Cleft Notes vs Otter.ai

Cleft Notes

Cleft is a strong pick for anyone who thinks out loud and wants that turned into usable notes rather than a wall of raw transcript, especially since the free tier is a genuinely usable five-minute recorder. The catch is it's Apple-only, so it's a non-starter for anyone on Android or Windows.

Pros

• +On-device transcription rather than sending audio to a server
• +Structures rambling audio into summaries and action items automatically
• +Free tier supports recordings up to five minutes with real output styles
• +Exports directly into Notion, Obsidian, Things 3, and other note apps

Cons

• −Apple-only, no Android or Windows version
• −Even the paid tier caps single recordings at 30 minutes

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

Is Cleft Notes cheaper than Otter.ai?

They charge in different units, so there is no like-for-like answer: Cleft Notes starts at $6.99/mo, Otter.ai at $8.33/seat/mo. Entry price is the lowest paid plan as we last verified it.

Does Cleft Notes or Otter.ai have a free tier?

Both: Cleft Notes has a free tier, and Otter.ai has a free tier.

Which has a public API, Cleft Notes or Otter.ai?

Otter.ai ships a public API, as of our last verification. A public API for Cleft Notes is not confirmed by us — check its developer docs before you plan an integration.