Skip to content
effecthub

Otter.ai vs Vocova

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, Vocova at $7.50. Both have a free tier. Only Otter.ai ships a public API.

Otter.aiMeeting transcription with per-plan minute and length capsVocovaWeb app that transcribes audio or video from files or platform links into text, subtitles, and translations.

Side by side

FactOtter.aiVocova
CategoryMeeting AssistantsSpeech-to-Text & Transcription
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$8.33 month$7.50 month
Public APIYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Chrome Ext, APIWeb
CompanyOtter.aiNOWGIC LTD
Launched20162024
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

Vocova

Vocova's main advantage is pulling straight from platform links across a very wide list of sources, rather than requiring users to download a file first. Pro's unlimited transcription at 19 USD monthly is a fair deal for heavy users, though the entry Plus price only applies when paying annually. The company confirms it has no public API, so it is not a fit for anyone wanting to automate transcription elsewhere.

Pros

  • Accepts links from over 1,000 platforms in addition to file uploads
  • Supports 100-plus languages for transcription and translation
  • Pro tier offers genuinely unlimited transcription minutes

Cons

  • Cheapest Plus pricing requires annual billing, not month-to-month
  • Explicitly has no API, SDK, or agent integration

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 Vocova if you need

  • Users who transcribe content directly from platform links, not just local files
  • People who need translated exports in many languages
  • Heavy users who want an unlimited-minutes plan instead of a capped one

More comparisons

All Otter.ai alternatives →Browse all Meeting Assistants →