Equal Time and Otter.AI have emerged as leading tools for managing and analyzing conversations, each offering unique features designed to enhance productivity and inclusivity in meetings. While both services offer important common features such as meeting transcription and artificial intelligence (AI) functionalities, they significantly differ in their focuses and additional benefits. This blog post compares and contrasts these tools, spotlighting the distinct features that set Equal Time apart.

Shared Features: Transcription and AI

Both Equal Time and Otter.AI provide robust transcription services, turning spoken words into written text. This feature proves invaluable during meetings, freeing participants to engage in the conversation without the distraction of note-taking. Moreover, both tools utilize AI technology to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of transcription and conversation analysis.

Distinctive Offerings: Equal Time's Inclusion-Focused Features

The area where Equal Time truly shines is in its unwavering commitment to promoting equity and inclusion. Equal Time's unique features promote a more equitable distribution of speaking time during meetings. This not only ensures all voices are heard, but also prevents certain individuals from dominating the conversation.

Innovation at its Core: Timer, Rounds, and Ice-breakers

Equal Time continually innovates to cater to evolving team needs. The platform's new features – Timer, Rounds, and Ice-breakers – stand as clear examples. The Timer allows meeting facilitators to manage time effectively, while the Rounds feature ensures equal speaking opportunities for all participants. Meanwhile, Ice-breakers provide a creative means to foster engagement and elevate conversations, proving particularly valuable in remote working contexts where building rapport can be challenging.

The Otter.AI Approach

While Otter.AI delivers an impressive transcription service, it does not share Equal Time's emphasis on promoting equity and inclusion. Though Otter.AI offers speech and speaker recognition, it does not provide the kind of participation monitoring that Equal Time does. As such, while Otter.AI can tell you what was said and who said it, it lacks the capacity to help you understand meeting dynamics or guide you toward more inclusive interactions.

Pricing: A Major Consideration

An important factor in choosing the right tool is pricing. Otter.AI offers pricing tiers starting at $9/user/month, escalating to $20/user/month. In contrast, Equal Time is currently free, making it an incredibly accessible tool for teams of all sizes, though future pricing may be introduced.

Who Benefits Most?

Equal Time stands as an ideal tool for a wide range of users. Engineering Teams, Educators, Students, Knowledge Workers, DEI professionals, Coaches, and Executive Leadership professionals, along with women and underrepresented individuals seeking to excel, will find particular value in the platform's unique features.

Conclusion

In summary, while both Equal Time and Otter.AI offer valuable features for meeting transcription and analysis, Equal Time distinguishes itself with its dedicated mission to improve equity and inclusion in meetings. Its distinctive features, coupled with its ongoing commitment to innovation and current free offering, make it an invaluable tool for any team aiming to enhance their communication dynamics. Regardless of your team size or sector, Equal Time can help you foster a more inclusive and equitable meeting culture.