Skip to content
effecthub

audien.to vs Otter.ai

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. audien.to starts at $10, Otter.ai at $8.33. Both have a free tier. Only Otter.ai ships a public API.

audien.toTurns recordings into transcripts, meeting minutes, or show notes in about a minute, no signup.Otter.aiMeeting transcription with per-plan minute and length caps

Side by side

Factaudien.toOtter.ai
CategorySpeech-to-Text & TranscriptionMeeting Assistants
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$10 month$8.33 month
Public APINoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, Chrome Ext, API
Company—Otter.ai
Launched—2016
Last verifiedSep 1, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

audien.to

audien.to's standout feature is linking generated text back to the exact moment in the recording it came from, which is genuinely useful for interviews or calls where you need to trace a quote or decision back to its source. The no-signup free tier is generous for occasional use, but the 72-hour auto-delete means it isn't a place to store recordings long-term.

Pros

  • No signup required for free daily use
  • Output stays linked back to the source timestamp in the recording
  • Supports a stated 67 languages and nine output types

Cons

  • Files auto-delete after 72 hours, so there's no long-term archive
  • Company name and location are not disclosed
  • Free tier's daily cap requires a paid plan for heavier regular use

Otter.ai

Still the default for English-language meeting notes, and the free tier is unusually usable. What determines the right plan is not features but the per-conversation ceiling: 30 minutes on Basic and 90 on Pro means a standard hour-long review truncates on the free tier and a workshop truncates on Pro. Pick the tier by your longest recurring meeting.

Pros

  • 300 free minutes a month makes evaluation real rather than token
  • Annual Pro at $8.33 is roughly half the month-to-month rate
  • An MCP server is exposed from the free tier, so assistants can query transcripts without the paid API
  • Business removes the minute cap entirely rather than raising it

Cons

  • The API and webhooks require Enterprise, which is quote-only
  • Per-conversation ceilings (30 min free, 90 min Pro) cut recordings mid-meeting
  • Basic allows three file imports in total, not per month
  • Month-to-month pricing is roughly double annual at both self-serve tiers

Which one fits

Choose audien.to if you need

  • Podcasters and interviewers needing source-linked show notes
  • Students and professionals transcribing lectures or meetings occasionally
  • Anyone wanting to try transcription without creating an account

Choose Otter.ai if you need

  • Teams that live in Zoom, Meet or Teams and want notes without a note-taker
  • Accessibility use, where live captions matter as much as the transcript
  • Recruiters and researchers who need searchable interview records across a workspace

More comparisons

All audien.to alternatives →All Otter.ai alternatives →Browse all Speech-to-Text & Transcription →