Otter.ai vs AI Transcriptions by Riverside

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
• −API access is listed only on the sales-quoted Business plan
• −Company recently renamed from Riverside.fm to Riverside, so older links and branding are inconsistent

Is Otter.ai cheaper than AI Transcriptions by Riverside?

They charge in different units, so there is no like-for-like answer: Otter.ai starts at $8.33/seat/mo, AI Transcriptions by Riverside at $24/mo. Entry price is the lowest paid plan as we last verified it.

Does Otter.ai or AI Transcriptions by Riverside have a free tier?

Both: Otter.ai has a free tier, and AI Transcriptions by Riverside has a free tier.

Which has a public API, Otter.ai or AI Transcriptions by Riverside?

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