# Otter.ai vs Fireflies.ai (2026) - Verdict

**Verdict:** both live and price-verified as of Jul 21, 2026. Choose Otter.ai if it starts cheaper, at $16.99/mo against $18/mo. Choose Fireflies.ai if it fits how your team already works; the specifics are below.

Category: AI Meeting Notes & Scheduling · Verified: Jul 21, 2026

## Choose Otter.ai if

- it starts cheaper, at $16.99/mo against $18/mo.

Link: https://verdict.tools/go/otter-ai (rel="sponsored nofollow")

## Choose Fireflies.ai if

- it fits how your team already works; the specifics are below.

Link: https://verdict.tools/go/fireflies-ai (rel="sponsored nofollow")

## What each one is

**Otter.ai.** Otter.ai transcribes meetings in real time across Zoom, Teams, and Meet, adds speaker identification, and layers a chat that answers questions within and across meetings. It sits at a low per-seat price with a free tier. Note that Otter is currently flagged on Verdict as degrading following privacy litigation, tracked with dated sources on its signals page.
Sources: Otter pricing (https://otter.ai/pricing)

**Fireflies.ai.** Fireflies records and transcribes meetings across Zoom, Meet, Teams, and other platforms, with transcription in a wide range of languages and search that can jump to a specific sentence and timestamp months later. It connects to CRMs and collaboration tools and layers on assistants such as AskFred. It fits teams that meet across several platforms and want one searchable, integrated record.
Sources: Fireflies pricing (https://fireflies.ai/pricing)

## Side by side

| Metric | Otter.ai | Fireflies.ai |
|---|---|---|
| From $/mo | $16.99 | $18 |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2016 | 2016 |
| Best for | solo & SMB & enterprise | solo & SMB & enterprise |
| Status | Live | Live |

All figures = lowest paid monthly plan · verified Jul 21, 2026.

## Where they differ

**Price.** Otter.ai is the cheaper entry at $16.99/mo, versus $18/mo for Fireflies.ai.

**Free access.** Both Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai offer a permanent free tier.

**Track record.** Otter.ai has been operating since 2016; Fireflies.ai since 2016. A longer survival record matters.

## FAQ

### Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai - which is better in 2026?
Both are live and price-verified as of Jul 21, 2026. Choose Otter.ai if it starts cheaper, at $16.99/mo against $18/mo. Choose Fireflies.ai if it fits how your team already works; the specifics are below.

### Is Otter.ai cheaper than Fireflies.ai?
Otter.ai has the lower entry price - from $16.99/mo vs $18/mo (verified Jul 21, 2026).

### Does Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai have a free tier?
Both Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai offer a permanent free tier.

### Are Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai still maintained?
Yes - both are live as of Jul 21, 2026, with no official sunset announced for either.

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Canonical: https://verdict.tools/vs/otter-ai-vs-fireflies-ai