Gong vs. Otter.ai for meeting automation

What users say

Otter.ai receives mixed reviews. Users praise its recording and transcription simplicity, earning 4 stars on Trustpilot (468 reviews). Many criticize its poor multi-speaker handling, noting transcripts need significant editing.

Gong earns stronger feedback with 4.8/5 on G2 (6,000+ reviews) and high marks on Gartner (184 reviews). Users appreciate its intuitive interface, powerful search, and AI integration. Some complain about slow processing times and high costs—one mentioning a $20,000 investment.

Why users switch platforms

Users leave Gong because:

High costs deter small teams ($5,000 platform fee plus $1,400-$1,600 per user annually)
Annual commitment required with no monthly option
Onboarding costs reach approximately $7,500
Technical issues cause lags in call processing
Transcription inaccuracies undermine reliability
Privacy features sometimes hide useful information

Users abandon Otter.ai due to:

Transcription struggles with complex audio
Poor speaker identification creates reliability concerns
Unstructured transcripts make finding key information difficult
Limited language support (primarily English, Spanish, and French)
Verbose text becomes overwhelming to review

Platform comparison

Gong delivers sales intelligence with analytics and coaching capabilities. It connects with many tools despite its premium pricing. Some users report processing delays and limited actionable insights.

Otter.ai provides accessible transcription with real-time notes and AI summaries at various price points, including free options. While simple to use, many struggle with verbose transcripts and difficulty locating important information.

Feature	Gong	Otter.ai
Primary Use	Sales Intelligence	Meeting Transcription
Pricing	Enterprise ($$$)	Freemium ($-$$)
In-person Support	✅	✅
Local Recording	✅	✅
Integration Depth	✅ Limited Utility	❌ Basic Only
Automation	✅	✅
Language Support	✅ 70+	❌ Limited
Desktop App	❌	❌
Mobile Apps	✅	✅
Actionable Insights	❌ Needs Improvement	❌ Needs Improvement

Gong fits enterprise sales organizations with substantial budgets seeking deep analytics and coaching tools. It works best for companies with established sales processes and resources to leverage its extensive features.

Otter.ai serves individuals, small teams, and cost-conscious organizations needing simple meeting transcription. It works well for general business meetings, educational settings, and research interviews where budget matters but documentation remains essential.

FAQs

Works for in-person meetings? Yes, both tools handle in-person meetings. Gong captures face-to-face conversations via its mobile app. Otter.ai transcribes live in-person discussions through its application.

Requires a meeting bot? Otter.ai uses OtterPilot to join Zoom and Teams meetings in real time. Gong doesn't specifically mention requiring a meeting bot.

Transcription quality? Gong users report occasional inaccuracies. Otter.ai struggles with complex audio, speaker identification, and creates verbose transcripts that lack structure.