Open-source alternatives / Otter.ai
Open-source alternatives to Otter.ai
2 free tools you can run yourself for transcribing meetings and audio. Otter.ai has a free tier (300 transcription minutes/month; 3 lifetime file imports) (Pro $16.99/mo ($8.33/mo billed yearly); vendor pricing, checked 2026-10-22). Licenses verified 2026-10-24.
| Tool | Open source / local | Price | Notes | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whisper Private, offline speech-to-text and transcription on your own machine | Open source: MIT | Free (open source, MIT) ✓ checked | Speech-to-text code and weights | source 2026-10-23 | Get Whisper → |
| Buzz Offline audio transcription and translation app on your own computer, powered by Whisper | Open source: MIT | Free (open source, MIT) ✓ checked | Desktop app built on Whisper | source 2026-10-24 | Get Buzz → |
What to know before you switch
- Whisper is the open-source speech-to-text model; Buzz is a desktop app built on it. Both run on your computer, so audio never leaves it.
- They transcribe audio you give them. Check their documentation for recording, speaker labels and summaries before relying on them for meetings.
Where to run it
Open-source models need compute. Your own computer is the cheapest way to start. If it is too small, these are two providers to look at. We have not tested either one.
Disclosure: some links on this page are, or may become, affiliate links. If you buy through one we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which tools we list or how they rank. Details.
- Your own computer: small models run on a recent laptop; image and video models want a GPU or lots of memory.
- GPU cloud, pay as you go: Runpod rents GPUs by the hour for larger models and image generation. This is a referral link: if you sign up and use it, Runpod gives us platform credits (not cash) and may give you a credit bonus after you add funds.
- A server for self-hosted apps: DigitalOcean rents cloud servers for tools such as n8n, Open WebUI or Dify. Plain link, no affiliate relationship yet.
Check each provider's current pricing and referral terms before you commit.
Want it hosted or easier? Paid options
Self-hosting and free plans take setup time or have limits. If you would rather pay for a managed service, these fit the same jobs. Sponsored links are marked, and we show the free tier next to each price.
Disclosure: some links on this page are, or may become, affiliate links. If you buy through one we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which tools we list or how they rank. Details.
| Tool | Paid entry plan | Free tier | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otter.ai Meeting transcription and notes | Pro $16.99/mo ($8.33/mo billed yearly) ✓ checked | Yes: 300 transcription minutes/month; 3 lifetime file imports | See Otter.ai plans → |
| Fireflies.ai Meeting notes with CRM integrations | Pro $18/mo ✓ verified | Yes: Unlimited transcription, limited AI summaries, 400 min storage, 20 AI credits | See Fireflies.ai plans → |
| Fathom Free AI meeting notetaker | Free for individuals; Team $19/user/mo ($15 billed yearly) ✓ verified | Yes: Unlimited recordings and instant call summaries | See Fathom plans → |
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Find local tools for my projectThese are alternatives, not equivalents: we have not benchmarked them against Otter.ai and make no claim about relative quality. Each row links to the source used for its license on the date shown. Otter.ai is a trademark of its owner; we are not affiliated with it. Some links are affiliate links (disclosure); they never change what we list.