The best Otter.ai alternatives for students
Notedly is our top Otter alternative for students because it writes study notes instead of a transcript: live lecture notes in your browser on Premium Plus, plus YouTube lectures and readings on every plan, in standard, Cornell or outline format. Notta suits bilingual transcripts, Fireflies.ai suits classes on Zoom, Meet or Teams, and Granola suits notes without a bot joining the call.
On this page
Quick picks
| If you need | Pick | Free plan | Paid plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study notes from live lectures, plus your YouTube lectures and readings |
 Notedly
|
Free plan1 summary with no account, then 10,000 words/month | Paid plansLive lecture notes on Premium Plus, $24.99/month or $129.99/year |
| Bilingual transcripts and live translation | Notta | Free plan120 minutes/month, up to 3 minutes per conversation | Paid plansPro $97.99/year[1] |
| Notes from calls on Zoom, Meet or Teams | Fireflies.ai | Free planFree forever plan, limited AI summaries | Paid plansPro $18/month, or $10/month billed annually[2] |
| Notes without a bot joining the call | Granola | Free planBasic plan, limited meeting history | Paid plansBusiness $14/user/month[3] |
| Studying your own recordings and readings together | Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) | Free planFree, up to 50 sources per notebook | Paid plansHigher limits with Google AI plans[4][5] |
The list
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1. Notedly Our product
Best for Study notes instead of a transcript: live lectures, YouTube lectures and readings, in standard, Cornell or outline format
Free: 10,000 words/month for readings and YouTube. Live lecture notes on Premium Plus, $24.99/month or $129.99/year
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2. Notta
Best for Transcripts in two languages at once, live translation, and a bot-free recorder on Mac and Windows
Free: 120 transcription minutes/month, up to 3 minutes per conversation. Pro $8.17/month billed annually ($97.99/year)[1]
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3. Fireflies.ai
Best for A notetaker for calls on Zoom, Google Meet and Teams, with transcription in 100+ languages
Free forever plan with limited AI summaries and 400 minutes of storage. Pro $18/seat/month, or $10/seat/month billed annually[2]
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4. Granola
Best for Meeting notes from your device's audio with no bot joining the call, on desktop, iOS and Android
Basic free, with limited meeting history. Business $14/user/month[3]
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5. Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)
Best for Studying recordings you already have alongside your readings: audio files are transcribed when you add them
Free, up to 50 sources per notebook. Higher limits with Google AI plans[4][5]
Why Notedly is our top pick
- Notes, not a transcript. Otter, Notta and Fireflies are built around transcripts and meeting summaries. Notedly writes study notes in the format your class uses: standard, Cornell or outline.
- Live lectures, on Premium Plus. Open live lecture notes in your browser and your notes build as the lecture goes. They save to your account.
- Recorded lectures and readings, on every plan. Paste a YouTube lecture into the YouTube summarizer, or paste a chapter or article, so the whole course lives in one place.
- Test yourself. Turn any set of notes into a practice quiz on Premium.
Which one fits how your class runs
- In-person lectures: Notedly's live lecture notes, on Premium Plus, from your browser's microphone.
- Classes on Zoom, Meet or Teams: a tool that joins the call, such as Fireflies.ai or Otter. Notedly doesn't join calls.
- Lectures posted on YouTube: Notedly's free plan, with a first summary that needs no account.
- Classes taught in two languages: Notta transcribes two languages at once.
Comparing Notedly and Otter directly? See Notedly vs Otter.ai.
How we compiled this list
We checked each tool's own pricing page or help center (sources below) for what a student replacing Otter needs: notes they can study from, a real way to try it free, the free plan's minute limits, and the cost of a semester. Notedly is our product.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Otter.ai alternative for students?
We recommend Notedly, because it gives you study notes rather than a transcript: live lecture notes on Premium Plus, plus YouTube lectures, textbook chapters and articles on every plan, all in standard, Cornell or outline format.
Is Otter.ai free for students?
Otter's Basic plan is free, with 300 transcription minutes a month and up to 30 minutes per conversation. Students and teachers with a .edu email get 20% off Pro: $13.59 a month or $79.99 a year.
Which Otter alternative takes notes during an in-person lecture?
Notedly does, on Premium Plus ($24.99 a month or $129.99 a year). Open live lecture notes in your browser, pick a note style and start recording, and your notes build while the lecture is happening. Notedly records from your browser's microphone; it doesn't join Zoom, Meet or Teams calls.
Do I need permission to record a lecture?
Often, yes. Many schools and instructors have rules about recording classes. Check your course policy and ask your instructor before you record.