Arc vs Otter.ai

A 2026 side-by-side comparison of Arc and Otter.ai — pricing, key features, platforms, API access, and the trade-offs of each, based on data collected from their official sites.

Tagline

Experience a calmer, more personal internet in this browser designed for you.

AI Notetaker, Transcription, Insights, and Conversational Knowledge Engine

Pricing

Freemium
Freemium

Rating

0.0 (0)
0.0 (0)

Platforms

Mobile
WebmacOSWindowsiOSAndroidChrome

API

No
No

Open source

No
No

Description

Arc is a browser built by The Browser Company designed to reduce clicks, clutter, and distractions. It features split screen functionality, one-click account switching, Developer Mode, AI-powered utilities, weekly security updates, and deep integrations with productivity tools like Google Calendar, Gmail, Notion, and Google Docs.

Otter.ai uses artificial intelligence to empower users with real-time transcription meeting notes that are shareable, searchable, accessible, and secure. It offers AI meeting summaries, automated follow-ups, and tool integrations.

Key features

  • Split Screen
  • One-click Account Switching
  • Developer Mode
  • AI-Powered Utilities
  • Google Calendar Integration
  • Notion Calendar Integration
  • Outlook Calendar Integration
  • Gmail Integration
  • Outlook Mail Integration
  • Notion Integration
  • Google Docs Notes Defaulting
  • Word Docs Notes Defaulting
  • Real-time transcription
  • Automated AI meeting summaries
  • Live AI chat
  • Action items generation
  • CRM sync
  • Slide capture
  • Audio & video file import
  • Follow-up email generation
  • Desktop application
  • Chrome extension
  • Integrations with Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams

Pros

  • Features an integrated Split Screen view to view multiple pages side by side.
  • Includes one-click account switching to jump between accounts seamlessly.
  • Equipped with a built-in Developer Mode tailored for programmers.
  • Provides AI-powered utilities to modernize how users browse.
  • Receives weekly security updates and maintains SOC 2 certification.
  • Integrates directly with Google, Notion, and Outlook calendars for a quick schedule peek.
  • Offers preview capability for unread emails in Gmail and Outlook on tab hover.
  • Allows users to set Google Docs, Notion, or Word as their default notes client.
  • Integrates seamlessly with popular platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Slack.
  • Provides up to 6,000 monthly transcription minutes and support for 4 hours per conversation on specific plan levels.
  • Allows users to import and transcribe unlimited audio or video files.
  • Captures meeting notes and slides automatically via proprietary real-time transcription.
  • Enables recording on desktop with headphones on and without requiring a bot to join the meeting.
  • Supports automatic exports of transcripts, summaries, and metadata to Airtable and Amazon S3.
  • Extracts conversation information instantly using interactive AI Chat context queries.
  • Offers dedicated mobile applications for both iOS and Android devices, as well as a Chrome extension.

Cons

  • The site does not reference or provide any public API documentation.
  • Details on product pricing plans are not listed on the website.
  • The browser is not explicitly listed as open source and does not provide repository links.
  • Specific supported desktop platforms like Windows or macOS are not clearly listed on the home page.
  • Utilizing integration hover-previews requires keeping calendar and mail tabs pinned or favorited.
  • Desktop application requires macOS 12.3 or later, limiting usability on older Apple systems.
  • Desktop application is restricted to Windows 10 or later on PC systems.
  • Exact pricing tier dollar amounts for paid plans are not disclosed in the provided page texts.
  • No public developer API documentation or REST API details are referenced on the main pages.
  • No explicit compliance certifications (such as SOC2, ISO, or HIPAA) are detail-listed in the scraped texts.

Pricing plans

Not disclosed
Not disclosed

Which one should you pick?

  • Choose Arc if you need Split Screen.
  • Choose Otter.ai if you need Real-time transcription.
  • On budget: Arc is freemium, Otter.ai is freemium.