Otter and Fathom are both AI assistants that record and transcribe your meetings. But that’s where the similarity ends. Otter focuses on flexibility with a mobile app and upload capabilities. Fathom focuses on professional video calls with strong CRM integrations. Which one fits your workflow?
Otter in brief
Otter is an AI transcription tool that automatically records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings. The tool works on web, iOS, and Android, allowing you to record in-person conversations via your phone. A unique feature is the ability to upload audio and video files for transcription. OtterPilot can automatically join Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet meetings. The tool offers real-time transcription, so you can read along during the conversation. Recently, Salesforce and HubSpot integrations have been added, plus HIPAA compliance for healthcare customers.
Fathom in brief
Fathom is built for professional video meetings. The tool records conversations via Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet, and generates structured summaries with action items. The free plan offers unlimited recordings and transcriptions, which is exceptional. Fathom integrates seamlessly with CRM systems like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Close. Recently, Fathom introduced ‘bot-free recording’ where the recording remains invisible to participants. The tool supports 38 languages and offers coaching scorecards for sales calls. There is no mobile app available.
Otter vs Fathom: the differences
The biggest difference is in the use case. Otter is a versatile transcription tool you can use anywhere. Download the app, open it during an in-person meeting or interview, and the recording starts. Do you have an audio file from a podcast or lecture? Upload it to Otter for transcription. Fathom can’t do this. The tool works exclusively within video call platforms. No mobile app, no uploads, no in-person recordings. For remote teams that mainly do video calls, that’s not a problem. But if you regularly work offline or want to process old recordings? Then Fathom doesn’t make the cut.
The free plans differ significantly. Otter gives you 300 minutes of transcription per month, with a maximum of 30 minutes per conversation. Additionally, you can only export 5 transcripts and share 3 per month. You can store a maximum of 100 conversations. For occasional use, that’s sufficient, but heavy users will quickly hit these limits. Fathom takes a different approach: unlimited recording, transcription, and storage. The only limitation: you can only process advanced AI summaries 5 times per month. Chronological summaries remain unlimited. For those who have many meetings but don’t need to analyze every conversation deeply, Fathom’s free plan is more generous.
CRM integrations are another difference. Both tools connect to Salesforce and HubSpot, but the implementation differs. Fathom built these connections into the product from the ground up. Meeting notes automatically sync to the right deal or contact. For sales teams, this is valuable: no manual copying of action items. Otter added these integrations later as ‘Agentic AI’ features. They work, but feel less integrated. Fathom wins here for professional sales teams. Otter compensates with broader integrations like Asana and Atlassian for project management.
Then there’s the spam problem. Multiple users complain that Otter sends unsolicited emails to all meeting participants. “Join Otter” invitations that annoy colleagues and clients. Fathom has this issue less, although the bot is visible in meetings. Recently, Fathom introduced ‘bot-free recording’ to solve this completely. For those who value discretion – think client conversations or sensitive meetings – this is relevant. Otter’s aggressive email behavior is a reason for some to switch.
Real-time transcription is unique to Otter. During the recording, you see the text appear live. Useful if you miss something or are hard of hearing. Fathom only transcribes after the conversation ends. For most use cases, this makes little difference, but for accessibility or live reading during interviews, Otter is the better choice.
Pricing compared
Otter’s Pro plan costs € 8.33 per month with annual billing, or € 16.99 monthly. This gives you 1200 transcription minutes per month and removes export and sharing limits. The Business plan (€ 20/month annually, € 30 monthly) is designed for teams and adds admin functions and priority support. Fathom’s Premium plan costs € 15 per month annually or € 19 monthly. This provides unlimited advanced AI summaries, CRM sync, and keyword alerts. The Team Edition costs € 19 per month annually (€ 29 monthly) and adds team permissions and coaching scorecards.
At first glance, Otter seems cheaper at € 8.33 versus € 15. But look at what you’re getting. Otter’s Pro plan still has limits: 1200 minutes per month, 4 hours per conversation. For those who meet daily, that’s tight. Fathom’s Premium is more expensive but offers unlimited recordings and transcriptions. For heavy users, you’ll end up paying more with Otter because you’ll need to upgrade to Business sooner. Fathom wins on value for money for teams that meet frequently. Otter is cheaper for solo users who mainly want the mobile app and upload feature.
Conclusion
Fathom wins this comparison for most users. The free plan is practically unlimited, the paid plans offer more value per euro, and the CRM integrations are better developed. For remote teams that primarily do video calls, Fathom is the logical choice. Choose Otter if you need a mobile app for in-person conversations, want to upload audio files, or real-time transcription during recordings is important. For those specific use cases, Otter is irreplaceable. But for standard meeting transcription in Zoom or Teams? Fathom delivers more bang for your buck.
