How To Get Paid To Be A Transcriptionist with 10 Websites That Pay

The benefits of being a transcriptionist are great – you work from home, choose your own hours and there is no boss to answer to. There are many jobs you can do with a basic knowledge of typing, spelling and good research skills. The following list has 10 websites that pay, as well as 10 tips on how best to get started in this career so that you can have the freedom to be your own boss.

A transcriptionist is an individual who listens and types out what’s said on audio recordings or videos for various purposes such as closed captions on television programs or transcribing interviews for documentary films. This is the job of a transcriptionist. Most of the time, it is done on a freelance basis. A good transcriptionist will have audio processing and editing software with them to keep up with the pace of the audio recording. The salary offered for this kind of work ranges from $15 to $25 an hour and more depending on your experience level.

You need to be highly proficient in English grammar, punctuation and spelling if you want to be a successful transcriptionist. A typing speed of 80 wpm or higher is also important so that you don’t waste too much time waiting for audio files to load when transcribing them. Here is how to get paid to be a transcriptionist with 10 websites that pay:

1. TranscribeMe.com

This is one of the best sites for transcriptionist jobs, because the pay and turnaround times are great, and the clients that use the site are always hiring. On this site all you have to do is click “start transcribing” on a job listing and then complete the assignment in your own time. You can cancel any transcription job at any time if it’s not aligned with your rate or work preferences. Most jobs pay $10+ an hour and there are monthly contests with cash prizes for top-performing transcribers. Any completed transcript will be sent to your email automatically, and you can review it before submitting it to the client. I have found this to be a more reliable way of finding work than going through one of the many other sites that are available.

2. FreelanceSwitch

This is another best site for finding transcription jobs, because they pay is competitive, they are very transparent on their website with regards to payment policies, and their site is well designed (it’s easy to navigate). They have top-rated freelancers who can provide quick turnaround time and high-quality transcription services. You can sign-up as a contractor and they will review your application within 24 hours. Once approved you can start bidding on jobs. Freelance Switch only charges a 10% fee to transcribers who successfully win projects through the site, which is quite reasonable if you ask me.

3. Clarius

This site has over 7,000 of individual clients who are constantly posting transcription jobs and looking for contractors to complete the work. If you want to be sent transcription projects from one particular client, there’s an option to select that in your profile. The types of files that are posted are mostly legal, medical and financial documents so transcribers with those specific skills should find this job board useful. Clarius pays $10.00 an hour for all completed transcribed pages, with a minimum payment of just $5.00, and no maximums.

4. Prokeyboard

This is a site where you can post your own work or other people’s work that you may have collected from the Internet, and will offer to pay you for each completed page (currently $20 an hour). You can also ask for proofreading of each row and take requests to edit existing pages (usually for an extra fee). The website is clean and easy to navigate, but I have heard that some people aren’t satisfied with the quality of work they receive from Prokeyboard.

5. Texts.com

This site is another job board for transcription services, but the pay is even lower than Clarius’, which is only $9.00 per hour (with a minimum payment of $5). Otherwise, they are similar in that they have thousands of clients and you can select the ones you prefer to work for.

6. TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit isn’t exclusively for transcriptionists but it’s a good place to find one-off or short-term freelance jobs in general and also has some transcription jobs posted on it every now and then (most are posted by computer companies that need someone to transcribe the audio directions of their programs). To get started, you can sign up with TaskRabbit or download their app and create a profile. When a job is completed, you are paid through the app and can request future jobs. You can do almost anything on the site, including household chores, driving tasks or even deliveries (and there are sometimes transcription jobs posted in these categories).

7. Amazon Mturk

Mturk connects you to thousands of jobs as a freelance contractor for Amazon (they have over 1 million different tasks available!) and it’s another great way to make money by transcribing audio files. You’ll be asked to complete short transcription tasks, like reading product descriptions or writing product reviews. You’ll get paid a couple of dollars for each task you complete. You will have to go through a standard application process, which can take up to 24 hours, but once approved, you can start working immediately.

8. Scribie

This site is similar to Texts.com, but they offer fewer opportunities and lower pay (currently at $7 an hour). The best way to find transcription jobs on Scribie is to type in your location (or the location you want the jobs in) and search for transcribing jobs under “Working Now” section. You can also use their live transcription feature, where translators type out what people are saying in real time over Skype or on the phone. This is a newer feature so there aren’t many opportunities, but it’s a good idea to check it out.

9. TranscriptionJobs

This is another site that you can find transcription jobs, but the listings are infrequent. They are an employment agency for the general transcription market and you need to fill out an application before you can start bidding on jobs posted on their website. Their pay rates vary, but they start at $20/hour which isn’t too shabby!

10. OnlineTranscribe

Like Clarius and TranscribeMe, OnlineTranscribe has a large database of clients who just post the files they want transcribed onto the site directly. You can search for any type of audio file and then select the ones you want to bid on. You can also set up a profile and have clients look through your previous transcripts before awarding them a job.

Transcription is a job that would honestly be one of the easiest to get, simply because the rate of pay is so high. Just like most jobs, you have to apply online, but with this service you do not have to leave your home or go anywhere in order to do it. As a transcriptionist, you will be transcribing interviews or speeches in a variety of file formats and upload them onto their website where they will be available for downloading by all websites.