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How to Migrate from Otter.ai to Fireflies.ai (Step-by-Step)

Last updated: March 2026

Migrating from Otter.ai to Fireflies.ai can offer advantages like automated meeting joining, deeper integration with work tools like Slack and Notion, and potentially more accurate AI summaries. This guide covers the complete migration process, including exporting your Otter.ai data, setting up Fireflies.ai, transferring transcripts, mapping features, and training your team. We'll help you minimize disruption while leveraging Fireflies.ai's unique capabilities for more efficient meeting management and knowledge retention.

Estimated Timeline

solo user

2-4 hours (setup, export, testing)

small team

3-5 business days (includes team training and parallel testing)

enterprise

2-3 weeks (includes full data audit, API considerations, departmental training, and staged rollout)

Migration Steps

Audit and Export Your Otter.ai Data

medium

Set Up Your Fireflies.ai Account and Integrations

easy

Import Historical Transcripts into Fireflies.ai

hard

Configure Meeting Settings and AI Features

medium

Train Your Team on the New Workflow

easy

Run a Parallel Testing Period

medium

Finalize the Switch and Decommission Otter.ai

easy

Feature Mapping

Otter.ai	Fireflies.ai Equivalent	Notes
Real-time Transcription	Live Transcription	Both offer live transcription. Fireflies requires it to be invited to/join the meeting, while Otter can sometimes transcribe via a mobile device nearby.
Speaker Identification	Speaker Tracking	Both identify and label speakers. Fireflies can auto-identify speakers from your team based on email/calendar data.
Automated Summary & Action Items	AI Super Summary & Action Items	Core function for both. Fireflies' 'Super Summary' is often more detailed and structured with custom sections like 'Meeting Metrics'.
Searchable Transcripts	Conversation Intelligence (Search)	Both are searchable. Fireflies offers a powerful global search across all meetings and filters by topic, date, speaker, etc.
Integrations (Zoom, Teams, etc.)	Integrations & Auto-Join	Both integrate with major platforms. A key difference: Fireflies can automatically join scheduled meetings without a host starting it.
Live Notes/Summary during Meeting	Live Summary in Sidebar	Otter's 'Live Summary' is similar to Fireflies' real-time notes in the meeting sidebar or dedicated live view.
Mobile App Recording	Mobile App & Chrome Extension	Both have mobile apps. Fireflies also emphasizes a Chrome extension for capturing audio from any tab, not just integrated apps.

Data Transfer Guide

Exporting data from Otter.ai is done per-transcript via the web or mobile app. Select a conversation, click the three-dot menu, and choose 'Export' to save as TXT or PDF. For bulk export, Business and Enterprise plans may access an API; otherwise, contact support. Fireflies.ai does not have a native import function for Otter.ai data. To preserve history, you must manually upload the original audio/video files of key meetings to Fireflies, which will transcribe them anew. Alternatively, copy-paste critical notes and action items from Otter into Fireflies' Notebook feature. This process is archival, not a direct database transfer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer my data from Otter.ai to Fireflies.ai?+

Not directly. You can export Otter transcripts as files, but Fireflies cannot import them. You must upload the original audio/video files to Fireflies for re-transcription or manually copy key notes.

How long does migration take?+

For a solo user, expect 2-4 hours. For a team, plan 3-5 days including training. The timeline depends on how much historical data you need to preserve and the complexity of your integrations.

Will I lose any features switching to Fireflies.ai?+

Core features map directly. You may miss Otter's 'OtterPilot' for live questions or its specific interface. However, you gain Fireflies' auto-join, deeper tool integrations, and more powerful search analytics.

Can I use both tools during migration?+

Yes, a parallel testing period of 1-2 weeks is highly recommended. Run both tools for the same meetings to compare output, train your team, and ensure Fireflies meets all needs before canceling Otter.

Is Fireflies.ai cheaper than Otter.ai?+

Pricing is comparable and both use freemium models. Fireflies may offer more transcription minutes on its paid tiers. The value differs based on features; Fireflies' auto-join and workflow automation can provide greater time savings.