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Software · head to head

n8n vs Otter.ai

n8n logo

n8n

Software

The fair-code workflow automation tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Otter.ai logo

Otter.ai

Software

Transcription and meeting notes powered by AI

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: n8n starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions; Otter.ai two separate limits apply at once, a monthly minute allowance and a per conversation cap, so a long meeting can be cut short with allowance remaining
  • They diverge on capability: n8n covers Workflow automation, Otter.ai covers Automatic transcription.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which n8n and Otter.ai actually diverge.

Attributes where n8n and Otter.ai differ
Attributen8nOtter.ai
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Docker, Self-hostedWeb, Ios, Android, Mac
Founded20192016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in n8n

  • Workflow automation
  • Visual editor
  • Conditional execution
  • Looping
  • Error handling
  • Scheduling
  • Webhooks
  • REST API

Only in Otter.ai

  • Automatic transcription
  • Real-time transcription
  • Speaker identification
  • Searchable transcripts
  • Highlights and summaries
  • Sharing
  • Mobile apps
  • Zoom

Both cover

  • Slack
  • GDPR compliant
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

n8n

  • Building AI agents and workflow automation for technical teamsnot Otter.ai
  • Visual workflow design with capability to write custom JavaScript or Python codenot Otter.ai
  • Enterprise deployments with self-hosted or cloud optionsnot Otter.ai
  • Integrating 500+ pre-built applications with custom API connectionsnot Otter.ai

Otter.ai

  • Transcribing meetings and generating summaries automaticallynot n8n
  • Searching and sharing notes from recorded conversationsnot n8n

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

n8n

  • Starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions
  • Starter and Pro tiers restricted to Cloud hosting only, not self-hosted
  • Business tier requires 6 months minimum commitment at €667/month
  • SSO/SAML/LDAP authentication requires Business or Enterprise tier
  • Dedicated support with SLA available only on Enterprise plan

Otter.ai

  • Two separate limits apply at once, a monthly minute allowance and a per conversation cap, so a long meeting can be cut short with allowance remaining
  • The free plan cuts off at 30 minutes per conversation and 300 minutes a month
  • The Pro plan still caps a single conversation at 90 minutes
  • Even unlimited plans cap a conversation at 4 hours
  • Imported file transcription has its own separate monthly limit, at 6,000 minutes on Business
  • Paying monthly rather than annually roughly doubles the rate, from $8.33 to $16.99 on Pro

Pricing, plan by plan

n8n

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the n8n review.

Otter.ai

Free
  • BasicFree
    • 600 minutes transcription
    • 3 searches
    • Basic sharing
  • Pro$10/month
    • 6000 minutes transcription
    • Unlimited searches
    • Team collaboration

Which should you pick?

Choose n8n if

  • You need workflow automation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Docker, Self-hosted.
  • You also want visual editor.
n8n review

Choose Otter.ai if

  • You need automatic transcription.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Mac.
  • You also want real-time transcription.
Otter.ai review

Questions people ask

Is n8n or Otter.ai better?
Neither clearly leads. n8n starts at Free and Otter.ai at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, n8n or Otter.ai?
n8n starts at Free and Otter.ai at Free.
Does n8n or Otter.ai run on more platforms?
n8n runs on Web, Docker, Self-hosted. Otter.ai runs on Web, Ios, Android, Mac.
Can I use n8n for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is n8n best used for?
n8n is most often used for building ai agents and workflow automation for technical teams, visual workflow design with capability to write custom javascript or python code, enterprise deployments with self-hosted or cloud options, integrating 500+ pre-built applications with custom api connections. Of those, building ai agents and workflow automation for technical teams and visual workflow design with capability to write custom javascript or python code are not what Otter.ai is typically brought in for.
What can n8n do that Otter.ai cannot?
n8n covers Workflow automation, Visual editor, Conditional execution, Looping. Otter.ai covers Automatic transcription, Real-time transcription, Speaker identification, Searchable transcripts. Both handle Slack, GDPR compliant, Cloud deployment.
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