We Explored 6 Best Otter.ai Alternatives for 2024

Transcription tools and services are huge time savers for podcasters, podcast editors, and pretty much anyone who records audio or video.

Otter.ai (Otter, for short) is one of the leading transcription tools with a range of valuable features. But it isn’t a perfect tool—and as you’ll see in the sections below, plenty of tools offer similar (or better) services at a cheaper price.

At Cleanvoice, we know how valuable an accurate, reliable transcription tool can be for creating show notes, subtitles, summaries, and more. 

So, stick around for our top Otter alternatives and get the information you need to make an informed decision.

Let’s get started.

What Is Otter.ai?

Otter is a voice-to-text transcription tool that turns spoken language into written text.

It uses an AI algorithm to analyze the wave patterns in audio files and convert them into words.

It detects punctuation, pauses, speakers, and other nuances to create a text transcript that accurately reflects the audio file.

You can use Otter by manually uploading audio files, recording directly from the dashboard, or integrating it with your meeting tool (Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet). Once your audio is transcribed, you can edit the transcript, add comments, and search for details.

You can also “chat” with your transcript to pull out key details.

Why People Look For Otter.ai Alternatives?

Language Support

Otter currently supports US and UK English (plus several regional accents). If you need to transcribe other languages, you’ll need to look for an alternative.

Pricing

Otter offers a free plan with a generous limit of 300 minutes monthly, but pricing for paid plans can be frustrating.

For example, Pro ($10/user/month) has a monthly limit of 1,200 minutes and a per-conversation limit of just 90 minutes.

Even if the monthly limit is more than enough for you, the per-conversation limit might force an upgrade.

Customer Support

Otter.ai's customer support has been widely criticized for being poor and unresponsive.

Customers have reported issues such as unauthorized charges and billing problems. In addition, they also found their complaints' responses to be generic and AI-created. Many users were also denied refunds.

Criteria to Consider When Choosing the Best Otter.ai Alternatives

User-Friendliness

If you're new to transcription, choose a transcription software that’s easy to use and provides learning resources.

Also, look for automation to simplify mundane tasks. Simple tools are usually the best for beginners because they're not hard to figure out.

Pricing

Considering whether an alternative to Otter offers affordable pricing plans ensures you get the most value.

Explore free trials and compare hidden costs to better evaluate whether a tool aligns with your transcription needs.

Multiple Speaker Detection

Speaker identification is a crucial feature when looking for an Otter alternative. It helps determine who's talking during a podcast or meeting, especially when many people speak.

This ensures that the right words get assigned to the right person, creating precise and accurate transcripts.

6 Best Otter.ai Alternatives for 2024

Here are some of the best alternatives to Otter.ai:

  1. Cleanvoice: Best Overall Otter.ai Alternative
  2. Rev: Best Human Transcription Service Provider
  3. Descript: Best Video and Editing Transcription Software
  4. Airgram: ​​Best Transcription Software for Virtual Podcast Interviews
  5. Fireflies: ​​Best for Searchable Transcripts
  6. Amberscript: Best Transcription Software with Human-made Subtitles

Let’s discover more about these tools below.

1. Cleanvoice

Best Overall Otter.ai Alternative

Cleanvoice is an AI-powered audio editing and transcription tool designed specifically for podcasters and podcast editors.

With Cleanvoice, you can upload audio and (almost) instantly generate highly accurate transcripts, show notes, summaries, and subtitles.

It features multi-speaker recognition, support for multiple languages, and simple repurposing tools.

Plus, Cleanvoice’s automatic audio editing can detect and remove imperfections like dead air, mouth sounds, and background noise with high accuracy.

Relevant Features

  • Multilingual Speech-To-Text:

Accurately translates and transcribes podcasts and audio recordings into clear transcripts. The software supports over 60 languages, including Latin (Spanish, French, etc.) and Slavic (Polish, Russian, etc.) languages.

  • Transcript Repurposing: 

You can repurpose a podcast transcript into engaging content easily. Create compelling blog posts and social media content using high-quality transcripts.

  • Podcast Summary: 

Use Cleanvoice to summarize your podcast in 5 minutes. Key Takeaways help listeners quickly grasp the main points. Get automatic titles based on audience preferences and grow your audience.

  • Professional Audio Editing: 

Remove filler words (umms, ahhs, etc.), dead air, and mouth sounds (clicks, pops, etc.) without lifting a finger.

  • Editing Integrations:

Integrate with podcast editing tools like Adobe Audition, Audacity, and more to integrate your cleaned audio files into episodes quickly.

Pricing

Cleanvoice offers two pricing options.

The Pay-as-you-Go plan starts at €10 for 5 hours, with options for 10 and 30 hours. 

There's also a Subscription plan with monthly allowances from €10 for 10 hours to €80 for 100 hours. Credits stay valid for two years and roll over if not used.

You can try Cleanvoice at no cost with our free trial to see if it's what you need before choosing a plan.

2. Rev

Best Human Transcription Service Provider

Rev is an online transcription service provider that offers both AI-powered and human transcription.

As an AI transcription provider, Rev is very similar to Otter—upload a file, and the tool will generate a (roughly) 90% accurate transcript in seconds.

What sets Rev apart is its network of professional transcribers that you can use to get a higher-quality transcript.

Relevant Features

  • Human Transcription: 

Convert your audio or video into text with 99% accuracy by a professional.

  • AI Audio transcription: 

Rev’s AI automatically transcribes your audio or video into text.

  • AI Transcript Assistant: 

Extracts key insights, summarizes data, and analyzes files using AI technology.

Pricing

Rev charges based on minutes. So, the longer the audio or video, the higher the price.

For instance, if you wanted a simple transcription service for a 40-minute podcast episode, you’d pay $10 for automated transcription or $60 for human transcription.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Fast turnaround time
  • Ease of use
  • Fair and affordable pricing

Cons

  • Some users reported poor audio quality
  • Struggles with highly technical words
  • Poor customer service

3. Descript

Best Video Transcription & Editing Software

Descript is a transcription management and video editing software designed for businesses across multiple industries.

It enables users to upload audio files, which turn into text transcriptions. Users can easily edit these transcriptions right on the platform. Descript also has a video editing feature that automatically adjusts video and audio files based on recent edits.

Relevant Features

  • Transcription: 

Automatically transcribe your audio using AI or get it transcribed by professional transcriptionists.

  • Automatic Speaker Labelling: 

Add speaker labels with AI-powered Speaker Detective.

  • Multilingual support: 

Allows transcriptions in 22 languages, including Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and more.

  • Cloud Sync: 

Provides instant access from anywhere with full version history.

Pricing

Descript offers a free plan that can transcribe 1 hour of audio or video per month.

Paid plans include Creator ($12/user/month), Pro ($24/user/month), and Enterprise (custom).

Higher-tier plans offer higher monthly transcription limits and more advanced video editing features.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Great filler word removal
  • Cloud sync and integration are extremely helpful
  • Extensive collection of audio and transcription tools

Cons

  • Unreliable performance
  • Steep learning curve
  • Poor transcription of non-native speakers

4. Airgram

​​Best Transcription Software for Virtual Podcast Interviews

Airgram is a productivity tool that helps users easily plan, record, transcribe, and review virtual podcasts, meetings, and recorded conversations.  

It works well with popular video-sharing platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams.

It helps users convert audio and video files to text with an 80%-95% accuracy rate using their AI transcription. Support multiple languages, including English, French, Japanese, and Spanish.

Relevant Features

  • Audio/Video Transcription: 

Transcribes speech into searchable, editable, and exportable text.

  • In-built Media Player and Transcript Editor:

Playback video/audio at variable speeds while editing.

  • App Integrations:

Export your transcripts to third-party platforms like Notion and Slack.

Pricing

Airgram’s free forever plan offers five meeting records per month.

Plus ($18/user/month) supports unlimited meeting records, file imports, and integration with Notion, Zapier, HubSpot & other software.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • High accuracy
  • Free plan available
  • Plus plan offers an unlimited amount of transcriptions

Cons

  • UI and UX needs improvement
  • Unstable performance
  • No mobile option

5. Fireflies

​​Best for Searchable Transcripts

Fireflies is an AI-powered transcription tool with an AI search feature. This makes it easier for you to find a certain piece of information.

Rather than searching for keywords, you can search for topics, themes, ideas, sentiments, times, and more.

Fireflies will try to “understand” your question and link sections of the transcript that match—perfect for when you’re not 100% sure what you’re looking for.

Relevant Features

  • Multilingual speech-to-text: 

Transcribe audio from conversations & podcasts into text across different industries, languages, and accents.

  • Closed Captions: 

Export transcripts in SRT format complete with timestamps, which can be added to videos.

  • AI Search: 

Find information quickly using Fireflies’ AI search feature that goes beyond keyword searches.

Pricing

Descript offers a free forever plan with limited transcription credits and 800 minutes of storage/seat.

Paid plans include Pro ($18/month), Business ($29/month), and Enterprise (custom), with Business and Enterprise plans offering unlimited transcription credits and unlimited storage.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Transcription is quite accurate
  • Accurate action items
  • AI-generated summary and recap

Cons

  • Login process is a bit janky
  • Expensive pricing
  • UI needs improvement

6. Amberscript

Best Secure, Compliant Transcriptions

AmberScript is a tool suite that allows users to turn audio and video into searchable text and subtitles.

Users can utilize AmberScript’s AI or human subtitlers to create closed captions and subtitles. The platform also provides professional dubbing and audio description services.

Relevant Features

  • Transcription:

Convert audio and video to text with AI or professional transcribers.

  • Multilingual support: 

Supports transcription to 39 supported languages, including English (US & UK), German, French, Korean, Spanish, and more.

  • Speaker Diarization: 

Automatically identify speakers and separate exchanges into different paragraphs.

  • Secure & Compliant: 

GDPR, ISO 27001 & ISO 9001 certified to protect your data.

Pricing

Pricing plans vary based on the duration of the audio file and the type of transcription (Human-made or machine-made).

One-off credit plans may range from $8 to $800, with higher prices offering more credits and audio hours. Amberscript also offers a subscription-based plan starting at $25/month.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • User-friendly interface
  • Accurate transcriptions
  • Export in various formats that include timestamps

Cons

  • Lack of customization options for its subtitles
  • Lack of integrations
  • Expensive pricing

Conclusion

While Otter is a well-known transcription tool, other options provide additional features and flexibility at a lower cost.

When selecting an alternative to Otter, it’s essential to consider the tool's interface, availability of free trial or version, pricing, and ability to recognize multiple speakers and transcribe various languages.

Cleanvoice is a fully automated podcast audio transcription and editing tool. You just have to upload your audio. Our AI will then clean the audio, generate an accurate transcript, and help you repurpose your transcript into show notes, summaries, and social content.

Try out Cleanvoice today.