Fireflies vs Otter
Fireflies
AI meeting assistant for automated transcription and searchable conversation intelligence
Publishers using it: 1
Otter
Your AI notetaker is now also your Conversational Knowledge Engine
Publishers using it: 1
Last verified Nov 11, 2026
At a glance
- Fireflies scores 2.7/5 and Otter scores 2.9/5 in Benchmark Grid's independent transcription software benchmark, both assessed on the same 10 criteria.
- The widest gaps are security & data retention (Fireflies 4.5, Otter 2.7) and transcription accuracy (Fireflies 3.2, Otter 4.8); they are within 0.3 on 2 of 10 criteria.
- Both are built for small and mid-market publishers.
- On total cost of ownership Fireflies scores 4.5 and Otter 4.0 (higher means better value, not a lower price).
- In our tracking 1 publishers use Fireflies and 1 use Otter.
- Scores last verified 11 Nov 2026. Vendors cannot pay for a score or a position.
Where they differ
Fireflies is stronger on security & data retention (4.5 vs 2.7) and audio and video input support (3.8 vs 2.8).
Otter is stronger on transcription accuracy (4.8 vs 3.2) and editing & verification workflow (3.8 vs 2.8).
Which one fits
Choose Fireflies if…
- You publish at small and mid-market scale.
- You weight security & data retention, audio and video input support and language coverage & translation heavily — Fireflies leads on those in this benchmark.
Choose Otter if…
- You publish at small and mid-market scale.
- You weight transcription accuracy, editing & verification workflow and turnaround & real-time heavily — Otter leads on those in this benchmark.
Also weighing these
The nearest-scored tools to Fireflies and Otter in this benchmark, listed A to Z.
- 2.7GrainAI-powered meeting intelligence for capturing highlights and automating interview note-takingRead review
- 2.7NottaMultilingual AI transcription tool for real-time meeting notes and automated summariesRead review
- 2.8SpeakUnderstand every conversation: the words, the voice, and the visuals.Read review
- 2.9TaptionAI-powered transcription and translation platform optimized for high-speed video localization and CJK languages.Read review
All 12 scored tools are in Best Transcription Software.
Who uses them
Publishers we have detected running each tool, from ads.txt, site code and published case studies. Agencies, brands and vendors are excluded.
Fireflies · 1
Otter · 1
Head to head
| Criterion | Fireflies | Otter |
|---|---|---|
| Transcription accuracy18% of capability | 3.2 | 4.8 |
| Editing & verification workflow12% of capability | 2.8 | 3.8 |
| Language coverage & translation12% of capability | 3.8 | 3.0 |
| Integrations & API10% of capability | 4.6 | 4.2 |
| Newsroom features10% of capability | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Turnaround & real-time10% of capability | 4.2 | 4.8 |
| Output formats8% of capability | 3.2 | 3.0 |
| Security & data retention8% of capability | 4.5 | 2.7 |
| Speaker identification8% of capability | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| Audio and video input support4% of capability | 3.8 | 2.8 |
| Capability45% of composite | 3.7 | 3.9 |
| Publisher fit40% of composite | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| Total cost of ownership15% of composite | 4.5 | 4.0 |
Cost of ownership
| Sub-score | Fireflies | Otter |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 4.8 | 4.3 |
| Entry cost | 4.9 | 4.3 |
| Implementation cost | 4.8 | 4.3 |
| Hidden-fee risk | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| Ongoing cost | 4.5 | 4.2 |
Fireflies pricing
Free tier available; Pro plan at $10/user/mo, Business plan at $19/user/mo (billed annually), and Enterprise at $39/user/mo.
Otter pricing
Free Basic tier (300 mins/mo); Pro from $16.99/mo ($8.33 billed annually); Business $30/mo monthly or $19.99/user/mo billed annually; custom Enterprise pricing.
What users say
Fireflies
5 positive · 0 neutral · 1 negative
Otter
1 positive · 4 neutral · 2 negative
Mentions we could not tie to a real user, and those flagged as promotional, are excluded. Sentiment is opinion, and is independent of the verified publisher adoptions above.
Fireflies scores 2.7 and Otter scores 2.9 in Benchmark Grid's independent Best Transcription Software benchmark (benchmarkgrid.com/vs/fireflies/otter, verified Nov 11, 2026)
Common questions
How do Fireflies and Otter differ?
Fireflies is stronger on security & data retention (4.5 vs 2.7) and audio and video input support (3.8 vs 2.8). Otter is stronger on transcription accuracy (4.8 vs 3.2) and editing & verification workflow (3.8 vs 2.8). Neither is better in the abstract — which one suits you depends on which of those dimensions carries the most weight in your operation.
Which is cheaper, Fireflies or Otter?
On total cost of ownership — pricing transparency, entry cost, implementation, hidden-fee risk and ongoing cost — Fireflies scores 4.5/5 and Otter scores 4.0/5. A higher score means better value, not a lower sticker price.
How are these scores calculated?
Each tool is assessed against its category's published criteria (10 in this benchmark), which make up Capability (45% of the composite), Publisher fit (40%) and Total cost of ownership (15%). Assessment is carried out by SODP's editorial team against a published methodology. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, scores or positions.
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Both tools are scored in Best Transcription Software. See alternatives to Fireflies or alternatives to Otter.
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Where to next
Related comparisons
Other head-to-heads publishers look at in Best Transcription Software.
