Otter.ai processes audio in the cloud using AWS infrastructure. Audio recordings and transcripts are stored on Otter's servers. Otter also trains its proprietary AI models on de-identified user audio and transcripts. In contrast, Oaken Notes processes everything on your Mac — audio never leaves your device.

Comparison

Oaken Notes vs Otter.ai

Q: Can I use Oaken Notes without creating an account?

Yes. Oaken Notes requires no account, no email address, and no sign-up. Download the app and start recording immediately. Otter.ai requires account creation with your name, email, and password.

Q: Which is cheaper — Oaken Notes or Otter.ai?

Oaken Notes Free includes unlimited meetings and transcription with 25 AI enhancements per month. Oaken Notes Pro is $9.99/month. Otter.ai's free tier is limited to 300 minutes per month with a 30-minute per-conversation cap. Otter Pro costs $16.99/month (or $8.33/month billed annually).

Q: Does Otter.ai work offline?

No. Otter.ai requires an internet connection because audio is processed in the cloud. Oaken Notes works fully offline — transcription and AI features run on-device using Apple Intelligence and WhisperKit.

Both transcribe your meetings. The difference is where your audio goes. Oaken Notes keeps everything on your Mac. Otter.ai sends it to the cloud.

The key difference

Otter.ai uploads your meeting audio to AWS servers for cloud processing and trains its AI on de-identified recordings. Oaken Notes processes audio entirely on your Mac using Apple Intelligence — your meetings never leave your device.

Feature Comparison

	Oaken Notes	Otter.ai
Audio processing	On-device	Cloud (AWS)
Meeting bot	None	OtterPilot joins call
Account required	No	Yes
Data used for AI training	Never	De-identified data
Works offline	Yes	No
Free tier transcription	Unlimited	300 min/month
Per-meeting limit (free)	None	30 minutes
Apple Intelligence	Yes	No
Platforms	macOS	Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
CRM integrations	No	Salesforce, HubSpot, Zapier

Privacy & Data

Otter.ai processes meeting audio in the cloud. Recordings are uploaded to AWS S3 servers in the United States, encrypted with server-side AES-256. Otter's privacy policy states they train proprietary AI models on de-identified audio recordings and transcripts. While manual human review requires explicit consent, your data does pass through Otter's infrastructure and third-party subprocessors.

Oaken Notes never transmits audio or transcripts anywhere. All processing happens on your Mac using Apple Intelligence (Neural Engine) and WhisperKit (on-device Whisper via CoreML). Your meetings are stored locally in a SQLite database protected by macOS FileVault encryption. There are no servers, no subprocessors, and no data collection of any kind.

Pricing

Oaken Notes

Free — $9.99/mo

Free: unlimited meetings & transcription, 25 AI enhancements/mo
Pro: $9.99/mo or $79.99/yr — unlimited AI, iCloud sync

Otter.ai

Free — $30/mo

Free: 300 min/mo, 30-min cap per meeting
Pro: $16.99/mo ($8.33/mo annual)
Business: $30/mo ($19.99/mo annual)

When to Choose Otter.ai

Otter.ai is a strong choice if you need multi-platform support (Windows, iOS, Android, web), team collaboration features, CRM integrations like Salesforce and HubSpot, or the ability to have a bot join meetings on your behalf. Its cross-meeting AI chat and slide capture features are useful for teams managing high volumes of meetings across different platforms.

When to Choose Oaken Notes

Choose Oaken Notes if privacy is non-negotiable. If you don't want your meeting audio uploaded to the cloud, don't want a bot joining your calls, and don't want to create yet another account — Oaken Notes is built for you. It's ideal for professionals on macOS who value simplicity, unlimited free transcription, offline capability, and the knowledge that their conversations never leave their machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Otter.ai private?

Otter.ai processes audio in the cloud using AWS infrastructure. Recordings and transcripts are stored on Otter's servers. Their privacy policy states they train proprietary AI models on de-identified audio recordings and transcripts. Oaken Notes keeps all audio and transcripts on your Mac — nothing is ever uploaded.

Does Otter.ai use a bot in meetings?

Yes. Otter's AI Notetaker (OtterPilot) joins Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams meetings as a visible participant with the display name "[Your Name] Notetaker (Otter.ai)". The bot requires host permissions and may need to be admitted from the waiting room. Oaken Notes captures audio from your Mac's system audio — no bot joins the call.

Can I use Oaken Notes without creating an account?

Yes. Oaken Notes requires no account, no email, and no sign-up. Download the app and start recording. Otter.ai requires account creation with your name, email, and password before you can use any features.

Which is cheaper — Oaken Notes or Otter.ai?

Oaken Notes Free gives you unlimited meetings and transcription with 25 AI enhancements per month — no minute caps. Otter.ai's free tier limits you to 300 minutes per month with a 30-minute per-conversation cap. Oaken Notes Pro ($9.99/mo) is less expensive than Otter Pro ($16.99/mo or $8.33/mo billed annually).

Does Otter.ai work offline?

No. Otter.ai requires an internet connection for all transcription and AI features since audio is processed in the cloud. Oaken Notes works fully offline — transcription runs on-device using Apple Intelligence and WhisperKit.