Blog Comparisons 3 min read
Otter.ai alternatives in 2026: bot-free, on-device and cheaper options
People leave Otter over four things: the bot that joins the call, the 300-minute free plan, cloud processing, and its privacy lawsuit. Granola is the bot-free cloud option, Everpaper is the on-device option for Apple silicon Macs, Fireflies is the closest bot-based match, and Screenpipe is the local recorder for developers.
Disclosure. Everpaper is our product, and it is in this article. We say where it falls short, and every competitor fact below carries the date we checked it.
Facts as of October 2026. Prices and features change. Each source is linked at the end.
Otter is the default meeting notetaker for many teams. These are the four reasons people look elsewhere, and the options for each.
Why people leave Otter
The bot. Otter’s notetaker joins Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet calls to write and share notes automatically, so a third party is in the meeting.
The free plan. Basic gives 300 minutes per user per month with no rollover, 30 minutes per conversation, 3 lifetime imports, the 25 most recent conversations, 5 custom vocabulary terms and 20 AI Chat queries a month.
Where the audio goes. Otter’s privacy policy says it uses cloud providers including Amazon Web Services in the United States, and lists training its proprietary AI on de-identified audio recordings and on transcriptions as a purpose.
The lawsuit. In re Otter.AI Privacy Litigation consolidates four proposed class actions filed in August and September 2025. On 13 August 2026 the judge granted Otter’s motion to dismiss in part, and the federal wiretap, California privacy and Illinois biometric claims continue. Many dismissals were with leave to amend. The ruling does not decide whether Otter broke the law.
Quick comparison
| Otter | Granola | Everpaper | Fireflies | Screenpipe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bot | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Audio processed | Cloud | Cloud providers, audio deleted after transcription | Your Mac | Cloud | Your device by default |
| Languages | English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese | Multi-language, no list | 25 European by default, Whisper optional | 5 named, 100+ in beta | Not listed |
| Price, October 2026 | Free; Pro $16.99 a month ($8.33 billed annually), Business $30 ($19.99 billed annually) | Free (30 days); Business $14 | Private beta | Free, Pro, Business | Free; Basic $21 a month |
The options
Granola has no bot, works on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and Apple Watch, and lists audio deleted after transcription on every plan. It uses transcription providers such as Deepgram and AI providers such as OpenAI and Anthropic, and trains on anonymized data for non-Enterprise users unless they opt out. Best if you want no bot and accept the cloud.
Everpaper is our product. It records your microphone and the call’s system audio on the Mac, transcribes on the device with speaker labels, and uploads no recording. It works in 25 European languages. It runs only on macOS 15 or later on Apple silicon, has no mobile app, and is in private beta with no public price. Best if the audio has to stay on the Mac.
Fireflies also joins as a bot. It names English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian and lists 100+ other languages in beta. A proposed class action over speaker voice data was filed against it on 18 December 2025, and we found no ruling. Best if you want what Otter does with a longer language list.
Screenpipe captures your screen, audio and meetings locally on macOS, Windows and Linux. Free covers one device and Basic is $21 a month or $250 a year. Best for developers and for Windows or Linux.
Stay with Otter if
Your team lives in Zoom, Teams and Meet, the bot is accepted, and you want live transcripts for everyone. Check the free plan limits against how many meetings you record.
More on the bot-free tools: Granola alternatives and who hears your meetings.
Apply for the Everpaper private beta.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Otter alternative without a bot?
Granola and Everpaper both record without a bot. Granola captures device audio and uses cloud providers. Everpaper transcribes on your Mac and uploads no recording.
What are Otter's free plan limits?
Basic is free with 300 transcription minutes per user per month, up to 30 minutes per conversation, 3 lifetime audio or video imports, the 25 most recent conversations, 5 custom vocabulary terms and 20 AI Chat queries a month.
Does Otter train AI on my recordings?
Otter's privacy policy, effective 16 June 2026, lists training its proprietary AI technology on de-identified audio recordings and on transcriptions, which may contain personal information, as a purpose of processing.
Which languages does Otter transcribe?
English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese, according to its pricing page. Everpaper transcribes 25 European languages.
Is Otter facing a lawsuit?
Yes. In re Otter.AI Privacy Litigation consolidates four proposed class actions filed in August and September 2025. On 13 August 2026 a judge granted Otter's motion to dismiss in part and let wiretap, California privacy and Illinois biometric claims proceed. It does not decide whether Otter broke the law.
Sources
Written by Marco Iannello Updated 21 October 2026 How we write comparisons