Otter.ai Review

Many people have limited time in a day and are searching for ways to optimize their workflow. In this Otter.ai review, I will provide you with information about an application that could prove useful for people who have a lot of online calls. This platform can help users with interviewing possible employees, having conferences, or attending lectures via call.

If you also need an AI text generator, for example, to create a product description using the transcription from your meeting, you can use the Writesonic application. It will execute the task and provide high-quality results. Moreover, if after you finish reading the article, and Otter AI transcription tool doesn’t really fit your needs, there is an alternative called Fireflies, which is known to allegedly provide even better services. One of the key points is the wide array of languages that it supports.

That said, this review will cover several different topics to help you form a solid opinion about this application. One of the aspects includes Otter.ai pricing structure, which is an important criterion for many when choosing between services. Of course, this article will also contain a review on the application's tools for recording and transcribing meetings.

Verdict at a glance: Otter.ai is a great application designed to transcribe audio and make notes of everything that was spoken by either joining the meeting or uploading the file directly. The platform even has a chatbot where you, your friends or teammates can ask the AI questions about any discussion points or key decisions. However, it does have a drawback, which is the ability to support only 1 language, meaning that the Otter.ai transcription tool will have issues writing down words said by non-fluent English speakers.

What is Otter.ai?

Otter.ai is an application that turns your voice conversations into smart notes that you can easily search and share. You can apply this platform to be used in various ways, including conference meetings, interviews, or lectures.

The way that Otter.ai transcription works is by utilizing a natural language processing (NLP) mode, which refers to computer systems that analyze human speech and convert it into text^[1]. To put it simply, when a user speaks into whatever device, the AI algorithms process the audio, break it down into manageable segments, and then write these segments into text.

Furthermore, the platform is also very versatile. You can enjoy its services on a web browser and on your mobile device, regardless of the operating system you have.

That said, in this article, I will review a few features, including OtterPilot, which can automatically join your meetings and transcribe them in real-time. Otter Workspaces is another tool worth mentioning. It was designed for teams and organizations that streamline collaboration, team management, and administrative controls.

Lastly, this Otter AI review wouldn’t be fully complete without a dedicated section on its chatbot, which provides an easy way for conversation participants to ask questions and collaborate in real-time with the transcription, all without interrupting the meeting flow.

Otter.ai Review: PROS

I believe that you have enough knowledge to have at least a decent understanding of what this platform is all about, and we can start diving deeper into this Otter AI review by looking at the positive traits. Therefore, let’s look at the reasons why it’s worth choosing this application.

Increased Efficiency of Workflow

I believe the majority of you reading have used the hands-free calling system in a car and have experienced that even though you can look at the road freely, it can be quite distracting and hard to focus if you’re also talking at the same time, this way not being able to hear some crucial details.

This is exactly where Otter AI transcription becomes handy. Imagine that you have an important meeting that you can’t miss, but there are reasons why you have to drive somewhere as well. This platform will become your lifeline.

Because Otter.ai can be used on your phone, you can easily open it up and have it transcribe your whole conversation, noting the most important parts, and you won’t miss any details since it will all be written down and recorded.

The same could be applied to students who have a lot of online lectures and want to study more efficiently by utilizing AI-powered speech recognition to note everything that professors say, especially seeing that artificial intelligence is capable of understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, and making decisions based on data^[2].

From my own personal experience, I know how hard it sometimes is to remember and note everything that your professor or teacher says, especially if they like to talk faster than you can write. Hence, this is where Otter AI’s transcription tool becomes handy since you can put all of your focus into the lecture and have the platform write everything down.

That said, keep in mind that recording a lesson may be illegal in some countries, so be sure to check your local laws or have a talk with your professor before proceeding. Ensuring that you are compliant will help you avoid any unnecessary complications.

In this Otter.ai review, it’s also important to mention that with this application, you can skip the tedious task of composing action item emails since the software will automatically capture and assign them from the meeting, with complete context of discussion, keeping everyone aligned on the next steps.

If you are wondering how else can the platform increase your productivity, a better question would be, in what field do you need help? If you’d like to use Otter.ai for sales, it’s worth knowing that it can extract sales insights, write follow-up emails, and push call notes to Salesforce and HubSpot.

That’s not all. Another use case where Otter.ai could be used is for recruiting new employees. The platform can transcribe and summarize interviews, reducing the time and effort required to evaluate candidates and write your own notes. Therefore, seeing as Otter.ai has a free trial, it’s worth giving it a try.

Lastly, to complete the Otter.ai review regarding how it can increase your workflow, there is one thing worth mentioning that might sound tempting for office workers. The application can automatically share meeting notes and summaries with team members via email and Slack channels, drastically simplifying the work that would have needed to be done by hand.

Great Tools

I have already mentioned the tools that will be present in this Otter.ai review, but there wasn’t much information provided about them. Hence, this chapter is dedicated to diving deeper into the features, with the star of the topic being “OtterPilot”, with whom we will begin.

As mentioned previously, this tool can automatically join your Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams meetings and transcribe everything that is said. This feature is especially useful if you’d like to enhance your efficiency both during and after the call. It can also output a summary during a meeting, allowing participants to quickly grasp key points and important information.

If you are wondering how that works it’s quite simple, actually. Otter’s proprietary AI will automatically generate a live résumé during a recording and display it in the “Automated Summary” tab of the conversation so everyone can quickly scan over the main topics.

That said, one thing to keep in mind is that the final output will only be generated for longer conversations with a minimum of 500 words.

Furthermore, the next feature in this Otter.ai review is the smart cross-conversation knowledge tool, Otter Chat. Unlike most traditional platforms, this application doesn’t limit answers to a single chat. Instead, it seamlessly pulls valuable information from all of your conversations.

The Otter Chat uses an innovative approach and creates a dynamic, interconnected hub of knowledge. It allows users to easily access information, content, and ideas from previous conversations and meetings. However, it’s important to mention that this tool is currently only available on a web browser, and you can’t access it via mobile devices.

Using Otter AI Chat is straightforward. Click on the left navigation menu, select the tool, and proceed to type in the window box to generate an answer. If you can’t think of a prompt, simply press on the icon with two stars, which will bring up various suggestions you can ask.

Last but not least on our tools list is Workspace, which is available on Otter.ai plans that require payment. This feature offers an intuitive interface tailored for team management and collaboration, with comprehensive administrative controls.

Additionally, users can customize Workspace settings affecting all members, manage team roles and permissions, and handle member invitations and access, making this a great tool for companies.

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Great Interface and Integration

A few other positive traits that need to be mentioned in this Otter.ai review are the beginner-friendly interface and the wide array of possible integrations into other platforms that this application offers. You can connect and use the software with the tools that you utilize every day.

When it comes to video conferencing, OtterPilot will auto-join your meetings, whether they’re on Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet. It will record the audio, write notes, capture slides, and generate a summary of the whole conversation. Otter.ai can also integrate into applications like Notion and Google Docs to automatically push transcripts and meeting summaries.

Before we go any further, there is a small disclaimer I wanted to mention about the auto-join feature. I have seen quite a few user reviews stating that Otter automatically joined their meeting and started recording and writing notes into the chat. Therefore, if you don’t want some of the conversations transcribed and you have this feature turned on, don’t forget to turn it off.

That said, the interface itself looks really minimalistic, as most AI platforms do. On the other hand, as soon as you sign up, you will probably be prompted with quite a lot of different information and customization options, which can look a bit annoying at first glance, but keep in mind that it’s a one-time thing.

As mentioned above, the interface does look intuitive and easy to navigate, but it might take some time for beginners to fully grasp it. Nonetheless, you will not need any particular skills or knowledge to utilize this platform and its tools, especially if you are an experienced user.

Additionally, in this Otter.ai review, I have already touched on mobile device applications, but it’s time to dive a bit deeper into this topic. As mentioned, you can access it using both Android and iOS operating systems. Truth be told, the interface doesn’t really differ that much from the web browser, and for me personally, the app is a more comfortable option.

Having the possibility to use it on a mobile device proves to be quite useful since you can utilize it anywhere, no matter if you are on a road trip or on your way to the beach, if you need something transcribed, you just have to pull out your phone and let Otter do its job.

The last thing worth mentioning in this Otter.ai review is that the application also has a browser extension. However, the add-on is unfortunately only available on Chrome, and it also only works with Google Meet and Zoom.

Speech and Transcription Accuracy

When it comes to accuracy, it’s fair to say that Otter is generally quite accurate. It has the best results when used with the OtterPilot tool, which records the internal audio stream of a meeting, versus recording manually in the application, which relies on your device’s speaker and microphone.

There are some recommendations on how to increase the accuracy further, which consists of optimizing your recordings and conversations. You can see them below:

• Minimizing background noise - Background noise is generally the biggest factor in inaccurate transcriptions or missing audio, so it’s advisable to try to be in a quiet environment.
• Avoid overlapping dialog - Otter may have issues distinguishing between multiple people speaking over each other, so it’s advisable to speak one at a time.
• External microphone - It’s recommended that you use an external microphone rather than your computer or device’s built-in one. Omnidirectional is great if you’re trying to record multiple speakers in a room, and unidirectional for just your own voice.
• Placement of microphone - Place the microphone within three feet of the person speaking and try to abstain from moving it to avoid any unnecessary background noise.

If you are wondering how the application deals with filler words, such as “am”, “hmm”, “mhm”, and “um”, among others, they will be programmatically ignored, including interjections and hesitations markers.

Furthermore, in this Otter.ai review, it’s important to mention that you can even train the software to recognize your and other speaker voices in a conversation. This feature is called “Tag speakers”, which does exactly as its name suggests: it tags the participants within the transcript, thus improving the identification.

You can also teach Otter.ai names to increase the accuracy of speakers and people mentioned in the call.

Moreover, if you’re worried that the application might not catch some jargon, terms, and any other words, there is a solution for this. You can add a custom vocabulary, which can help Otter.ai learn your spelling and phrases. This feature especially helps if you work in a specialized industry or environment that requires specific terminology.

That said, one thing to note is that if, for any reason, you would like Otter.ai to catch all of the filler words used in a conversation, adding them to your custom vocabulary won't matter, as they will still be ignored.

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Otter.ai Review: CONS

To ensure this Otter.ai review is fair and balanced, it's essential to examine the application's disadvantages. That said, discussing a platform's drawbacks is crucial for giving potential users a clear understanding of what to expect and in what areas the services may be lacking.

Language and Transcription Limitations

Truthfully, while I didn’t notice any major drawbacks, there is one issue that is worth mentioning. For some people, this could even be considered “groundbreaking”, but for others, this won’t matter one bit. This drawback is also frequently mentioned in many Otter.ai reviews written by users.

That said, the issue is that the platform only supports English. This limitation could be problematic for students all around the world, where lectures are likely conducted in the country's native language, and Otter.ai won’t be able to transcribe content in languages it does not support.

Furthermore, this limitation leads to another related issue often noted in reviews written by customers: the platform struggles to accurately transcribe speech from non-native English speakers with accents. Therefore, if you have an international team, this application might not be suitable for you.

Nonetheless, if you need a platform that supports more languages, let me remind you about the Fireflies services I mentioned at the beginning. This application can do pretty much anything that Otter.ai can, but it supports 60+ languages, so if you have a global team with diverse language needs, Fireflies is likely the better choice.

Additionally, don’t forget about the Writesonic platform as well, especially if you need assistance in writing product descriptions or articles from your whole transcription.

Otter.ai Pricing

Now, to make this review even more comprehensive, it's crucial to go over Otter AI pricing. This aspect is important for gaining a full understanding of the application and deciding whether it's truly worth the investment. Furthermore, let’s see what plans they are offering and if Otter.ai's free trial is a thing.

Many readers will likely ask whether you need to pay to use the application. The answer is no. Otter AI free trial is an option, which you can choose. You can sign up without paying a penny or even entering your credit card information in order to try out the services.

There are actually two Otter AI free trials listed on their website. To be more specific, one is called the Basic subscription, which, as mentioned, doesn’t even require you to enter your credit card details. The other is a 7-day trial for the Business plan. This option offers more features and extensive use, but you will need to provide credit card information.

To give you a vague idea of what you receive if you choose to use the Otter.ai plan that comes free of charge, it includes 300 monthly transcription minutes, a 30-minute limit per conversation and only 3 audio or video files you can import in a lifetime. However, you still get access to the newly released chatbot and the OtterPilot tools.

Furthermore, if you wish to have more advanced features and longer monthly times for transcriptions, among other things, you will need to purchase one of the following Otter.ai plans:

• Free;
• Pro - $16.99/month and $120/annual;
• Business - $30/month and $240/annual;
• Enterprise - contact the sales team.

As you can see, Otter.ai’s pricing is a bit more on the expensive side compared to other similar applications that offer more in exchange for a similar cost. Nonetheless, this platform provides high-quality services, so for some, it might be worth it.

The Pro plan comes with even more features, including a workspace to add your teammates. This subscription also increases the monthly transcription minutes to 1200 and 90 minutes per conversation. Additionally, you can even import 10 audio or video files per month.

Then there is the Business plan, which includes everything in the Pro subscription plus features like usage analytics and prioritized support. It also provides 6000 transcription minutes per month, allows up to 4 hours per conversation, and lets users import an unlimited amount of audio or video files.

The last on the list of Otter.ai plans is Enterprise, offering everything that the Business subscription has with additional advanced security, compliance controls, and domain capture.

It's also important to note that additional seats can be added to the account, but the price increases accordingly. This means you will need to pay the listed monthly or annual price for each user added to the account.

How to Sign Up on Otter.ai?

If, after reading this Otter.ai review, you have the urge to try out its services and see how they perform with your own eyes, you will first need to register. Let me show you the steps you need to take to get started.

Step 1: To create a new account on Otter.ai, you will need to access their homepage. Once you are there, proceed by clicking the blue button on the right corner with “Start for Free” written on it.

Step 2: You will then be prompted with 2 options: the Basic free plan and the Business subscription with a 7-day trial.

Step 3: If you proceed with the Basic one, you will have to either continue with Google and Microsoft or via email address, where you will need to enter a password. However, if you choose the Business option, you will need to enter your credit card information but keep in mind that you shouldn’t be charged at first.

Step 4 (optional): If you choose to register by entering your email after you set your password, you will be asked a few questions and need to verify your email address.

That said, the process is straightforward and easy to follow. Once you complete these steps, you'll be all set to explore Otter.ai.

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Conclusions

This is the end of my Otter.ai review. If you have read this article from start to finish, you should now have a decent understanding of what this application is and what it does. That said, for the people who need a quick summarizer, this platform is an AI meeting buddy that will transcribe your conversations in real-time, record audio, and make notes, among many other things.

If, after reading this Otter.ai review, you decide that this platform is not the right fit for you, consider Fireflies, another excellent application capable of performing similar tasks with additional language support. Moreover, if you need a writing assistant, Writesonic is worth considering for its high-quality outputs.

Having said all of that, if you are searching for an application that provides fast and high-quality services that could automate the call process from beginning to end, it’s definitely worth giving Otter.ai a shot, especially since Otter.ai’s plans contain two different free trials, which you can try out.

The content published on this website is not aimed to give any kind of financial, investment, trading, or any other form of advice. BitDegree.org does not endorse or suggest you to buy or use any kind of AI tool. Before making financial investment decisions, do consult your financial advisor.

Scientific References

1. J. F. Allen.: 'Natural language processing';

2. M. F. Waly.: Artificial intelligence and Scientific Research'.