Free alternatives to Otter.ai

Last updated October 26, 2026 · Prices change often; confirm on each tool's site.

The best free alternative to Otter.ai is Fathom: its free plan gives unlimited recordings, transcripts and instant AI summaries for Zoom, Google Meet and Teams, while Otter's free Basic plan stops at 300 minutes a month. Fireflies.ai is also unlimited on its free plan once auto-join is on, and for recordings you already have, Descript's free plan includes 60 media minutes a month.

Disclosure: our Fireflies.ai link is an affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you; it never changes our verdict. How we make money.

Quick comparison

Free alternatives to Otter.ai: free tier, price and best use (checked October 26, 2026)
Tool	Free tier	Price	Best for
Otter.ai	300 min/month, 30 min per conversation, 3 file imports total	Pro $16.99/mo, or $8.33/mo billed yearly	Live transcription, including in person on your phone
Fathom	Unlimited recordings, transcripts and basic AI summaries	Premium $20/mo, or $16/mo billed yearly	The most generous free notetaker for online meetings
Fireflies.ai Affiliate link (ad)	Unlimited transcription with auto-join; 400 min storage; 20 AI credits	Pro $18/mo, or $10/mo billed yearly	A bot that joins Zoom, Meet and Teams and writes the notes
Descript	60 media minutes a month; watermarked 720p exports	Hobbyist $24/mo, or $16/mo billed yearly	Transcribing and editing recorded interviews and podcasts

Who should pick which

Pick Fathom if you want the most generous free plan: unlimited recordings and transcripts with an instant summary after each call. Advanced summaries and AI action items need Premium, and the bot-free option is a Mac beta.
Pick Fireflies.ai if you want a bot that joins Zoom, Meet and Teams and you're fine with its free-plan catches: transcription is unlimited only with auto-join (otherwise 3 meetings), summaries use transcription credits (3 when you sign up on the website), storage is 400 minutes per seat, and downloading transcripts needs a paid plan.
Pick Otter.ai if your meetings are short, or you want to watch the transcript appear live, including in-person conversations through the iOS and Android apps.
Pick Descript if you're transcribing recordings rather than live calls, and you may want to edit the audio or video by editing the text.

Good to know

Ask before you record. Let everyone in the meeting know a notetaker is transcribing, and follow your local consent rules.
Fireflies' free-plan limits changed for accounts created on or after September 1, 2026; older accounts keep their previous limits.

FAQ

Is Otter.ai still free?

Yes. Otter's Basic plan is free, with 300 transcription minutes a month, a 30-minute limit per conversation, three file imports in total, and the 25 most recent conversations visible.

What's the catch with Fireflies' free plan?

Transcription is unlimited when auto-join is on, but AI summaries use transcription credits (3 for website sign-ups), storage is capped at 400 minutes per seat, and downloading transcripts requires a paid plan. You get 20 AI credits for features like AskFred.

Can I transcribe an audio file for free?

Yes, with limits. Otter allows 3 file imports in total on Basic. Fireflies uploads cost 1 transcription credit each (up to 150 minutes and 100 MB per file). Descript's free plan includes 60 media minutes a month.

Which free notetaker has the fewest limits?

Fathom, as of October 2026: unlimited recordings, transcripts and basic summaries on the free plan. See our guide to the best free AI note takers for Granola, Fireflies and Otter's free limits side by side.

Related guides

Sources

Prices and limits come from each vendor's own pricing or help pages unless noted, checked October 26, 2026.

How we pick

We compare tools on fit for the job, free-tier limits and price, not on commissions. See our method and affiliate disclosure.

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