Looking for an Otter.ai alternative? When Otter fits, and when it doesn't
Short answer
As of October 2026, Otter.ai suits live English meetings, but its free plan caps conversations at 30 minutes and allows 3 file imports in total. Dolcenota fits recordings you upload, detects English and Spanish automatically, and has a free plan with 60 minutes a month; Plus is $7.99 for 400 minutes.
Otter.ai is one of the best-known meeting note-takers, and for many people it's the right choice. If most of your meetings are live, in English, on Zoom, Google Meet or Teams, Otter does that job well.
People usually look for an alternative for one of three reasons: their recordings are in Spanish or mix Spanish and English, they mostly work with files they already have (voice memos, interviews, classes), or they hit the free plan's limits. Here are Otter's current limits, stated plainly, and when Dolcenota is a better fit.
What Otter is great at
- Live notes: Otter transcribes while the meeting is happening, so you can follow along and highlight moments.
- A meeting assistant that can join your Zoom, Google Meet or Teams calls and take notes for you.
- A generous free allowance for live meetings: 300 minutes a month.
Otter's plans and limits (as of October 2026)
These are Otter's list prices and limits from its pricing page. Otter sometimes runs discounts, so check the page before you buy.
| Otter plan | What you get |
|---|---|
| Basic (free) | 300 min/month, up to 30 min per conversation, 3 file imports in total (lifetime) |
| Pro | $16.99/month, or $8.33/month billed yearly. 1,200 min/month, up to 90 min per conversation, 10 imports/month |
| Business | $30/month, or $19.99/month billed yearly. Up to 4 hours per conversation, up to 6,000 min/month of imported files |
Where Otter falls short for some people
Language is set per account, not detected per recording. Otter transcribes a handful of languages, including English, Spanish and French, but its help center says it works in one language at a time, chosen in your settings before you record. Mixing is only supported for French and English, so a call that switches between Spanish and English won't come out well.
Uploaded files are rationed. The free plan allows three imports for the life of the account, and each conversation is capped at 30 minutes. A one-hour interview or a two-hour class you recorded on your phone doesn't fit the free plan, and Pro still caps conversations at 90 minutes.
Otter vs. Dolcenota at a glance
| Feature | Otter.ai | Dolcenota |
|---|---|---|
| Live notes during a call | Yes | No, you record or upload, then get the text in minutes |
| Joins your calls | Yes, a meeting assistant | No bot joins calls |
| Spanish and English | One language per account setting | Detected automatically per recording; mixed calls work |
| Uploaded files (free) | 3 imports total, 30 min each | No file-count cap; files share the 60 min/month |
| Edit transcript text | Yes | No (export to Word and edit there) |
| Entry paid plan | Pro $16.99/month | Plus $7.99/month, 400 min |
When Dolcenota is the better fit
Dolcenota is built for recordings you already have or record yourself in the browser, in English or Spanish. You upload an mp3, m4a, WhatsApp voice note or a video file (only the audio is transcribed), up to 4 hours and 2 GB per file. The language is detected automatically, speakers are separated (Speaker 1, Speaker 2, until you rename them), and every line has a timestamp.
Then you get a summary that adapts to the recording: decisions and action items by person for a meeting, key concepts for a class. It translates between English and Spanish with one tap. You can also ask questions about the recording and export TXT, PDF or Word.
If you need live notes or a bot in every meeting, stay with Otter. If your work is uploaded files, Spanish or bilingual recordings, or long sessions, Dolcenota will likely serve you better.
Frequently asked questions
Is Otter.ai free?
Otter has a free Basic plan with 300 minutes a month, a 30-minute limit per conversation and 3 file imports in total, as of October 2026.
Does Otter.ai work in Spanish?
Yes, Spanish is one of its transcription languages. You choose the language in your account settings before recording, and it transcribes one language at a time.
Can Dolcenota transcribe a meeting that mixes English and Spanish?
Yes. The language is detected automatically, and recordings that switch between both work, though accuracy can vary in the switched passages.
Does Dolcenota join my Zoom calls like Otter?
No. There's no bot. You record in the browser or upload the call recording afterward.
How much does Dolcenota cost?
Free is 60 minutes a month with every feature and no card. Plus is $7.99 a month for 400 minutes, Pro $14.99 for 1,000 and Power $29.99 for 2,500.
Try it with a recording you already have
Upload an interview, class or call in English or Spanish and get the transcript, a summary and answers in minutes. Free to start, no card needed.
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