Comparison

ScreenBrief vs Otter.ai: where your meeting transcript is made

Checked against Otter.ai’s documentation on 9 November 2026 by Artflow Management, the maker of ScreenBrief.

Otter.ai is a cloud service: recordings and transcripts live in your Otter account with cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services in the United States, it transcribes English, Spanish, French and Japanese, and its privacy policy lists training its AI on de-identified recordings. ScreenBrief is a Windows app that transcribes and labels speakers on your own PC, offline, in about 100 languages and with no account. Otter has apps for Mac, iOS and Android and a free plan with 300 minutes a month.

The main difference: where the transcript is made

Otter.ai is a cloud service. Otter Notetaker can join the meeting for you, and the Windows and Mac app records without it, but always signed in to an Otter account. ScreenBrief has no account and no server that receives recordings: the speech model runs on your own processor or graphics card.

Comparison table (checked 9 November 2026)

The Otter.ai facts come from its help center, pricing page and privacy policy as read on 9 November 2026; the links are under “Sources”. We do not compare transcription accuracy, because we have not measured Otter.ai on the same recordings.

Prices change; check them before you decide. ScreenBrief Pro is licensed per computer and priced in Polish zloty, so the dollar amounts are approximate; Otter charges per user.

Privacy and GDPR

Otter’s privacy policy lists training its proprietary AI on de-identified audio recordings and on transcriptions, which may contain personal information. Its data sits with cloud providers including Amazon Web Services in the United States, and a separate section covers cross-border transfers. If your organisation is in the European Union, check the data processing agreement and the basis for the transfer to the US with your data protection officer before you roll Otter out to a team.

ScreenBrief keeps recordings, transcripts, notes and the search index on your PC. Its maker runs no server that receives recordings and cannot read them, so transcription alone hands the participants’ voices to no company. If you connect your own key for AI notes, for example for OpenAI or Anthropic, the transcript text goes to that provider on its terms; email addresses and phone numbers are removed from it by default. Notes from local Ollama stay on your PC.

A local app does not remove your GDPR duties: tell participants you are recording and keep recordings only as long as you need them. The privacy policy describes how ScreenBrief handles data.

Offline use and languages

We found nothing in Otter’s help center about working without internet or transcribing on your own computer. Once its speech model is downloaded, ScreenBrief transcribes with no network connection. You still need internet to install it, download models, update and buy Pro; offline meeting transcription on Windows shows how to prepare and test it.

Otter’s help center lists English, Spanish, French and Japanese. ScreenBrief transcribes about 100 languages, including Polish, and its interface and AI notes are in English or Polish.

When Otter.ai is the better choice

Pick Otter.ai when:

• Your meetings are in English, Spanish, French or Japanese, and the recordings may be stored in the cloud in the US.
• You work on a Mac or a phone: Otter has apps for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android.
• You would rather have Otter Notetaker join the meeting than record on your own computer.
• The free Basic plan with 300 transcription minutes a month is enough.

When ScreenBrief is the better choice

Pick ScreenBrief when:

• Your meetings are in Polish or another language Otter does not transcribe.
• The recording must not leave your computer, for example client calls, hiring interviews or board meetings.
• You work offline or on a poor connection, for example while travelling.
• You record calls from several apps or already have files on disk, and want neither a bot nor an account.
• You would rather pay once: Pro costs 299 PLN, one time.

Limits: ScreenBrief runs only on Windows 10 and 11 (x64) and has no shared cloud workspace for a team. Local transcription speed depends on your PC, so test it on a short recording first. For other apps that transcribe locally, see Otter.ai alternatives that run locally on Windows, which compares six of them.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

We checked the Otter.ai facts on its own pages on 9 November 2026:

• Otter.ai: Supported languages (transcription languages)
• Otter.ai: Privacy Policy (AI training, cloud providers, cross-border transfers)
• Otter.ai: Pricing (plans and prices)
• Otter.ai: Otter Desktop App (recording without Otter Notetaker)

If something has changed, write to contact@artflowmanagement.pl and we will update the comparison.