Otter.ai vs Read AI

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

Read AI

The free tier is unusually generous on breadth — meeting coach, engagement scores, cross-tool search — and stingy on depth, with only five transcripts a month, so it works as a trial rather than a long-term free plan. Pay for Pro if you live in back-to-back calls and want the same assistant reading your inbox and Slack; stick with a cheaper transcriber if all you want is notes.

Pros

• +Covers meetings, email and messaging in one assistant with cited answers across all three
• +Native desktop and mobile apps plus a Chrome extension, not only a web dashboard
• +Public API, webhooks, Zapier, MCP connectors and CRM integrations for getting data out
• +Engagement and sentiment metrics that most transcribers do not attempt
• +SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR and HIPAA claims, with training on customer data off by default

Cons

• −Free tier caps transcripts, reports and live notes at five a month
• −Audio and video playback only from the $22.50 Enterprise tier, which needs five licences
• −No refunds, card-only billing, and every licence in a workspace must be on the same plan
• −Engagement and sentiment scoring on colleagues raises consent questions in some workplaces

Is Otter.ai cheaper than Read AI?

They charge in different units, so there is no like-for-like answer: Otter.ai starts at $8.33/mo, Read AI at $15/seat/mo. Entry price is the lowest paid plan as we last verified it.

Does Otter.ai or Read AI have a free tier?

Both: Otter.ai has a free tier, and Read AI has a free tier.

Which has a public API, Otter.ai or Read AI?

Both ship a public API, so either can be built on; the fact table above shows the platforms each one runs on.