The Best Transcription Services in 2021

Are you looking to find the best transcription services in 2021? Position your business ahead of the curve by reading Tomedes’ insights into transcribing successfully.

I tried my hand at transcription many years ago. Well, both hands and one foot, really. I found typing away while controlling the audio with my foot pedal to be a strangely satisfying task. I also realised just how much concentration it takes to transcribe effectively. 

If your business is looking for the best transcription services, read on. I’ve taken a look at what makes for the best transcription, how effective automatic audio and video transcription services are and which companies will be providing the best online transcription services in 2021. Basically, everything you need to take care of your transcription needs for the next year. 

Which Are the Best Transcription Services in 2021?

I’ve always believed that if a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. Whether that’s providing a global network of translators and interpreters or delivering the best transcription services, just as Tomedes has provided transcription services for clients around the world, there’s no room for sloppy service. 

At Tomedes, it’s our goal to be the best online transcription service. Quite an aim, given the calibre of the competition and global nature of the marketplace. However, our commitment to quality has always been strong and we have a talented global team in place to support business clients with a vast range of transcription needs. 

I recently sat down to benchmark a number of the best transcription services around. Everything from the best audio transcription services to those dealing with video. The more I researched, the more useful I realised it would be to share the information I was compiling – hence this article.

Of course, if you’re looking to become a transcriptionist rather than buy in a transcribing service for your business, then I’ve got plenty to share on that topic too. Simply click the link below to discover how to establish a successful and fulfilling career in the transcription services sector. 

Read more: How to Become a Transcriptionist 

Ranking Factors for Best Transcription Services

To my mind, providing the best transcription service is about way more than accuracy (although that is, of course, the absolute cornerstone of successful transcription). Clients need their transcription delivered in good time, by a company they can rely on and at a decent price. 

Let me break each of these elements down a bit more. 

Turnaround Time

In my experience, when clients want transcribing services – whether they be video transcribing services or audio transcription services – they don’t want to wait around. The client is buying in transcription because they need the transcripts as soon as possible. 

This means that the best transcription services need to work fast, while not compromising on the quality of the transcripts they provide. They need to provide clients with clear timescales for the work and then meet those deadlines without exception. Letting a client down by missing a deadline just isn’t an option. 

Customer Feedback – Check the Reviews of Each Company

Customer service is something that is hugely important to me. It’s something that is woven into Tomedes’ service delivery at every level, whether we’re delivering a one-off event interpretation service or a year-long transcription services contract. 

For clients looking to buy in transcription, the easiest way to get a feel for the company’s approach to customer support is to check out their transcription service reviews. Customer feedback is immensely revealing, as my research into the best online transcription services highlighted.

When you’re checking out reviews, make sure you’re looking at recent ones and at ones that are relevant to the kind of service you need. So if you’re looking for legal transcription, make sure you read reviews that relate to that, as well as to other services that the company provides. 

Accuracy

Transcription services live or die by their approach to accuracy. Without a strong commitment to providing accurate transcription, a company faces little chance of survival.

The challenge for those companies competing for the title of best transcription service is being able to maintain that level of accuracy while also working fast. Doing so requires exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to quality from all those involved in providing the transcribing service. 

Pricing

While every client is looking for fast turnaround times, outstanding customer service and flawless accuracy, they are of course also seeking affordable transcription services. For some, price is such a key consideration that only the best automatic transcription software will catch their attention, as it tends to be cheaper than using human transcribers (I’ll talk more about the differences between the two below).  

Whether price is the client’s main priority or just one of the things that’s important to them, budgetary concerns will usually feature at some point in the decision as to which transcription service to use. 

By the way, if you want a quick run-down of how transcription services work and why they are so essential to many businesses’ operations, before jumping into which services are the best, you can find out more via the link below. 

Read more: What are transcription services and why does your business need them?

Fed up of reading? Here's a short video to help you get through the article.

Best Audio Transcription Services

I think it’s time we get down to the nitty gritty of tracking down the best audio transcription services. If you’re looking for the best audio transcription, these companies all warrant your attention, based on their combination of accuracy, customer service, turnaround times and price: 

• Tomedes
• Rev
• Scribie
• Temi
• Otter 
• Gotranscript
• iScribed
• TranscribeMe
• Transcription Panda 
• Trint 

Tomedes

Tomedes excels in providing accurate transcription services, committing to 100% accuracy while other market leaders hedge their bets at 99%. By combining automation and human expertise, the service delivers fast, flawless results, along with price matching to help clients’ budgets stretch further. 

Rev

Rev delivers transcription services with a clear commitment to 99% accuracy and a 12-hour turnaround time. They have over 50,000 professionals transcribing audio 24/7, priced at $1.25 per minute. Rev has worked with over 170,000 clients. The company is well established, easy to work with and delivers solid value for money. 

Scribie 

Scribie also excels when it comes to accuracy, though the company’s turnaround time is lower than Rev’s, at 36 hours. Clients have a choice of plans, making this a good option for those on a budget. Prices vary based on the quality of the recording, so audio files with noisy backgrounds or speakers with accents can end up costing more. 

Temi

Temi reviews tend to emphasise the service’s cost, as this is an excellent option for clients with a lower budget. It’s not quite as accurate as some of the other contenders when it comes to providing the best transcription, but if accuracy isn’t your main priority then Temi can be a good choice. 

Otter 

One of the best automatic transcription software options, Otter is also one of the most cost effective, with a basic plan that’s absolutely free. The free plan includes AI-powered, real-time transcription, with clients able to enjoy up to 600 transcription minutes per month. Paid plans provide additional minutes. Accurate and easy to use, this is one of the best examples of automated transcription at work. 

GoTranscript

GoTranscript is another key contender when it comes to accuracy, although clients tend to pay more and wait longer for their service than with some of the other best transcription services I’ve listed. 

iScribed

If you’re happy to wait 48 hours for your transcription, iScribed is a cost-effective option, charging from $0.89 per minute. However, time-stamped and verbatim transcriptions cost more, as do transcriptions that are needed in a hurry. Accuracy is high, with a two-pass process in place to catch any errors. 

TranscribeMe

A solid and reliable service, TranscribeMe provides fast, accurate transcription at an affordable price. Prices start from $0.79 per minute, making this an excellent option for clients with limited budgets. 

Transcription Panda 

Another service that starts at $0.79, Transcription Panda delivers accurate transcriptions for those on a budget. However, there’s a five-day turnaround time for this rate. An excellent choice if speed is not of the essence.

Trint 

With a good value subscription model and fast processing speeds, Trint is a reliable service for general business use. Accuracy tends to wane for more complex content, but this is a solid choice if your content is simple and straightforward. 

Best Video Transcription Services

I’ve focused on the best audio transcription options above, but any transcription service provider worth its salt will also transcribe video as part of its delivery model. Video transcription can include specialist terminology, just as audio files can, and can also pose the same difficulties in terms of background noise and general recording quality. 

If you’re interested in video transcription in particular, then the article below is an excellent resource. Click the link below to discover more about video transcription, captioning and subtitling, as well as video translation. 

Read more: Video Transcription, Captioning and Subtitling – the Perfect Sideline for Translators?

Best Automatic Audio/Video Transcription Software

If you’re after the best audio transcription software or the best video transcription software, rather than a human-based service, then Otter, Temi and Trint are all good choices. And of course I recommend Tomedes if you’re looking for a blended human and computer transcription model.

Automated transcription has a number of advantages, with the main two being its speed and its low cost. Some automated transcription services can struggle with accents or with complex topics and terminology, so if accuracy is your main priority then relying on human transcribers might be a better choice. However, if what you’re after is the gist of what was said, then automation can save you both time and money. 

Overall Ranking for Best Transcription Services

Drum roll, please.

I wanted to end this article by ranking the best transcription services for a range of needs. After all, no two businesses are the same, so different companies will be looking for different things from their transcription service providers. As such, here are my rankings based on different business requirements… 

Best budget transcription service: Otter

If accuracy isn’t your number one priority, but cost is, then Otter is the obvious choice. It’s easy to use and the basic plan is free, making this the perfect solution for companies that are watching the purse strings. 

Best transcription service for fast turnaround: Rev 

Rev manages to achieve the holy grail of speed and accuracy, making it the go-to option for businesses that are in a hurry. 

Best medical transcription service: iScribed

If you have specialist medical terminology, iScribed is on hand to help. Excellent accuracy and decent turnaround times make this a favourite among the medical community. 

Best transcription service for accuracy: Tomedes

If your top priority is accuracy, I have to recommend Tomedes. Our commitment to delivering flawless transcriptions never waivers. Our customer service is superb as well.

Best audio transcription software: Otter

If you like high tech solutions for your audio transcription and want to achieve real-time results, then Otter is the ideal choice. 

Best video transcription software: Rev

Again, Rev’s combination of high quality and fast turnaround just pips the others to the post. The service is easy to use, as well, making it an excellent choice for businesses that don’t have a lot of time to devote to organising their transcribing services.

Overall best online transcription service: TranscribeMe

This was a really tough call as each of the best transcription services that I’ve included have so much going for them. However, for its blend of accuracy, turnaround time, customer service and price, TranscribeMe just inches ahead of the rest of the pack. Good work.

I hope you’ve found this review of the best transcription services in 2021 useful. A reliable, accurate and timely transcription service can be such an asset when it comes to your daily business operations, so finding the right one is immensely important. Hopefully this article has helped you to do precisely that.