If you’re looking for typing jobs online, transcription is one of the work-from-home jobs that can turn your skills into money.
In this post, you will learn everything you need to know about working from home as a transcriptionist, and we also have a big list of transcription jobs that you can do from home in your spare time.
What is transcription?
Transcription is the process of taking a live or recorded audio file and turning it into a document. The audio can come from a lecture, interview, sermon, podcast, webinar, video, or any other form of recorded speech.
Why do people convert these recordings into text?
Some professionals have so little time to type out their work that they use scribes.
People who are hearing impaired may need subtitles or written captions to understand the content of a movie or television show, and transcriptionists create the written captions to help these people.
Another reason is personal preference. Let’s say you’re a business owner and you record a video, but many of your clients prefer to read rather than watch a video. You can have the video transcribed and transcribed so that your clients can consume the content in their preferred format.
Types of transcription
There are three specialties in transcription: general transcription, legal transcription, and medical transcription.
General transcription
As the name suggests, general transcription is not focused on a specific field. Instead, it converts any kind of audio into text, such as business recordings, interviews, phone conversations, etc. General transcription does not require subject matter expertise or specialized terminology.
Legal Transcription
Sometimes you may need to transcribe legal recordings into written documents. These may include court proceedings by a judge, lawyer, or defense attorney. As a legal transcriber, to work effectively in the transcription specialty, you need to know legal terminology and do an error-free job.
Medical Transcription
Similar to legal professionals, medical transcribers transcribe audio files for doctors, surgeons, psychiatrists, and nutritionists who need to convert recordings into written documents. Medical transcribers need to know the medical terms and acronyms commonly used in the medical field.
One thing to note about medical transcription is that as medical facilities switch to electronic medical records, the demand and salary for medical transcriptionists is decreasing. Because medical transcription is a declining field, we do not recommend this career path.
Qualifications required for transcription jobs
Online transcription jobs are a great work from home opportunity if you have the right skills and knowledge. Here are the qualifications you need to start working as a transcriptionist:
Have a perfect command of English
This one goes without saying. Proper punctuation, spelling, and grammar are essential to becoming a transcriber. This means that small mistakes like confusing “it’s” with “its” or not knowing when to use a comma or a colon are things you should avoid at all costs. Finally, being able to distinguish between American and British English cues is an advantage.
Sharp listening skills
The types of audio you transcribing vary widely in quality, accent, speed, and complexity, so you need to listen carefully and pick out what’s being said accurately.
Excellent research skills
Sometimes we receive audio that contains non-English words or words you have never heard before. To create an accurate script, we need to look up some words. Often, names of towns, people, and things don’t come across clearly in the audio. Taking the time to look up unknown words will improve the quality and tolerance of our work.
Fast and accurate typist
In transcription jobs, speed is key to success. Transcribing a single audio file can result in hundreds, sometimes thousands, of words being transcribed. To be successful, most transcription jobs require a typing speed of at least 40-60 WPM (words per minute). The faster you type, the more money you can make in most cases. However, it’s important not to let speed compromise accuracy.
Equipment and training needed for transcription jobs
If you have good English skills and are a fast, accurate typist, you may be able to pick up transcription skills without taking a course. If your English, grammar, and typing skills are still weak, taking an online course can help prepare you for this profession.
For medical and legal transcription, you will need to take courses to learn the proper terminology.
If you want to learn general transcription or legal transcription, I recommend Transcribe Anywhere’s courses.
Let’s talk about other equipment you’ll need to work as a transcriptionist.
How much do transcription jobs pay?
Typically, transcription pay is calculated by the audio hour or minute. According to PayScale.com, the average pay for a transcriptionist is $20.27. Of course, you can earn more depending on the quality, speed, and type of transcription you do. One of the benefits of transcription jobs is that you can set your own schedule and work any time of the day or night as long as you can meet deadlines.
One thing to note about transcription is that when it says you’re paid per minute of audio, this isn’t the same as per minute of work, which is the time it takes to type out one minute of audio. According to professional transcriptionist Lisa Mills, experienced transcribers typically have a turnaround rate of 3 to 1, meaning it takes three minutes to type out one minute of audio. Beginners can expect a slower turnaround rate, but with practice you can improve your typing speed and hone your listening skills.
Where to find legitimate transcription jobs you can do from home
If you want to work from home as a transcriptionist, there are plenty of transcription companies out there. Most of the companies on this list require you to take and pass a skills test before you can start working on a project. Also, the majority of transcription jobs are for independent contractors, and you are responsible for paying self-employment taxes. Make sure you understand the pros and cons of this type of work.
Here are 24 legitimate online transcription jobs you should check out.
1. 3Play Media
3Play Media is hiring independent contractors for English and Spanish transcription, and English voiceover writers. These freelance jobs allow you to make your own schedule, get paid weekly, and transcribe in a variety of areas, including entertainment, corporate, and educational content. To start working for 3Play Media, you’ll need to fill out an application, verify your email address, and take and pass a skills test.
- 3Play Media has a 4.1-star rating on Glassdoor.
2. Accutran Global
AccuTran Global hires independent contractors in North America to do transcription, stenography, and subtitling for a wide range of industries. Excellent communication skills and unique equipment are required. According to the company’s website, pay is based on call time, starting at $75 for events under an hour.
- AccuTran Global has a 5-star rating on Glassdoor.
3. Bracket
Formerly Verbal Ink, then Ubiqus, and now Acolad, are hiring freelance transcriptionists, translators, creatives, marketing, and learning specialists. This position requires fast, accurate typing with excellent listening skills and a love of research. You will need to pass a test to accept the job.
- Acolad has a 3.1-star rating on Glassdoor.
4. Alpha Site
AlphaSights hires remote language transcribers and general transcribers from around the world. These roles require at least 5 years of experience with 98%-99% accuracy. You will be required to pass an assessment and criminal background check.
- AlphaSights has a 3.4-star rating on Glassdoor.
5. Apps
Appen hires freelance contributors around the world to complete short tasks like social media categorization, audio transcription, content moderation, etc. According to Indeed, independent contractors earn an average of $10.46 per hour.
- Appen has a 3.7-star rating on Glassdoor.
6. Bubble type
Babbletype hires highly skilled independent contractors for transcription and translation work. To apply for these freelance positions, you must live in the United States (Babbletype doesn’t hire in California), Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand. To apply, you’ll need to watch an introductory video, then pass a lengthy application and skills assessment test.
- Babbletype has a 2.8-star rating on Glassdoor.
7. Crowdsurf
CrowdSurf hires transcriptionists and subtitlers in the US, Canada, and internationally. In this role, you work as an independent contractor and are paid per task ($0.03-$0.20 per minute of media). Transcriptionists must pass an initial assessment before accepting projects.
- CrowdSurf has a 3.8-star rating on Glassdoor.com.
8. Daily Transcription
Daily Transcription hires freelance transcriptionists, subtitlers, and bilingual Spanish transcribers in the US and Canada. Starting rates are $0.75-$0.85 per minute, with top transcribers earning $350-$1,250 per week. You’ll need to pass a grammar quiz and transcription test in your area of expertise. Payment is made by weekly check.
- Daily Transcription has a 3.8-star rating on Glassdoor.
9. Electronic Scriber
eScribers hires court transcriptionists, proofreaders, and stenographers in every state except California and Massachusetts. For these roles, you work as an independent contractor and are paid via direct deposit. eScribers hires beginners, so if you don’t have experience, this is a good opportunity to get a job.
- eScribers has a 4-star rating on Glassdoor.
10. Flex Jobs
FlexJobs is a job board that features flexible and remote work opportunities. What’s great about this job board is that all jobs are manually reviewed, so you don’t have to worry about getting scammed. FlexJobs charges a small membership fee but offers many perks and benefits to its members.
- FlexJobs, which was acquired by Bold, has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
11. GMR Transcription
GMR Transcription hires general transcribers, Spanish translators and transcribers, and certified translators in the U.S. No experience is required, but you must pass a transcription test. According to the company’s website, transcribers and translators can earn about $1,000 to $3,000 a month, depending on the scope of work.
- GMR Transcription has a 4.4-star rating on Glassdoor.
12. Go Transcript
GoTranscript is hiring transcriptionists and translators from around the world. Transcriptionists can earn up to $0.60 per minute of audio, with top performers earning $1,215 per month. To apply for this transcription job, you’ll need to fill out an application and pass a sample transcription test. Payments are made every Friday through PayPal or Payoneer.
- GoTranscript has a 3.9-star rating on Glassdoor.
13. The Happy Scribe
Happy Scribe is looking for freelance transcriptionists, subtitlers and translators in the US, UK, Spain, France, Germany, Canada, Kenya and the Philippines. No experience is required, but you will need to pass an assessment test to prove your skills. Transcriptionists earn 0.90€ per minute of audio, with a maximum pay of 3,000€ per month. Pay is paid every 2 weeks via Wise.
- Happy Scribe has a 4.6-star rating on Glassdoor.
14. Production Record
Production Transcripts hires highly talented and experienced freelance transcribers on an irregular basis from the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. There isn’t a lot of information about this company, and there are no reviews on Glassdoor, so you’ll need to do some more research if you’re interested in joining the team.
- Production Transcripts has one 5-star review on Indeed.
15. Quick Tate
QuickTate hires freelance transcriptionists to transcribe voicemail messages, letters, legal and medical files, phone calls, and other types of audio files. General transcriptionists earn $0.0025 per word, and medical transcriptionists earn $0.0050 per word. Pay is paid every Monday via PayPal. To qualify for this position, you must pass an assessment test and a criminal background check, which costs $20. You will also need Excel and Express Scribe Pro.
- QuickTate has a 2.7-star rating on Glassdoor, so be sure to research this company thoroughly before applying.
16. Amendments
Rev hires freelance transcriptionists, subtitlers, and translators from the US (all states except California), Australia, Canada, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK, and Ireland. Transcriptionists earn $0.30-1.10 per minute of audio, subtitlers earn $0.54-1.10 per minute of video, and translators earn $1.50-3.00 per minute of audio/video. You’ll be paid weekly via PayPal and will need to pass a grammar quiz and submit a transcription sample before you can start work. However, they do hire beginners.
- Rev has a 3.6-star rating on Glassdoor.
17. Write
Scribie hires freelance transcriptionists who have good communication skills and a perfect command of the English language. No experience is required for this job, but you will need to pass an exam and get certified through Scribie. Rates range from $5 to $20 per hour of audio, and payments are made through PayPal. It’s not a huge amount, but it could be a good way for beginners to gain experience in the field.
- Scribie has a 3.3-star rating on Glassdoor.
18. Speak Right
Austin-based SpeakWrite is hiring legal and general transcribers. Before applying, applicants must pass a typing test at a speed of 60 WPM and 90% accuracy. SpeakWrite is hiring in all states (except California) and Canada, and transcribers must have one year of experience. The company’s website says the top salary is $3,400 per month.
- SpeakWrite has a 3.5-star rating on Glassdoor.
19. Speech Pad
Speechpad provides subtitling, translation, and transcription services for businesses. The company hires transcriptionists and translators from all over the world. According to the company’s website, transcriptionists earn $0.25-2.50 per minute of audio, and translators earn $2-5 per minute of audio, with payments made twice a week. To apply for these roles, you must be fluent in English, have good grammar skills, and be able to type at least 40 WPM.
- Speechpad has a 4.2-star rating on Glassdoor.
20. Telenotes
Telenotes is a CRM for salespeople whose services also include transcription services. To qualify for these independent contractor positions, you must live in Utah, be able to type at 70 words per minute, and have good spelling and grammar skills. Most transcription work can be done between 8AM and 8PM, but transcribers must work one night shift per week, starting at 9PM. Minimum wage is $11/hour for the first 60 days. No experience is required for this position, but you must pass a typing test during the application process.
- Telenotes has a 4.9-star rating on Glassdoor.
21. TELUS International
TELUS International is an AI community where freelancers from all over the world can work on short-term tasks and projects such as transcription, translation, search engine evaluation, mystery shopping, data collection, etc. Some projects require a preliminary exam to screen your skills and expertise.
- TELUS International has a 3.6-star rating on Glassdoor.
22. Tigerfish
Tigerfish is hiring talented transcriptionists to work on general, medical, legal, technical, and financial transcription projects. To apply, you’ll need to download three MP3 files to your computer and transcribe them. There isn’t much information about the job, but it looks like you can work part-time or full-time.
- Tigerfish has a five-star rating on Glassdoor but only has one review.
23. Transcribe Me
TranscribeMe provides transcription and translation services to many industries, including healthcare and education. To apply for a transcription job, you must be over 18 years old, have a valid PayPal account, a computer, a high-speed internet connection, and have passed an English entrance exam. Starting salaries range from $15 to $22 per hour of audio, with top earners earning $2,200 per month. Specialized fields, such as medical and legal transcription jobs, pay higher salaries.
- TranscribeMe has a 4.1-star rating on Glassdoor.
24. VIQ Solutions
VIQ Solutions (formerly Net Transcripts) provides confidential transcription and translation services for law enforcement agencies. The company employs a variety of transcriptionists with professional transcription experience. For these roles, you work as an independent contractor and are paid twice a month via direct deposit. The company hires in all 50 states except Massachusetts, Illinois, and California.
- VIQ Solutions has a 3.1-star rating on Glassdoor
A Final Word on Online Transcription Jobs
I hope this article has given you a better understanding of what transcription jobs are like and how much you can make as a transcriptionist. As you can see, transcription is a great career for beginners who don’t have years of transcription experience or a college degree.
Transcription jobs are great for busy parents because you can work a little at any time of the day, and while the pay is low, you can earn more if you hone your skills, speed, and specialize.
If you’re looking for more remote transcription jobs, check out this huge company list from Lisa Mills, which features 60 legitimate transcription companies.
Interested in working as a transcriptionist from home? Not sure if you have the right skills? Check out Transcribe Anywhere’s free training workshops.
Originally published on August 25, 2015. Content updated August 2024.
Sheeroh Kiarie is a work-from-home mother, scribe and blogger. She is very passionate about online freelancing. She runs a blog at workonlinekenya.com with the goal of providing others with useful information about online work and the experiences she has gained in her online work journey.
