Skip to content
effecthub

CallScrib 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. CallScrib starts at $5, Otter.ai at $8.33. Both have a free tier. Only Otter.ai ships a public API.

Side by side

FactCallScribOtter.ai
CategoryMeeting AssistantsMeeting Assistants
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$5 seat_month$8.33 month
Public APINoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, Chrome Ext, API
CompanyVesuvio Labs LLCOtter.ai
Launched2016
Last verifiedSep 1, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

CallScrib

CallScrib's pitch is a Teams-native recap that shows up in chat without a bot joining the call, which matters for teams wary of visible recording bots. Coverage of non-Teams platforms depends on a separate desktop agent rather than the same invisible Graph API approach, so the experience isn't identical across platforms.

Pros

  • Reads Teams meetings via Microsoft Graph API so no bot visibly joins the call
  • Covers PSTN phone calls, not just video meetings
  • Supports over 20 languages with a per-user language setting

Cons

  • Non-Teams platforms (Zoom, Google Meet) require installing a separate desktop agent rather than the same API-based approach
  • Free tier is capped at 7 AI meetings a month
  • Business-tier team features require a minimum of 10 seats

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 CallScrib if you need

  • Microsoft Teams-heavy organizations wanting recaps without a visible bot participant
  • Teams needing phone-call, not just video-call, summaries

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

All CallScrib alternatives →All Otter.ai alternatives →Browse all Meeting Assistants