Aura Meet vs Otter.ai: Complete 2026 Comparison
We compare Aura Meet vs Otter.ai on privacy, price, features, and experience. Find out which meeting transcription tool is best for you.
If you’re looking for a transcription tool for your meetings, you’ve probably considered Otter.ai. It’s one of the most well-known options, but is it the best for you? Let’s compare.
Pricing
| Plan | Aura Meet | Otter.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 3 meetings/week, unlimited transcription | 300 min/month, word limit |
| Pro | $14.99/month | $16.99/month |
| Business | $39.99/user/month | $30/user/month |
Aura Meet offers a more generous free plan and a cheaper Pro tier. Otter has an advantage on the Business tier for volume.
Privacy
This is the most important difference:
-
Aura Meet: 100% on-device transcription. Your audio never leaves your phone. Only transcribed text is sent (encrypted) when you use cloud features like summaries.
-
Otter.ai: All audio is sent to cloud servers for processing. Otter stores your audio and transcriptions on their servers.
For professionals in healthcare, legal, or finance, this difference is critical.
Meeting bots
-
Aura Meet: No bots. Records from your phone’s microphone. Other participants don’t know you’re using the app.
-
Otter.ai: Adds a bot called “Otter.ai” to your Zoom/Meet call. All participants can see it. Many people find this invasive.
Offline functionality
- Aura Meet: Works without internet. On-device transcription doesn’t need a connection.
- Otter.ai: Requires internet for all features.
Languages
- Aura Meet: 99 languages supported
- Otter.ai: Primarily English, with limited support for Spanish and French
AI Features
| Feature | Aura Meet | Otter.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time transcription | On-device | Cloud |
| Automatic summaries | Yes | Yes |
| Action items | Yes | Yes |
| Copilot/AI Chat | Yes (Ask Aura) | Yes (Otter AI Chat) |
| Speaker diarization | Yes | Yes |
| History search | Yes | Yes |
| PDF export | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar integration | Coming soon | Yes |
Platforms
- Aura Meet: iOS (Android coming soon), Chrome Extension
- Otter.ai: Web, iOS, Android, Chrome Extension
Otter has an advantage in platform availability. Aura Meet is focused on mobile-first.
Which should you choose?
Choose Aura Meet if:
- Privacy is your priority
- You don’t want bots in your meetings
- You need offline transcription
- Your meetings are in languages other than English
- You’re looking for the best price
Choose Otter.ai if:
- You need calendar integration (for now)
- Your team works primarily in English
- You need full web access
- Your company already has a contract with Otter
Conclusion
Aura Meet and Otter.ai are both competent tools, but with different philosophies. Otter bets on the cloud and integrations. Aura Meet bets on privacy, local processing, and a more accessible price. The choice depends on what you value most.