Notion Meeting Recorder vs Otter.ai for meeting automation

Notion Meeting Recorder

Notion Meeting Recorder captures meetings within your Notion workspace. It records audio (virtual or in-person), transcribes conversations, and generates organized summaries with key points and action items. The feature works through local audio capture from your device, eliminating the need for meeting bots. Users can start recording via a /meet command or through calendar links. The tool supports 16 languages and functions on desktop and mobile apps.

The recorder is part of Notion's AI add-on, which costs $10 per member monthly or $8 if billed annually. It operates within the Notion ecosystem, meaning notes integrate directly with Notion pages and databases. While it lacks native third-party integrations beyond Notion's own environment, the system can capture audio from any meeting platform. The recorder works best for teams already using Notion extensively.

Otter.ai is an AI note-taking tool that provides live transcription during meetings or from audio uploads. It automatically generates summaries and highlights from conversations, identifies different speakers, and can capture on-screen content during presentations. The system works across various meeting types including business calls, classes, and interviews, with the resulting transcripts being searchable and shareable. It offers integration with platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams through an assistant that can join meetings directly.

The service operates on a tiered pricing model starting with a free plan offering 600 minutes monthly of transcription, up to business plans at approximately $20/user/month with 6,000 minutes per user and team sharing capabilities. Otter.ai supports both virtual and in-person meetings via its web interface or mobile apps (iOS and Android), and can record audio locally without requiring a specific meeting platform. Its functionality includes integration with tools like Slack, HubSpot and Notion, with its "OtterPilot" feature automating summary generation and follow-up actions, though language support is currently limited primarily to English, Spanish and French.

Comparing Notion Meeting Recorder and Otter.ai

Notion Meeting Recorder

• Notion Meeting Recorder handles transcription and summarizing directly within Notion workspaces, requiring users to be part of the Notion ecosystem. The tool captures meeting content and creates structured pages that integrate seamlessly with other Notion elements, though its utility is limited for those who don't use Notion as their primary workspace.

• While the recorder generates useful action items and summaries, its dependence on the Notion platform creates a walled garden effect for collaboration. The limited third-party integrations beyond Notion's own ecosystem restrict its usefulness for teams using diverse tool stacks.

Otter.ai

• Otter.ai functions as a standalone transcription service with capabilities for real-time note-taking across various meeting platforms without requiring commitment to a specific ecosystem. The tool generates transcripts and summaries but often produces verbose output that lacks the structure needed for efficient review.

• Despite integrations with several platforms like Zoom and Teams, Otter's automation features don't deeply connect meeting content with workflow tools. Its CRM updates and email follow-ups provide surface-level automation but fail to meaningfully transform meeting insights into executable work.

Notion Meeting Recorder works best for teams already invested in the Notion ecosystem who want seamless integration between their meeting notes and workspace. Its strength lies in how meeting outcomes become immediately actionable within existing Notion databases and projects, though this comes at the cost of being walled off from other productivity tools. Teams that organize their entire workflow in Notion will find this solution far more valuable than those using multiple platforms.

Otter.ai suits users who need a platform-agnostic solution that works across various meeting environments without committing to a particular ecosystem. Its standalone nature makes it accessible for individuals or teams with diverse tool preferences, especially those requiring only basic transcription and summarization. However, the limited depth of its automation and integration capabilities means users must still manually transfer insights to their workflow tools, making it less effective for turning meeting content into coordinated action.

Notion Meeting Recorder vs Otter.ai: What do users say?

Notion Meeting Recorder and Otter.ai both offer AI-powered meeting transcription and note-taking solutions, but with different approaches and strengths. Notion's solution integrates directly within the Notion workspace, allowing users to record meetings (both virtual and in-person) with automatic transcription, summaries, and action item extraction. Users particularly appreciate how seamlessly it fits into existing Notion workflows, eliminating context switching and keeping all meeting content connected to projects and tasks. However, some users note that its value diminishes significantly if your team isn't already invested in the Notion ecosystem, and the $10/month AI add-on cost (on top of existing plans) is a consideration for some. Notion's recorder works across 16 languages and functions well for both online and in-person meetings using local device audio.

Otter.ai, on the other hand, operates as a standalone transcription service with strong integrations across platforms. Users praise its ease of use, generous free tier (600 minutes/month), and ability to provide AI-generated summaries of key themes. The OtterPilot feature can join meetings automatically and push notes to tools like HubSpot and Notion. However, reviews frequently mention transcript accuracy issues, particularly with multiple speakers or complex audio. Some users find the transcripts overly verbose and lacking structure, making it difficult to quickly identify important information. Pricing ranges from free to approximately $20/user/month for business accounts, with different tiers offering increased minutes and features.

For more information, readers can explore Otter AI reviews on CNET, Reddit discussions about Otter.ai, Trustpilot reviews for Otter.ai, Reddit discussions on Notion meeting tools, and G2's in-depth Notion reviews.

FAQs

• Would Notion Meeting Recorder work for in-person meetings? What about Otter.ai? Yes, both tools work for in-person meetings. Notion Meeting Recorder can capture in-person discussions using your device's microphone, and it works "with every meeting tool" including face-to-face meetings. Similarly, Otter.ai can transcribe live in-person conversations via its app.

• What about meeting bots? Does either of these tools require a meeting bot? Notion Meeting Recorder doesn't use a meeting bot - it relies on your device's audio and "doesn't have a live 'bot' joining calls." It records audio locally from your computer.

Otter.ai, on the other hand, does offer an assistant that can join meetings in real time via integrations with Zoom, Teams, etc. This is mentioned as "OtterPilot" which can join meetings.

• What do users say about the quality of transcriptions? For Otter.ai, users note that "accuracy can suffer with complex audio" with "some reviews noting mistakes in transcription or speaker ID." The transcripts can also be "overly verbose and lack structure, making it hard to quickly find key takeaways."

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