Otter.ai is a meeting transcription service built around post-call documentation. Sway is the private AI that's already helping you while the conversation is live.
Otter.ai is built for after the meeting — recordings, transcripts, searchable history stored in the cloud. Sway is built for during the meeting. It listens locally, surfaces relevant suggestions in real time, and disappears when the call ends. No bot in the participants list. No transcript on someone else's server. If you need help in the moment, Otter cannot give it to you.
Feature comparison
How Sway and Otter.ai compare on the features that matter most.
| Feature | Sway | Otter.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time AI suggestions during the call | ✓ | ✗ |
| No meeting bot in your call | ✓ | ✗ |
| Audio processed locally on device | ✓ | ✗ — cloud stored |
| Meeting transcripts stored on company servers | No — never stored | Yes — cloud storage |
| Bot joins the meeting as visible participant | No bot | Yes — OtterPilot |
| Live transcription | ✓ | ✓ |
| Post-meeting summary | ✓ | ✓ |
| Speaker identification | ✗ | ✓ |
| Works during live sales calls | ✓ | ✗ — bot is visible |
| macOS native desktop app | ✓ | Web + mobile only |
| Free tier available | ✓ — 7-day trial | 300 min/mo free |
Where Sway wins
A transcript you read after the call is useful. It cannot help you answer the question that just blindsided you.
Sway surfaces talking points, responses, and context while the conversation is live — not in the Otter summary you read an hour later when the deal has already moved on.
Otter.ai stores your meeting recordings and transcripts in the cloud. Sway processes audio locally. Nothing is recorded. Nothing is stored. Only the text of a specific prompt is sent to an AI provider to generate a response.
OtterPilot joins calls as a visible participant. Sway runs as a native macOS app private, with no meeting bot. There is no bot in the participant list. The people on the call see only you.
If your core need is a searchable cloud archive of meeting transcripts — speaker-identified, shareable, integrated with your team's workflow — Otter.ai is purpose-built for that and does it well. Teams that need compliance records, managers reviewing past calls, or anyone who wants a permanent searchable history of conversations will find Otter.ai's feature set compelling. Sway and Otter.ai are not strictly competing — they serve different moments in the same conversation lifecycle.
When to use Sway
Sway is for the conversations where what you say right now is what matters.
Surface talking points and examples in real time as questions come up — with no meeting bot in the call.
Handle objections on the spot. Surface pricing, case studies, and competitive responses the moment a prospect pushes back.
Some clients will not consent to recording. Sway needs no consent — it never records anything. Use it where a bot would damage the relationship.
Handle live Q&A with confidence. Let Sway surface the right answer as questions come in from the audience — privately.
Pricing
Sway starts with a 7-day free trial — no credit card required. Upgrade when you need unlimited sessions and full private mode.
7-day free trial. Full real-time suggestions. No credit card required to start.
Unlimited sessions, private mode (private, with no meeting bot), and priority AI response speed.
Frequently asked questions
Otter.ai is a cloud-based meeting transcription and recording service — it stores audio and transcripts on its servers and focuses on post-meeting documentation. Sway is a real-time AI assistant that helps you during the call itself with live suggestions, processes audio locally on your Mac, stores no recordings, and is private to screen sharing.
No. Sway does not record, store, or transmit meeting audio. It processes audio locally in real time to generate suggestions. Only the text context of a specific AI prompt is sent to an AI provider — meeting audio stays on your device and is never uploaded.
Otter.ai and Sway serve different purposes. Otter.ai is designed for post-meeting transcription and cloud-stored notes. Sway is designed for real-time in-call assistance — live suggestions while the conversation is happening, private, with no meeting bot, no cloud storage. If you need help during the call rather than documentation after it, Sway is the stronger fit.
Yes, Otter.ai's OtterPilot feature joins calls as a visible bot participant that other people on the call can see. Sway does not join the call at all — it runs as a native macOS app free of any meeting bot, screen sharing, and recording tools.
Sway and Otter.ai serve different needs. If you need post-meeting transcription, searchable history, and cloud-stored notes for your team, Otter.ai is built for that. If you need real-time suggestions and AI coaching during a live call, Sway is the right tool. Many users want both — Sway for the live moment, transcription for afterward.
Sway offers a 7-day free trial. Sway Plus is $30/month or $216/year. Otter.ai offers a free tier with 300 minutes per month. Check each product's current pricing page for up-to-date rates.
Sway starts with a 7-day free trial. No credit card required. Download and run your first real-time AI session in under two minutes.