Best Meeting Transcription Tools in 2025: Notta vs Otter.ai vs Tactiq + Alternatives Compared
Looking for the best meeting transcription tool in 2025?
Whether you’re hosting Zoom calls, leading Google Meet interviews, or capturing Microsoft Teams sessions, the right transcription app can save you hours of note-taking — and help you revisit, share, and organize your meetings effortlessly.
In this guide, we compare the top contenders: Notta, Otter.ai, and Tactiq — three of the most widely used AI transcription tools for professionals, creators, and teams.
We’ll also look at powerful alternatives like Descript, tl;dv, and transcription tools available on AppSumo if you prefer one-time payments or offline-friendly options.
Don’t just pick what’s popular. Choose the tool that fits your workflow — real-time, file-based, browser-first, or multilingual.
At a Glance: Which Transcription Tool Is Right for You?
Don’t have time to read the whole comparison?
Here’s the quick answer — pick a tool based on how you run your meetings:
| If you… | Use this tool |
|---|---|
| Need real-time transcription in multiple languages | Notta |
| Work with a remote team and share collaborative notes | Otter.ai |
| Want a lightweight browser tool that syncs with Notion/Docs | Tactiq |
| Edit transcripts into publish-ready content | Descript |
| Need multilingual subtitles or translation output | Sonix |
| Prefer a one-time payment or need offline transcription | AppSumo transcription tools |
Don’t waste time trialing tools that don’t fit your style. Match your workflow first — then commit.
Notta — Best for Real-Time + Multilingual Users
| Feature | Free Plan | Pro Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time transcription (Zoom/Meet/Teams) | ❌ (upload only) | ✅ (via Chrome extension or Bot) |
| Speaker identification | ❌ | ✅ |
| AI summary generation | ❌ | ✅ |
| Translation support | ✅ (30+ languages) | ✅ |
| Export formats | ❌ (view-only) | ✅ (TXT, DOCX, SRT) |
| Mobile app | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cloud storage | ✅ (limited) | ✅ (10GB+) |
| Monthly quota | 120 minutes | 1,800+ minutes |
| Price | Free | Starting at $13.99/month |
Notta is a powerful all-in-one transcription tool designed for solo professionals, educators, and global teams who need real-time transcription, multi-language support, and AI-powered summaries.
It works with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams via a Chrome extension or by inviting the Notta Bot directly into your meeting.
You can also upload recordings afterward for transcription, making it flexible for both live and post-meeting workflows.
What makes Notta stand out is its support for over 30 languages, seamless sync between desktop and mobile apps, and automatic summaries that extract key points from your conversations.
Notta is the best pick if you need accurate transcripts, clean summaries, and multilingual support — especially if you’re not tied to just English.
Try Notta for free — you’ll get 120 minutes/month to test real uploads, mobile sync, and translations without entering payment details.
Otter.ai — Best for Teams and Collaboration
| Feature | Free Plan | Pro Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time transcription (Zoom/Meet) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Speaker identification | ✅ | ✅ |
| AI-generated summaries | ❌ | ✅ |
| Zoom integration | ✅ (manual start) | ✅ (auto-join + calendar sync) |
| Team collaboration features | ❌ | ✅ (shared folders, group editing) |
| Export formats | ✅ (TXT, PDF) | ✅ |
| Mobile app | ✅ | ✅ |
| Monthly quota | 300 minutes | 1,200+ minutes |
| Price | Free | Starting at $16.99/month |
Otter.ai is built for teams and collaborative work environments.
It integrates directly with Zoom, and can automatically join meetings (Pro plan) or be started manually to take live notes. You’ll get speaker identification, searchable transcripts, and the ability to share and edit notes across your team.
Otter shines in structured team settings — think weekly syncs, project reviews, or any recurring meeting where multiple people need access to the same information.
It’s less ideal for freelancers or solo use in non-English languages, but when collaboration matters, Otter is hard to beat.
Otter is great for remote teams that meet often and rely on clear documentation. If your team lives in meetings, Otter keeps everyone aligned.
Explore Otter.ai to see how it can keep your team’s meetings searchable, shareable, and synced.
3. Tactiq — Best for Lightweight Live Capture in Browser
| Feature | Free Plan | Pro Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time transcription (Zoom/Meet) | ✅ (via Chrome extension) | ✅ |
| AI-generated summaries | ☑ (basic) | ✅ (highlight-based) |
| Chrome extension | ✅ | ✅ |
| Platform support | Zoom, Google Meet, MS Teams | Zoom, Google Meet, MS Teams |
| Integrations | Google Docs, Notion, Slack | + HubSpot, Confluence, more |
| Export formats | TXT, Markdown, Notion | + Google Sheets, CRM sync |
| Collaboration features | ❌ | ✅ (workspace sharing) |
| Monthly quota | 10 meetings | Unlimited (on paid plans) |
| Price | Free | Starting at $8/month |
Tactiq is a Chrome extension-based transcription tool that captures live captions from Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams — directly in your browser.
It doesn’t require bots or separate apps. Just install the extension, join your meeting, and Tactiq starts pulling real-time captions and saving them as editable text.
You can then highlight, tag, and export to Notion, Google Docs, or even your CRM tools (with paid plans).
If you want something simple, lightweight, and browser-native, Tactiq is the go-to tool — especially for product managers, marketers, or researchers who already live in Notion or Google Workspace.
Tactiq won’t replace full transcription tools, but it’s perfect for quick capture and syncing highlights to your notes.
Try Tactiq for free — it installs in seconds and works without needing Zoom Pro or third-party apps.
4. AppSumo — Best for One-Time Purchase & Privacy-First Tools
| Feature | Varies by Tool |
|---|---|
| Real-time transcription | ✅ (some tools) |
| Offline / local processing | ✅ (some tools) |
| AI summaries / highlights | ✅ (varies) |
| Multilingual support | ✅ (depends on product) |
| Export formats | TXT, SRT, VTT, DOCX, etc. |
| Price | One-time purchase (no subscription) |
| Availability | 🛑 Limited — deals sell out fast |
If you’re the type who prefers to pay once and own it, skip the monthly subscriptions and head to AppSumo.
They regularly feature AI transcription tools with lifetime access, offline capability, and solid feature sets — perfect for privacy-conscious users or professionals who hate recurring fees.
However, there’s a catch: deals change often, and the best ones don’t last long. Tools like Unmixr AI and Castmagic have sold out quickly in the past.
These tools don’t stick around. If you see a transcription deal that fits your needs, grab it before it’s gone.
👉 Check AppSumo’s AI transcription tools here — you might find a lifetime gem for the price of a monthly plan elsewhere.
5. Descript — Best for Editing Transcripts Like a Document
| Feature | Free Plan | Creator Plan (Paid) |
|---|---|---|
| File upload (audio/video) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Real-time transcription | ❌ | ❌ (upload only) |
| Transcript editing (text-based) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Video/audio editing from transcript | ✅ | ✅ |
| AI summaries / filler removal | ☑ (limited) | ✅ |
| Export formats | TXT, subtitles, MP4 | All formats |
| Multilingual support | ✅ (20+ languages) | ✅ |
| Price | Free (1 hr/month) | From $12/month |
Descript is more than a transcription tool — it’s a script-based editor that lets you edit audio and video by editing text.
Here’s how it works: upload your Zoom or Teams recording, and Descript transcribes it instantly. You can then delete filler words, rearrange dialogue, and even overdub your voice — all from the transcript editor. It’s like Google Docs for audio.
Perfect for YouTubers, podcasters, or marketers who want to turn meetings into polished content, Descript blends transcription, editing, and publishing in one sleek app.
If you’re tired of juggling separate tools for transcript cleanup and content editing — Descript makes it all one smooth workflow.
Explore Descript and see how it can turn your Zoom recordings into repurposed, publish-ready content.
6. Sonix — Best for Multilingual Transcripts and Subtitle Export
| Feature | Free Plan | Premium Plan |
|---|---|---|
| File upload (audio/video) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Real-time transcription | ❌ | ❌ (upload-only) |
| Multilingual support | ✅ (40+ languages) | ✅ |
| Subtitle export (SRT, VTT) | ✅ | ✅ |
| AI summaries | ☑ (basic notes) | ✅ |
| Translation | ✅ | ✅ |
| Export formats | TXT, DOCX, PDF, SRT, VTT | All |
| Price | Free trial (30 min) | From $10/hour (pay-as-you-go) |
Sonix is a transcription platform built for multilingual users, video editors, and international teams.
With support for over 40 languages and seamless subtitle exports, it’s ideal for creators who need to turn interviews, webinars, or lectures into accurate, translated text and captions.
Sonix stands out when you need precision across multiple languages — especially for podcasts, documentaries, or e-learning content that needs global reach.
If you’re publishing in more than one language — or need subtitles fast — Sonix is your best bet. It’s a translator and transcriber in one.
Try Sonix with a free trial to test transcription and subtitle exports before committing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What’s the best free tool for transcribing Zoom meetings?
Notta offers one of the most generous free plans — 120 minutes/month, with support for multiple languages and easy upload.
If you’re a Chrome user, Tactiq is also a quick and free way to capture live captions inside your browser.
Q2: Can I get live transcription with Zoom’s built-in features?
Only on paid plans (Pro or higher). Zoom’s built-in transcription is limited to cloud recordings and doesn’t work live for free users.
For real-time transcription, tools like Notta or Otter.ai offer better flexibility and accuracy.
Q3: Which tool works best with teams?
Otter.ai is designed for collaboration. It supports team workspaces, shared folders, and calendar-based meeting capture — great for internal syncs or distributed teams.
Q4: Is there a tool that lets me transcribe and edit video at the same time?
Yes — Descript lets you edit your audio or video by editing the transcript, like a Google Doc. It’s ideal for content creators and marketers.
Q5: I don’t want a subscription. Can I just buy a tool once?
Yes. AppSumo offers AI transcription tools with one-time pricing and offline support. These deals are limited, so check the current availability.
Final Thoughts: Stop Taking Notes. Start Transcribing Smarter.
Meeting transcription tools in 2025 aren’t just about saving time — they’re about making your conversations work harder for you.
Whether you’re leading team calls, hosting webinars, or recording coaching sessions, there’s a tool that fits your workflow:
- Use Notta if you want real-time capture, multilingual transcription, and AI-powered summaries.
- Choose Otter.ai if you’re working with a team and need shared notes and collaborative editing.
- Try Tactiq if you prefer quick browser-based capture that syncs with tools like Notion or Google Docs.
- Go with Descript if you want to edit your transcript like a doc and turn it into polished content.
- Use Sonix when you need high-quality subtitles in 40+ languages.
- Or check AppSumo for lifetime deals and offline-ready options — before they’re gone.
You don’t need to transcribe harder. Just smarter. The right tool saves you hours — and keeps your meetings working for you, not the other way around.
✅ Ready to try one?
- Start with Notta for free – 120 minutes/month, no credit card
- Explore Otter.ai – Built for team collaboration
- Try Tactiq – Install the Chrome extension and start capturing instantly
- Test Descript – Clean up and repurpose recordings
- Try Sonix – Subtitle-ready transcripts in 40+ languages
- Browse AppSumo deals – Get powerful tools with one-time pricing
