Otter vs Fireflies: what can you export without upgrading?

Decide what you need to take away

A transcript and a recording solve different problems. A text file lets you search, quote and edit the words. An audio file lets you listen again to delivery, context and anything the transcript may have missed. Before choosing a meeting assistant, decide whether you need one of those files or both after the meeting.

Also distinguish a downloadable file from a shared link. If your recipient needs a local archive or must work without access to the original service, a link may not satisfy the requirement. This is why free transcription alone is an incomplete buying criterion: creating a transcript inside an app and downloading it are separate features.

Otter Basic: TXT for words, MP3 for audio

Otter's pricing comparison lists MP3 and TXT under Basic exports. Its text export guide limits Basic to TXT, while PDF, DOCX and SRT belong to paid plans. The separate audio instructions describe exporting an MP3. Read the text restriction in that context rather than interpreting 'TXT only' as a ban on audio downloads.

For an editable record of the conversation, plain text may be enough. If the recipient needs a formatted Word document or a subtitle file, check the relevant paid feature before choosing. Renaming a TXT file does not give it the structure of an SRT subtitle file. Likewise, exporting audio does not establish that the transcript is accurate.

Fireflies Free: transcription and downloads are separate

Fireflies' pricing page lists downloads as a Pro inclusion. Its download guide explicitly places transcript, summary, audio and video downloads on Pro or higher. For the built-in download workflow, that is the relevant distinction from Otter Basic, even if you can already view a transcript within Fireflies.

On an eligible plan, the guide lists transcript formats including PDF, DOCX, SRT, CSV, JSON and Markdown, with audio downloads in MP3. Those choices can matter when another person or application expects a particular format. Do not pay for extra formats without first checking which one your destination actually accepts.

This comparison does not say that every way of moving information out of Fireflies is blocked on Free. Its pricing page also lists API access. We have not established the full possibilities or restrictions of API, manual copying or sharing workflows here. A built-in download comparison should not be expanded into a claim about total data access.

Check one complete export workflow

Before relying on either service for important meetings, use a short recording you are authorized to process. On Otter, the published workflow starts from the conversation's export menu; select text or enable audio as required. Fireflies documents a download control within the meeting view, subject to plan eligibility and processed meeting content.

Open the resulting file in the application your recipient will use. Check that it contains the expected conversation, that the text is usable, and that the audio plays. For shared conversations, verify your permissions: Otter's guide specifically notes that export access depends on the sharing role and settings. A missing button is not automatically proof that a paid upgrade is necessary.

• Specify the deliverable first: plain text, formatted document, subtitles, audio or a combination.
• Confirm the account's actual plan rather than assuming a trial represents the permanent free allowance.
• Check the recording and transcript before sending them, especially names, decisions and quoted passages.
• Store the file where the intended recipient can access it and keep a clear meeting title and date.

Our buying rule

If your nonnegotiable requirement is a local transcript plus an audio recording without a subscription, Otter Basic is the clearer documented fit between these two built-in workflows. If your team already uses Fireflies and needs its downloadable files, include the qualifying paid plan in the cost of that workflow.

Export is only one part of the decision. Check capture limits, supported meeting setup and the amount of correction your own recordings need before committing. We have not measured those products against each other here. The useful conclusion is about the documented file boundary, not an invented overall winner.