Short answer: Otter.ai has four tiers: a free Basic plan (300 transcription minutes/month), Pro at $16.99/user per month ($8.33/user billed annually), Business at $30/user per month ($19.99 annual, 5-seat minimum), and custom Enterprise. If you want the same meeting transcription and AI notes for less, CraftNote's Pro is $9.99/month — about 40% cheaper than Otter Pro's monthly price — and its team plan has no seat minimum.
This guide breaks down Otter.ai's real 2026 pricing — every plan, what the free tier actually includes, and where the limits kick in — then shows how it compares to CraftNote. All Otter figures are from Otter's own pricing page as of July 2026.
Otter.ai pricing plans (2026)
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per mo) | Key limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic (Free) | $0 | $0 | 300 transcription min/month; 30 min per conversation; 3 lifetime file imports |
| Pro | $16.99/user | $8.33/user ($99.96/yr) | 1,200 min/month; up to 90 min/meeting; 10 imports/month |
| Business | $30/user | $19.99/user | Unlimited meetings; up to 4 hrs/meeting; 5-seat minimum |
| Enterprise | Custom (contact sales) | SSO, SCIM, HIPAA add-on, Otter API | |
All paid Otter tiers are priced per user, and the Business plan bills a minimum of five seats even if your team is smaller. Otter also offers a 20% student discount on Pro with a .edu email.
What does the free Otter.ai plan include?
Otter's Basic plan is free forever and covers light use: 300 minutes of transcription per month, capped at 30 minutes per conversation, plus live transcription, AI Chat, speaker identification, and integrations with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. The main constraints are the monthly minute cap, the 30-minute-per-meeting limit, and just three lifetime file imports — so longer meetings and bulk uploads push you to a paid plan quickly.
How CraftNote compares to Otter.ai on price
CraftNote covers the same core job — record meetings, transcribe them, and generate summaries with action items — at a lower entry price and without a team seat minimum.
| Tier | Otter.ai | CraftNote |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 300 min/month; 30 min/meeting | 5 AI notes + 5 hours recording/month |
| Individual paid (monthly) | $16.99/user (Pro) | $9.99 |
| Individual paid (annual, per mo) | $8.33/user (Pro) | $8.33 |
| Team (annual, per user) | $19.99 (Business, 5-seat min) | $12, no seat minimum |
On the individual paid plan, CraftNote Pro at $9.99/month undercuts Otter Pro's $16.99 monthly price by about 40%, and matches Otter's $8.33 annual headline. For teams, CraftNote is both cheaper per user ($12 vs $19.99 annual) and has no five-seat minimum, so a three-person team pays for three seats, not five.
Beyond price, CraftNote records bot-free on Mac and in Chromium browsers (nothing joins the call), works offline, transcribes in 80+ languages, and has an official ChatGPT app. See CraftNote pricing for the full breakdown, or compare the top AI meeting assistants.
Common Questions
How much does Otter.ai cost per month?
Otter.ai Pro is $16.99 per user per month, or $8.33 per user per month billed annually. Business is $30 per user monthly ($19.99 annual) with a five-seat minimum. There is also a free Basic plan.
Is Otter.ai free?
Yes, Otter has a free Basic plan with 300 transcription minutes per month, a 30-minute limit per conversation, and three lifetime file imports. Longer meetings and more imports require a paid plan.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Otter.ai?
CraftNote is cheaper on the individual paid plan at $9.99/month versus Otter Pro's $16.99, and its team plan is $12/user annually with no seat minimum versus Otter Business at $19.99/user with a five-seat minimum.
Does Otter.ai have a per-user seat minimum?
Otter's Business plan bills a minimum of five seats. The Pro plan has no stated minimum. CraftNote's team plan has no seat minimum at all.
Pricing changes over time — the Otter figures here are from Otter's official pricing page as of July 2026. Check each vendor's site for the latest before you buy.
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