Alternatives to Otter.ai

Otter.ai turns spoken conversations into written text in real time. It works during live meetings or with uploaded audio and video files, creating a searchable record of what was said. The tool identifies different speakers and captures on-screen content including slides when relevant.

Otter.ai works with popular meeting platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Users can either add Otter as a meeting participant or connect their accounts to automatically record and transcribe scheduled meetings. After transcription, the text becomes available through Otter's interface where users can review, edit, and share it.

The service includes features that let users search across all their transcriptions, highlight important sections, add comments, and share transcripts with team members. Users can export transcripts in different formats and access their saved transcriptions through web browsers or mobile apps.

Users look for alternatives to Otter.ai because...

• Inaccurate Transcriptions - Users often complain about Otter.ai's transcription accuracy, especially with accents, technical terms, or in noisy settings. For example, one user reported that during a medical conference, Otter transcribed "cardiovascular disease" as "car to vascular disease," making the transcript need significant editing afterward.

• Technical Glitches - Many users experience app crashes, syncing problems, and recording failures at key moments. One business user shared how Otter stopped recording 15 minutes into an important client meeting without any warning, resulting in lost information they couldn't recover.

• Pricing Structure Concerns - Users frequently criticize Otter's pricing model, noting that essential features require higher-tier subscriptions and complaining about recent price increases. A common example is how the free plan was cut from 600 minutes of transcription to only 300 minutes per month, while also limiting transcription history to just the most recent 25.

How Circleback can help

Why people like Circleback

People like Circleback mainly because it solves specific problems in meeting documentation while staying focused on delivering quality meeting notes. Its straightforward approach appeals to professionals who want efficient meeting records without unnecessary complexity.

How Circleback addresses Otter.ai's cons

Based on user feedback about Otter.ai, Circleback tackles several key issues:

1. Simplicity vs. Complexity: Circleback focuses specifically on meeting notes rather than offering too many features that might overwhelm users. This targeted approach makes it easier for teams looking for straightforward solutions.

2. Privacy-Focused Approach: Circleback emphasizes note production without video recording, which helps with privacy concerns some Otter.ai users mention.

3. Email Delivery System: Circleback automatically emails meeting notes to participants, solving the frustration of having to log into yet another platform to access information.

4. Action Item Focus: Circleback highlights action items clearly, addressing the common complaint that important next steps get buried in long transcripts.

5. Skimmable Format: By creating concise, well-organized summaries rather than detailed transcripts, Circleback produces documentation that's immediately useful without needing additional work.

Feature comparison: Otter.ai vs. Circleback

What is Circleback?

Circleback provides best-in-class AI-powered meeting notes and automations. We support over 100 languages and automatic participant identification in both in-person and online meetings.

• Automatically-identified and assigned action items

• AI-enabled search across all meetings

• Automations with 100+ app integrations

• Industry-leading security with SOC 2 Type II, EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, and HIPAA compliance

• Ability to capture both online and in-person meetings with desktop and mobile apps