9 Audio to Text Transcription Jobs That Pay You

  9 Audio to Text Transcription Jobs That Pay You

Who Is Eligible to Work in Transcription?

Transcription jobs are ideal for college students, stay-at-home moms, and even high school students with good listening and typing skills.

Transcribing audio files could be an excellent way to earn money online full-time or as a side hustle.

Working directly with clients or for a transcription company, you can find your own transcription jobs. Transcription platforms typically pay less than working directly with clients, but they may provide consistent work and eliminate the need for you to market your services. Working with an agency may be a better way to gain experience as a beginner transcriptionist.

How to Work as a Transcriptionist

It is relatively simple to enter the field. Most new transcriptionists begin by enrolling in an online transcription course that teaches them the necessary skills.

Transcribe Anywhere, for example, offers classes that teach students the fundamentals of general, medical, or legal transcription, as well as how to find new clients.

Transcription jobs can also be found online.

1. Flexjobs

• Pay: Depends on the job, workload, and experience required
• Payment Method: Depends on the employer 
• Payment Frequency: Depends on the employer 
• Experience Required: Depends on the employer 

FlexJobs is a job board specialising in online, flexible, and work-from-home positions. On the site, you can find a variety of transcribing jobs, including part-time and full-time positions, and you can filter opportunities by remote, freelance, flexible, part-time, and full-time options.These positions may be for domestic or international companies. You may even find opportunities if you are fluent in another language. The disadvantage of using FlexJobs is that it requires a paid membership, which ranges from $14.95 for a one-month subscription to $49.95 for a one-year subscription. You can join for $6.95 for one week to see if there are any jobs that match your needs and experience. 

2. Fiverr

• Pay: $30 to $120+ per audio hour
• Payment Method: PayPal, Fiverr Revenue Card, or Direct Deposit
• Payment Frequency: 14 days after job completion (7 days if you’re a top-rated seller)
• Experience Required: None

• Fiverr is a job marketplace where you can list almost any professional service you can think of. Though many people believe Fiverr is only for beginners, it also caters to seasoned transcriptionists.You set your own price on Fiverr. Someone may approach you to negotiate, but you have the option to decline. Investigate the pay structures of other reputable transcriptionists. Remember that when deciding on a rate for your services, competition and quality are crucial. You can use Fiverr to find new clients and then deactivate your account once you have a steady stream of dependable customers.

3. AllegisTranscription

• Pay: Between $13 and $17 per hour
• Payment Method: Not available  
• Payment Frequency: Not available
• Experience Required: May need prior experience with legal or industry transcription

Allegis Transcription specialises in file transcription for the insurance and legal industries. The positions are for independent contractors, so you are not a full- or part-time employee. According to some former employees, the pay is low, so this job may only be suitable for beginners. You can apply for a position here, gain some experience, and then look for higher-paying opportunities after a few months.

You must be based in the United States and meet their technological requirements.

4. Scribie

• Pay: $5 to $25 per audio hour + bonus potential
• Payment Method: PayPal
• Payment Frequency: Any time
• Experience Required: None
Scribie is one of the lowest-paying online transcription jobs for beginners I've found, but they do offer some benefits to those looking to start a transcription career.


When you first apply to Scribie and are accepted, you will be at the bottom of the totem pole. This entry-level position requires you to transcribe raw, short audio files while adhering to strict formatting guidelines.


If you can complete a certain number of transcription jobs (usually ten), you may be promoted to the position of reviewer. If you review the next set of files correctly, you will be promoted to self-reviewer, proofreader, and finally QC (quality control).

Each promotion is based on performance and includes either a pay raise or a different perk, such as tasks that take less time to complete. In addition, you can earn a 2.5% referral fee for each person who signs up to work for Scribie or becomes a Scribie customer.

It takes time and attention to detail to reach each promotion level, but once you've reached the two highest levels, your income potential increases significantly, which will generally help you make money faster.

5. TranscribeMe

• Pay: $15+ per audio hour
• Payment Method: PayPal
• Payment Frequency: Weekly
• Experience Required: None

TranscribeMe is another transcription company that is simple to use but pays a low rate.

The company has a steady flow of work, and you can choose which audio clips to transcribe on your own time. TranscribeMe divides long audio files into 2- to 4-minute segments for faster processing. This may be advantageous if you have children at home or are working a full-time job.

TranscribeMe, like Scribie, mentions the possibility of position advancement, but there are no details on pay increases.

6. GoTranscript

• Pay: Up to $36 per audio hour
• Payment Method: PayPal or Payoneer
• Payment Frequency: Every Friday
• Experience Required: None

GoTranscript boasts a "consistent flow of projects," with new submissions arriving every day. Unfortunately, no payment rate breakdown is provided, making the "up to $36 per audio hour" a little ambiguous.

The current monthly average is $150, with a top-earning rate of $1,215 in one month. A large number of transcribers working on a part-time basis could heavily weight the average.

7. Rev

• Pay: $18 to $66.60 per audio hour
• Payment Method: PayPal
• Payment Frequency: Weekly
• Experience Required: None

Rev is one of the more advanced transcription companies, and you may not be accepted the first time you apply. Because Rev pays higher rates, high-quality submissions are required. If you fail the entry exam the first time, you can retake it. Meanwhile, hone your transcription skills by working for a lower-paying company such as Scribie.

Work adding captions to videos is another option that pays slightly more than transcribing.

8. Audio Transcription Center

• Pay: Between $17 to $19 per hour
• Payment Method: Unclear
• Payment Frequency: Weekly  
• Experience Required: Need to have a WPM of 80 or more and produce transcripts within 24 hours; take a typing test

Audio Transcription Center, based in Boston, offers both full-time in-house positions and independent contract work. Its transcription work includes historical archival footage, technical webinars, quarterly reports, and other projects. Medical transcription services are not provided by Audio Transcription Center. To verify names and spellings in historic documents, you must be able to conduct basic research.

One of the most common complaints was a lack of work for the contractors, so it's best to combine this site with other services.

9. Net Transcript, Inc.

• Pay: Depends on the supplier
• Payment Method: Depends on the supplier   
• Payment Frequency: Depends on the supplier
• Experience Required: May need previous experience 

Net Transcripts, Inc. specialises in law enforcement transcription jobs such as wiretap conversations, interrogations, and 911 dispatch calls. The website serves as an aggregator for job postings from police departments, prosecutors, and others. The requirements for these vary, but they may include prior experience, fluency in English, and grammatical skills.

To be contacted by a recruiter, you must first fill out an application.