Softwr

Software · head to head

Otter.ai vs Grain

Otter.ai logo

Otter.ai

Software

Transcription and meeting notes powered by AI

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Grain logo

Grain

Software

AI meeting highlights and clips

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; Grain no concurrent recording - only one meeting per account at a time
  • They diverge on capability: Otter.ai covers Automatic transcription, Grain covers Auto-recording.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Otter.ai and Grain differ
AttributeOtter.aiGrain
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, MacWeb, Chrome Extension, Desktop Audio Capture
Founded20162018

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 Otter.ai

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

Only in Grain

  • Auto-recording
  • AI highlights
  • Video clips
  • Transcription
  • Notion
  • Browser-extension support

Both cover

  • Zoom
  • Google Meet
  • Slack
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Otter.ai

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

Grain

  • ai tools managementnot Otter.ai
  • Workflow automationnot Otter.ai
  • Reportingnot Otter.ai

Where each one falls short

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

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

Grain

  • No concurrent recording - only one meeting per account at a time
  • No automatic slide capture for presentations
  • Limited video demo context - audio-focused with poor video file support
  • Cannot record in-person meetings
  • No native mobile app
  • Limited admin controls for company-wide automatic recording
  • Free plan limited to 20 recordings if using personal email
  • No automatic file uploads on free tier
  • Lacks advanced sales analytics features of enterprise competitors
  • Limited CRM integration compared to higher-end platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

Otter.ai

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

Grain

Free
  • Free ForeverFree
    • Unlimited meetings up to 45 minutes each
    • AI transcription and notes
    • 90-day history
  • Starter$15/month
    • Unlimited meeting length
    • Unlimited AI highlights
    • Video clip creation
  • Business$33/month
    • All Starter features
    • Advanced team coaching
    • Deeper analytics

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Grain if

  • You need auto-recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome Extension, Desktop Audio Capture.
  • You also want ai highlights.
Grain review

Questions people ask

Is Otter.ai or Grain better?
Neither clearly leads. Otter.ai starts at Free and Grain at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Otter.ai or Grain?
Otter.ai starts at Free and Grain at Free.
Does Otter.ai or Grain run on more platforms?
Otter.ai runs on Web, Ios, Android, Mac. Grain runs on Web, Chrome Extension, Desktop Audio Capture.
Can I use Otter.ai for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Otter.ai best used for?
Otter.ai is most often used for transcribing meetings and generating summaries automatically, searching and sharing notes from recorded conversations. Of those, transcribing meetings and generating summaries automatically and searching and sharing notes from recorded conversations are not what Grain is typically brought in for.
What can Otter.ai do that Grain cannot?
Otter.ai covers Automatic transcription, Real-time transcription, Speaker identification, Searchable transcripts. Grain covers Auto-recording, AI highlights, Video clips, Transcription. Both handle Zoom, Google Meet, Slack, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Grain: Is Grain free?

Grain offers a Free Forever plan with unlimited meetings up to 45 minutes each and 90-day history. Paid plans start at $15/month per user for unlimited meeting length and advanced AI features.

Source
Grain: Does Grain require a bot in meetings?

No. Grain uses bot-less transcription to capture meeting audio without requiring a bot participant, though video recording requires bot participation if you want recording visible.

Source
Grain: What platforms does Grain work with?

Grain integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and supports desktop audio capture. It exports to Claude, ChatGPT, Slack, and CRM platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce.

Source
Grain: Can Grain record multiple meetings at once?

No. Grain does not support concurrent meeting recordings, meaning only one meeting per account can be recorded at a time.

Source
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Related pages

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