Meetily vs Otter.ai: Privacy-First Alternative for 2025

The Problem with Cloud-Based Meeting Transcription

Before diving into the comparison, let's understand why enterprises are reconsidering cloud-based tools like Otter.ai.

Data Sovereignty Violations

When you use Otter.ai, every word spoken in your meetings is:

1. Recorded and uploaded to Otter.ai's servers (US-based)
2. Processed by their AI models (shared infrastructure)
3. Stored on their cloud platform (retention policies you don't control)
4. Potentially used for model training (unless you have enterprise plan with data processing agreements)

For EU companies, this creates GDPR Article 44 violations—cross-border data transfers to the US without adequate safeguards. The Schrems II ruling invalidated Privacy Shield, making US-based cloud processors legally problematic for European data.

The "Bot Problem"

Otter.ai joins your meetings as a visible bot participant—"Otter Assistant" appears in your Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet participant list. This creates:

• Deal-killing moments: Prospects see the bot and question your data handling practices
• Client discomfort: Sensitive discussions become guarded when participants see external recording
• Compliance concerns: Healthcare providers can't have third-party bots in patient consultations
• Professional image issues: Enterprise buyers expect discretion, not visible recording services

Feature-by-Feature Comparison: Meetily vs Otter.ai

Transcription Accuracy & Performance

Winner: Meetily - Comparable accuracy with significantly more flexibility, dual engine choice, and offline support.

Privacy & Data Control

Winner: Meetily - Unquestionably superior for privacy and compliance requirements.

Meeting Experience & Usability

Winner: Tie - Meetily excels at discretion and privacy; Otter.ai excels at ease-of-use and mobile access.

AI Features & Intelligence

Winner: Split - Meetily offers more AI flexibility; Otter.ai has more export formats currently.

Pricing & Total Cost of Ownership

Winner: Meetily - Dramatically lower TCO for individual users and teams.

When to Choose Meetily

Meetily is particularly well-suited for:

• Healthcare providers: Need HIPAA-compliant transcription without third-party Business Associate Agreements
• European companies: Require GDPR compliance with data residency in the EU
• Financial services: Handle confidential M&A, legal, or strategic discussions
• Government and defense: Work in air-gapped or classified environments
• Privacy-conscious professionals: Want meeting intelligence without cloud dependency
• Sales teams: Need invisible recording that doesn't alert prospects or clients

Migration Guide: Switching from Otter.ai to Meetily

Step 1: Export Your Data from Otter.ai

1. Log into Otter.ai web dashboard
2. Navigate to each conversation
3. Click "Export" → Choose "TXT" or "PDF" format
4. Download all transcripts (Note: Otter.ai doesn't offer bulk export for free users)
5. Save audio recordings if you have access

Note: Otter.ai's export is conversation-by-conversation, which can be time-consuming for large archives.

Step 2: Install Meetily

# Via Homebrew (recommended)
brew tap zackriya-solutions/meetily
brew install --cask meetily

Step 3: Configure Meetily

1. Launch Meetily from Applications (Mac) or Start Menu (Windows)
2. Select Transcription Engine:
   • Whisper: Choose model (Tiny → Large v3) based on accuracy needs
     • Recommended: Small model for most users
     • Large v3: Maximum accuracy - requires 8GB+ RAM
   • Parakeet: NVIDIA NeMo model optimized for speed and efficiency
     • Recommended: For older computers or real-time needs
3. Configure Audio: Select your microphone and system audio sources
4. Choose Storage: Select where transcripts will be saved
5. Optional: Configure AI summarization (Ollama for local, or Claude/GPT via API)

Step 4: Test First Meeting

1. Join a test meeting (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, etc.)
2. Click "Record" in Meetily
3. Verify real-time transcription appears
4. After meeting, check AI summary generates correctly
5. Export to Markdown to verify workflow

Step 5: Import Historical Transcripts (Optional)

Since Meetily stores transcripts as Markdown files, you can:

1. Convert Otter.ai exports (TXT) to Markdown
2. Place files in Meetily's storage directory
3. Organize by date/topic for searchability

Technical Deep-Dive: How Meetily Achieves Privacy

Architecture Comparison

Your Meeting → Bot Joins Call → Audio Uploaded to Otter.ai Cloud →
Cloud AI Transcription → Cloud Storage → Access via Web/App

Your Meeting → Local Audio Capture → Local Whisper Processing →
Local Storage → Access Directly on Device

Why Local Processing Matters

Privacy Benefits:

• Zero Network Transfer: Your meeting audio never leaves your device
• No Vendor Access: Otter.ai employees cannot access your transcripts
• Regulatory Compliance: Satisfies data residency requirements (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)
• Intellectual Property Protection: Product strategy discussions stay confidential

Performance Benefits:

• Works Offline: No internet required after initial setup
• Lower Latency: No round-trip to cloud servers (local GPU processing is fast)
• Unlimited Usage: No per-minute pricing or monthly limits

For Teams: Organizations & Enterprise Tiers

While the individual tier is fully local, Meetily Organizations (2-100 users) and Enterprise (100+ users) offer managed deployments:

Request Demo for Organizations/Enterprise →

Competitive Comparison: Why Meetily?

Meetily vs Competitors

Note: Granola is macOS only - if you need Windows support, Meetily is a better choice.

Ready to Take Back Control of Your Meeting Data?

If you've ever felt uncomfortable with cloud services processing your confidential conversations, Meetily is the solution.