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EasyScribe 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. EasyScribe starts at $6.99, Otter.ai at $8.33. Both have a free tier. Only Otter.ai ships a public API.

EasyScribeBrowser transcription service that turns uploaded audio/video or social links into editable, timestamped text and subtitles.Otter.aiMeeting transcription with per-plan minute and length caps

Side by side

FactEasyScribeOtter.ai
CategorySpeech-to-Text & TranscriptionMeeting Assistants
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$6.99 month$8.33 month
Public APINoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, Chrome Ext, API
CompanyEasyScribeOtter.ai
Launched—2016
Last verifiedSep 1, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

EasyScribe

EasyScribe covers the standard transcription feature set, file upload plus social links, speaker labels, translation, subtitle export, at a free tier generous enough (300 minutes) to actually test before paying. What is missing from the public site is any sense of who operates it, which matters for a tool that processes potentially sensitive recordings.

Pros

  • Free tier with a genuinely usable quota of 300 minutes per month
  • Accepts direct social platform links, not just file uploads
  • Speaker identification and translation included, not gated to the top tier
  • Multiple export formats including SRT/VTT

Cons

  • No company name, location, or team is disclosed anywhere on the site
  • Claimed 120+ language support and accuracy figures are unverified vendor claims
  • Live transcription mode's accuracy and language coverage aren't detailed on the site

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 EasyScribe if you need

  • Podcasters and video creators who need subtitles from social links
  • Anyone wanting to try transcription free before committing to a paid tier

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