Otter.ai and other transcription tools
What are AI transcription tools?
AI transcription tools automatically convert spoken words into written text. You can record meetings, interviews, lectures, or voice notes, and the AI transcribes everything for you. This saves time compared to manual note-taking and makes it easy to search and reference what was said.
Otter.ai
Otter.ai is one of the most popular AI transcription tools. It offers real-time transcription, speaker identification, and integration with video conferencing platforms.
What it does: Records and transcribes conversations in real time. Identifies different speakers. Lets you search transcripts, highlight key points, and share notes with others.
Best for: Meetings, interviews, lectures, and any situation where you need accurate notes of a conversation.
How to use it: Sign up at Otter.ai, record audio through the app or browser, or connect it to Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. Otter joins meetings automatically and transcribes everything.
Pricing: Free plan includes 300 minutes per month. Pro plan ($10/month) offers 1,200 minutes per month. Business and Enterprise plans available for teams.
Accuracy: Otter is very accurate with clear audio and standard accents. It can struggle with heavy accents, background noise, or technical jargon.
Other transcription tools
Rev.ai: Offers both automated and human transcription services. Automated transcription is pay-per-minute (around $0.25/minute). Human transcription ($1.50/minute) is more expensive but more accurate.
Best for: Projects requiring very high accuracy, like legal or medical transcription.
Visit Rev.ai to try it.
Descript: Combines transcription with audio and video editing. You can edit the transcript and the changes apply to the audio/video file.
Best for: Podcasters, video creators, or anyone who needs to edit recorded content.
Pricing: Free plan with limited features. Paid plans start at $12/month.
Check it out at Descript.
Google Recorder (Android only): Free transcription app from Google that works entirely offline. Transcribes in real time and allows searching through past recordings.
Best for: Android users who want free, private transcription without internet dependency.
Available on Android devices.
Microsoft Word transcription (Microsoft 365): Built into Word, this tool transcribes audio files or live speech directly in a document.
Best for: Microsoft 365 users who want transcription integrated with their documents.
Free with Microsoft 365 subscription.
Using chatbots with transcripts
Once you have a transcript, chatbots can help you work with the content:
AI prompt: "Summarize this meeting transcript in bullet points, highlighting key decisions and action items: [paste transcript]"
AI prompt: "Extract all the questions asked during this interview: [paste transcript]"
AI prompt: "Organize this transcript into main themes or topics discussed: [paste transcript]"
This makes long transcripts more useful by pulling out the most important information quickly.
Tips for better transcriptions
Use good audio quality: Clear audio with minimal background noise produces better transcripts. Use a decent microphone if possible.
Speak clearly: AI transcription works best when people speak at a normal pace without excessive overlapping speech.
Review and edit: Automated transcriptions are rarely perfect. Always review for errors, especially with names, technical terms, or uncommon words.
Add context for jargon: Some tools let you create custom vocabularies. Add industry-specific terms or names to improve accuracy.
When to use transcription tools
Use transcription tools when:
- You need accurate records of meetings or conversations
- You want to search through spoken content later
- You're conducting interviews or research
- You attend lectures or webinars and want notes
- You want to create captions for videos
Skip transcription tools when:
- The conversation is very informal and you don't need a record
- Audio quality is so poor that transcription will be unusable
- You only need a brief summary (in which case, just use a chatbot with a quick voice recording summary)
Privacy considerations
Transcription tools process your audio, which may include sensitive or confidential information. Check the privacy policy before using:
- Some tools store recordings and transcripts on their servers
- Some offer local processing (like Google Recorder) for better privacy
- If discussing confidential information, use tools with strong privacy guarantees or local processing
Related resources
For organizing and analyzing information from transcripts, see NotebookLM for organizing information. Want to use AI for meeting notes more broadly? Check out Voice AI tools for meetings and notes.