Transcribe
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Transcribing audio files is the perfect job if you are looking for a work-from-home side job.
You are likely to meet the first requirements: access to a computer and a working internet connection.
Your main job will be to transcribe audio files into text in the requested format.
Some companies also offer captioning services. So basically, you will be writing subtitles.
Needless to say that if you happen to have a good headset (check this nice and affordable pink Glimmer transcription headset), then that will really help, and to get serious, you might want to consider a foot pedal.
Check the foot pedal compatibility with your computer, but the Infinity USB and AltoEdge are popular options.
Although most companies don’t require previous experience or a certain level of education, you must have writing skills in the preferred language.
How does it pay?
That all depends on your typing speed.
In general, you will be paid per audio minute. So, for example, an audio file of 20 minutes may take an experienced transcriptionist around an hour of work.
The common rates are between $0.25 (entry-level) to $1 per minute.
There are also job opportunities, and different rates, for reviewers.
Free Transcription Course
I can imagine that starting with transcriptions can seem like a big step. If that applies to you, I recommend taking the free course that Janet Shaughnessy has put together to get you up and running: Free Seven Day Transcription Mini-Course.
The Longlist:
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Fiverr
Website: Fiverr
When it comes to side gigs and generating an extra income stream, Fiverr is heaven. It is the world’s largest marketplace for digital services.
Let me show you some easy ways to make money with Fiverr.More about ‘Fiverr’ here -
Rev
Website: Rev
Rev offers freelance transcription, translation, caption, and foreign subtitles jobs.
At the moment they only accept freelances from (mostly) native English regions. -
Amazon MTurk
Website: Amazon MTurk
Basically, Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is a crowdsourcing marketplace for microtasks, or Human Intelligence Tasks (HIT), as they call it.
These tasks are offered by ‘requesters’ and appear on your dashboard, where you can review the details and select them.
Some tasks can be started straight away, some will require a qualification. -
Scribie
Website: Scribie
If you are looking for home-based freelance transcription jobs then you have to check out Scribie.
Scribie has paid over 2 million dollars to 33k+ home-based subscribers.
They are a great opportunity for starting transcribers to gain experience and for experienced transcribers to fill up some spare time. -
Appen
Website: Appen
Founded in 1996 and with customers and offices all over the world, Appen is an experienced company that operates in the artificial intelligence market.
They collect and label images, text, speech, audio, video, and other data in order to build and improve artificial intelligence systems.More about ‘Appen’ here
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GoTranscript
Website: GoTranscript
GoTranscript, one of the largest online transcription and translation agencies in the world was founded in 2006. They have a lot of experience when it comes to transcriptions.
There is a lot of freedom and flexibility in working as a transcriptionist with GoTranscribe. You can determine if you want a lot of work, or take it slow for a while.
Your working hours are yours to decide, as are the projects you work on.More about ‘GoTranscript’ here -
Capital Typing
Website: Capital Typing
Capital Typing offers a lot of services, including data entry and transcription. They post their available full-time/part-time job offers with a clear description.
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The Smart Crowd
Website: The Smart Crowd
The Smart Crowd caters to a large community of freelancers all over the world. Jobs vary from data entry to reviewing websites or even transcription.
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Speechpad
Website: Speechpad
Speechpad delivers both transcription services as captioning services.
Their transcription services cover a wide range of industries and use-cases, like video transcription, SEO, and insurance.
Customers can choose to have their transcriptions delivered in 4 days or even in 24 hours. -
TigerFish
Website: TigerFish
From starting over 20 years ago, picking up cassette tapes and delivering transcripts by bike, TigerFish has grown to a company with a solid reputation and an impressive client list.
Their website is beautiful and their blog posts really show their passion for language and helping their clients to get the best results.
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Quicktate
Website: Quicktate
Quicktate transcribes voicemail messages, memos, letters, legal files, medical files, recordings of phone calls, conference calls, and other audio files.
There is not a lot of information for transcribers on their website, but according to reviews on Indeed, this is an ideal company for someone who is a beginner transcriber.
They pay per word (4 words) and the work is steady. -
Babbletype
Website: Babbletype
Babbletype is always looking for new transcriptionists, editors, and translators to add to their team, but they are very selective.
They require a very high degree of skill in language, listening ability, and ability to deal with more sophisticated transcript formats.
Next to transcriptionists, they are also looking for translators and sometimes there are vacancies for proofreaders.
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Allegis Transcription
Website: Allegis Transcription
Available in: USAllegis is the trusted leader in recorded statement transcription and supports online services for large and small businesses for over 24 years. They specialize in transcription for the insurance and legal industries and are US-based.
Your main job, as a work-from-home transcriptionist, will be to transcribe recorded audio files for some of the largest providers in the country.
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Net Transcripts
Website: Net Transcripts
Available in: USSince 1988, Net Transcripts provides confidential transcription and translation services to Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice agencies nationwide.
All of their transcripts are processed by highly skilled transcriptionists, production, and quality control personnel. They do not process transcripts through voice recognition software. All transcripts are produced in the United States, which limits this gig to US residents.
Occasionally they are looking for proofreaders. Search their careers page for opportunities.
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CrowdSurf
Website: CrowdSurf
The first thing you see when landing on their homepage is a warm welcome, inviting everybody that likes reading and writing to join them.
They are always looking for new transcribers that want to turn audio into text.Maybe it has something to do with their mission, but they seem very sympathetic to me. The CrowdSurf mission is to solve media challenges for the deaf, hard of hearing, and second language viewers.
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Ubiqus
Website: Ubiqus
Ubiqus provides multilingual expertise to support its clients in their international communication and development.
They offer several types of jobs, from full-time to freelance and student jobs. Amongst the many services they provide are transcription and translation jobs.
As they have sectioned their website, based on the country you are from, it is best to start the application at the homepage, choose your country and find the ‘Apply’ option in the top menu.
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Focus Forward
Website: Focus Forward
Focus Forward is a company that offers services related to all types of qualitative marketing research.
At the moment of this writing, they were looking for (part-time) proofreaders and freelance transcriptionists. They also provide translation services.
Find out more on their available positions page.They also provide Surveys (as expected with a research company) through Survey Squad. So you might also find a side gig joining their survey panel.
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SpeakWrite
Website: SpeakWrite
SpeakWrite transcribes audio dictations, interviews, phone calls, videos, Zoom meetings, and more. They offer transcription services over many industries, like Legal, Law Enforcement, Insurance and Finance, and more.
With help of their audio recording app, SpeakWrite makes it very easy for their clients to submit what they want to have transcribed.
You can find transcription and translation positions frequently on their careers page.
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Daily Transcription
Website: Daily Transcription
Daily Transcription provides transcription services, translation, script, and caption services for their customers. Multi-media to text work is their mission.
They focus on all varieties of audio and video formats for entertainment, reality television, documentaries, post-production, EPK transcription, corporate, market research, academic, legal, and a host of other industries.
On their careers page, they specifically mention that they are looking for stay-at-home moms, dads, students, part-time teachers, writers, and anyone else that is looking to supplement their income.
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GMR Transcription
Website: GMR Transcription
Available in: USGMR Transcription started in 2004, provides transcription and translation solutions for writers, students/professors, businesses, government institutions, and non-profit organizations like universities and corporations.
Their core mission is to deliver the absolute best quality work to their clients through transparency, commitment, dedication, and integrity.
GMR Transcription is always looking for well-qualified typists for general transcription. They also offer translation and proofreading services, but there weren’t any vacancies available at the time of this writing.
You can find the most recent positions on their careers page. -
Guru
Website: Guru
Guru is a platform that brings freelancers and employees together.
They aim to be the premier platform for professionals to connect, collaborate, and get work done.At the time of writing this post, they had:
27 opportunities for proofreaders: Proofreading Jobs
9 opportunities for transcriptionists: Transcription Jobs -
TASK Transcription Services
Website: TASK Transcription Services
Available in: USTask Transcription Services was founded in 1988, starting with one typist and one client. This family company now has two generations working in all facets of their company.
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Indeed
Website: Indeed
At Indeed you will find a lot of different jobs, which makes this harder to categorize.
For now, I will include some shortcuts to Data Entry jobs and Transcription Jobs.
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Aberdeen
Website: Aberdeen
Aberdeen offers several captioning and translation. It is another example of a business that has grown from an idea between family members to a serious company with over 80 team members.
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CyberDictate
Website: CyberDictate
Available in: USBecome a CyberDictator as an independent contractor with this company. Mind you: they only hire (continental) US residents. They dictate the rest of the terms on their employment page.
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Way With Words
Website: Way With Words
Way With Words is an established international audio to text services and solutions company that has been around for almost 20 years now. They provide English language audio, video, or custom transcription solutions to thousands of clients globally.
This company is perfect to start with, even if you lack the experience. They will help you to grow.
You do need an excellent understanding and knowledge of the English language of course.They pay between $0.45 to $1.73 per audio minute. And the payment will be transferred to your PayPal account on monthly basis.
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TranscribeMe
Website: TranscribeMe
TranscribeMe offers transcription, translation, and annotation jobs.
They require an English Entry Exam as part of the registration process. Upon passing that test you will receive instructions and access to their network.Besides a computer and a stable internet connection, there is no special hardware requirement, although a pair of headphones may come in handy of course.
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Upwork
Website: Upwork
Upwork started over 2 decades ago as the tech lead of a Silicon Valley startup needed the skills of a close friend in Athens. Since then they grew to a global company connecting independent professionals to customers in need of their skills.
You can register yourself as a freelancer for all kinds of jobs, including data entry, transcription, or proofread
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VIQ Solutions
Website: VIQ Solutions
As an independent contractor for VIQ Solutions, you will have the freedom to take as much or as little work as your schedule allows you. Combined with the freedom to choose your own hours to work, this is an ideal job if you need great freedom in working hours.
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Kendall Creek Communications
Website: Kendall Creek Communications
Available in: USKendall Creek Communications is a US-based corporation. They handle transcriptions throughout the United States and they specialize in legal work.
They are looking for independent contractors. Some of the positions require a security clearance.
Wrapping it up
The main benefits of becoming a transcriptionist are mainly focused on working from home and fitting the work into your own personal schedule.
A transcribe job does pay relatively nicely, but it will not make you rich. However, training your skills and trying to improve your typing speed will pay off.
So, did you like this list? Did it have any gigs listed for you?
Let me know or share this post.
Thanks for reading! You are awesome!
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