# The best Otter.ai alternatives for students

Canonical URL: https://notedly.ai/best/otter-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.

## Quick picks

| If you need | Pick | Free plan | Paid plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study notes from live lectures, plus your YouTube lectures and readings | Notedly | 1 summary with no account, then 10,000 words/month | Live lecture notes on Premium Plus, $24.99/month or $129.99/year |
| Bilingual transcripts and live translation | Notta | 120 minutes/month, up to 3 minutes per conversation | Pro $97.99/year [1] |
| Notes from calls on Zoom, Meet or Teams | Fireflies.ai | Free forever plan, limited AI summaries | Pro $18/month, or $10/month billed annually [2] |
| Notes without a bot joining the call | Granola | Basic plan, limited meeting history | Business $14/user/month [3] |
| Studying your own recordings and readings together | Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) | Free, up to 50 sources per notebook | Higher limits with Google AI plans [4, 5] |

| Tool | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Notedly | 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 |
| [Notta](https://www.notta.ai/) | 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] |
| [Fireflies.ai](https://fireflies.ai/) | 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] |
| [Granola](https://www.granola.ai/) | 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] |
| [Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)](https://notebooklm.google/) | 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](/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](/tools/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](/compare/notedly-vs-otter).

## Sources

1. [Notta pricing](https://www.notta.ai/en/pricing)
2. [Fireflies.ai pricing](https://fireflies.ai/pricing)
3. [Granola pricing](https://www.granola.ai/pricing)
4. [Gemini Notebook plans](https://notebooklm.google/plans)
5. [Gemini Notebook Help, Add or discover new sources](https://support.google.com/notebooklm/answer/16215270?hl=en)
6. [Otter.ai pricing (free plan and .edu discount)](https://otter.ai/pricing)

## 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.