Say
Privacy-first alternative
Why teams pick it
Local storage of notes for privacy and offline access
Open-source alternatives to Otter.ai
Compare community-driven replacements for Otter.ai in speech-to-text & dictation workflows. We curate active, self-hostable options with transparent licensing so you can evaluate the right fit quickly.
Otter.ai
Otter.ai provides real-time transcription, meeting summaries, and action items with up to 95% accuracy. It integrates with video conferencing platforms and CRM systems.Read more
Key stats
- 7Alternatives
- 6Active development
Recent commits in the last 6 months
- 5Permissive licenses
MIT, Apache, and similar licenses
Counts reflect projects currently indexed as alternatives to Otter.ai.
Start with these picks
These projects match the most common migration paths for teams replacing Otter.ai.
WhisperLive
Fastest to get started
Why teams pick it
Dockerized deployment with automatic GPU support
All open-source alternatives
WhisperX
Fast, word-level ASR with speaker diarization and 70× realtime speed
Active developmentPermissive licenseIntegration-friendlyPython
Why teams choose it
- 70× realtime transcription with large‑v2 model via batched inference
- Word‑level timestamps using wav2vec2 forced alignment
- Multispeaker diarization with pyannote‑audio and speaker ID labels
Watch for
Requires CUDA‑12.8 and compatible GPU for optimal performance
Migration highlight
Live meeting transcription
Generate near‑real‑time captions with speaker names for Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet recordings.
WhisperLive
Near‑real‑time speech transcription with flexible AI backends
Active developmentPermissive licenseFast to deployPython
Why teams choose it
- Multi‑backend inference (faster_whisper, TensorRT, OpenVINO) for CPU/GPU optimization
- Supports microphone, file, RTSP and HLS streams with optional VAD
- Dockerized deployment with automatic GPU support
Watch for
Optimal performance requires proper GPU driver and backend installation
Migration highlight
Live meeting captioning
Generate real‑time subtitles for virtual conferences and team calls
Say
Browser‑based AI transcription app turning speech into editable notes
Active developmentPermissive licensePrivacy-firstTypeScript
Why teams choose it
- Browser‑based recording with real‑time waveform visualization
- In‑browser AI transcription using Whisper, T5 and Transformers.js
- Rich text editor for immediate formatting and correction
Watch for
Requires a modern browser with WebAssembly support
Migration highlight
Meeting minutes capture
Record discussions, get instant transcriptions, edit, and export formatted notes for team reference.
VoiceInk
Instant offline voice-to-text transcription for macOS
Active developmentPrivacy-firstIntegration-friendlySwift
Why teams choose it
- 99% accurate offline transcription using local AI models
- Privacy‑first design: no data leaves the device
- Power Mode auto‑applies settings based on active app or URL
Watch for
Requires macOS 14.0 or newer
Migration highlight
Live coding documentation
Generate accurate code comments and documentation while speaking, instantly inserted into the IDE.
Handy
Offline, privacy‑first speech‑to‑text app for all platforms
Active developmentPermissive licensePrivacy-firstTypeScript
Why teams choose it
- Local transcription using Whisper and Parakeet models
- Configurable global keyboard shortcuts for start/stop
- Silero Voice Activity Detection filters silence
Watch for
Optimal Whisper performance needs modern GPU
Migration highlight
Instant dictation in word processors
Press the shortcut, speak, and have text appear directly in Word, Google Docs, or any editor without leaving the document.
OpenWhispr
Dictate anywhere, get instant AI-powered transcription with privacy options
Active developmentPermissive licensePrivacy-firstTypeScript
Why teams choose it
- Customizable global hotkey for instant dictation start/stop
- Choice of local Whisper or cloud AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google)
- Privacy‑first local processing with model download and one‑click cleanup
Watch for
Requires Node.js 18+ and optional Python for local models
Migration highlight
Write emails while coding
Dictate email drafts, have the AI polish language, and paste directly into the email client without switching apps.
WhisperWriter
Instantly transcribe speech to any active window with a keystroke
Privacy-firstIntegration-friendlyAI-powered workflowsPython
Why teams choose it
- PyQt5 settings window with full UI configuration
- Four flexible recording modes for different workflows
- Local Whisper via faster‑whisper or remote OpenAI API
Watch for
Requires Python 3.11 and optional NVIDIA libraries for GPU use
Migration highlight
Live note‑taking during meetings
Transcribed speech appears directly in your document editor, freeing you to focus on discussion.
Choosing a speech-to-text & dictation alternative
Teams replacing Otter.ai in speech-to-text & dictation workflows typically weigh self-hosting needs, integration coverage, and licensing obligations.
- 6 options are actively maintained with recent commits.
Tip: shortlist one hosted and one self-hosted option so stakeholders can compare trade-offs before migrating away from Otter.ai.