Comparison
An Otter.ai alternative built for video files
Otter is excellent at what it was designed for: live meetings. Point it at a call and it captures, transcribes and summarises as the meeting happens. Uploading finished video is a different job, and it is where Otter's free plan gets sharp. As of July 2026 the free tier gives 300 minutes a month, caps each conversation at 30 minutes, and allows just 3 audio or video file imports for the entire lifetime of the account.
What Otter.ai is good at
- · Best-in-class live meeting capture, with speaker separation
- · Automatic summaries and action items from calls
- · Deep Zoom, Teams and Google Meet integration
Side by side
| Otter.ai | GrumpTools | |
|---|---|---|
| File imports on free | 3 for the account's lifetime | A daily allowance that resets |
| Per-file length cap | 30 minutes per conversation | 15 minutes free, 30 on Pro, 90 on Premium |
| Built for | Live meetings | Video and audio files you already have |
| Export formats | Text, SRT on paid tiers | Plain text, timestamped text, SRT, VTT, JSON |
| Edit before export | Yes | Yes, in-browser, edits included in every format |
| Engine | Proprietary | Whisper |
Otter.ai figures checked July 2026 against their own pricing page. Plans change, so check theirs before deciding.
When you should pick Otter.ai instead
Pick Otter if your transcripts come from meetings you attend rather than files you already have. Live capture, summaries and calendar integration are its real product, and we do none of that. If you sit in calls all day, Otter is the better tool and it is not close.
Try it
Generate text transcripts from video or audio.
Frequently asked
Why does Otter's free plan feel so limited for video?
Because uploads are not its main use case. Otter is priced around live meeting capture, so imported files are deliberately restricted: 3 imports for the lifetime of the free account, and 30 minutes per conversation as of July 2026. Transcribing a back catalogue of videos runs into that wall immediately.
What formats can I export a transcript in?
Plain text, timestamped text, SRT, WebVTT and JSON, with any edits you made in the browser included.
Do I need an account to transcribe a video?
Transcript runs on the free plan with a daily allowance, and free accounts are free to create. There is no credit card and no lifetime import cap.