kitio.aiOtter.ai vs Cleft
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Cleft has the lower starting price: about $7 a month, against $17 for Otter.ai.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Live transcription
- Automatic meeting summaries
- Action item extraction
- AI chat across meetings
- Mobile recording
- On-device transcription
- Structured summaries and actions
- Exports to Notion and Obsidian
- CarPlay recording
- Siri and Shortcuts
| Feature | Otter.ai | Cleft |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Meeting assistant that records, transcribes and summarizes your calls | Voice notes app for Apple devices that turns rambling into clean notes |
| Category | Productivity | Productivity |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $16.99/mo | $6.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Otter.ai | Cleft |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Pricing compared
Cleft has the lower starting price: about $7 a month, against $17 for Otter.ai.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Basic
Free
- 300 minutes per user/month
- 30 minutes per conversation
- 3 lifetime file imports
Pro
$16.99/mo
- Per user
- 1,200 recording minutes/month
- 90 minutes per conversation
- 10 file imports/month
Business
$30/mo
- Per user
- Unlimited meetings and recordings
- Custom AI workflows
- 4 hours per conversation
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Advanced security and admin
- Schedule a demo
2 plans
Basic
Free
- 5-minute recordings
- 3 output styles
- Tags, search and export
Cleft Plus
$6.99/mo
- 30-minute recordings
- Custom instructions
- Append to notes
- Custom output styles
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Otter.ai
- Works with Zoom, Meet and Teams
- Searchable archive of all calls
- Good mobile app for in-person talks
- Free plan caps each conversation length
- Bot joining calls can bother guests
Cleft
- Transcribes on the device
- Sends notes to many note apps
- Useful free plan
- Apple devices only
- Free recordings capped at 5 minutes
- Not built for organizing notes
Which one should you choose?
Choose Otter.ai if you want:
- Works with Zoom, Meet and Teams
- Searchable archive of all calls
- Good mobile app for in-person talks
Watch out: free plan caps each conversation length.
Choose Cleft if you want:
- Transcribes on the device
- Sends notes to many note apps
- Useful free plan
Watch out: apple devices only.
Otter.ai vs Cleft FAQ
What is the difference between Otter.ai and Cleft?
Otter.ai: Meeting assistant that records, transcribes and summarizes your calls. Cleft: Voice notes app for Apple devices that turns rambling into clean notes. Both are productivity tools.
Is Otter.ai or Cleft cheaper?
Cleft has the lower starting price: about $7 a month, against $17 for Otter.ai.
Do Otter.ai and Cleft have free plans?
Otter.ai: Yes. Cleft: Yes.
Who makes Otter.ai?
Otter.ai is made by Otter.ai, based in United States.
Who makes Cleft?
Cleft is made by Cleft.
Which should I choose, Otter.ai or Cleft?
Choose Otter.ai if you value works with zoom, meet and teams and searchable archive of all calls. Choose Cleft if you value transcribes on the device and sends notes to many note apps.