Krisp vs Otter.ai for meeting automation

Krisp is an audio processing tool that filters background noise and echo from microphone and speaker output in real-time across communication applications. It has expanded to include meeting assistance features, recording conversations and generating transcripts with structured summaries containing key points and action items. The software works with most voice apps and supports transcription in over 90 languages through its desktop application for Windows and Mac.

Krisp offers a free plan with 60 minutes of daily noise cancellation and two meeting summaries per day. Paid tiers include the Pro plan at approximately $8/month for unlimited noise cancellation and meeting features, and a Business plan at about $15/user/month with administrative controls and SSO. Some users report occasional audio distortion, word clipping with loud noises, and high CPU usage. The desktop-only implementation lacks mobile app support for AI note-taking features.

Otter.ai is an AI note-taking service that provides live transcription for meetings, conversations, and uploaded audio or video content. It creates searchable, time-stamped transcripts while identifying different speakers and capturing screen content including slides. The tool functions across different environments - joining virtual meetings through integrations with platforms like Zoom and Teams, recording in-person conversations via its mobile app, or processing uploaded files.

The service offers tiered plans starting with a free version allowing 600 minutes of transcription monthly, while paid plans ($10-20/month) include more minutes and additional features. Otter works primarily through web browsers and mobile apps rather than a desktop client. Its "OtterPilot" feature automatically generates meeting summaries and can push content to other tools like HubSpot and Notion. The system currently supports English, Spanish and French languages.

Comparing Krisp and Otter.ai

Krisp

• Krisp offers real-time noise cancellation that filters out background noise across communication apps, while also providing meeting transcription and AI summaries with key points and action items. The tool provides clear audio for meetings and captures conversation content, but its limited integration capabilities may prevent users from fully leveraging meeting data across their workflow.

• Users report excellent noise removal but occasionally experience audio distortion with very loud noises, which can affect transcription accuracy. The free plan's 60-minute daily limit for noise cancellation restricts heavy users, and some find the Pro version pricing high if they only need specific features, while the platform's shallow integrations limit its ability to help users act on meeting outcomes.

Otter.ai

• Otter.ai provides live transcription during meetings with automatic summaries, highlights, and speaker identification, working across meeting platforms through direct integrations. While functionally robust at capturing meeting content, the platform's limited integration depth prevents users from seamlessly connecting meeting outcomes to their broader productivity systems.

• Users appreciate the real-time transcript and ability to highlight during meetings, but transcripts can be overly verbose and lack structure, making it difficult to quickly extract key information. The assistant can sometimes join unwanted meetings if not properly configured, and while the tool excels at documentation, it falls short in helping users convert meeting information into actionable workflows across their tech stack.

Krisp is better suited for users who prioritize audio quality and work in noisy environments, particularly call center employees, remote workers, or those in shared spaces. Its noise cancellation functionality provides immediate value regardless of meeting outcomes, while its extensive language support makes it appropriate for international teams. The desktop-only approach works best for those primarily conducting meetings from dedicated workstations.

Otter.ai fits users who prioritize detailed meeting documentation and speaker identification across platforms. Its mobile app support makes it suitable for on-the-go professionals who need to capture conversations from various devices and locations. The more generous free minute allocation (600/month versus Krisp's 60 minutes/day) makes it cost-effective for users with moderate but not daily transcription needs.

Krisp vs Otter.ai: What do users say?

Krisp is widely praised for its effective noise cancellation technology that removes background sounds like dog barks, keyboard typing, and other voices in real-time. Users consistently report that it "just works" across virtually all communication apps. Recently, Krisp expanded to include meeting transcription and AI-generated summaries with key points and action items, which reviewers find "extremely accurate" with minimal editing needed. However, some users mention audio quirks where voices can be distorted or words clipped, especially when canceling very loud noises. The free plan's 60-minute daily limit is restrictive for heavy users, and some note high CPU usage. Pricing ranges from a free tier with limited functionality to Pro ($8/month) and Business ($15/user/month) plans.

Otter.ai specializes in AI-powered transcription and note-taking during meetings, with automatic summaries and highlights. It identifies speakers and can capture screen content, making it useful for business meetings, classes, and interviews. Users appreciate its ease of use and time-saving capabilities. The real-time transcript with highlighting and commenting features receives positive feedback, and many value its generous free tier. However, transcripts can be overly verbose and lack structure, making key takeaways difficult to find. Accuracy issues arise with complex audio, particularly for speaker identification. Some users complain about the assistant spamming calendar invites or joining unwanted meetings. Pricing starts with a free plan (600 minutes/month) up to Business tier at ~$20/user/month.

For more information about these tools, check out CNET's review of Otter AI, Reddit discussions about Otter.ai's effectiveness, Trustpilot reviews of Otter.ai, Trustpilot reviews of Krisp.ai, and Reddit discussions about Krisp's noise cancellation.

FAQs

• Would Krisp work for in-person meetings? What about Otter.ai? Yes, both Krisp and Otter.ai work for in-person meetings. Krisp "captures any conversation (online or offline) using noise-canceling audio on your device," while Otter.ai "can transcribe live in-person conversations via its app."

• What about meeting bots? Does either of these tools require a meeting bot? Krisp does not require a meeting bot - it "records & transcribes meetings locally via the Krisp app (no bot; works with any voice app)." Otter.ai has an assistant called "OtterPilot" that can join meetings, but it also allows recording audio directly via web or mobile app without requiring a meeting.

• What do users say about the quality of transcriptions? For Krisp, some users report that the AI note-taking and summaries are "extremely accurate" requiring minimal edits, though audio quirks can occasionally affect transcription accuracy, especially when dealing with very loud noises.

For Otter.ai, users note that transcripts can be "overly verbose and lack structure," and accuracy can suffer with complex audio - with some reviews noting "mistakes in transcription or speaker ID."

Another alternative: 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