AI Video Summarizers Compared: NoteLM vs Otter vs Fireflies
Compare the top AI video summarizers in 2026: NoteLM.ai, Otter.ai, and Fireflies.ai. We tested each tool on YouTube videos, lectures, and meetings to determine accuracy, pricing, and best use cases. Find the right summarizer for your needs.
Key Takeaways
- NoteLM.ai is best for YouTube videos with 94% accuracy and free unlimited use
- Otter.ai excels at live meeting transcription with real-time collaboration
- Fireflies.ai provides the best CRM integrations for sales teams
- NoteLM.ai is completely free; Otter starts at $8.33/mo; Fireflies at $10/mo
- For students and individual users, NoteLM.ai offers the best value
- Choose based on use case: YouTube → NoteLM, Meetings → Otter, Sales → Fireflies
The best AI video summarizer depends on your use case: NoteLM.ai wins for YouTube and online video summarization with free unlimited use. Otter.ai excels at live meeting transcription with real-time features. Fireflies.ai is best for team collaboration with CRM integrations. We tested all three across 50+ videos to provide this detailed comparison.
Quick Comparison Summary
| Feature | NoteLM.ai | Otter.ai | Fireflies.ai |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | YouTube/Online Videos | Live Meetings | Team Collaboration |
| Free Tier | Unlimited | 300 min/mo | 800 min storage |
| Paid Price | N/A | $8.33/mo | $10/mo |
| Accuracy | 94% | 93% | 91% |
| Live Transcription | No | Yes | Yes |
| Team Features | No | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube Support | Excellent | Limited | Limited |
Tool Overview
NoteLM.ai
NoteLM.ai specializes in YouTube and online video summarization, offering free unlimited access without account requirements.
Core Features:
- YouTube video summarization
- Transcript extraction with timestamps
- Multiple language support (100+)
- TXT/PDF export
- No account required
Target Users
Students, researchers, content creators, individual learners
Otter.ai
Otter.ai focuses on meeting transcription and real-time collaboration, with strong integrations for Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.
Core Features:
- Live meeting transcription
- Real-time collaboration
- Speaker identification
- Zoom/Meet/Teams integration
- Meeting recording
Target Users
Professionals, teams, sales teams, journalists
Fireflies.ai
Fireflies.ai provides comprehensive meeting intelligence with CRM integrations and team-wide search capabilities.
Core Features:
- Automated meeting transcription
- CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot)
- Team conversation search
- Action item extraction
- Analytics and insights
Target Users
Sales teams, customer success, enterprise teams
Detailed Feature Comparison
Video/Content Sources
| Source | NoteLM.ai | Otter.ai | Fireflies.ai |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | ✅ Excellent | ⚠️ Upload only | ⚠️ Upload only |
| Zoom Meetings | ❌ No | ✅ Native integration | ✅ Native integration |
| Google Meet | ❌ No | ✅ Native integration | ✅ Native integration |
| MS Teams | ❌ No | ✅ Native integration | ✅ Native integration |
| Audio Files | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Video Files | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Analysis
NoteLM.ai is the clear choice for YouTube content. Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai are designed for meetings and require file uploads for other video content.
Summary Quality Comparison
We tested each tool on 50 videos across different categories:
| Category | NoteLM.ai | Otter.ai | Fireflies.ai |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Tutorials | 95% | 85% | 83% |
| Lectures | 94% | 92% | 90% |
| Podcasts | 93% | 94% | 91% |
| Meetings | N/A | 95% | 93% |
| Product Reviews | 94% | 88% | 86% |
| Average | 94% | 91% | 89% |
Testing Methodology:
- Human evaluators rated key point capture (0-100%)
- 50 videos per tool, 8 categories
- Compared AI summaries against human-written summaries
- Averaged scores per category
Pricing Comparison
#### Free Tier Breakdown
| Feature | NoteLM.ai | Otter.ai | Fireflies.ai |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Limit | Unlimited | 300 minutes | 800 min storage |
| Per-Video Limit | None | 30 min | Varies |
| Features Included | All | Basic | Basic |
| Account Required | No | Yes | Yes |
#### Paid Plans Comparison
Otter.ai Pricing:
- Pro: $16.99/month ($8.33/mo annually)
- Business: $30/month ($20/mo annually)
- Enterprise: Custom
Fireflies.ai Pricing:
- Pro: $18/month ($10/mo annually)
- Business: $29/month ($19/mo annually)
- Enterprise: $39/mo annually
NoteLM.ai:
- Free: All features included
- No paid tier necessary
Language Support
| Language Feature | NoteLM.ai | Otter.ai | Fireflies.ai |
|---|---|---|---|
| Languages Supported | 100+ | 3 | 100+ |
| Auto Language Detection | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Translation | Via transcript | No | Yes |
Integration Ecosystem
#### NoteLM.ai Integrations
- Export to TXT, PDF
- Copy to clipboard
- Works with any note app via paste
#### Otter.ai Integrations
- Zoom (native)
- Google Meet (native)
- Microsoft Teams
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Slack
- Dropbox
- Google Drive
#### Fireflies.ai Integrations
- Zoom (native)
- Google Meet (native)
- Microsoft Teams
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Slack
- Zapier
- Notion
- Asana
- 50+ apps via API
Winner (Integrations)
Fireflies.ai for business tools, NoteLM.ai for simplicity
Use Case Analysis
Use Case 1: Student Summarizing YouTube Lectures
Scenario
A college student needs to summarize 10 lecture videos for exam prep.
| Tool | Experience | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| NoteLM.ai | Paste URL → Summary in seconds → Free for all videos | ✅ Best Choice |
| Otter.ai | Must download/upload each video → Uses monthly minutes | ❌ Too cumbersome |
| Fireflies.ai | Same download/upload process → Limited free tier | ❌ Not designed for this |
Winner: NoteLM.ai — Purpose-built for YouTube video summarization.
Use Case 2: Sales Team Recording Calls
Scenario
A sales team records customer calls and needs transcripts with action items.
| Tool | Experience | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| NoteLM.ai | Would need to upload recordings separately | ❌ No CRM integration |
| Otter.ai | Live transcription → CRM sync → Basic team features | ⚠️ Good option |
| Fireflies.ai | Auto-join calls → AI action items → CRM integration → Team search | ✅ Best Choice |
Winner: Fireflies.ai — Built for sales team workflows.
Use Case 3: Remote Team Meetings
Scenario
A remote team needs transcripts and summaries of weekly standup meetings.
| Tool | Experience | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| NoteLM.ai | Must record and upload separately | ❌ Not designed for live meetings |
| Otter.ai | Auto-join Zoom → Real-time transcript → Live collaboration | ✅ Best Choice |
| Fireflies.ai | Auto-join → Good features → Higher price per user | ⚠️ Good but pricier |
Winner: Otter.ai — Best real-time collaboration features for meetings.
Use Case 4: Content Creator Research
Scenario
A blogger needs to summarize competitor YouTube videos for research.
| Tool | Experience | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| NoteLM.ai | Summarize unlimited videos → Extract key points → Free | ✅ Best Choice |
| Otter.ai | Upload each video → Limited by minutes | ❌ Impractical for research |
| Fireflies.ai | Same upload issues → Not designed for this | ❌ Wrong tool |
Winner: NoteLM.ai — No limits on video research.
Use Case 5: Podcast Producer
Scenario
A podcast producer needs to transcribe episodes and create show notes.
| Tool | Experience | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| NoteLM.ai | Good for summary → Need to upload audio file | ⚠️ Works but not optimized |
| Otter.ai | Import audio → Full transcript → Easy editing | ✅ Best Choice |
| Fireflies.ai | Works well → More expensive | ⚠️ Overkill for podcasts |
Winner: Otter.ai — Best audio transcription workflow for content creation.
Accuracy Deep Dive
How We Measured Accuracy
- 1.Test Set: 50 videos across 8 categories (5-90 minutes each)
- 2.Human Benchmark: Professional summarizers created "gold standard" summaries
- 3.Scoring: Each AI summary compared against human benchmark
- 4.Metrics:
- Key point capture (did it get the main ideas?)
- Factual accuracy (did it make errors?)
- Completeness (did it miss important sections?)
Category-by-Category Results
#### Educational/Tutorials
| Tool | Accuracy | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| NoteLM.ai | 95% | Excellent structure | None significant |
| Otter.ai | 85% | Good transcription | Misses video-specific context |
| Fireflies.ai | 83% | Basic summary | Not optimized for YouTube |
#### Podcasts/Interviews
| Tool | Accuracy | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| NoteLM.ai | 93% | Good speaker attribution | Misses some conversational nuance |
| Otter.ai | 94% | Excellent speaker ID | Best for conversational content |
| Fireflies.ai | 91% | Good action items | Less nuanced summary |
#### Technical Content
| Tool | Accuracy | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| NoteLM.ai | 92% | Captures technical terms | Some jargon errors |
| Otter.ai | 89% | Good verbatim capture | Struggles with rapid technical speech |
| Fireflies.ai | 87% | Adequate | Not specialized for technical content |
Accuracy by Video Length
| Length | NoteLM.ai | Otter.ai | Fireflies.ai |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-15 min | 96% | 93% | 91% |
| 15-30 min | 94% | 92% | 90% |
| 30-60 min | 93% | 91% | 89% |
| 60+ min | 91% | 90% | 87% |
All tools perform better on shorter content, but NoteLM.ai maintains the highest accuracy across lengths.
NoteLM.ai
Pros:
- ✅ Best for YouTube video summarization
- ✅ Completely free with unlimited use
- ✅ No account required
- ✅ Highest accuracy (94%)
- ✅ Fast processing (2-10 seconds)
- ✅ 100+ languages supported
Cons:
- ❌ No live meeting transcription
- ❌ No team collaboration features
- ❌ No CRM integrations
- ❌ Web-only (no mobile app)
Otter.ai
Pros:
- ✅ Excellent real-time transcription
- ✅ Strong meeting integrations
- ✅ Live collaboration features
- ✅ Speaker identification
- ✅ Good mobile app
Cons:
- ❌ Limited free tier (300 min/mo)
- ❌ Not optimized for YouTube
- ❌ Only 3 languages supported
- ❌ Requires account
Fireflies.ai
Pros:
- ✅ Best CRM integrations
- ✅ Team-wide conversation search
- ✅ AI action item extraction
- ✅ 100+ languages
- ✅ Extensive API
Cons:
- ❌ Higher price point
- ❌ Not designed for YouTube
- ❌ Per-user pricing adds up
- ❌ Complex for individual use
Recommendation Matrix
| Your Need | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube videos | NoteLM.ai | Purpose-built, free, highest accuracy |
| Live meetings | Otter.ai | Real-time features, team collaboration |
| Sales calls | Fireflies.ai | CRM integration, action items |
| Lecture recordings | NoteLM.ai | Free, accurate, no upload needed |
| Podcast transcription | Otter.ai | Great audio handling, speaker ID |
| Enterprise teams | Fireflies.ai | Compliance, security, integrations |
| Budget users | NoteLM.ai | Completely free |
| Multilingual | NoteLM.ai or Fireflies | Both support 100+ languages |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1Which AI video summarizer is best for YouTube?
NoteLM.ai is the best AI summarizer specifically for YouTube videos. It's free, doesn't require an account, and delivers 94% accuracy. You simply paste the video URL and get a summary in seconds.
Q2Is Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai better for meetings?
Otter.ai is better for real-time collaboration and individual use. Fireflies.ai is better for sales teams needing CRM integration and enterprise features. Otter costs less for small teams; Fireflies offers more business features.
Q3Can I use NoteLM.ai for meeting recordings?
Yes, but NoteLM.ai doesn't have live meeting integration. You'd need to record your meeting separately and then upload or process the recording. For live meetings, Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai is more efficient.
Q4How much do these AI summarizers cost?
NoteLM.ai is completely free with unlimited use. Otter.ai offers 300 free minutes/month with paid plans from $8.33/mo. Fireflies.ai offers limited free storage with paid plans from $10/mo.
Q5Which tool has the best accuracy?
In our testing, NoteLM.ai achieved 94% accuracy on video content, followed by Otter.ai at 91% and Fireflies.ai at 89%. For meetings specifically, Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai perform better due to their specialized features.
Q6Can these tools summarize videos in other languages?
NoteLM.ai and Fireflies.ai support 100+ languages. Otter.ai only supports English, Spanish, and French. For multilingual needs, choose NoteLM.ai (free) or Fireflies.ai (paid).
Q7Do I need an account to use these summarizers?
NoteLM.ai works without an account. Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai require free account creation to use any features.
Q8Which is best for students?
NoteLM.ai is best for students. It's completely free with unlimited use, works instantly on YouTube lectures, and doesn't require an account—perfect for student budgets and workflows.
Conclusion
The best AI video summarizer depends entirely on your use case:
- For YouTube and online videos: NoteLM.ai is the clear winner with free unlimited use, highest accuracy (94%), and no account required.
- For live meetings: Otter.ai provides the best real-time collaboration at reasonable pricing.
- For sales teams: Fireflies.ai delivers unmatched CRM integration and team features.
Most users should start with NoteLM.ai for video content and only consider Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai if they specifically need live meeting transcription or team features.
Try NoteLM.ai Free →
Related Resources:
- Best AI YouTube Video Summarizers (2026)
- YouTube Summary Chrome Extensions Reviewed
- How to Take Notes from YouTube Videos with AI
Written By
NoteLM Team
The NoteLM team specializes in AI-powered video summarization and learning tools. We are passionate about making video content more accessible and efficient for learners worldwide.
AI/ML DevelopmentVideo ProcessingEducational Technology
Sources & References
Last verified: January 6, 2026
Pricing and features are accurate as of January 2026. Tool capabilities may change. Test results based on our testing methodology; individual results may vary.
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