Otter.ai vs tl;dv (2026)
A head-to-head on price, free access, and staying power. Both live and price-verified as of Sep 8, 2026.
The verdict, first
Otter.ai
- if it is built for individuals and teams wanting low-cost real-time transcription, and that matches your job.
- if you specifically want real-time transcription with cross-meeting AI chat.
- if it starts cheaper, at $16.99/mo against $22/mo.
tl;dv
- if it is built for sales and research teams that revisit and share recordings, and that matches your job.
- if you specifically want timestamped clips and highlight reels from calls, with CRM sync.
- if it is built for solo & SMB teams.
What each one is
Otter.ai
What sets it apart real-time transcription with cross-meeting AI chat
Best for individuals and teams wanting low-cost real-time transcription · Pricing model freemium; per-seat Pro/Business
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
tl;dv
What sets it apart timestamped clips and highlight reels from calls, with CRM sync
Best for sales and research teams that revisit and share recordings · Pricing model freemium; paid tiers by features
tl;dv records and transcribes Zoom, Meet, and Teams calls, then makes them useful after the fact with timestamps, clips, and highlight reels you can share, plus CRM connections. It offers a free tier and leans toward sales and research teams that revisit recordings. It fits teams that want to cut and share meeting moments rather than only read a summary.
Sources tl;dv pricing
Side by side
| Metric | Otter.ai | tl;dv |
|---|---|---|
| From $/mo | $16.99 | $22 |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2016 | 2020 |
| Best for | solo & SMB & enterprise | solo & SMB |
| Status | Live | Live |
ALL FIGURES = LOWEST PAID MONTHLY PLAN · STATUS & PRICE VERIFIED SEP 8, 2026
Where they differ
Price
Otter.ai is the cheaper entry at $16.99/mo, versus $22/mo for tl;dv. Both prices are the lowest paid monthly plan, verified Sep 8, 2026.
Free access
Both Otter.ai and tl;dv offer a permanent free tier - you can trial either at no cost. A permanent free tier lowers the risk of committing before you have validated the fit.
Track record
Otter.ai has been operating since 2016; tl;dv since 2020. For a tool you build a business process on, a longer survival record matters.
Questions of record
Otter.ai or tl;dv - which is better in 2026?
Is Otter.ai cheaper than tl;dv?
Does Otter.ai or tl;dv have a free tier?
Are Otter.ai and tl;dv still maintained?
Get an alert the moment a tool's status changes
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