What is TranscribeMe?

TranscribeMe is a crowdsourcing website specifically for transcriptions and was founded by Greg Feerer and its current CEO is Alexei Dunayew. As stated above, TranscribeMe pays its workers for transcribing audio files into text files. The files are usually very brief ranging from about 10 seconds to a minute. You just need to transcribe and submit your work. If your work gets approved by a reviewer, you get paid.

Firstly, a speech recognition software will run through the audio files by the client. The audio is then divided into separate smaller pieces and is assigned to several people to work on at the same time. The job will be done more efficiently as several people are working on the same audio but different parts of the audio simultaneously.

Your work will be compared to the text file generated from the speech recognition software then Quality Assurance will collate all the different pieces together and make any necessary corrections. The timestamps and speakers’ names are added by the Quality Assurance team so you don’t have to worry about who is speaking, you just need to focus on what is spoken and type everything down.

TranscribeMe Requirements

The requirements to join is very basic and anyone new to transcribing can join as long they meet these few requirements. TranscribeMe is open worldwide as long as you have a PayPal account as that is their only form of payment.

Most importantly you need to be fluent in English as most of the audio files are in English. However, even though the audio files are all in English, be aware that the speakers are from all over the world and have very different accents.

Besides, you must also be able to distinguish between the speakers and be able to filter out other external factors disrupting the quality of the audio. It is also a great advantage

Technical factors such as having a computer or laptop and access to high-speed internet service is needed. You also need to be using the Google Chrome browser as that is the only platform where TranscribeMe works. Lastly, having headphones and working in a quiet space is recommended to work more efficiently as there is less distraction from the surrounding.

TranscribeMe Application Process

First, you need to register using your email and a password then fill up a form with details such as your name, country, PayPal email and so on. No job or education information is needed, just some basic personal details.

Next, you will be guided to an explanation video where it gives you an overview of how the transcription process is done. The video also guides you on the application process and on how to navigate the website.

Lastly, you need to take an entrance exam where it evaluates your English level and determines whether you will be eligible to work for TranscribeMe. You will be given a study guide to read through before taking the exam. It is important to go through their study guide before attempting to take the test as most of the questions is designed based on TranscribeMe.

As for the structure of the exam, the first part requires you to pick the right answer from a multiple-choice question or to type in the correct answer. Next, you will need to transcribe two audio files that is only about 10 seconds long and you are done. You will be given 5 minutes to take this exam, it is very simple and you can listen to the audio as many times as you need.

Even though the exam may sound easy but be sure to study before taking the test as if you fail the exam you will only have one more opportunity to take the exam 6 months later.

How Much Does TranscribeMe Pay?

TranscribeMe claims that they have the best rates in the industry with earnings between $15 to $22 per audio hour and that their top monthly earning is at $2,200. The average transcriber earns about $250 a month but can vary as there is no minimum or maximum number of hours required to work. Hence, the amount of money you earn entirely depends on how many hours of audio files you transcribe and how quickly you transcribe.

Just to clarify, audio hour refers to the length of the audio and not the amount of time you take to transcribe the audio file. Meaning you will be paid $15 to $22 for 1 hour of audio file and not by how long you take to transcribe the file. The faster you can transcribe accurately, the more you will earn for the time you spend transcribing. The amount of money you get paid depends on the difficulty of the audio file.

It takes approximately 4 minutes for a professional to transcribe 1 minute of audio. At this rate, you would need to invest at least 4 hours or more to transcribe 1 hour of audio file. This means that you will earn less than $5 per hour with TranscribeMe’s pay rate.

You will also be paid more for special audio files which require certain qualifications such as having background knowledge in the medical or law industries. Furthermore, TranscribeMe gives you a chance to be added into their special team or move up to their Quality Assurance team if you become one of their regular transcribers.

Payment

The only payment method available right now is through PayPal in US dollars. Payments are done on a weekly basis or you can request for your payment as long as you have $1 in your account.

Pros of TranscribeMe

Flexibility

The most appealing part of this job it’s the flexibility in the working hours. You can work as much or as little as you want as it all depends on you. Furthermore, you can work anywhere from home or outside as there is no fixed office or schedule to follow. You are good to work at any time of the day as long as you have your laptop and internet access. This job is great for students that have some time to spare during their breaks during study hours or even stay at home moms that just want a little extra cash.

No investment

It cost absolutely nothing to join TranscribeMe and you most probably already own a laptop and have access to internet as you are reading this right now. There is no subscription fee or exam entrance fee when joining TranscribeMe. This job is suitable for those who do not have any capital to invest on something and want to earn immediate money.

Easy Application

The application process and entrance exam is very simple and straightforward. Application process is not complicated and does not require a lot of information when registering. The entrance exam is also not too difficult as long as you have some form of basic English knowledge. This allows beginners to join despite not having any knowledge or experience in transcribing.

Available World Wide

Anyone in the world can work with TranscribeMe as long as their country supports PayPal.

Payments with PayPal

As payments are done with PayPal, you can get your money anytime instead of waiting for checks to come in monthly. Furthermore, PayPal is supported in many countries all over the world.

Great starting place for new transcribers

Not only they encourage beginners to join, the jobs are also pretty simple for beginners to start off. Audio files are usually very short and can be done in a short amount of time. People usually take about 4 minutes to transcribe a 1 minute audio file. People can use this as a platform to determine whether the transcribing is something the want to do or not.

Cons of TranscribeMe

Challenging

I mean which job doesn’t have any challenges right? The biggest challenge for this work of field is understanding the speakers’ speech in the audio files. Although the audio files may be in English, but the speakers are from all around the world with different accents and pronunciations. Hence, it may take some experience to accurately understand what the speakers are saying in the audio file. But this is not a deal breaker to not join TranscribeMe as you will get better in this with time and experience.

Cannot Replace a Full-time Job

Working with TranscribeMe is only suitable when you have extra time to spare and you want to make some side income with that time. This is because even if you can work fast and accurate, there isn’t enough job offers available on TranscribeMe for everyone. They do not guarantee work available daily and it is on a first come first serve basis. Meaning you may only be able to few audio files a day which are all just a few minutes long. You would need to work for couple of days just to get 1 hour of audio time. The pay rate is also not that good when you take account of how long you take to transcribe the audio. They say as you get more and more efficient in transcribing, your pay per hour improves but not at a significant amount.

No Space for Mistakes

It is good that TranscribeMe is strict with the quality of its work as it ensures its customers are getting accurate transcripts. However, this gives transcriber no space for mistakes as any error made will be rejected immediately. Simple errors such as a spelling or grammar mistakes can cost someone their pay as it is rejected by TranscribeMe.

Hours of work is lost just because of a simple mistake that can be fixed in a few seconds. This may be demotivating for workers as their hard work is constantly gone to waste if their transcript is constantly being rejected due to minor errors.

Final Verdict

I think that TranscribeMe is a great way for anyone with fluent English to earn extra income in their free time. I find this platform very easy to use and join as a beginner and it is something anyone wanting to earn extra cash can consider picking up. It is a good way to earn some extra income but this is definitely not something worth quitting your full-time job. I would say that the average pay for this job is not high but it is an easy way to start working part time from home.

In conclusion, I would say you can give TranscribeMe a go as it is a legit company that pays their worker for their work and there is not much complaint about the company itself other than not having enough work for everyone to do.