Otter.ai vs Fireflies.ai: which is right for your business?
Choose Otter if you want clean live transcription and summaries for English-language meetings, with a simple app that also records in-person conversations well. Choose Fireflies if you need wider language coverage, deeper CRM and workflow integrations, or conversation analytics for sales and customer teams. Both join Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet as a bot and produce searchable transcripts and AI summaries. For Australian use, the bigger issue is consent: both can join calls automatically, and state recording laws plus the Privacy Act mean you must configure announcements and tell participants.
Last reviewed October 2026
Side-by-side comparison
| Otter.ai | Fireflies.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| Best at | Live English transcription and summaries, including in-person meetings recorded on a phone. | Searchable meeting records with analytics and integrations for sales and customer teams. |
| Plan structure | Free Basic plan, Pro, per-seat Business and Enterprise. | Free plan, Pro, Business and Enterprise, with transcription and AI credits on paid tiers. |
| Languages | English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese. | English plus major European languages, with many more in beta. |
| Meeting platforms | Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, plus the mobile app for in-person recording. | Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and other platforms through a bot or Chrome extension. |
| Integrations | Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack and Zapier, plus API access on higher tiers. | A wide range of CRM, project management and collaboration integrations, plus an API. |
| AI features | Meeting agent that answers questions, plus specialised agents for sales and recruiting. | AskFred assistant, topic tracking and conversation analytics. |
| Team and admin controls | SSO, SCIM and domain capture on higher tiers. | SSO, SCIM, custom data retention and private storage on Enterprise. |
| Data storage and training | Data is stored in the United States; check training and retention settings for your plan. | Data is stored in the United States by default; Fireflies says it does not train on customer data. |
| Consent record | Faces a US class action alleging its notetaker recorded people without proper consent. | Auto-join can also record external guests unless settings are changed. |
Choose Otter.ai if…
- →Most meetings are in English and you want accurate live captions
- →You record in-person meetings, lectures or interviews on a phone
- →You want a simple tool for individuals or small teams
- →Recruiters or sales staff want ready-made agents for their workflows
Choose Fireflies.ai if…
- →Your meetings include languages beyond Otter's supported set
- →Sales or customer success teams want call analytics and CRM updates
- →You need custom data retention or private storage on an enterprise plan
- →You use a meeting platform beyond Zoom, Teams and Meet
For Australian businesses
Recording laws differ by state and territory, and some require every participant's consent, so turn off silent auto-join and make sure the notetaker announces itself. Transcripts often contain personal information under the Privacy Act 1988, and both services store data in the United States by default, which triggers APP 8 cross-border obligations. Set retention periods, restrict sharing of recordings, and avoid using either for health, legal or HR conversations without a risk assessment. Both bill in US dollars.
Our verdict
Otter is the better pick for English-speaking teams that want accurate live transcription and simple summaries, including for in-person conversations. Fireflies is the better pick for sales and customer teams that want analytics, broad integrations and more languages. Both store data overseas and both can join meetings automatically, so the deciding factor in Australia is often how well you can control consent, retention and sharing. Trial each on real meetings with recording announcements turned on.
Full reviews
Otter.ai
Free plan + paidMeetings
An AI meeting assistant that records, transcribes and summarises meetings. Its notetaker can join Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet calls automatically, identify speakers, capture action items and answer questions about past conversations.
Best for: Sales teams capturing call notes into their CRM
Otter.ai review →Fireflies.ai
Free plan + paidMeetings
An AI meeting assistant that joins video calls to record, transcribe and summarise them. It works with Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams, extracts action items, makes past meetings searchable and can push notes into CRMs and Slack.
Best for: Small teams wanting automatic notes from internal and client meetings
Fireflies.ai review →
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to use Otter or Fireflies in Australian meetings?
Usually, if participants know and agree. Surveillance and listening device laws vary by state and territory, and some require consent from all parties. Announce the notetaker, include a notice in invitations, and stop recording if anyone objects.
Do Otter and Fireflies store data in Australia?
No. Both store meeting data in the United States by default. Fireflies offers private storage on Enterprise plans. Review each vendor's privacy policy and data processing terms, and mention overseas storage in your own privacy policy.
Which is more accurate?
Both are accurate on clear English audio. Australian accents, crosstalk and poor microphones reduce accuracy for both. Fireflies supports more languages, while Otter is strong on live English captions. Test each with your own recordings before deciding.
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Still deciding?
AI Lab Australia can trial both tools against your own documents and workflows, and set up the one that fits with the right privacy controls.