Granola vs Otter: bot-free notepad or meeting bot?

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Short version: these two solve the same problem in opposite ways. Granola records your device's audio and never joins the call. Otter sends a notetaker into Zoom, Teams or Meet (and also records live from its phone apps). Which one fits depends on whether you want a bot in the room, how much history you need on the free plan, and what you'll pay per month.

Side by side (as of 2026-10-24)

Promos: Otter's pricing page sometimes shows limited-time discounts for some buyers. We use list prices only. Check the page at checkout.

Two-year cost math

Arithmetic on the list prices above, one user, before tax. Not a measured result.

Granola Business is $14 per user per month, billed monthly. Granola's billing help says annual billing is only on Enterprise. On paper, Otter Pro on annual billing is about $136 cheaper than Granola Business over two years. That gap only matters if Otter's limits (1,200 minutes a month, 90 minutes per meeting) fit how you meet.

Which one fits which situation

• You don't want a bot in the participant list: Granola. It captures device audio, so nothing joins the call. That also means nobody gets an automatic notice, so you have to tell people yourself (see below).
• You want something free that keeps more than a month of notes: neither is great. Granola Basic shows 30 days of history and Otter Basic keeps your 25 most recent conversations. If a free archive matters most, see Granola alternatives for plans that list unlimited storage.
• Your meetings run long: Otter Basic caps each conversation at 30 minutes and Pro at 90 minutes. Granola's pricing page lists no per-meeting cap.
• You want the lower monthly price: Otter Pro on annual billing ($8.33/user/mo) lists lower than Granola Business ($14/user/mo, billed monthly).
• You record in person on your phone: both list mobile apps. Otter lists live transcription in its app. Granola lists iOS, Android and Apple Watch apps.
• Students and teachers: some vendors offer student pricing. Deals change often; check the vendor's site. Granola says it isn't FERPA compliant (per its help center). Schools often have their own recording rules.
• You handle health information: both put HIPAA and a BAA on Enterprise only. Not legal or compliance advice.

Privacy and consent

Recording laws: tell people first. Federal law and most states let you record a conversation you're part of. About 11 states, including California, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Washington, generally require everyone's consent, and a few states mix the rules. Oregon, for example, requires that everyone in an in-person conversation be told it's being recorded, while phone calls need one person's consent (RCFP guide, ORS 165.540). If people are in different states, the stricter law may apply. Rules outside the US differ too, and many employers, schools and clinics have their own policies. A meeting bot showing up in the participant list is a notice, not consent. The same goes for a "this call may be recorded" greeting: it may not tell people that an AI service is transcribing or summarizing the call, so name the AI note taker when you ask. This is general information, not legal advice. If you're unsure, ask a lawyer where you live.

• Bot-free means no automatic notice. Granola doesn't show up in the participant list. Granola's pricing table lists a per-user setting to "Let people know you're using Granola" (admin-enforceable on Enterprise), but you still need to say it out loud.
• Leaving later: Granola's FAQ says its in-app CSV export includes notes, summaries and transcripts. Otter's pricing page lists mp3 and txt export on Basic and more formats on paid plans.
• Bots are visible but not consent. Otter's notetaker shows up in the call. Still ask, especially with outside guests.

A simple way to ask. Start recording first, so your announcement is captured on the recording (Washington law requires that). Then say: "Quick heads-up: I'd like to record this and use an AI note taker to transcribe it, so I don't miss anything. The recording and notes are stored with [tool name]. Is everyone OK with that?" Wait for a clear yes from each person. If anyone says no, stop and delete what you captured. For meetings with outside guests, also put a line in the invite: "This meeting may be recorded and transcribed by an AI note taker. Let me know beforehand if you'd prefer it isn't."

What we did and didn't do

We read the vendor pages below on 2026-10-24. We didn't use Granola or Otter, so nothing here is about transcript accuracy or summary quality.

Sources (checked 2026-10-24)

• Granola pricing: https://www.granola.ai/pricing
• Granola HIPAA help: https://docs.granola.ai/help-center/consent-security-privacy/is-granola-hipaa-compliant
• Granola security, privacy and data FAQ (BAA scope, FERPA, model training default, CSV export): https://docs.granola.ai/help-center/consent-security-privacy/security-privacy-data-faqs
• Otter pricing: https://otter.ai/pricing
• Otter privacy and security FAQ (training): https://otter.ai/privacy-security
• Otter HIPAA help article: https://help.otter.ai/hc/en-us/articles/33975072019991-HIPAA-Otter-ai
• RCFP recording guide: https://www.rcfp.org/introduction-to-reporters-recording-guide/
• Oregon ORS 165.540: https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_165.540
• Granola subscriptions and billing (checked 2026-10-24): https://docs.granola.ai/help-center/managing-your-account/subscriptions-and-billing
• Granola model training help (checked 2026-10-24): https://docs.granola.ai/help-center/consent-security-privacy/model-training

Changes

• 2026-10-24: page first written. Prices, plans and policies checked on the vendor pages in Sources.
• 2026-10-24: Review fixes. Granola Business labeled billed monthly (annual is Enterprise only), Enterprise is "from $35", Basic history wording, Enterprise training default, generic promo line.
• 2026-10-24: Otter student discount replaced with a general deals line (student discounts are promos).
• 2026-10-26: standard consent block now adds that a "this call may be recorded" greeting may not tell people an AI service is transcribing or summarizing the call.
• 2026-10-27: Granola's free plan named Basic in the training row, as on Granola's pricing page.