How to make money doing transcription jobs from home

If you want work that offers a level of flexibility or just want to make an extra income, you should definitely be looking at applying for transcription jobs from home.

In this post, I’m going to provide you with some useful information that will help you get started 

What is a transcription service?

When a business requires audio to be typed or subtitles put onto video, unless they do it themselves, they will often use the services of a transcription service.

These services act as intermediaries between you the transcriber and the business by either passing on the work directly to you or posting on their website for you to pick up.

How do you become a transcriber?

So long as you are 18, are proficient with word processing packages, can type accurately and quickly then there shouldn’t be any reason why you should not try and apply for transcriber work.

I once applied for a job where it was asking that applicants be proficient in audio typing.  I couldn’t touch type and had no experience in audio typing, so over a weekend I sat down and taught myself to touch type. 

I thought this would be enough as the audio part would just be stopping and starting audio.  It isn’t.

Something to keep in mind though is that while you might be able to type fast this doesn’t mean that you’ll automatically be a good transcriber, transcribing is a skill set all by itself, as not only will you be typing you’ll be listening to someone’s voice, possibly with an accent or dialect which could result in you having to listen to the recording many times before you complete the job and if you’re under a deadline this could affect you being able to meet it.

What equipment do you need?

You have to treat this as a business, which means that you’re going to have to invest in some equipment if you want to make a good go of being a transcriber. 

• Good internet connection
• Laptop/ desktop
• Digital foot pedal (optional) 
• Transcription software

Note!

Projects might be subject to deadlines, therefore you will need to ensure that you are able to meet these deadlines otherwise do not commit yourself to the job.

How much do transcribers make?

There are a number of factors that will impact the amount that you will make as a transcriber.

These being:

The amount of time that you have available

The jobs that are available 

You might not be able to make a full-time income from transcribing as you might be one of many transcribers pitching for jobs.

Pay is usually by the minute (of source audio) or by the project.

The different transcriber services will pay different rates of pay depending on what they charge.

Can you get transcription jobs with no experience?

While it might be possible to get a transcription job without any experience, it certainly won’t be easy.

Jobs advertised will often ask that you meet certain criteria that might include the number of words per minute (wpm), usually between 70-80 and possibly some experience working in the industry that you will be applying to such as medical or legal as an example.

To get over this hurdle you could start offering your services to local businesses asking for testimonials.  Once you have done a few you could start applying for jobs on websites such as PeoplePerHour or Fiverr

How do transcription services work?

When someone needs something transcribing they will upload the recording to the transcription service.  They will then pass this on to one of their transcribers or their transcribers will have the option of choosing the work that they want to complete, which will, in turn, be transcribed providing you with a link to the completed transcript.

What types of businesses require transcription services?

Transcription services are used by a range of industries and your rate of pay could be determined by which industry you specialise in.

You can expect to be paid more for transcribing for health care services and legal, but other industries using the services could include market research, education and sales.

Where to find transcription jobs online?

Online jobs boards

Websites like indeed are a great source of jobs for transcribers and audio typists, both working in an office or remotely.

In the search bar of the boards type in transcription or audio typist to get a full list of jobs available.

Transcription Services

Happy Scribe

Happy Scribe offers transcription services and subtitle services.  They charge their users £1.01 per audio minute with a 24-hour turnaround.

To work for Happy Scribe you will have to complete an assessment and upon completion of this, they will contact you.

Once selected you can select a transcription and start working on it instantly

Pay is on a bi-weekly basis.

They will pay 0.90euros / minute, with an average money pay of 450 euros and top pay of 2000 euros

If you want to become a subtitler the rate of pay is 1.01 per minute, again with an average monthly pay of 450 euros.

Rev

Again you will have to subscribe to Rev, taking a test to see whether you would be suitable.

Once you’ve chosen a job to complete 

You’ll be paid via PayPal every Monday for those files that you completed the prior week.

Rev indicate that the average earning per month is $245 with a top monthly earning of $1495.

Take Note

Take Note are very specific as to who they will accept as a transcriber, in that not only do you have to be able to have a typing speed of more than 65wpm and have all the equipment necessary to be a transcriber you will also have to be registered as self-employed.

Offering transcription services to a range of industries, but with a focus on market research, including legal, financial, hr, education and healthcare and medical.

Take Note pay £0.38 per minute of audio and you are paid directly into your bank account within the first 14 days of the month.

Appen

By working with Appen you become a contributor where you can pick up micro-tasks, with one of these being audio transcriber.

According to Glassdoor the average pay for a transcriptionist is between £10-£11 per hour.

What to look out for

The internet is awash with scammers and because transcription work offers a level of flexibility they will often try all they can to target those that are looking to make an extra income, unfortunately, this is often parents, the elderly and those that for whatever reason aren’t able to find work or need to work from home.

As I’ve mentioned above, reputable firms will take you through an application process before offering work to you and do not require any upfront payment from you.

Transcription services and tax

As you’ll be working on a self-employed basis if you earn above the £1000 allowance you’ll need to complete a self-assessment.