- What Otter Basic includes
- Otter Basic vs Otter Pro
- The 30-minute rule nobody reads
- Two more limits worth knowing
- How to use Otter for free
- Tell people you're recording
- What happens if you try Pro and go back
- Who Otter Basic suits
- Getting more from 300 minutes
- Is Otter Basic enough for a small business?
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, Otter AI is free. Otter's Basic plan is free to use for as long as you like, with 300 transcription minutes a month, but each conversation is capped at 30 minutes and you can only import three audio or video files in total.
Otter is one of the best-known AI note takers for Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet. The free plan is generous enough to test fully. The limit that catches people out is the 30-minute cap, because most business meetings run longer than that.
What Otter Basic includes
Otter's plans page lists these on the free Basic plan:
- 300 transcription minutes a month.
- Live transcription with speaker identification and audio playback.
- Works with Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.
- AI Chat within and across your meetings.
- iOS and Android apps, plus desktop apps for Mac and Windows.
- Multi-language support.
- 3 lifetime audio or video file imports.
Otter Basic vs Otter Pro
| Feature | Basic (free) | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly transcription | 300 minutes | 1,200 in-app recording minutes |
| Length per conversation | 30 minutes | Up to 90 minutes a meeting |
| File imports | 3 in total, ever | 10 monthly |
| Conversation history | 25 most recent | Unlimited storage |
| Integrations | Meeting apps | Adds Salesforce, HubSpot and Zapier |
| Export and advanced search | Not listed | Yes |
The 30-minute rule nobody reads
Otter's help centre explains that on Basic, each conversation and each import has a 30-minute limit. Here's the tricky part: if you go over, the recording doesn't stop. It keeps going, but you can only see the first 30 minutes of the transcript.
So in an hour-long client call, you'd walk away thinking Otter caught everything, then find the second half missing. If your meetings run long, either split them or accept you'll only have notes for the first half hour.
Two more limits worth knowing
The first is how minutes are counted. Otter says deleted conversations still count towards your 300 monthly minutes, so deleting a test recording doesn't give you the time back. When you hit the limit, you can't record or import until your next monthly cycle.
The second is history. On Basic you can see your 25 most recent conversations. Older ones are archived automatically. Otter says they stay in your account and aren't deleted, but you can't open them on the free plan. And the three file imports are lifetime, not monthly, so save them for recordings that matter.
How to use Otter for free
- Sign up at otter.ai and choose the Basic plan.
- Connect your calendar so Otter can join Zoom, Teams or Meet calls.
- Keep meetings under 30 minutes, or split long ones in two.
- Review the transcript and use AI Chat to pull out actions.
- Copy anything important into your own notes before it drops out of your 25 most recent.
If you only need the odd transcript, my guide on how to transcribe a Zoom meeting covers other ways to do it.
Tell people you're recording
Otter's higher plans list features such as a recording disclaimer email and Teams recording permission capture, which tells you how much this matters. Whatever plan you use, let people know an AI note taker is in the call, and check your client contracts first. My piece on AI meeting note taker risks for small businesses goes into what can go wrong.
What happens if you try Pro and go back
Otter's help centre says your conversations stay in your account if you cancel, downgrade or change your plan. They're only deleted if you delete them, delete your account or a workspace admin deletes the account. Going back to Basic just means you can open your 25 most recent conversations again, with the rest archived.
Who Otter Basic suits
It suits freelancers and small business owners with short calls, such as discovery calls, quick check-ins and stand-ups. It's also a good way to test whether an AI note taker fits how you work before you commit to anything.
It's a poor fit for long workshops, interviews or podcast recordings, because of the 30-minute cap and the three lifetime imports.
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Getting more from 300 minutes
- Only let Otter join the calls where you need notes, rather than every meeting on your calendar.
- Turn it on for the part of the call with decisions and actions, not the small talk.
- Don't use test recordings, because deleted conversations still count towards the limit.
- Keep your three lifetime imports for recordings you can't redo, like a client interview.
Is Otter Basic enough for a small business?
For short calls, often yes. If your discovery calls and check-ins run under 30 minutes, 300 minutes a month covers about ten of them. Once your calls run longer or you need exports and integrations with tools like HubSpot or Zapier, that's when Otter's own comparison points you towards Pro.
One more practical point: Otter says Basic includes speaker identification and audio playback, so you can click into a transcript and hear the exact moment someone said something. That's useful when you need to check a figure or a promise before you write a follow-up email.
My verdict: Otter AI is free and Basic is a fair way to try it. Just know the 30-minute rule before your first long call, save your three imports for recordings that count, and copy key notes out before they slip past your 25 most recent.
Frequently asked questions
Is Otter AI free to use?
Yes. Otter says you can use the Basic free plan as long as you like, with up to 300 transcription minutes a month.
How long can an Otter recording be on the free plan?
On Basic, each conversation and import has a 30-minute limit. Longer recordings keep going, but you can only see the first 30 minutes of the transcript.
How many files can I import on Otter Basic?
You can import up to three audio or video files in total on the Basic free plan.
Do deleted Otter conversations count towards my minutes?
Yes. Otter says deleted conversations still count towards the monthly transcription limit.
What happens to older conversations on Otter Basic?
You can access your 25 most recent conversations. Older ones are archived automatically and stay in your account.
Does Otter Basic work with Zoom?
Yes. Otter's plans page lists Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet on the Basic plan.
Are my Otter conversations deleted if I downgrade?
No. Otter says conversations stay in your account when you cancel, downgrade or change plans. They're only deleted if you delete them, delete your account or a workspace admin deletes it.
