SeyMore vs Otter.ai: Which Tool is Right for You?

"Should I use SeyMore or Otter.ai?" We get this question a lot. And honestly, the answer depends entirely on what problem you're trying to solve.

Let me break it down in a way that'll actually help you decide.

The Core Difference

Otter.ai is a transcription tool. It captures what was said so you can reference it later. It's really good at this—the transcription quality is solid, the search works well, and the interface is clean.

SeyMore is a coaching tool. It gives you feedback while you're speaking so you can adjust in real-time. The goal isn't to capture the meeting—it's to help you communicate better during it.

These are fundamentally different purposes. It's like comparing a camera to a mirror. A camera records what happened. A mirror shows you what's happening right now so you can adjust.

When Otter.ai Makes More Sense

Otter is the right choice if your main need is documentation. Some scenarios where it shines:

• You need to share meeting notes with people who weren't there
• You're in back-to-back meetings and can't take notes yourself
• You need searchable records for compliance or reference
• Your team wants a shared repository of meeting content

If any of those are your primary use case, Otter will serve you well. It's not trying to change how you communicate—it's trying to capture what you communicated.

When SeyMore Makes More Sense

SeyMore is the right choice if you want to get better at meetings, not just document them. Consider SeyMore if:

• You want to improve how you come across in important conversations
• You've gotten feedback that your meetings could be more effective
• You're preparing for high-stakes situations (sales calls, interviews, presentations)
• You want data on your communication patterns over time

The key word is "improvement." SeyMore assumes you want to change something about how you communicate. If you're happy with your current approach and just need records, that's not what we built.

The Timing Difference

This is the part people miss: when the value shows up.

With Otter, the value comes after the meeting. You finish, you get a transcript, you can review or share it. The meeting itself is unchanged—the tool kicks in when it's over.

With SeyMore, the value comes during the meeting. You get feedback while you're talking, which means you can actually do something about it. The meeting itself is different because you have awareness you wouldn't otherwise have.

Think about it like this: reviewing a transcript helps you learn from past meetings. Real-time coaching helps you improve the meeting you're in right now.

Can You Use Both?

Yes, and some people do. They use Otter for documentation and SeyMore for skill development. The tools don't conflict—they serve different purposes.

But most people don't need both. If documentation is your priority, start with Otter. If improvement is your priority, start with SeyMore. You can always add the other later if you find a gap.

The Honest Take

I work at SeyMore, so obviously I'm biased. But I also used Otter for two years before joining this team, and I still think it's a good product for what it does.

The reason I switched wasn't that Otter was bad—it's that I realized having perfect records of mediocre meetings wasn't solving my actual problem. I didn't need to remember what I said. I needed to say it better in the first place.

That's the question to ask yourself: Do you need better records, or better meetings?