Otter.ai records and transcribes your Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet calls in real time, then turns them into summaries, action items, and searchable transcripts. The free Basic plan includes 300 transcription minutes a month with a hard 30-minute cap per conversation, plus 3 lifetime file imports and 20 AI Chat questions a month. A single hour-long meeting breaks the per-call cap, and 300 minutes is only about five hours. Pro starts at $16.99 per user per month ($8.33 billed annually) and raises the caps to 1,200 minutes a month and 90 minutes per meeting.
What Otter.ai does
Otter.ai is an AI meeting assistant that joins your scheduled Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet calls as “OtterPilot” — sync your calendar and it shows up automatically — transcribing live with speaker identification. After the call it produces a summary with action items and key decisions, filed in a searchable meeting history you can interrogate with AI Chat. It also transcribes uploaded audio and video files and captures in-person conversations through its iOS and Android apps, so you are not limited to video calls.
What is free vs. what costs money
Free (Basic):
- 300 transcription minutes per month (about 5 hours)
- 30-minute cap per conversation — recording stops mid-meeting at 30 minutes
- 3 audio/video file imports for the lifetime of the account
- Only your 25 most recent conversations stay in history
- AI Chat: 20 questions per month over your meeting history
- Basic speaker identification, calendar sync, and OtterPilot auto-join
Pro ($16.99/user/month monthly, $8.33/user/month billed annually): 1,200 minutes a month, 90 minutes per conversation, 10 file imports a month, unlimited history, advanced search, custom vocabulary, and bulk export.
Business ($30/user/month monthly, $19.99/user/month billed annually): 6,000 minutes a month, 4-hour conversations, unlimited file imports, team workspaces, and admin analytics.
The honest limitations
The 30-minute per-conversation cap is the one that bites: most business meetings run 45 to 60 minutes, so free users have to restart recordings mid-call. The 300-minute monthly pool covers roughly one or two short meetings a week — fine for students or freelancers, not for anyone in back-to-back calls. File imports are three, ever. And like every AI transcriber, Otter can mangle heavy jargon, accents, and overlapping speech — verify anything you plan to act on.
Who Otter.ai is best for
- Students: free, accurate notes from lectures and group project calls.
- Freelancers and solopreneurs: a searchable record of client calls and what was agreed.
- Light meeting users: anyone in a few short calls a week who hates taking notes.
- Not for: people in daily hour-long meetings (the caps make the free plan unworkable) or teams needing compliance controls — those sit on Business and above.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Free plan has no time limit — use it indefinitely
- OtterPilot auto-joins from your calendar
- Summaries, action items, and AI Chat save real post-meeting work
- Works across Zoom, Meet, and Teams, plus mobile apps
Cons:
- 30-minute per-meeting cap on the free plan
- Only 3 lifetime file imports
- 25-conversation history limit
- 300 minutes a month runs out fast for heavy users
- Transcription stumbles on jargon, accents, and crosstalk
FAQ
Is Otter.ai really free?
Yes — Basic is free indefinitely: 300 minutes a month, 30 per meeting, 3 lifetime file imports.
What happens when I hit the 300-minute limit?
Transcription stops until your minutes reset at the start of the next billing cycle. You either wait or upgrade to Pro.
Does Otter.ai work with Zoom and Teams?
Yes — Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams are all supported, plus uploaded audio/video files and in-person recording through the mobile apps.
Should I upgrade to Otter Pro?
Upgrade if your meetings regularly exceed 30 minutes or you need more than five hours of transcription a month. Light users can stay free forever.
Free-tier details checked Oct 3, 2026. Limits and prices change — check otter.ai/pricing before you rely on them. This is a research-based review; no hands-on testing claims.