Fathom vs Otter.ai (2026): features, security and which one to buy
Fathom and Otter.ai compared on what they do, who they suit, their key features, pros and cons, and what each vendor publishes on security, admin and contract terms, with every fact checked on October 24, 2026.
Fathom or Otter.ai: the short answer
Choose Fathom if
- Individuals and small teams wanting unlimited free recording.
- Sales teams needing CRM sync on Business.
Choose Otter.ai if
- Individuals and small teams wanting a free or low-cost transcription tool.
- Sales teams using Otter Sales Notetaker.
What are Fathom and Otter.ai?
Fathom
AI notetaker with an unlimited free plan for recording and transcription, paid Premium, Team and Business tiers, and SSO and SCIM on Enterprise. Solo users and small teams can record and transcribe without paying, which makes a trial easy to run. Sales managers should look at Business for CRM field sync, while anyone needing SSO or SCIM must ask about Enterprise, where no price is published.
Otter.ai
Meeting transcription and AI notes tool with a visible bot option, free tier, and per-user paid plans; SSO and SCIM are Enterprise-only with a 100-user minimum. A low-risk starting point for individuals and small teams, thanks to a usable free tier and per-user plans. Admins should plan around the fact that SSO and SCIM need Enterprise with a 100-user minimum, and the trust center lists SOC 2, HIPAA and GDPR.
Fathom vs Otter.ai: features compared
| Fathom | Otter.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI notetaker with an unlimited free plan for recording and transcription, paid Premium, Team and Business tiers, and SSO and SCIM on Enterprise. | Meeting transcription and AI notes tool with a visible bot option, free tier, and per-user paid plans; SSO and SCIM are Enterprise-only with a 100-user minimum. |
| Best for | Individuals and small teams wanting unlimited free recording. | Individuals and small teams wanting a free or low-cost transcription tool. |
| Company size | Individuals through teams; Enterprise for large orgs. | Individuals to teams; Enterprise for large orgs with 100-user minimum for SSO. |
| Meeting platform support | Not published | Zoom and Google Meet video replay noted on Enterprise; full platform list not confirmed by the vendor. |
| Summaries and action items | Instant AI summaries free; advanced summaries and AI action items on Premium. | Not published |
| CRM and workflow integrations | CRM field sync and Deal View on Business. | Custom CRM and dialer integrations on Enterprise; Otter Sales Notetaker. |
| Privacy and security | Not confirmed by the vendor. | SOC 2 and HIPAA (2025 announcement); Trust Center badges: CCPA, GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, VPAT, TX-RAMP Level 2; subprocessors include Anthropic and AWS. |
| Free plan or trial | Free plan, Free trial | Free plan |
| Starting price | Free; Team $15/user/month annual | Free (Basic); Pro $8.33/user/month billed annually |
| G2 rating | 5.0 (6,931 reviews) | 4.4 (500 reviews) |
Pros and cons
Fathom
Pros
- Generous free plan.
- Accurate summaries (G2 reviewers)
Cons
- Feature limits on lower tiers not clearly mapped.
- Enterprise price not public.
Otter.ai
Pros
- Easy to start with a usable free tier.
- Wide adoption and familiar interface.
Cons
- Free and Pro minute caps are tight.
- Review counts and pricing details are confusing on higher tiers.
Fathom vs Otter.ai pricing
For 20 users on the cheapest plan that fits, Fathom costs $3,600 a year and Otter.ai $4,798 at list price, a difference of $1,198.
| Fathom | Otter.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | per user | per user |
| Per seat per month | $15 (Team, annual) | $19.99 (Business, annual) |
| Billing | Monthly and annual. | Monthly and annual. |
| 20 users per year | $3,600 (Team) | $4,798 (Business) |
| Add-ons | Not published | HIPAA compliance add-on (Enterprise, price not published) |
Security, admin and contract: Fathom vs Otter.ai
What each vendor states publicly about single sign-on, provisioning, audit logs, data location and the contract. A blank is a question for the sales call, not a no.
| Fathom | Otter.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| SAML SSO | Enterprise only. | Enterprise only (100-user minimum) |
| SCIM provisioning | Enterprise only. | Enterprise only (100-user minimum) |
| DPA | Not published | Not listed on Trust Center; privacy policy and breach notices only. |
| Contract | Monthly available; 90 day guarantee. | Monthly plans available on Pro and Business. |
Differences most comparisons miss
Worth knowing about Fathom
- Free plan includes unlimited recordings and transcripts.
- Team and Business have a 2 user minimum.
- SSO and SCIM only on Enterprise.
- Domain moved to fathom.ai.
Worth knowing about Otter.ai
- SSO and SCIM need Enterprise with a minimum 100-user license.
- Business plan caps at 25 billed users; Pro at 5.
- Business monthly price is $24, with 20% off for 3+ months.
- HIPAA is an Enterprise add-on.
Fathom vs Otter.ai: frequently asked questions
Which is better, Fathom or Otter.ai?
It depends on the team. Fathom is the stronger pick for individuals and small teams wanting unlimited free recording, while Otter.ai suits individuals and small teams wanting a free or low-cost transcription tool. Compare the feature rows above against your must-haves before you look at price.
Do Fathom and Otter.ai support SAML single sign-on?
Fathom: enterprise only. Otter.ai: enterprise only (100-user minimum). Confirm the plan in writing before you compare prices.
Is Fathom cheaper than Otter.ai?
At list price for 20 users on the cheapest plan that fits, Fathom costs $3,600 a year and Otter.ai $4,798. Add-ons, higher tiers and annual versus monthly billing can change that order.
Can I try Fathom and Otter.ai for free?
Fathom: free plan, free trial. Otter.ai: free plan.
Sources
Both columns use the same sources: vendor pricing and product pages, documentation, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Full source lists are on the Fathom and Otter.ai reviews.