An Otter alternative with no meeting bot and no upload by default
Otter is a cloud meeting assistant: it joins your calls as a bot (or records through its desktop app) and transcribes the audio on Otter's servers. jotty.pro takes the other route. It records the meeting tab you already have open and, in the membership, transcribes it on your device, in the browser. Nothing to install, and no participant named "Notetaker" in the call.
At a glance
| Option | Otter | jotty.pro |
|---|---|---|
| How it captures a meeting | A bot joins the call, or its desktop app | Records the meeting tab, your mic, or your screen from the browser |
| Where audio is transcribed | Otter's cloud | On your device by default; or a provider you pick, on your own key |
| Install | Desktop app for bot-less use | None: a browser tab in Chrome or Edge |
| Your own AI key | No | Yes, nine providers, chosen per task |
| Price | Paid plans from $16.99 a month (monthly) | $1.99 a month or $18.99 a year, every feature included |
| Free option | Free plan | Free preview with no account |
Where they differ
The bot in the call
Otter's default is a bot that joins the meeting as a participant. Some hosts and guests are fine with that; others ask what it is, or say less while it's there. jotty.pro never joins the call. You press Record in your own tab, and nobody sees anything in the participant list.
Where the audio goes
Otter transcribes in its cloud, so the full recording leaves your laptop. In the jotty.pro membership, transcription runs in the browser on your device. When you want a stronger model or speaker labels, you can send a recording or a passage to a provider you choose, on your own API key, under that provider's terms. You decide per task.
Who picks the model
Otter chooses the models it runs. With jotty.pro you can stay on-device, or route transcription to one provider and summaries to another: OpenAI, Groq, Deepgram, Google Gemini, Mistral, xAI, DeepSeek, Hugging Face or Ollama.
When Otter is the better choice
- Your team wants shared notes in one workspace, with admin controls.
- You want a bot to join every calendar meeting automatically, with zero clicks.
- You need your notes on your phone and every other device. jotty.pro keeps data on the device you recorded on.
When jotty.pro fits better
- A bot in the call is a dealbreaker for you, your clients or your company.
- You need to answer "where does the recording go?" in one sentence.
- You work alone and don't want to pay per seat.
Honest answers
Is on-device transcription as accurate as Otter?
For clear audio it is good. For long, dense calls or speaker labels, cloud providers are still better, and we say so. Add your own key and route just those calls to a provider.
Can I try it next to Otter?
Yes. The free preview runs in your browser with no account. Record the same meeting in both and compare.
Can I import my Otter transcripts?
Paste or import the text of a transcript into a note, and it becomes searchable with the rest of your workspace.
Otter details were checked on September 3, 2026 from otter.ai/pricing and otter.ai/privacy-security. Prices change; check Otter's site for current plans.