Subtl vs Otter.ai
Otter tells you what was said after the meeting. Subtl tells you what is being said while it happens, in your language, and drafts your reply.
Otter.ai — A meeting assistant that joins the call as a participant, transcribes it in English and writes the notes afterwards. Free tier with a monthly minute allowance; paid tiers billed per user per month.
40 minutes a month free, no card. macOS 13 or newer, Apple silicon or Intel.
Side by side
| Feature | Subtl | Otter.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Joins the call as a visible participant | No | Yes |
| Live translation of the other side while speaking | Yes | Partial — Live captions, translation limited |
| Drafts what you could say next | Yes | No |
| Works with any app that plays sound | Yes | Partial — Integrations per meeting platform |
| Recognition can run entirely on your machine | Yes | No |
| Overlay hidden from screen sharing | Yes | No |
| Post-call summary and tasks | Yes | Yes |
| Shared team workspace and search | No | Yes |
| Platforms | macOS | Web, iOS, Android, Windows |
Checked against Otter.ai’s own published material on 2026-09-28. Their product changes without telling us — if something here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
When Otter.ai is the better choice
- You want a searchable archive of your team's meetings, shared across the company, rather than help during a single call.
- Your calls are in English and you do not need translation — that is most of what Subtl is for.
- You need the assistant to work when your laptop is closed or you are not in the call at all; a bot can attend without you.
- You want a Windows or web experience today. Subtl is macOS only.
Otter.ai is a good product. If one of those describes you, buy theirs.
Questions
- Can I use both?
- Yes, and some people should. Otter keeps the record of what a meeting contained; Subtl helps you get through the meeting in a language that is not your first. They do not conflict.
- Does Subtl replace Otter's team features?
- No. There is no shared workspace, no company-wide search and no admin console. Subtl is a tool for one person on one call.
Try it on one real call
The free tier is 40 minutes a month and needs no card. One call in a language you are slower in tells you more than any comparison table, including this one.