Otter.ai vs Fathom: free plans and paid tiers compared
Both tools offer a free plan and per-user paid tiers. They draw the free line in different places. This is a pricing-page comparison; we have not recorded meetings with either.
By Give AI Tool · Research methodology
Researched comparison, not hands-on tested · Reviewed 20 Oct 2026 · Open in the comparison tool
The decision this helps with: Is a capped, fully itemised free plan or an uncapped one the better fit for your meetings?
Side by side
| Otter.ai | Fathom | |
|---|---|---|
| Good for | Transcribe meetings | Transcribe meetings, Summarize calls and action items |
| Entry price | From $8.33/user/mo, billed annually, or $16.99 month-to-month | From $15/user/mo (currency not named), billed annually, or $19 (currency not named) month-to-month |
| Billing commitment | Cheapest price needs a yearly payment ($8.33 a month, paid once a year). Month-to-month is $16.99. | Cheapest price needs a yearly payment ($15 a month, paid once a year). Month-to-month is $19. |
| Currency | USD | Shown as "$"; currency not named |
| Pricing model | Per seat or user | Per seat or user |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free-plan limits | 300 monthly transcription minutes; 3 lifetime imports; 30 minutes per conversation; 25 conversations kept; 20 AI Chat queries per month | Unlimited recordings and transcriptions |
| Free trial | Not stated by vendor | Yes |
| What it does |
|
|
| API | Not verified | Yes |
| Main tradeoff | Basic keeps only the 25 most recent conversations and allows 3 lifetime file imports. | Team and Business plans have a 2-user minimum, and the page leaves some "limited use" items unclear. |
| Choose it if | Consider it if your meetings are short and you want every limit stated before you sign up. | Consider it if you take many calls and want to start free. |
| Research status | Researched overview, last checked 20 Oct 2026 | Researched overview, last checked 20 Oct 2026 |
Prices marked "billed annually" are shown per month but are paid once a year. They are not month-to-month prices.
1 row is hidden because no tool in this comparison has a verified value for it.
What actually differs
Free plan limits
Otter's Basic plan lists 300 transcription minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation and 3 lifetime file imports. Fathom's free plan lists unlimited recordings and transcriptions.
Individual paid plans
Otter Pro is $16.99 a month on monthly billing and $8.33 a month on annual billing. Fathom Premium is $20 a month, or $16 a month on annual billing.
Team plans
Otter lists a Business plan at $30 monthly or $19.99 annually per user. Fathom lists Team at $19 and Business at $34 monthly, each with a two-user minimum.
Currency
Otter's page names USD. Fathom's page shows "$" without naming a currency.
Which one to choose
Choose Otter.ai if…
You want every limit itemised on the pricing page, including AI Chat query caps per plan.
Choose Fathom if…
Your priority is a free plan with no stated cap on recordings or transcription.
When either could work, and when neither will
- Either could work: Occasional short calls where you will read the transcript and check the summary yourself. Both list free transcription: Otter 300 minutes a month, Fathom unlimited recordings.
- Look elsewhere if: You need guaranteed accuracy, a specific language or speaker handling (we have not tested either tool), or the participants have not agreed to be recorded.
A fair way to decide
Record the same 10-minute scripted call with invented content in each tool. Compare each summary with your script: count missing decisions, wrong owners and invented facts, and note the minutes you spent correcting it. Choose the one that costs you less editing within its free limits.
We have not run this test. Summary accuracy, speaker handling and Fathom's trial length are unknown.
Not yet verified
Gaps in our research, not claims about either product.
- Otter.ai: Whether a paid-plan trial exists; Enterprise pricing; Terms of promotional prices; API availability.
- Fathom: Free-trial length; Terms of the 90-day guarantee; Which plans each "limited use" item applies to; Currency code.
Try them
Goes to the official site. Not an affiliate link.
Goes to the official site. Not an affiliate link.
Full pages: Otter.ai · Fathom · Affiliate disclosure