Otter.ai Pricing at a Glance (2026)
Otter.ai uses a freemium subscription model with four tiers. Here's the full 2026 breakdown:
| Plan | Price (2026) | Monthly minutes | Key limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic (Free) | $0 | 300 min | 30 min/conversation, 3 lifetime imports, 20 AI chats |
| Pro | $16.99/mo ($8.33/mo annual) | 1,200 min | 10 file imports/month |
| Business | $30/user/mo ($20/user/mo annual) | 6,000 min | Per-seat, admin controls |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | SSO, SOC 2, API, sales contact required |
Prices verified from Otter.ai's pricing page, May 2026. Annual billing is paid up front (Pro ≈ $100/year, Business ≈ $240/user/year).
Otter.ai Free Plan: What You Actually Get
Otter's free Basic plan is generous on paper but limited in practice:
- 300 minutes/month, but transcription stops at 30 minutes per conversation — so a single hour-long meeting gets cut in half.
- Only 3 file imports — ever. Not per month. After three uploads, you can't transcribe existing audio files at all.
- 20 AI chat queries total, then the AI features are gated.
- Internet required, and every recording is uploaded to Otter's cloud.
Is Otter.ai Pro Worth It?
Pro ($16.99/month, or $8.33/month billed annually) lifts the cap to 1,200 minutes/month and adds advanced search, custom vocabulary, and bulk export. But two things catch people out:
- File imports are capped at 10/month. If you upload recordings (podcasters, researchers, anyone transcribing existing audio), you'll hit this fast.
- It's still cloud-only. No offline mode, and your audio is always uploaded — a dealbreaker for confidential content.
Otter.ai vs Inscribe: Pricing Compared
If Otter's per-minute caps, import limits, or subscription model don't fit how you work, here's how a flat-rate, offline alternative compares:
| Feature | Otter.ai | Inscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $16.99/mo (Pro) | $9.99/mo or $29.99 lifetime |
| Monthly minute cap | 300–6,000 by plan | Unlimited |
| File imports | 3 lifetime (free) / 10 mo (Pro) | No limit |
| Works offline | No | Yes — 100% offline |
| Cloud upload | Required | Never — on-device only |
| One-time purchase | No | Yes ($29.99) |
At $29.99 one-time, Inscribe costs less than two months of Otter Pro — and there's no recurring bill, no minute cap, and no upload. For a deeper feature comparison, see Inscribe vs Otter.ai, or read why Otter doesn't work offline.
Try Inscribe Free
Unlimited offline transcription with AI summaries and Q&A — no minute caps, no subscription required, no cloud upload. iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Download Inscribe FreeFrequently Asked Questions
How much does Otter.ai cost per month?
Otter Pro is $16.99/month (or $8.33/month billed annually). Business is $30/user/month ($20/user/month annually). The Basic plan is free with 300 minutes/month.
What are Otter.ai's free plan limits?
300 minutes/month, a 30-minute cap per conversation, only 3 lifetime file imports, and 20 AI chat queries. Internet is required at all times.
Does Otter.ai have a one-time purchase option?
No. Otter.ai is subscription-only. If you prefer a one-time purchase, Inscribe offers lifetime access for $29.99.
Is there a free, offline alternative to Otter.ai?
Yes. Inscribe has a free tier with unlimited recording and transcribes 100% offline on iPhone, iPad, and Mac — no cloud upload required.