The GDPR-compliant Otter.ai alternative from Germany
Otter.ai processes meeting audio primarily in the USA and is designed for English. MeetingIQ keeps transcription, summaries and task detection 100% in the EU, optimised for German, with a data processing agreement (DPA), a consent gate and automatic audio deletion.
Otter.ai vs. MeetingIQ
The comparison covers structural differences in data protection and German-language support.
| Criterion | Otter.ai | MeetingIQ |
|---|---|---|
| Company headquarters | USA (Otter.ai, Inc., Mountain View, California) | Germany (NeuralMedic GmbH) |
| Where data is stored | USA (AWS), Otter does not mention an EU option | Exclusively in the EU (hosted by Hetzner in Falkenstein, Germany) |
| Governing law | Law of the US state of California | German law, place of jurisdiction Ingolstadt |
| US CLOUD Act | Applies, as a US company | Does not apply (EU provider, EU data) |
| AI training on customer data | Yes, with de-identified recordings and transcripts | No, MeetingIQ does not train models on customer data |
| Language | One language per conversation, interface in English only | Optimised for German, with a workspace glossary |
| Custom retention periods | Via the Otter account manager | 24 hours by default, configurable per workspace |
Information on Otter.ai as stated on its own pages, as of 5 November 2026: Privacy policy, Terms of service, Subprocessors, Languages, Retention. Trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Switching from Otter: what to watch for
1. Stop automatic joining
If the Otter notetaker joins calendar events automatically, switch that off first or disconnect the calendar.
2. Save the transcripts you need
Export what you have to keep for retention reasons. Everything else does not need to move with you.
3. Remember the trash
Deleted conversations first go to Otter's trash and, according to Otter, are removed automatically after 30 days. If you want them gone immediately, empty the trash yourself.
Why German teams switch
EU only, no third-country transfer
If audio and transcripts stay in the EU, the laborious third-country transfer under Schrems II does not arise: no standard contractual clauses, no transfer impact assessment needed.
Optimised for German
German meetings, technical terms and proper names are recognised reliably. Through the workspace glossary, MeetingIQ learns your recurring names, places and products.
No US CLOUD Act
Purely EU-based providers are not subject to the US CLOUD Act. Confidential board, legal and healthcare meetings are therefore protected from access by authorities in third countries.
Data minimisation by default
Original audio is deleted after 24 hours by default (Art. 5(1)(c) GDPR). You set the retention period for each workspace yourself.