Otter.ai does not charge per session fees. It charges per minute. And how quickly those minutes disappear depends on how long your meetings last, how many files you import, and how many people are on your team.
This is where most people get confused. Otter states “1,200 minutes per month” on the Pro plan.
But what does that actually mean in meetings? How many meetings are that? What happens when you run out of time? And how do imported files affect your pool?
This guide will do the math for you. We’ll explain exactly how Otter’s minute system works, how far each plan goes in practice, and how to make sure you don’t run out of time in the middle of the month.
Otter.ai prices 2026: How does the minute system work?
Each Otter.ai plan offers a fixed number of transcription minutes per billing cycle. These transcripts cover two types: live meeting transcriptions and transcriptions from imported files. Both draw from the same pool.
Here is the current allocation:
| Plan | Monthly logs | Maximum per conversation | File import limit |
| Easy (free) | 300 | 30 mins | 3 lifetime |
| professional | 1,200 | 90 mins | 10/month |
| Business | 6,000 | 4 hours | Unlimited |
| Pursue | Unlimited | 4 hours | Unlimited |
Minutes don’t pass. If you have 400 minutes left at the end of the month, they will disappear when the new cycle begins. There is no credit bank. There is no rollover pool. Use it or lose it.
The cap per conversation is independent of your monthly pool. Even if you have 1,000 minutes left, a single Pro meeting can’t last longer than 90 minutes. Business and Enterprise increase the time to 4 hours.
How many meetings does each plan actually support?
This depends entirely on the average meeting length. Let’s calculate for common durations.
1. Basic (Free) – 300 minutes/month
| Meeting duration | meetings per month | meetings per week |
| 15 mins | 20 | 5 |
| 30 mins | 10 | 2.5 |
| 45 mins | 6.6 | 1.6 |
| 60 mins | 5 | 1.25 |
The free plan works for about 2 short meetings per week. Once you exceed this pace, you will run out of resources before the month ends.
And remember: the 30 minute per call cap means your 45 minute meetings will be cut anyway.
2. Pro ($16.99) – 1,200 minutes/month
| Meeting duration | meetings per month | meetings per week |
| 30 mins | 40 | 10 |
| 45 mins | 26 | 6.5 |
| 60 mins | 20 | 5 |
| 90 mins | 13 | 3.25 |
Pro conveniently covers 5 one-hour meetings per week. This is a typical schedule for most working professionals. If your schedule is more extensive, you need Business.
3. Business ($24) — 6,000 minutes/month
| Meeting duration | meetings per month | meetings per week |
| 30 mins | 200 | 50 |
| 45 mins | 133 | 33 |
| 60 mins | 100 | 25 |
| 90 mins | 66 | 16.5 |
The company supports a team. If you have 10 team members each attending 5 one-hour meetings per week, that’s 2,000 minutes per month – well within the 6,000 cap.
A team of 20 would take about 4,000 minutes. Business easily covers most medium-sized teams.
Enterprise – Unlimited
No caps. No math required. If your organization has more than 100 employees and a strong meeting culture, Enterprise completely eliminates the minute limit.
The hidden minute consumption: Imported files
This is the part that most people forget. Imported audio and video files consume minutes from the same pool as live meetings.
If you import a 60-minute podcast for transcription, 60 minutes will be lost from your monthly pool.
The free plan only allows you to import 3 files in total (for life). With Pro you get 10 files per month. For Business and Enterprise, imports are unlimited.
This is where things get difficult. Let’s say you’re using Pro with 1,200 minutes. You will attend 4 one-hour sessions per week (approximately 960 minutes per month).
This leaves 240 minutes for the import. If you import two two-hour interview recordings, that’s 240 minutes – your entire remaining pool.
Plan your divisions carefully. If you regularly import files, deduct this usage from your meeting budget. Don’t find yourself running out of minutes when an important meeting is only 10 minutes away.
What happens when you run out of time?
When your monthly minutes reach zero, Otter stops transcription. No notes will appear for your next meeting. You cannot import new files. You wait for the billing cycle to reset.
There is no option to purchase additional minutes during the cycle. You cannot fill up your pool. Your only choice is to wait for the reset or upgrade your plan.
This makes planning crucial. If you’re using Pro and find your minutes running low in Week 3, you’ll need to prioritize which remaining meetings get transcribed.
Otter doesn’t ration for you. It is first come, first served until the pool is empty.
Real usage scenarios
Let’s look at how minutes affect different types of users.
Solo freelancer, moderation of meetings. You have 4 customer calls per week, each lasting an average of 45 minutes. That’s 720 minutes per month. Pro’s 1,200 minutes covers everything. You still have 480 minutes for file imports or additional calls. Pro at $8.33/month (annually) works well.
Small team (5 people), mixed schedule. Each person has 4 45-minute meetings per week. That’s 3,600 minutes per month. The 1,200 minutes of Pro are not enough. The deal gives you 6,000 minutes – enough to cover the team with a buffer. A $20/user/month (annual) deal is the way to go.
Sales team (10 people), call-heavy. Each employee has 6 calls per day, an average of 30 minutes. That’s 10 reps × 6 calls × 30 minutes × 20 workdays = 36,000 minutes per month. The business doesn’t come close. Enterprise’s Unlimited plan is the only option. Additionally, Enterprise unlocks OtterPilot for sales – CRM sync, call coaching, and sales insights.
Student with lectures. You attend 3 lectures per week, each 60 minutes long. That’s 720 minutes per month. Pro covers it. With the .edu discount you pay $6.67/month billed annually. That’s less than one coffee per week.
How can you stretch your minutes even further?
Every minute counts – in the truest sense of the word. How to get more out of your pool.
Skip transcribing short, informal chats. Not every 5-minute check-in needs Otter. Save minutes for meetings that lead to decisions and actions.
Set Otter to only attend specific meetings. Don’t automatically join every calendar event. Configure Otter to only join meetings where transcription is important.
Use the cap per conversation strategically. With Pro, your limit is 90 minutes. If a meeting lasts two hours, Otter only records the first 90 minutes. Decide in advance whether a partial transcription makes sense or whether you should retain these minutes for a full meeting.
Import files only when necessary. Each imported file consumes data from your pool. Being able to transcribe a recording live instead of importing it later gives you more control over your minute budget.
Track your usage mid-month. With business plans you get usage analytics. For Pro, manually check your remaining minutes. Don’t be surprised in week 4.
Billed annually: Same minutes, lower price
You will not receive any additional minutes if you are billed annually. But it drastically reduces the price per minute.
| Plan | Monthly billing costs | Annual billing costs (per month) | Cost per minute (monthly) | Cost per minute (annually) |
| professional | $16.99 | $8.33 | $0.014 | $0.007 |
| Business | $30 | $19.99 | $0.005 | $0.003 |
With annual Pro billing, you pay less than a cent per minute of transcription. In an annual deal it is a third of a penny. With these plans, transcription costs are virtually invisible in any professional’s budget.
Monthly billing almost doubles your per-minute costs with Pro. If you’ve been using Otter for a month and know you’ll continue, switch to the annual version immediately.
The 30-minute trap for free
This deserves its own section because it resonates with so many people.
Otter’s free plan limits each conversation to 30 minutes. When the timer reaches 30:00, transcription stops. The meeting continues. Not otters. After 25 minutes there is no warning. There is no possibility of extension. It just ends.
For professional meetings that typically last 45-60 minutes, this means losing the last third to half of each conversation. Decisions are often made here, measures are assigned and next steps are confirmed.
Losing this part of the transcript defeats the entire purpose of an AI note taker.
If your meetings regularly last longer than 30 minutes, upgrading to Pro is not optional. It is necessary.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check my remaining minutes?
In your Otter account, go to Settings. Your usage statistics show how many minutes you have used and how many are left in the current billing cycle.
Can I purchase additional minutes if I run out of minutes?
No. Otter does not offer minute charges. Your choice is to wait for the next cycle or upgrade your plan.
Do minutes reset on a calendar month or billing date?
They will be reset on your billing date. If you signed up on the 15th, your minutes will reset on the 15th of each month.
What counts as a transcription minute?
One minute of audio transcription – whether from a live meeting or an imported file – costs one minute of your pool. If Otter transcribes a 47-minute meeting, that’s 47 minutes.
If two team members attend the same meeting, will it take twice as many minutes?
No. Otter uses one note-taking bot per meeting. Minutes are only used once, not per participant.
Also read:
Conclusion
Otter’s minute system is simple on the surface, but it traps people who don’t plan.
The free 300 minute pool barely covers 2 meetings per week. Pro’s 1,200 minutes is enough for most individual users. The company’s 6,000-minute support teams consist of 5-15 people.
Minutes don’t pass. There are no charges. When they’re gone, they’re gone.
Count your average weekly meetings. For monthly volume, multiply by 4.3. Multiply it by your average meeting length. This number will tell you which plan you need. Add a 15-20% buffer for imported files and unexpected meetings. Then choose.
Otter works well if you choose the right plan. It frustrates you if you don’t.
