On-Device AI vs Cloud AI.Two Fundamentally Different Architectures.
Otter.ai and Geode both turn conversations into transcripts and summaries.
But under the surface, they are built on fundamentally different architectures — and that difference determines who controls your data, how your costs scale, and what risks you carry.
Cloud-based AI processing.
On-device AI, running directly on your Mac.
Microphone → Internet → Cloud AI processing → Stored and accessed via provider systems
Your meeting data must leave your device to be processed.
Microphone → Apple Silicon (on your Mac) → On-device AI processing → Stored locally under your control
Your meeting data stays on your machine.
This architecture enables no-cloud processing for meetings that cannot risk external exposure.
| Topic | Otter.ai | Geode |
|---|---|---|
| Where AI processing runs | Cloud infrastructure | On your Mac |
| Transcription | Cloud-processed | Fully on-device transcription |
| Speaker separation | Cloud-processed | Fully on-device |
| AI summaries | Cloud-processed | Fully on-device |
| Internet required for AI processing | Yes | No* |
| Model training on your data | Subject to provider policies | No training on your data |
| Who can access your data | Admins & systems (policy-based access) | Only you (enforced by on-device architecture) |
| Usage-based metering | Minutes, caps, or tiers | No usage caps |
| Cost scaling with usage | Increases with volume | Fixed, predictable |
For professionals evaluating an Otter.ai alternative, these architectural differences are not theoretical — they directly affect risk.
With on-device transcription, your audio is processed locally — no servers, no external pipelines, no trust required. Privacy isn’t a promise. It’s the architecture.
Record 1 hour or 100 — the price stays the same.You pay for the tool, not your usage.
For professionals evaluating an Otter.ai alternative, these architectural differences are not theoretical — they directly affect risk in confidential and high-stakes conversations.
When convenience and sharing matter more than privacy.
Lecture
Webinars
Podcast
Fast Team Sharing
Otter.ai works well when cloud processing is acceptable.
When confidentiality is non-negotiable.
Corporate Meeting
Privacy-Sensitive Professionals
No-Cloud, No Metering
Full Data Ownership
Geode is built as an on-device AI system for meeting intelligence, with transcription and summaries handled locally through no-cloud processing, rather than external servers.
"For professionals who need private transcription software as part of a broader, secure workflow, architecture matters more than features."
Help us build the alternative you actually want.
Become a Geode Founding Member Today.
We are early in our journey and hungry for honest, brutal feedback. We don’t want to build in a vacuum. We want to build Geode for your real-world workflow.
The Deal is simple: You give us your harshest critique, and we give you a Geode Lifetime License on the house.
We know your meetings contain sensitive information. Unlike others, we do not collect your meeting data or use your recordings to train our AI models. We strictly only see what you explicitly share. Your privacy is paramount here.
Yes. In exchange for your early feedback and time, you lock in Pro status forever. No credit card required to join the waitlist.
Cloud AI: Convenient, but dependent on trust and policy
On-device AI: Private by design, controlled by you
Geode exists for those who choose on-device AI.
