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Otter.ai vs SpeakHints

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 publishes a starting price ($8.33); SpeakHints does not. Only Otter.ai has a free tier. Only Otter.ai ships a public API.

Otter.aiMeeting transcription with per-plan minute and length capsSpeakHintsShows private, real-time suggestions on what to say next during calls, meetings, and interviews.

Side by side

FactOtter.aiSpeakHints
CategoryMeeting AssistantsMeeting Assistants
Pricing modelFreemiumContact
Starts at$8.33 month—
Public APIYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Chrome Ext, APImacOS, Windows, iOS, Android
CompanyOtter.aiGary Miklos
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

SpeakHints

SpeakHints aims at live conversations rather than after-the-fact notes — prompting you mid-call instead of summarizing once it's over. It is still in a waitlist phase with no pricing published and no way to test it yet, so everything here is based on stated intent rather than a working trial.

Pros

  • Covers a wide span of live scenarios: calls, meetings, interviews, and presentations
  • Named platform support across macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android rather than web-only
  • Privacy policy names a real, identifiable operator rather than an anonymous storefront

Cons

  • No working product to test — access is currently limited to a waitlist
  • No pricing has been published for when it does launch

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 SpeakHints if you need

  • Anyone anxious about live thinking-on-your-feet moments in interviews or meetings
  • People who want in-the-moment prompts rather than after-the-call summaries

More comparisons

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