20 Online Transcription Jobs for Beginners (Best of 2024)

As long as you understand and can write English — and have a respectable typing speed — you’re free to apply for an online transcription job!

These jobs are remote, and they often require no experience to get started.

And there is plenty of work out there. As a freelancer, I still browse the job boards and see quite a few of these pop up.

So, if you’re self-disciplined and enjoy working on your own, why not give transcription a try?

Let’s get started.

What are Transcription Jobs? 

Transcriptionist jobs are typically part-time, don’t require years of experience, and are a starting point for many work-at-home professionals. 

And it’s common to work as an independent contractor doing captioning or taking dictation. 

Most transcription work for freelancers falls into one of three categories: 

• General transcription
• Medical transcription
• Legal transcription

You don’t need any special equipment for this work, but you might want to invest in a foot pedal when things get rocking. You can also use software like Express Scribe to take your transcription services to an even higher level and pump out work faster.

And while you can have some luck using a great job board that tackles a variety of careers, with transcription jobs from home, you’ll typically find that it’s best to focus on sites that specialize in the niche.

With that in mind, let’s look at some of the best places to find an online transcription job. 

The 20 Best Places to Find Transcription Jobs Online

1. Rev

With more than 170,000 clients worldwide, including CBS and Viacom, Rev is one of the best sources of online transcription jobs. 

Rev is always looking for skilled transcriptionists with superb English proficiency and attention to detail — a solid opportunity for any budding freelance writer.

Now, you don’t need any experience with transcription work to get started; just pass a grammar quiz and provide a quick transcription sample, and you’re free to start.

2. TranscribeMe

TranscribeMe offers training and starting pay of $15 to $22 per audio hour. 

Typically, you’ll be transcribing short clips of two to four minutes, and you can take on as much work as you want.

Basically, when one clip finishes, the next one loads automatically until you feel like stopping — it’s a fairly simple process.

TranscribeMe also offers advancement opportunities to work on “Special Teams” for medical transcription jobs and “Special Styles” for VIP clients. 

3. Crowdsurf

Crowdsurf pays by the minute.

And as a freelance transcriptionist for Crowdsurf, you’ll be creating video captions for deaf, hard of hearing, and second language viewers. 

So, if you’re detail-oriented and have great listening skills, they’d like to hear from you. 

You’ll also need top-notch proofreading skills and English fluency (but you probably already knew that).

So, first, you’ll need to sign up on Work Market.

After that, you’ll be able to connect with Crowdsurf for freelance work as a transcriber.

Crowdsurf promises that “by day’s end, you can have cash to spend.”

4. Quicktate

Quicktate offers a wide range of transcription services. 

And like most transcribing jobs, a certain level of English fluency is required. But, if English isn’t your forte, Quicktate also has foreign language transcribing opportunities.

Now, Quicktate does require experience in transcription. So, this may not be a great option if you’re just starting. 

(You’ll also need to be free of any felonies or misdemeanors).

As far as the work goes:

On one job, you might be transcribing 2-3 minute voicemail messages. And on the next, you could be working through conference calls that last several hours.

5. SpeakWrite

You must be a legal resident of the U.S. or Canada to apply to SpeakWrite. 

Note to our friends in Cali: Applications from California residents are not accepted. 

SpeakWrite requires one year of transcription experience in an office environment. You’ll also need to pass a typing test with 60 words per minute (wpm). 

SpeakWrite makes it clear that this is a remote job and not another freelance transcription gig. 

So, if you find transcription work fulfilling and enjoyable, SpeakWrite might have a place in your future. 

6. Tigerfish

While not currently hiring, Tigerfish should be on the radar of all up-and-coming transcribers. 

One of the juiciest bits about Tigerfish is that they have an impressive list of clients, like Gap and Newsweek — just to name a few. 

Starting out as a one-person operation picking up cassettes and delivering typed transcripts, Tigerfish has evolved into a transcription juggernaut.   

But Tigerfish isn’t for the undisciplined, newbie freelance transcriber.

For example, take their premium product, Tigerfish Air, which guarantees clients a finished transcript of any live or prerecorded event in two hours. 

Still, if you’ve got transcribing clout and you’re eager to take on new challenges, keep an eye out for Tigerfish openings.

7. Casting Words

Casting Words claims they’re always hiring. 

So if you’re a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed transcriber eager for work, take their transcription test. 

Heads up: They only hire freelance transcribers on their website, so any other sites claiming to offer jobs at Casting Words aren’t legit.

Casting Words promotes itself to clients as a crowdsourced transcription service. This just means that projects are distributed to independent freelance transcribers. 

In addition to English, Casting Words offers general transcription services in French and Spanish. 

Casting Words offers next-day service guaranteed within twenty-four hours. So if you’re a lightning-fast transcriber, drop them a line.

Heads up #2: Freelance transcribers are paid by the minute and must be over the age of eighteen. 

8. Scribie

Think you’re better than a robot?

(I know you’re better than a robot).

Scribie offers two options for clients:

• A.I. generated transcription services (with 80% to 95% accuracy)
• Human-generated transcription services (with 99% accuracy)

Naturally, the A.I. is cheaper and faster than the human-generated transcription option. 

That said, the varying accuracy of A.I. is a turn-off for some clients.

What’s more, experienced transcribers are still needed for quality control because A.I. — like humans — is far from perfect.

The transcription process at Scribie is quite thorough, and multiple people work on each audio file. 

There’s a contact page on their site for you to introduce yourself, so give them a shout and let them know who you are!

9. GMR Transcription 

GMR Transcription is looking for career-minded transcriptionists. 

While no experience is necessary to apply, a general transcriptionist can increase their pay rates by taking on more complex assignments. 

The ideal candidate will learn and grow with the company to become a skilled transcriptionist. 

You’ll have to take a transcription test as part of your application. In addition, GMR specifies that you’ll need over-the-ear headphones and a foot pedal along with high-speed internet and Microsoft Office. 

A GMR transcriptionist can expect to make $1000-$3000 monthly. 

You’ll need to reside somewhere in the US (except California) to apply. 

10. Ditto Transcripts

Ditto Transcripts (Formerly Transcription Outsourcing LLC) is looking for transcriptionists based in the United States. 

The company also has a blog dedicated to the transcription industry. So, if you’re a fresh-faced transcriber and would like to know more, be sure to check it out.

Transcription Outsourcing accepts inexperienced transcriptionists, but your pay rate will go up as you gain more experience. You’ll also receive more money depending on the shift, turnaround time, and audio quality. 

They offer specialty services for law enforcement, academic, financial, and medical transcriptionist jobs. 

Transcription Outsourcing has paid as much as $5 per minute for court hearings needed overnight. The typical rate is $.80 to $1.10 per minute. A medical transcriptionist is paid $.07 to $.10 per line.

11. eScribers

eScribers is one of the larger legal transcription companies in the United States. 

You need to be legally “eligible” to work in the US, so even if you’re living abroad, you can still freelance. 

Normally, eScribers is looking for experienced legal transcribers. However, experienced transcribers looking to shift into legal transcription are also welcome to apply.

Transcribers are paid weekly, but the exact amount is unavailable to the public. eScribers provides a glimpse into a possible future for those just starting in transcription.  

12. 3Play Media 

3Play Media offers the opportunity to become a skilled transcriptionist in either English or Spanish. 

They’re also looking for editors to edit imperfect transcriptions. 

3Play Media uses proprietary transcription software that you’ll have to familiarize yourself with. 

You’re paid weekly, and 3Play Media points out that you’re still paid even if you only transcribe for a couple of hours. 3Play Media invites you to “be your own boss” by not only choosing your hours but also the types of projects you’d like to work on. 

13. Babbletype

A highly selective and exclusive transcription company, Babbletype is always on the lookout for new talent.

Babbletype specializes in market research reports, and this requires a high level of accuracy. And although you’ll be an independent contractor, you’ll be an integral part of the team. 

You must watch a 30-minute video, complete an interview, and go through an extended period of paid testing before you’re hired. Typing speed is less important than the ability to summarize the content correctly. 

14. Pioneer Transcription Services

After filling out the online application, Pioneer Transcription Services will give you a transcription test. 

Pass the test, and then you’ll begin your journey as a subcontractor for an online transcriptionist job. 

With Pioneer, most of the work involves transcribing one-on-one interviews. 

And the good news:

There’s no shortage of work.

In fact, they’re always hiring general and legal transcriptionists to deal with the overflow.

So if you have some transcription experience and are detail-oriented with an advanced understanding of English, check Pioneer out!

15. Way With Words

If you’re highly proficient in English, you might just have a future at Way With Words.

They’re especially interested in transcriptionists who can understand different accents. 

You don’t need any work experience with transcription, and training is provided. 

Depending on the deadline, pay rates fall anywhere from $.45 to $1.73 per audio minute. 

And Way With Words states that you’ll earn more as you gain more transcription experience and learn to write faster. A specific typing speed isn’t mentioned, but accuracy is expected.

16. GoTranscript

GoTranscript offers the flexibility of choosing when you want to work and which projects you want to tackle. 

The company has been in business for over a decade and claims to have lots of work for eager transcriptionists. 

If you’re looking for variety, Go Transcript is the perfect fit for you.

For example, one day, you might be working on thrilling police investigations, and the next, you might be transcribing thought-provoking research projects.  

Transcriptionists are assigned a rating based on the quality of their work and can earn up to $.60 per audio minute. 

And to sweeten the deal:

You’re paid weekly. 

17. Transcript Divas

If you think you’ve got what it takes to be a diva, you should know that Transcript Divas has high standards. 

They’re getting flooded with applications, so you’ll need to stand out from the other aspiring diva transcriptionists. If you manage to get selected, you’ll have to take a special diva test and do a phone interview. 

Sadly, California residents are excluded from this opportunity. Everyone else is free to apply.

The average rate of pay for a diva is $1.15 per minute and transcriptionists tend to stay for years.

So, are you destined to be a diva? 

18. Daily Transcription

Daily Transcription specializes in entertainment, corporate, legal, and academic transcription. 

Whether you’re just starting out or you’re an experienced transcriptionist, you’ll receive training and feedback from the team. 

The ideal candidate has an eye for detail and can meet strict deadlines. 

Daily Transcription claims to pay higher rates than its competitors. 

The “starting rate” is around $0.75 to $0.85 per audio minute and top transcriptionists make between $250 and $950 per week. 

You’ll have to pass a “skills assessment test” as well as a transcription test before getting started. 

19. Cambridge Transcriptions

Cambridge Transcriptions differs from many other transcription companies in that it has “e-recorders” that record on-site to ensure flawless transcription. 

Founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1989, Cambridge Transcriptions seeks transcriptionists who can work at their location or remotely.

Many former employees have come from the local university student population, and a certain level of intelligence is expected. 

Cambridge Transcriptions is always on the hunt for corporate and legal transcriptionists. If you’re interested, you’ll need to email your cover letter, resume, and sample transcripts. 

20. Speechpad

Speechpad wants you to succeed as a transcriber. They have support staff around the world ready to help you 24 hours per day, seven days per week. 

After your application is accepted, you’ll just need your computer and a fast internet connection. Speechpad provides transcribers with all the software they need to maximize their time. 

You can choose the kind of jobs you find most appealing, and pay rates fall between $0.25 – $2.50 per minute of transcription.

Online Transcription Jobs: A Great Work-At-Home Opportunity

Transcription can be done by anyone who can understand and write English. 

However, it isn’t for everyone.

If you’re meticulous, have great listening skills, and are ready to ramp up your typing speed, this work could be a perfect fit.

Although most positions require no experience, the best transcription jobs from home are serious business. 

If you’re looking for a way to work at home, a remote job is definitely worth exploring.