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Otter.ai versus Fireflies.ai

Otter.ai, launched in 2016, excels in real-time transcription and collaboration, catering primarily to professionals and teams needing meeting notes. Fireflies.ai, established in 2016, focuses on automating meeting recordings and generating insights, appealing to businesses seeking scalable solutions for productivity. Both tools enhance remote collaboration, but with distinct functionalities.

Last updated: March 2025
Otter.ai website preview
Otter.ai
Fireflies.ai website preview
Fireflies.ai

Otter.ai

5.0

Ideal For

    Product team alignment

    Sales onboarding

    Media content creation

    Educational support

Key Strengths

    Automates note-taking

    Enhances collaboration

    Integrates with meeting platforms

Core Features

    Real-time transcription

    Recorded audio

    Automated slide capture

    Automated meeting summaries

    Collaboration tools

Fireflies.ai

5.0

Ideal For

    Sales teams filling out CRM automatically

    Recruiting efforts simplifying candidate screening

    Engineering teams automating meeting documentation

    Marketing departments understanding customer feedback

Key Strengths

    Increased productivity through automation

    Enhanced team collaboration and communication

    Easy integration with existing tools

Core Features

    Meeting transcription across platforms

    Automated summaries of discussions

    AI-driven search functionality

    Collaboration through comments and soundbites

    Conversation analytics for actionable insights

Popularity

Very High 6,600,000 visitors
Growing popularity
Very High 1,900,000 visitors
Growing popularity

Decision Matrix

Factor Otter.ai Fireflies.ai
Ease of Use
8.5/10
7.8/10
Features
9.0/10
8.5/10
Value for Money
8.0/10
8.0/10
Interface Design
8.5/10
7.5/10
Learning Curve
9.0/10
8.2/10
Customization Options
7.5/10
7.0/10

Quick Decision Guide

Choose Otter.ai if:
  • You want accurate transcriptions in real-time.
  • You aim to easily share notes and insights with teams.
  • You value seamless integration with your favorite apps.
  • You look for a user-friendly interface that saves time.
  • You seek robust search features for efficient information retrieval.
Choose Fireflies.ai if:
  • You want automated meeting notes and summaries.
  • You aim for seamless integration with your existing tools.
  • You value accurate transcription for better collaboration.
  • You look for easy access and search functionality in notes.
  • You want to enhance productivity with AI-driven insights.

What Our Experts Say

Otter.ai excels in real-time transcription and collaborative note-taking, ideal for meetings and interviews. Its intuitive interface supports easy sharing and tagging. Fireflies.ai, on the other hand, integrates well with various conferencing tools, automating meeting captures with a robust AI that highlights action items. However, users report challenges with Fireflies' accuracy in noisy environments. For clarity and ease of use, Otter.ai often stands out.
JD

Jamie Davis

Software Analyst

At a Glance

Otter.ai excels in real-time transcription and collaboration, offering seamless integration with Zoom and Google Meet. Fireflies.ai focuses on automating meeting notes with AI, integrating with more CRM tools. Pros: Otter.ai - High accuracy, user-friendly interface. Fireflies.ai - Strong CRM integrations, task management features. Cons: Otter.ai - Limited CRM support. Fireflies.ai - Can compromise transcription accuracy. Recommendation: Use Otter for transcription needs; choose Fireflies for CRM-heavy workflows.

Pricing and Subscription Plans

Otter.ai offers a free plan with limited features, while paid plans start at $8.33/month (billed annually) for Pro, providing advanced features. Business plans are $20/month for more team-oriented tools. Fireflies.ai has a free tier and offers Pro at $10/month and Business at $19/month, both billed annually. For small teams, Fireflies is cost-effective, whereas Otter is better for larger enterprises needing extensive collaboration features.

Performance Metrics

Otter.ai excels in speed and accuracy, achieving up to 95% transcription accuracy in real-time meetings. Fireflies.ai, while slightly slower, offers robust integration features enhancing reliability. For large team collaborations, Fireflies.ai outperforms with better context retention, whereas Otter.ai is preferred for faster personal note-taking.

User Experience

Both Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai offer user-friendly interfaces, but Otter.ai's design is often seen as more intuitive, facilitating easier navigation. Fireflies.ai provides extensive customizability options, allowing users to tailor workflows. Otter.ai may have a steeper learning curve due to its rich features, while Fireflies.ai offers quick onboarding resources. In terms of support, both platforms provide detailed documentation, but Otter.ai excels with community forums for user engagement.

Integrations and Compatibility

Otter.ai integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Dropbox, enhancing collaboration in existing workflows. Fireflies.ai supports Zoom, Google Meet, Slack, and Salesforce, focusing on CRM automation. Both platforms streamline transcription and note-taking in varied environments.

Limitations and Drawbacks

Otter.ai struggles with accuracy in complex discussions, while Fireflies.ai may face integration limitations with some platforms. Both have occasional issues with speaker differentiation. Workarounds include verifying transcriptions and utilizing manual editing for clarity.

Ready to make your decision?