Looking for an offline alternative to Otter?
Otter and Parlo Notes solve the same problem in opposite ways. Which one fits depends on what you need.
The main difference
Otter is a cloud service built for teams. Parlo Notes is an app that does its work on your own Apple devices. Everything here about Otter comes from its own pages, listed below, as of November 2026. Check them before you decide, since services change.
Side by side
| Otter | Parlo Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Where audio is handled | Otter's privacy policy says it collects and stores audio recordings and transcripts, and lists cloud service providers among those handling data | On your device |
| Account | Required | None |
| Model training | Its privacy policy says de-identified audio may be used to train its AI | We receive no recordings |
| Meetings | A labeled bot joins Zoom, Meet or Teams. Bot-free capture is available in its desktop apps and in Chrome | Records microphone and computer audio on a Mac, with no bot |
| Working as a team | Shared conversations and workspace controls | Personal. Syncs between your devices through your iCloud |
| Where it runs | Web, mobile, Mac and Windows desktop apps, and Chrome | iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch |
Otter is probably better if
- Your team needs to share and work on transcripts together.
- You use Windows or need to work from a browser.
- You want a bot to attend meetings automatically from your calendar.
Parlo Notes is probably better if
- You don't want your conversations uploaded to be transcribed.
- You need it to work with no connection, such as on a plane or in a building with poor signal.
- You'd rather not have an account or a bot in your meetings.
- You use Apple devices.
Common questions
Can I bring my recordings from Otter?
If you can export the audio files from your Otter account, you can bring them in with Import Audio. Parlo Notes transcribes them again on your device.
Is Parlo Notes connected to Otter?
No. Parlo Notes has no connection to Otter. Otter is a trademark of its owner.