Basil AI: On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload. Otter.ai: Real-time meeting transcription, summaries and conversational AI search The right pick comes down to team size, budget, and the workflows you want to automate.
How Hosiqo compares and tests toolsFinal recommendation
Shortlist Basil AI when transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device matters most, and Otter.ai when note-taking for interviews and lectures matters most. Try them side by side on real calls before deciding — needs vary by team.
On-device AI note taker for Apple devices that transcribes and summarizes meetings entirely offline, with no cloud upload.
Real-time meeting transcription, summaries and conversational AI search
Basil AI (Basil Private AI Note Taker) is a privacy-first AI transcription and note-taking application that processes all audio locally on Apple devices using Apple's on-device speech and machine-learning frameworks. Because recordings, transcripts, and summaries never leave the device and no cloud servers are involved, Basil is positioned for privacy-conscious professionals handling sensitive conversations, including lawyers conducting client meetings and other client-services practitioners where confidentiality matters. The app records live meetings and can also process uploaded audio and DRM-free video files, then generates transcripts with speaker diarization plus AI summaries and key takeaways. It supports a large set of languages and can work offline, including in airplane mode. Outputs can be exported to formats such as text, PDF, CSV, and JSON, and integrated with Apple's ecosystem (Apple Notes, iCloud Drive, Files). Basil is distributed on the Apple App Store by TONSOR LLC and is available as a universal app across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision, with recent iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS versions required. Pricing varies by plan. Check the official website for current pricing.
Best suited for
Otter.ai joins Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams calls to transcribe them live, identify speakers, and generate summaries with action items. The free Basic plan includes 300 transcription minutes per month; paid plans raise the minute cap, allow longer meetings, and add advanced AI workflows and team features. Otter integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zapier, and offers an MCP server for AI assistants.
Best suited for
Basil AI is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); Otter.ai is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
| Feature | Basil AI | Otter.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Core capability | 100% on-device transcription with no cloud upload | Real-time transcription |
| Standout feature | Speaker diarization to separate participants automatically | OtterPilot auto-join agent |
| Team usage | AI-generated summaries, minutes, and key takeaways | AI summaries and action items |
| Integrations | Support for recording live meetings and uploading audio/video files | Searchable meeting notes |
| Languages & capture | Multi-language support and offline (airplane-mode) operation | Live highlights and comments |
| Best-fit workflow | Export to text, PDF, CSV, and JSON, plus Apple Notes/iCloud/Files | Real-time transcription |
Basil AI
Choose Basil AI if you need transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device — strengths include strong privacy posture since data never leaves the device.
Otter.ai
Choose Otter.ai if you need real-time meeting transcription — strengths include fast, accurate real-time transcription.
Basil AI
Otter.ai
It depends on your workflow. Basil AI is strong for transcribing confidential client meetings where data must stay on-device, while Otter.ai is strong for live transcription you can read during the meeting. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
Basil AI is a free tier with paid upgrades and Otter.ai is from $8.33/mo. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Often yes: teams combine tools when one handles capture and another handles analysis.
More head-to-head comparisons involving Basil AI and Otter.ai.
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