🎯 Quick Summary: What's Actually Free in 2025
Truly unlimited free:tl;dv (best overall free option)
Limited but generous:Otter.ai (600 minutes/month), MeetGeek (5 hours/month)
Built-in platform options:Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Zoom (basic transcription)
Reality check:Most "free" tools have significant limitations after 30-90 days
🏆 Top 5 Free Meeting Transcription Tools Compared
| Tool | Free Limit | Key Features | Best For | Upgrade Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tl;dv | Unlimited | Real-time transcription, timestamps, highlights, 30+ languages | Remote teams, async work | $18/month Pro |
| Otter.ai | 600 min/month | Live transcription, search, basic summaries, mobile app | Individual users, students | $17/month Pro |
| MeetGeek | 5 hours/month | AI summaries, action items, 60+ languages | Small teams, multilingual | $19/month Pro |
| Google Meet | Unlimited* | Basic transcription, auto-save to Drive (*Workspace accounts only) | Google Workspace users | $6/month Business Starter |
| Microsoft Teams | Unlimited* | Live captions, basic transcription (*365 Business accounts) | Microsoft 365 users | $6/month Business Basic |
📋 Detailed Free Tool Analysis
🥇 tl;dv - Best Overall Free Option
✅ What's Free Forever
- • Unlimited meeting recordings
- • Real-time transcription
- • Timestamped highlights
- • 30+ languages supported
- • Basic video editing tools
- • Zoom, Meet, Teams integration
❌ Limitations
- • No advanced AI summaries
- • Limited storage (20 hours)
- • No CRM integrations
- • Basic analytics only
- • No custom templates
Bottom Line:tl;dv offers the most generous free plan in 2025. Perfect for distributed teams who need reliable transcription without monthly limits. The free version is genuinely useful long-term.
🥈 Otter.ai - Most Popular with Limits
✅ What's Free (600 min/month)
- • Live transcription during meetings
- • Searchable transcript library
- • Mobile app with recording
- • Basic keyword detection
- • Export to Word/PDF
- • Zoom integration
❌ Free Plan Restrictions
- • 600 minutes = ~10 hours monthly
- • 40-minute max per conversation
- • No advanced summaries
- • Limited speaker identification
- • No team collaboration features
- • English only
Reality Check:600 minutes sounds generous but equals about 2-3 hours of meetings per week. Most business users hit this limit quickly. Great for students or very light users.
🏢 Platform-Native Options (Google, Microsoft, Zoom)
Google Meet Transcription
Free with:Google Workspace Business accounts ($6/month per user)
Basic transcription, auto-save to Google Drive, searchable in Gmail. Quality is decent but no advanced features like speaker identification or summaries.
Microsoft Teams Transcription
Free with:Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($6/month per user)
Live captions and basic transcripts. Integrates well with Office apps. Limited formatting and no AI-powered insights.
Zoom Basic Transcription
Free with:Zoom Pro accounts ($14.99/month)
Auto-generated transcripts, saved with recordings. Accuracy varies significantly with audio quality.
💰 Hidden Costs & Upgrade Reality
⚠️ When Free Isn't Really Free
Storage Limitations
Most free plans delete recordings after 30-90 days. Your valuable meeting content disappears unless you upgrade.
Feature Degradation
Tools often reduce free features over time. What's free today might become premium tomorrow.
Team Collaboration Walls
Free plans typically limit sharing, team features, and integrations - forcing upgrades for growing teams.
💡 Smart Upgrade Strategy
- Start with tl;dv free:Test unlimited transcription without pressure
- Use Otter.ai for mobile:Best app experience for personal notes
- Leverage platform native:If you're already paying for Workspace/365
- Upgrade when:You need summaries, CRM sync, or team features
🎯 Real-World Accuracy Testing Results
Our 2025 Accuracy Tests (50 hours of meetings tested)
Clear Audio Conditions
Noisy/Accented Audio
Key Finding:Free tools perform surprisingly well in optimal conditions. Audio quality matters more than the tool choice for accuracy.
🔧 Feature Comparison Matrix
| Feature | tl;dv | Otter.ai | MeetGeek | Google Meet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time transcription | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Speaker identification | ✅ | Basic | ✅ | ❌ |
| Timestamps/Highlights | ✅ | ❌ | Basic | ❌ |
| AI Summaries | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Mobile app | Basic | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Multi-language | 30+ | EN only | 60+ | Limited |
| Export options | Multiple | PDF/Word | Multiple | Drive only |
🎯 Best Choice By Your Situation
🏢 Small Business Team (2-5 people)
tl;dv free → upgrade when ready
Start with unlimited free transcription. Upgrade to Pro ($18/month) when you need AI summaries and CRM integrations.
👤 Solo Professional/Freelancer
Otter.ai free
600 minutes/month is perfect for client calls and personal notes. Excellent mobile app for on-the-go recording.
🎓 Students/Researchers
Otter.ai + Google Meet combo
Use Otter.ai for lectures and personal recordings, Google Meet transcription for group projects.
🌍 Multinational Team
MeetGeek free trial → paid plan
5 hours free is limited, but 60+ language support is unmatched. Budget for $19/month upgrade quickly.
💼 Already Pay for Google/Microsoft
Platform native tools
If you're already paying for Workspace or 365, use their built-in transcription. Add tl;dv for better features.
⚡ Heavy Meeting Users (10+ hours/week)
Start with tl;dv, plan to upgrade
Free limits won't sustain heavy usage. Use free period to test, then budget $15-25/month for paid tools.
🔗 Related Guides
🆚 Free vs Paid Meeting Tools
Detailed breakdown of when to upgrade from free plans
❓ Best Free Transcription Software
FAQ about free transcription options and limitations
⚔️ Otter.ai vs tl;dv Comparison
Head-to-head comparison of top free options
💡 Maximizing Free Accounts
Tips and tricks for getting the most from free plans
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