Comparison
Otter vs Fathom
Otter vs Fathom: Otter treats the transcript as the product — searchable, exportable, with a chat interface to query it. Fathom treats the call summary as the product, built specifically around sales conversations with a genuinely unlimited free tier. If you need an accurate, standalone transcript for any kind of meeting, Otter is the stronger fit; if you need a fast sales call summary, Fathom is closer to what you actually want out of the box.
Updated 25 Sep 2026
Feature Comparison
| Otter | Fathom | |
|---|---|---|
| Bot joins the call as a visible participant | Optional: bot-free desktop app for Mac and Windows | Optional on Mac (bot-free beta); bot on Windows |
| Core product focus | Transcript & search | Sales call summary |
| Free tier | 300 min/month | Unlimited recordings, basic features |
| Mobile recording app | iOS and Android | iOS app announced, not yet available |
| Live transcription during the call | Yes | Live summaries in desktop app |
| CRM integrations | Limited | Yes |
| AI chat over transcripts | Yes | No |
| General-purpose (non-sales) meetings | Strong | Weak |
| Video recording | Business tier and above | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per-user, tiered | Free tier, then flat paid plan |
Which one fits you
When to choose Otter
Choose Otter if you need a reliable, searchable transcript for a wide range of meeting types — lectures, interviews, general business meetings, not just sales calls. Otter's iOS and Android apps let you capture in-person conversations or phone calls on the go; Fathom has no mobile app yet (an iOS app is announced but not yet available). If querying past transcripts conversationally through an AI chat interface is valuable to your workflow, Otter has built that feature out more than Fathom has.
When to choose Fathom
Choose Fathom if your calls are specifically sales conversations and you want a summary structured around deal signals, objections, and next steps rather than a generic transcript. Fathom's free tier is unlimited, which makes it an easy zero-cost starting point if budget is a concern and sales calls are your primary use case. If you want video and screen capture on an entry paid plan, Fathom includes it, while Otter's video replay starts at its Business tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Otter, generally. It is built as a broad transcription tool that works well across meeting types — lectures, interviews, standups, client calls — not just sales conversations. Fathom's AI templates and summary structure are optimized specifically for sales calls, so non-sales meetings get a less relevant output.
Not in the same form. Otter shows a real-time transcript on screen while the meeting is in progress. Fathom's desktop app shows live summaries that update as the call unfolds, plus a scratchpad for your own notes, with the full transcript and summary available after the call ends.
Fathom's free tier is unlimited in terms of number of recordings, though feature-limited. Otter's free tier caps total transcription minutes per month. If you want to record without a monthly minute ceiling, Fathom's free plan is more generous on that specific dimension.
Yes, Otter does. Otter has iOS and Android apps that let you record in-person conversations, lectures, or phone calls, not just video meetings. Fathom has no mobile app yet; an iOS app is announced but not yet available, and there is no Android app.
Both are limited to the major platforms — Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams. Neither captures arbitrary audio sources outside supported video conferencing platforms, though Fathom's desktop app can record its supported calls locally rather than through a bot.
Both offer one, and both have a way around it. Otter's notetaker joins Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet calls, and its desktop app for Mac and Windows records without a bot. Fathom lets you choose per meeting on Mac between a bot, bot-free capture through its desktop app, or a transcript-only mode; on Windows it records through its bot today (checked 25 Sep 2026).
Where MeetWave Fits In
Otter now offers a bot-free desktop app for Mac and Windows alongside its visible-bot mode. Fathom's bot-free capture is Mac-only and in beta; on Windows it still records through its bot. If keeping every meeting bot-free is the requirement, MeetWave records only system audio with no bot option, on any platform, and generates role-specific summaries beyond sales or generic transcript formats. It covers every desktop OS — the Chrome extension records web calls on macOS, Windows, Linux and ChromeOS, and the Windows desktop app adds system-wide audio — though there is no mobile app and no live transcription.
