At a Glance
- There are still legitimate transcription platforms hiring beginners, although availability varies.
- Most entry-level openings are found on task-based platforms where you choose audio files and work whenever you want.
- Higher-paying opportunities exist on specialized legal, medical, and corporate transcription teams, which often require accuracy testing before you can join.
Transcription offers real work from home opportunities without formal credentials, but the current job market requires realistic expectations.
The English-language market is crowded, many platforms use strict testing or waitlists, and beginner pay is often lower than people expect while they build speed and accuracy. Still, there is steady demand for reliable beginners who understand what starting out actually looks like.
Here are the key things to know as a new transcriptionist:
- Beginners often need four to six hours to complete one hour of audio, which leads to early earnings of about three to eight dollars per hour.
- Most people need six months to a year of steady practice to reach twelve to twenty dollars per hour for general transcription.
- Getting started typically requires basic equipment, optional training, and the ability to work as an independent contractor and manage self-employment taxes.
- The fastest path to higher pay comes from specializing in legal, medical, or technical transcription.
If you are looking for a broader list of typing jobs including data entry, captioning, document formatting, and other non audio based work, see our full guide to the best online typing jobs.
How AI Has Changed Transcription Work
Tools like AI automated meeting notes, phone call transcripts, and simple voice to text have reduced the number of entry level jobs that involve clean audio and straightforward content.
What AI still struggles with is the work that requires judgment.
This includes poor audio quality, multiple speakers talking over each other, strong accents, specialized terminology, and projects that need strict accuracy and formatting. These are the areas where companies continue to hire human transcriptionists.
How Much Can You Expect To Earn As A Beginner?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical transcriptionists earn a median wage of $18.05 per hour or about $37,550 per year.
This category generally represents workers with postsecondary training and experience, and the field is projected to decline by five percent through 2034, although roughly 7,400 openings are expected each year as workers retire or change careers.
Earnings look very different for beginners on freelance platforms.
Rev reports that the average new transcriptionist who completes about fifteen jobs per month earns around $156, while the top 5 percent of freelancers earn about $900 per month.
These wide ranges reflect the steep learning curve.
Most beginners need four to six hours to complete one hour of audio, which often results in early earnings below minimum wage while they build accuracy, speed, and familiarity with formatting.
Pay improves as skill improves, but the early phase is about learning how good you are and developing the speed needed to make the work financially worthwhile.
11 Online Transcription Jobs for Beginners
We reviewed dozens of transcription platforms and selected only those that offer real entry points for beginners. To do that, we focused on companies with a Glassdoor rating of 3.0 or higher.
We also confirmed that each platform still hires humans for meaningful transcription tasks rather than only AI cleanup work.
1. Rev
Rev is one of the largest and most well-known freelance transcription and captioning platforms, with more than 60,000 active contractors worldwide.
The company offers flexible work in transcription, captioning, and subtitling, and freelancers can choose from hundreds of available projects at any time. Getting started involves a grammar quiz and a short sample test; once approved, freelancers can claim work immediately and get paid weekly through PayPal.
Rev's published pay rates range from $0.30 to $1.10 per audio minute for transcription work and $0.54 to $1.10 per minute for captioning.
Subtitling pays more, at $1.50 to $3.00 per minute, but requires fluency in another language. While Rev provides steady work availability, beginner earnings tend to be low because complex audio files take time for new transcribers to complete.
Rev has a 3.8 Glassdoor rating based on more than 2,400 reviews.
2. GoTranscript
GoTranscript is a large transcription and translation platform that hires freelancers in more than 140 languages. As of late 2025, English applications are temporarily closed due to high demand, but the company continues hiring actively in non-English languages.
Freelancers complete a short application and test before gaining access to available projects.
The platform offers flexible, remote work with weekly payouts through PayPal or Payoneer.
Rates vary by language and project type, but English work (when open) typically pays up to $1.11 per audio minute, with top freelancers earning up to $3,600 per month according to GoTranscript's published data.
Work includes interviews, meetings, academic recordings, research calls, and corporate audio, with additional opportunities for data labeling and transcription editing.
GoTranscript has a 4.1 Glassdoor rating based on more than 600 reviews.
3. Daily Transcription
Daily Transcription provides transcription, captioning, translation, and post-production script services for entertainment studios, corporate clients, legal teams, educators, and media companies.
The company hires a wide range of freelancers across specialized roles, including general transcriptionists, legal and medical transcribers, AI editors, subtitlers, and advanced film-industry positions like CCSL and dialogue list transcription.
Pay varies significantly by specialization and ranges from $45 to more than $300 per hour of material, depending on experience level and project type.
Daily Transcription accepts beginners for its entry-level general transcription roles, though most positions require strong English skills, at least 50–75 WPM typing speed, and the ability to meet tight deadlines.
Applicants must pass a skills assessment, follow detailed formatting guidelines, and be comfortable receiving feedback from the quality control team. The company provides training materials, style guides, and practice files, which helps new contractors build confidence before taking on paid work.
Daily Transcription has a 3.7 Glassdoor rating based on about 50 reviews.
4. Ubiqus
Ubiqus is a long-established transcription and language services company.
The platform hires freelance transcriptionists in legal, medical, and corporate categories, and its application process is straightforward.
You create an account, set up a testing profile, and complete a timed two-hour skills test in your chosen specialty.
Ubiqus continues to hire beginners, but passing the test requires strong accuracy, careful listening, and the ability to follow detailed style guidelines.
The company's Glassdoor rating is 3.5 based on 157 reviews.
Freelancers choose their assignments and can take on as much or as little work as they want.
Rates vary by project difficulty, subject matter, and whether timecoding or other add-on services are required.
5. Ditto Transcripts
Ditto Transcripts is a U.S.-based transcription company that focuses on higher-stakes work in legal, law enforcement, medical, academic, and financial transcription. The company requires all applicants to live in the United States.
Applicants complete a detailed form and must pass several transcription tests with a score of at least 95 percent. Ditto's standards are high because much of its work involves court hearings, 911 calls, depositions, and other sensitive material.
Pay is above average for the industry.
Legal, law enforcement, academic, financial, and general transcription typically pay $0.80 to $1.10 per audio minute, while medical work pays $0.07 to $0.10 per line. Higher rates are offered for rush and complex projects. Freelancers are paid on the 1st and 15th via direct deposit or PayPal.
Ditto has limited public employee feedback. As of November 2025, the company has one review on Glassdoor.
6. Babbletype
Babbletype specializes in market research transcription.
The company works with a small, selective team and does not bring on large numbers of new transcriptionists at once.
As of late 2025, Babbletype states that its roster is full and it is not reviewing new applications, although applicants can still watch an informational video and join the waitlist.
The company hires only from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, and does not accept contractors from California. Work involves general transcription and “PureSpeech” projects that capture fillers and pauses, which require careful attention and adherence to detailed formatting rules.
Babbletype has a 3.3 Glassdoor rating based on 17 reviews, with freelancers consistently noting flexible schedules and supportive staff but also low pay and inconsistent work availability.
7. AccuTran Global
AccuTran Global is a Canadian-based transcription company that has been operating since 2002 and works primarily with North American clients.
The platform contracts transcriptionists, real-time writers, and voice writers for financial, medical, legal, academic, and corporate projects.
The company hires only through its official website.
Applications begin with a screening process followed by testing in transcription or real-time writing. AccuTran's workflow includes conference calls, earnings reports, focus groups, interviews, and other time-sensitive recordings, making accuracy and reliability essential.
AccuTran Global has a 4.0 Glassdoor rating based on 18 reviews.
8. Quicktate
Quicktate provides transcription and call-auditing services for a wide range of short audio files, including voicemail, memos, legal notes, medical reports, to-do lists, insurance messages, and brief phone recordings.
The company focuses on files under five minutes, while its partner service, iDictate, handles longer audio.
Quicktate contracts freelancers to complete these short tasks and offers flexible, remote work with assignments arriving through the platform as they are available.
Applicants must pass a screening process and background check before joining. While Quicktate is open to beginners, the company expects accurate typing, careful listening, and strict adherence to formatting guidelines.
9. Tigerfish
Tigerfish is a small San Francisco–based transcription company that has been operating since 1989.
The platform focuses on general transcription, marketing and PR content, interviews, and fast-turnaround projects.
Because Tigerfish is a small operation, work availability can be limited and hiring periods are inconsistent. The company does not publicly list pay rates, but projects often involve detailed formatting and tight deadlines that require careful listening and precise typing. Tigerfish may be a fit for experienced transcriptionists looking for occasional project-based work rather than high-volume assignments.
Tigerfish currently has a 5.0 Glassdoor rating, but this rating is based on a single review.
10 . Upwork (If You Are Not Getting Hired)
If you have trouble getting accepted into traditional transcription companies, Upwork can be a good backup plan.
There are thousands of short-term, medium-term, and long-term transcription projects posted at any time, and many beginners pick up their first paid work there.
US-based transcriptionists on Upwork often charge between $15 and $35 per hour of work. More experienced specialists charge $50 or more, especially for legal, medical, or hard-to-hear audio. Many clients are willing to pay higher rates for accuracy and fast turnaround.
Upwork also lists a steady mix of entry-level tasks like simple audio typing, podcast notes, and handwritten document transcription. At the same time, there are advanced roles with higher pay for people who can work on long projects, clean up AI transcripts, or handle complex files.
We have a full guide on how to start on Upwork and increase your chances of getting hired.
Necessary Skills and Equipment to be a Transcriptionist
While every transcription company will be looking for different things, many of them will require some of the same general skills and equipment across the board. If you don't have the following, be sure to work on the appropriate skill or purchase the necessary equipment ahead of time.
- Accurate typing: If you're going to be a successful transcriber, you need to have excellent typing skills. Mistakes simply can't be made — and if they are, you need to catch them during the editing process.
- Fast typing speed: To deliver on time and increase your earnings, you need to be able to accurately type and maintain a high words-per-minute (WPM) pace. A good baseline to shoot for is at least 50 words per minute, if not more.
- Reliable internet connection: You'll need a reliable, fast internet connection to stream the audio and video you'll be transcribing. Some companies may also use transcription software, which can also require a broadband connection.
- Headphones or headset: To properly hear the audio file you're going to transcribe, a headset or quality headphones are a must. Secure a proper headset before you even take a skills test, as incorrectly hearing the test audio file could make or break your application.
- Foot pedal: A foot pedal can be hooked up to your computer and used to control the playback of a dictation file using your feet. This allows you to quickly rewind, pause, or fast forward a file without having to lift a finger. While not required, it can increase your transcription speed.
- Strong understanding of the English language: While you won't be writing original works, you will need the English language skills to have proper spelling and grammar throughout your work.
- Familiarity with style guides: Many transcription companies will have style guides that freelancers must follow. If you're not familiar with style guides, look some up to understand how they dictate what you can and can't say, and how you should say it.
- Comfortable with work-from-home jobs: Nearly any transcription jobs will be a remote job (a home transcription job). This means you'll need to be comfortable with working from home, have a quiet place to work, and have the discipline to manage yourself and get your work done.
- Some degree of tech aptitude: You'll usually be transcribing into Microsoft Word of Google Docs, but some companies use their own proprietary transcription software.
There are countless online jobs in the transcription industry. If you have the above skills and equipment, you'll be well on your way to landing your first gig.
How to Avoid Transcription Scams
During our research, several legitimate transcription companies warned that scammers sometimes pretend to be them. These scams often involve fake job offers sent through social media or messaging apps and usually include requests for equipment purchases, “account setup fees,” or personal information.
Reputable transcription companies do not ask you to pay money to start working.
The safest way to avoid scams is to apply only through the company's official website. If someone contacts you claiming to represent a platform like AccuTran Global, Tigerfish, or GoTranscript, verify the email domain, look for the job listing on the company's real site, and search the company name plus the word “scam” to see if others have reported issues.
If you prefer a broader job board with built-in screening, FlexJobs is one of the few options that hand screens every listing. This reduces your risk compared to sites that automatically pull listings from around the web without vetting them. You can read our full FlexJobs review if you want to learn more.
Before accepting work from any company, take a moment to research it on Glassdoor, check its website for test requirements or warnings about scams, and confirm that emails are coming from verified company domains.
Wrap-Up: Getting a Job as a Beginner Transcriptionist Opens Up Many Doors
Transcription isn't the fastest way to earn money online, but it remains a real path for beginners who want flexible, remote work. If you take the time to build accuracy, speed, and familiarity with formatting, you can grow from low-paying starter tasks into steadier, better-paying work.
Start small, keep improving, and give yourself time to develop the skill. With the right expectations and consistent practice, transcription can become a reliable supplemental income stream and a stepping stone into specialized legal, medical, or media work.
