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Otter.ai vs AI Transcriptions by Riverside

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. Otter.ai starts at $8.33, AI Transcriptions by Riverside at $24. Both have a free tier. Only Otter.ai ships a public API.

Otter.aiMeeting transcription with per-plan minute and length capsAI Transcriptions by RiversideFree automatic transcription for audio and video files, with speaker labels and TXT or SRT export, from Riverside.

Side by side

FactOtter.aiAI Transcriptions by Riverside
CategoryMeeting AssistantsSpeech-to-Text & Transcription
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$8.33 month$24 month
Public APIYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Chrome Ext, APIWeb, macOS, iOS, Android
CompanyOtter.aiRiversideFM, Inc.
Launched2016—
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 1, 2026

What our research says

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

AI Transcriptions by Riverside

The free single-speaker transcription has no signup and is genuinely usable on its own for quick jobs. The multi-speaker detection most podcasters actually want sits behind the same $24/month plan that unlocks Riverside's full recording and editing suite, so you're buying into the whole platform, not just transcription.

Pros

  • Free single-speaker transcription with no account required
  • Speaker detection and labeling on paid plans
  • Exports to TXT or SRT, and lets you edit video by editing the transcript text
  • Broad format support (MP3, WAV, MP4, MOV)

Cons

  • Multi-speaker detection requires a paid plan bundled with the wider recording platform, not sold standalone
  • No API mentioned for automated transcription pipelines
  • Company recently renamed from Riverside.fm to Riverside, so older links and branding are inconsistent

Which one fits

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

Choose AI Transcriptions by Riverside if you need

  • Podcasters and video creators already recording through Riverside
  • Quick, free single-speaker transcripts with no account
  • Turning a transcript into SRT captions for video

More comparisons

All Otter.ai alternatives →All AI Transcriptions by Riverside alternatives →Browse all Meeting Assistants →