Otter.ai and joinly are both AI meeting assistants for recording, transcription, and summaries, compared here on pricing, features, and workflow fit. Otter.ai: AI meeting assistant that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings in real time with an auto-joining meeting agent. joinly: Open-source, self-hostable connector that lets AI agents join Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams calls to transcribe, listen, and act in real time via MCP. They overlap on ai-meeting-assistants, so the right pick depends on team size, budget, and which meeting workflows you automate.
For ai-meeting-assistants workflows, shortlist Otter.ai when real-time meeting transcription matters most, and joinly when building custom ai meeting agents that answer questions and run tasks during live calls matters most. Both record across Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams; trial each on real meetings before committing.
Open-source, self-hostable connector that lets AI agents join Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams calls to transcribe, listen, and act in real time via MCP.
Cross-platform support for Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and browser-based calls
Docker-based self-hosting with optional CUDA GPU image
MCP server that exposes meeting tools (join/leave, transcript, chat, audio control, snapshots) to AI agents
Otter.ai is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium); joinly is a free tier with paid upgrades (freemium). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before buying.
MCP server that exposes meeting tools (join/leave, transcript, chat, audio control, snapshots) to AI agents
Standout feature
OtterPilot auto-join agent
Real-time transcription with timestamps and speaker information, subscribable for live updates
Team usage
AI summaries and action items
Cross-platform support for Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and browser-based calls
Integrations
Searchable meeting notes
Modular speech-to-text and text-to-speech backends (Whisper, Deepgram, Kokoro, ElevenLabs)
Languages & capture
Live highlights and comments
Model-agnostic: works with OpenAI, Anthropic, and local LLMs via Ollama
Best-fit workflow
Real-time transcription
Docker-based self-hosting with optional CUDA GPU image
Best for
Otter.ai
Choose Otter.ai if you need real-time meeting transcription — strengths include fast, well-known real-time transcription.
joinly
Choose joinly if you need building custom ai meeting agents that answer questions and run tasks during live calls — strengths include fully open source (mit) and self-hostable for complete data control.
Pros & cons
Otter.ai
+ Fast, well-known real-time transcription
+ Auto-join agent reduces manual setup
- Advanced features and higher minute limits require paid plans
joinly
+ Fully open source (MIT) and self-hostable for complete data control
+ Agents can actively participate by voice and chat, not just passively transcribe
- Developer-oriented framework that requires setup and engineering effort rather than a ready-made app
FAQ
Is Otter.ai or joinly better for AI meeting notes?
It depends on your workflow. Otter.ai is strong for real-time meeting transcription, while joinly is strong for building custom ai meeting agents that answer questions and run tasks during live calls. Both transcribe and summarize meetings.
How do Otter.ai and joinly compare on price?
Otter.ai is a free tier with paid upgrades and joinly is a free tier with paid upgrades. Check each vendor's pricing page for the latest plans and free-tier limits.
Can I use both Otter.ai and joinly?
Yes. Many teams run more than one meeting assistant when the workflows are complementary and the budget is justified.