PlainScribe and Otter.ai are built for different jobs. PlainScribe transcribes audio and video files you upload, subscription-free at $0.067 per minute ($4 per audio hour), with files auto-deleting after 7 days. Otter.ai is a per-seat subscription focused on live meetings, joining calls as a bot to capture notes. If you have recordings to transcribe rather than meetings to attend, PlainScribe is the cheaper, more private fit.
| | PlainScribe | Otter.ai | | --- | --- | --- | | Primary use | Upload audio/video → transcript | Live meeting notes (joins calls as a bot) | | Pricing | Pay-as-you-go, $0.067/min ($4/hr), no subscription | Free tier + paid Pro/Business per seat | | Free option | 30 free minutes, no card | Free tier with monthly minute cap | | Best input | Recordings, interviews, podcasts, lectures | Zoom/Meet/Teams meetings in real time | | Translation | 47 languages, auto-detected | English-first | | Exports | TXT, CSV, SRT, VTT | TXT, notes; limited caption exports | | Privacy | Files + transcripts auto-delete after 7 days; offline desktop app | Notes retained in account | | Best for | File-based transcription, captions, translation | Recurring live team meetings |
Verdict: Choose PlainScribe when you already have a recording and want a transcript, captions, or translation cheaply and privately. Choose Otter.ai when your need is live meeting capture with calendar integration and a bot that joins calls. They overlap only at the edges.
No bot, no seats, no subscription. Otter charges per seat per month, so a small team multiplies fast and pays even in quiet months. PlainScribe charges per minute processed: a 60-minute interview costs about $4, a 25-minute clip about $1.67. The $10 minimum buys roughly 150 minutes of credit, and paid credits last a full year.
Privacy that holds. PlainScribe auto-deletes uploaded files and transcripts after 7 days, so confidential recordings do not accumulate in a notes archive. For sensitive material, the offline desktop app (about a $49 value) transcribes fully on your machine.
Translation and summaries built in. PlainScribe auto-detects across 47 languages and translates between them, then generates AI summaries ("Smart Notes") from any transcript, useful when you have a long recording but need the key points.
The per-seat trap. Otter's subscription is priced per seat, so a five-person team can owe five monthly fees even if only one person transcribes much. PlainScribe has no seats and no monthly minimum: the whole team draws from one pool of prepaid credit, and you only pay for minutes actually processed. For a team transcribing 10 hours a month, that is about $40 total on PlainScribe rather than several stacked subscriptions.
Check live rates on the pricing page and see all matchups on the comparison hub.
If your day is back-to-back live meetings and you want a bot that joins Zoom, Meet, or Teams, transcribes in real time, and posts summaries to a shared workspace, Otter is purpose-built for that. PlainScribe does not join live calls. If you record the meeting and upload the file afterward, PlainScribe transcribes it for $4/hour with no per-seat fee, but it will not capture the call live.
Does PlainScribe join live meetings like Otter? No. PlainScribe is file-based: you upload a recording and get a transcript. Otter.ai joins live calls as a bot. If you record your meeting and upload it, PlainScribe transcribes it afterward at $0.067/min with no subscription.
Is PlainScribe cheaper than Otter.ai? For variable or per-file work, usually yes. PlainScribe charges only for minutes processed with no per-seat fee, while Otter bills a monthly subscription per seat. A 60-minute recording on PlainScribe costs about $4.
Which has better language support? PlainScribe supports 47 languages for transcription and translation, auto-detected. Otter is primarily English-first, so PlainScribe is the better choice for multilingual or non-English audio.
Does PlainScribe store my transcripts like Otter? No. PlainScribe auto-deletes uploaded files and transcripts after 7 days. For fully local processing of sensitive audio, use the offline desktop app.
Can PlainScribe export captions? Yes. PlainScribe exports SRT and VTT for video captions, plus TXT and CSV. Otter focuses on meeting notes and offers more limited caption exports.
Have a recording to transcribe? Start with 30 free minutes and no credit card. Upload a file, export a transcript or captions, and skip the per-seat subscription. Compare more: PlainScribe vs Rev, PlainScribe vs Sonix, or explore use cases.
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