Otter vs Fireflies
Otter vs Fireflies: both send a bot into the meeting to record, store everything in the cloud, and offer AI summaries on top of the transcript. The real differences are in free-tier minute caps, per-seat pricing at scale, and integration depth — Fireflies leans more toward CRM and sales workflows, Otter leans more toward general-purpose transcription and mobile capture.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Otter | Fireflies |
|---|---|---|
| Bot joins the call as a visible participant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free tier | 300 transcription min/month | Unlimited transcription, 400 min storage |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android | iOS and Android |
| CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot) | Limited | Deep |
| AI chat over transcripts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live transcription during the call | ✓ | ✓ |
| Team workspace / shared library | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Per-user, tiered | Per-user, tiered |
| Best suited for | General transcription, mobile capture | Sales teams, CRM workflows |
When to choose Otter
Choose Otter if your meetings are not primarily sales-focused and you want a strong general-purpose transcription tool with a well-established mobile app for capturing in-person conversations. Otter's AI chat feature for querying past transcripts is mature, and its broad user base means more third-party guides and integrations exist around it.
When to choose Fireflies
Choose Fireflies if your workflow is centered on sales calls that need to flow into a CRM automatically. Its Salesforce and HubSpot integrations are deeper than Otter's, and its shared team library is well-suited to sales managers who need to review rep calls at scale. Fireflies' free tier allows unlimited transcription but caps storage at 400 minutes per team, which behaves differently from a monthly minute allowance depending on how you record.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Otter and Fireflies?
Both are cloud-based, bot-driven meeting transcription tools with AI summaries, so the core mechanics are similar. The practical differences are in free-tier limits (minutes for Otter, storage for Fireflies), integration depth (Fireflies has deeper CRM sync), and which use case each product is optimized around — Otter for general transcription, Fireflies for sales workflows.
Which has better CRM integration, Otter or Fireflies?
Fireflies. Its Salesforce and HubSpot integrations are more developed and are commonly cited as a primary reason sales teams choose it over Otter. Otter offers integrations as well, but they are generally considered less deep for CRM-specific workflows.
Do both Otter and Fireflies have bots that join meetings?
Yes. Both send a visible bot participant into your Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams call. Neither offers an invisible or bot-free recording option.
Which has a more generous free tier, Otter or Fireflies?
They cap usage differently, which makes a direct comparison dependent on your habits. Otter allows 300 transcription minutes per month on its free Basic plan. Fireflies allows unlimited transcription on its free plan but caps storage at 400 minutes per team and includes 20 AI credits. Check each provider's current plan page, since these limits are adjusted periodically.
Is Otter or Fireflies better for a sales team?
Fireflies is generally the stronger fit for sales teams specifically, due to its more mature CRM sync and shared call library built with sales workflows in mind. Otter is more general-purpose and works well for sales too, but is not specifically optimized around it.
Do Otter and Fireflies both offer live transcription?
Yes, both provide real-time transcription that appears while the meeting is in progress, in addition to a post-meeting AI summary.
Where MeetWave Fits In
Otter and Fireflies are architecturally similar — both are cloud-first, bot-based tools competing mainly on integration depth and price. If a visible bot in your meetings or cloud-only storage is the actual concern, MeetWave is built differently: no bot joins the call, and processed summaries are stored locally rather than kept permanently on a vendor's servers.