Vida vs Otter.ai: an Otter alternative for Mac
Otter.ai is a cloud notetaker. Its notetaker can join your Zoom, Teams or Google Meet call, and its Mac and Windows desktop app records without a bot. Either way, transcripts are made on Otter's servers. Vida records the meeting on your Mac, screen included if you want it, and transcribes it there too, with nothing uploaded. Vida does not write AI summaries; Otter does.
Vida vs Otter.ai: an Otter alternative for Mac
| Vida | Otter.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | VidaRecording free. Vida Pro €29.99 once (Spain price) | Otter.aiBasic free. Pro $16.99 per month, or $8.33 per month billed yearly |
| Free plan | VidaUnlimited recording and 5 complete transcriptions | Otter.ai300 transcription minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation, 3 file imports |
| Joins the meeting | VidaNo. Records from your Mac | Otter.aiIts notetaker joins Zoom, Teams and Google Meet. The desktop app records without a bot |
| Where transcription runs | VidaOn your Mac | Otter.aiOn Otter's servers |
| Screen recording | VidaYes, with system audio and microphone | Otter.aiNot listed on Otter's pricing page |
| AI summaries | VidaNo | Otter.aiYes, written and shared automatically |
| Platforms | VidaMac (macOS 14 or later) | Otter.aiWeb, Mac and Windows apps, iOS, Android and a Chrome extension |
Choose Vida if / Choose Otter.ai if
Choose Vida if
- You do not want the meeting uploaded to be transcribed.
- You need the screen recorded, not only the audio.
- You want live proof that every source is recording.
- You prefer to pay once instead of a monthly subscription.
Choose Otter.ai if
- You want AI summaries and notes shared with your team automatically.
- You work on Windows, the web or your phone as well as a Mac.
- You are comfortable with transcripts processed and stored in the cloud.
Try both
Vida Free records without limits and includes five complete transcriptions, so you can run it next to Otter.ai on a few real meetings before deciding.
Questions
Does Vida join my meetings like Otter's notetaker?
No. Vida records the sound your Mac plays and your microphone, so nothing joins the call. Otter's desktop app can also record without a bot; the difference is that Vida transcribes on your Mac. Tell participants yourself that you are recording.
Does Vida upload recordings to transcribe them?
No. Transcription runs on your Mac. Vida downloads its speech models from Hugging Face the first time you transcribe, and never uploads your audio or transcripts.
Can Vida summarize meetings like Otter?
No. Vida gives you the recording and a transcript with speaker labels, exported as Text, Markdown, SRT or WebVTT.
Sources
Competitor details come from each product's own website, checked on 25 September 2026, with prices in the currency they list. Products change: if something here is out of date, email vida@amodabath.com and we will correct it.
Otter.ai is a trademark of its owner. Vida is not affiliated with or endorsed by Otter.ai.
Record the meeting. See that it's working. Keep it private.
Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Apple Silicon recommended for transcription.