Best Transcription Services For Accuracy, Speed, And Affordability

Today's transcription services are an indispensable and valuable tool for industries such as health care, legal, higher education, and law enforcement. And with technological advances in artificial intelligence (AI), the demand for transcription services has risen to a new level. 

However, highly qualified human transcription still outpaces AI and automated transcription services when accuracy matters. 

In this article, we'll compare transcription companies and the methods utilized to transform audio and video recordings into written transcriptions.

Key Takeaways

Transcription services are offered to suit various accuracy needs and industry requirements.
Clients requiring transcription services should weigh costs, turnaround time, audio complexity, and accuracy rates.
Industries such as medical, legal and law enforcement require transcription services that adhere to specific terminology and privacy standards, not to mention the importance of accuracy.

We often hear the comparison of "cost" versus "price." Companies whose claims center around offering the lowest price lack the expertise or skill set to provide accurate transcription services. After all, if the "low price" rate requires the client to spend time making corrections or spend additional funds hiring another provider, then the attraction of a lower rate turns unappealing.

The Best Transcription Services are:

Transcription Services Overview

Let’s cover some basics. Transcription services convert audio and video files into written text. The legal, law enforcement, and medical industries are prime examples. 

Most of us have watched TV court dramas or have been inside a courtroom during a hearing or trial. In years past, court reporters used specialized devices to record every word and sound during a proceeding. Today, most court reporting services capture testimony using advanced audio equipment and transcribe those files into written documents. 

Another example is the medical industry. When visiting a health care provider, most make notes in the patient's medical file, noting symptoms, patient comments, prescriptions written, or recommended tests. At the day's completion, provider’s record those notes into an audio file for written transcription. 

Types of Transcription Services 

Transcription Services typically fall into two categories:

Human Transcription: Experienced transcriptionists, using specialized equipment, listen to audio files or watch video files and manually transcribe the content. When files are complex or difficult to understand, human transcription remains the most accurate method. Top transcriptionists type error-free at around 90 words per minute (WPM) and produce 60 minutes of audio in three to four hours.

Automated Transcription: This method primarily uses AI or software specially written for transcription. Although automated methods are faster, they often fail to capture unique words and phrases or distinguish between multiple speakers or speakers with heavy accents.

Clients also need to understand the difference between verbatim and non-verbatim transcription. As referenced in the legal example above, verbatim transcription captures every word, sound, utterance, etc. 

Even the best automated and AI transcription programs only reach an 86 percent accuracy rate. That’s a far cry from the 99 percent accuracy rate offered by the top transcription services that use skilled human transcriptionists. 

Verbatim transcription remains critical when law enforcement agencies interview suspects or witnesses, since speaker hesitation or the retraction or inclusion of key words can impact the interview.

Non-verbatim transcription, sometimes called “cleaned up verbatim,” requires less emphasis on each word or sound. This method is used in general transcription when thoughts and ideas outweigh specific words and phrases.

Naturally, the transcription type, complexity, file length, turnaround time, and required level of accuracy factor into the overall cost. 

How to Choose the Right Transcription Company

Choosing the best transcription service for your needs requires carefully evaluating several factors. More importantly, factors such as accuracy, security features, and transcription type play an integral role. Below are some major factors to consider when selecting a transcription provider.

Accuracy and Quality

Accuracy and quality should be primary considerations. Clear and easy-to-understand files allow transcriptionists to produce highly accurate written documents. Accuracy challenges arise with multiple speakers, heavy accents, and poor audio quality. That’s why human transcriptionists remain the best choice for challenging transcription projects.

Top transcription companies can guarantee a 99 percent accuracy rate because they use skilled human transcriptionists. Even with today’s advanced automated technology, accuracy rates fail to exceed 86 percent. 

Personally speaking with company executives remains the best way to evaluate accuracy rates. Reputable transcription providers can provide examples and discuss which factors impact accuracy percentages. 

Security

Safeguarding information should be another vital concern. As quickly as security technology advances, hackers stay a half step ahead.

Everything from the submitted file to transcripts, user names, and passwords should be encrypted to prevent data leakage. Any transcription company should utilize state-of-the-art encryption methods to secure sensitive client data. 

AES 256-bit encryption protects data using a 256-bit-long key, which functions as a password to access data. This encryption system makes hacking files extremely difficult. 

Ask about a transcription company's security features before transferring sensitive data, especially if they are not based in the US. 

Pricing and Affordability

Affordability requires a closer look at price versus cost. Pricing options include per-minute to per-hour rates and even flat-rate fee structures. Understanding pricing structures remains another reason to communicate with company personnel. 

Some companies are known for adding "surprise billing" at a project's completion. Reputable companies only demand additional fees if any additional fees or charges are confirmed with the client before completing the work. Look for:

Affordability: Evaluate services that offer competitive prices without compromising transcription quality.
Additional costs: Be aware of potential extra charges for faster turnaround times, multiple speakers, or complex audio.

Compare pricing across different services, read user reviews, and request sample transcriptions to ensure the cost corresponds with the service quality.

Top-Rated Human Transcription Providers

When accuracy is paramount, human transcription services are best. Top transcription providers always use skilled transcriptionists accustomed to working with specific industries such as medical, legal, and law enforcement. These companies focus on quality, reasonable turnaround times, and meticulous attention to detail. In short, clients pay fair and competitive rates for quality work.

1. Ditto Transcripts

With over 14 of experience, Ditto Transcripts remains the industry leader in accurate and affordable transcription services. Ditto utilizes a talented, nationwide team of trained U.S. transcriptionists, who undergo a comprehensive criminal background check as well as rigorous testing before ever being hired. 

They offer complete project satisfaction with a money-back guarantee, a 99% accuracy guarantee, timestamps, a user-friendly platform, HIPAA and CJIS compliant, and easy access to their company executives.

2. Ubiqus

Offering verbatim and intelligent verbatim transcriptions, Ubiqus sets itself apart with highly experienced human transcriptionists. The service is renowned for quick turnaround without compromising the subtleties of spoken language, making them a go-to for interviews, meetings, and qualitative research.

3. Cambridge Transcriptions

Cambridge Transcriptions is respected for its professional and academic transcription work, employing transcriptionists adept in handling complex terminologies. They deliver precise transcriptions suited to legal proceedings and academic research, ensuring the preservation and integrity of the original recording.

4. Focus Forward

Founded 15 years ago, Focus Forward specializes in focus group transcription. Not only does the company provide transcription services, they also recruit focus group participants and provide coding services.

5. VoiceProducts

VoiceProducts specializes in medical transcription. They use US-based transcriptionists and guarantee a 98.5% accuracy rate. Based in Wichita, Kansas, the company also provides 911 call recording and social media intelligence.

The track record of a provider's service level speaks volumes. Is the company reliable? Can they provide industry-specific references? Do they offer a money-back guarantee if clients aren’t satisfied with the final transcript?

Leading Automated Transcription Tools

In the realm of automated transcription services, speed and accuracy are crucial. Particular tools lead the market by providing these features efficiently.

1. Temi

Temi leverages advanced speech recognition software to transcribe audio and video files swiftly. They are known for speed, delivering transcriptions within minutes. Users appreciate Temi for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, but accuracy may vary depending on audio quality.

2. Otter

Otter.ai excels with its real-time transcription and collaborative features. The service offers live transcription, which is useful for meetings, interviews, and lectures. It continuously learns from the user's conversations, improving its accuracy over time.

3. Scribie

Scribie offers both manual and automated transcription services, the latter of which promises a quick turnaround. While the automated service may not match the precision of its manual counterpart, Scribie's speed of delivery makes it a viable option for users needing a fast, rough transcript.

4. Sonix

Sonix stands out with its strong emphasis on accuracy and a user-friendly interface. The service supports multiple languages and provides features like audio and video timestamp synchronization. It aims to balance speed with precision, catering to professional use cases such as journalism and research.

Large International-Based Companies With No Specialized Transcriptionists

Rev

They offer fast turnaround times and low rates. However, the accuracy of Rev transcriptions remains low, primarily because they utilize a large number of foreign transcriptionists, including multiple transcriptionists for the same project. 

When it comes to certifying legal transcriptions, Rev falls woefully short. The company’s forte is short, easy-to-understand files with an uncomplicated subject matter.

Transcribeme

This company offers affordable, automated transcriptions with the option to pay additional charges for human transcription. TranscribeMe claims to specialize in legal and medical transcription. However, they are unable to certify legal transcriptions or comply with HIPAA guidelines commonly required for medical transcriptionists since they also use a large percentage of non-US-based freelancers.

Go Transcript

While GoTranscript has generated some positive reviews, they fall short of providing the necessary services most US-based companies and organizations require. While the company claims to be based in the UK, they are actually an Indian company. Since the company is headquartered in India, they also cannot certify legal transcripts or comply with HIPAA requirements for medical transcription. 

Specialized, Industry-Focused Transcription Tools

General transcription services remain a significant part of the industry. Examples include meeting notes and podcast episodes. 

However, many industries such as legal, law enforcement, and health care require specialized services and transcriptionists versed in the particular words and phrases commonly used in each. Let’s review some major industries:

Legal Transcription

Transcribing legal proceedings or court documents requires a detailed understanding of basic and complex legal terminology and processes. Law firms, attorneys, corporate legal departments and court reporting firms routinely require legal transcription services. Examples include:

Court hearings
Depositions
Legal briefs

Certification is a unique feature specific to legal transcription. Courts and judges often require transcription firms and individual transcriptionists to “certify” transcripts. 

What does legal certification entail? The ability to certify a legal transcription means that the company and transcriptionist are willing to testify to the authenticity and accuracy of a specific transcript. This eliminates transcription companies that use non-US-based transcriptionists. 

For example, transcription services using foreign transcriptionists may divide a lengthy document among several transcribers. Foreign transcriptionists are unfamiliar with U.S. legal terminology and cannot testify in a U.S. courtroom regarding the legal document in question. 

When requesting a legal transcription of any type, always confirm that the service provider and the assigned transcriptionists can certify the transcript and are located in the US.  

Medical Transcription

Health care providers, including hospitals, use medical transcriptionists to convert voice-recorded medical notes and files into a text format. Like legal, medical transcriptionists require specialized industry knowledge of procedures. Examples include:

Patient history and examination notes
Pre and post-operative reports
Clinical study notes

Most medical transcriptionists must comply with regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to ensure patient privacy. Non-US-based transcribers cannot meet this criteria. 

Academic Transcription

Teachers, professors, and researchers also require specialized transcription services. Correctly transcribed academic audio and video files aid students, educators, and researchers document educational content. Once more, specific knowledge of industry jargon remains vital when transcribing these files. Academic examples include:

Educational and classroom instruction
Thesis interviews
Academic conference discussions and seminars

Academic transcriptionists perform a vital function for colleges, universities, and research institutes.

Using Technology Platforms In Transcription

Google Docs Integration

Transcription services that integrate with Google Docs allow users to transcribe audio text into a text document directly. Such services may offer online editing where transcribed text is populated into a Google Docs file in real-time. Commonly used descriptions include:

Synchronization: Transcription updates are captured instantly within the document.
Shared Access: Multiple users can view and edit the transcript simultaneously.

Microsoft 365 Compatibility

Transcription services with Microsoft 365 integration provide a streamlined workflow for users using the Microsoft ecosystem. Users can import transcribed files and documents into applications such as Word or OneNote using the platform's robust formatting and organizational tools. Advantages include:

Cross-Application Accessibility: Transcripts can be accessed and edited across different Microsoft 365 applications.
File Compatibility: Support of direct export to various Microsoft 365 formats.

   Zoom Transcription

Since the 2020 pandemic, video conference platforms such as Zoom have dramatically increased. Concluded sessions can be automatically transcribed and shared among users. However, a recent University of Maryland IT assessment showed only a 70-80 percent accuracy rate using the built in Zoom transcription option. Zoom transcription options include:

Automated Processes: Transcription begins immediately after a recording concludes.
Ability to Maximize Accuracy: Users can increase the accuracy of Zoom recordings by using third-party transcription services to transcribe their files instead of using the built in AI that isn’t very accurate.

Timestamp and Editing Capabilities

The inclusion of timestamps provides a valuable tool to navigate through transcribed text. A user can message another party and ask that they review the transcribed document from the 39 to 41-minute mark. Or, they can reference numbered paragraphs or sentences.

Subtitles and Captions

Many transcription services include the generation of subtitles and captions, supporting content creators in making their videos accessible to a broader audience. 

With capabilities ranging from creating simple subtitles to complex, time-coded captions compatible with video editing software, these tools cater to the needs of casual users and professional video producers. 

Exporting captions in various text formats allows for seamless editing software integration, streamlining the post-production process.

How to Secure Your Transcription Files

Privacy and security are critical when using transcription service providers in today's cyber environment. Understanding the tools providers employ can assist end-users in safeguarding essential information. 

Data Protection Measures

Transcription services implement various data protection measures to ensure client data remains secure and confidential. These measures often include:

Encryption: Data is encrypted both in transit and at rest. Utilizing Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) protocols, transcription services protect files from unauthorized access.
Access Control: Rigorous access controls prevent unauthorized personnel from accessing client data. Only authorized individuals with the necessary clearance can handle sensitive information.
Regular Audits: Companies conduct security audits to assess and enhance their data protection strategies.
Certifications: Many services maintain compliance with standards such as ISO 27001, which mandates specific requirements for an information security management system (ISMS).

Non-Disclosure Agreements

Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are legally binding contracts ensuring the confidentiality of the client's information. Transcription service providers often require employees to sign NDAs, which include terms like:

Confidentiality Clauses: Specify that information about the client and their materials cannot be shared with third parties.
Duration of Secrecy: NDAs clearly define the time frame during which the information must remain confidential, often extending beyond the termination of service.

By adhering to NDAs, transcription services address privacy concerns and ensure their clients' information is handled with the utmost care and discretion.

Remember that non-US-based companies or services that use foreign transcriptionists aren’t bound to US non-disclosure agreements. Why? Because US courts cannot enforce such agreements on companies, employees, or freelancers outside of a US court’s jurisdiction. 

Optimizing the Transcription Process

The best video and audio files contain clean, clear audio with easy-to-understand speakers. In reality, transcriptionists must often navigate multiple speakers with unique or heavy accents, speaking in a crowded location with low-quality acoustics. Here are several recommendations when submitting audio and video files for transcription:

Make Clear Recordings

Clear recordings are the foundation of accurate transcriptions. Use high-quality microphones and record in environments with minimal background noise for best results. The speaker’s voice must be clear, with a consistent volume level throughout the session.

Microphone Placement: Position the microphone close to the speaker to capture a clear voice while minimizing ambient noises. The distance of one fist from the tip of the microphone to the speaker’s mouth is ideal.
Environment: Choose a quiet room, avoiding areas with echoes or reverberation.

Multiple Speaker Recordings

Transcribing discussions with multiple speakers can create unique challenges. However, transcribing multiple speakers becomes more manageable if you follow the guidelines above and use quality audio equipment in a noise-friendly environment.

Use a moderator to direct the conversation to minimize participants' speaking over one another. Also, encourage each speaker to use a consistent volume and speed so the transcriptionists will have fewer inaudibles in the finalized transcripts.

Managing Heavy Accents and Dialects

Accents and dialects can pose significant challenges for transcriptionists. However, there are several strategies for overcoming this obstacle:

Specialized Transcriptionists: Employ transcriptionists skilled in understanding various accents and dialects. The same advice holds true for the legal and medical industries.
Advanced Software: Utilize transcription software with robust audio tools.

How to Evaluate Transcription Service Providers

The information in this article can serve as a guideline for selecting the right transcription company for your specific needs. To summarize:

Compare Cost, Price, and Value: A low-cost deal isn’t a deal if a completed transcription contains inferior work or requires you to edit anything. 
Review Service Agreements: Does the agreement contain specific language regarding price, turnaround times, etc.?
Assess Customer Support and Reliability: Can key employees and managers answer questions or field complaints?
Inquire About Security Protocols: Can the company easily describe its security protocols and how your files are safeguarded? 
Ask About Transcriptionist Background Checks: Does the company perform a comprehensive criminal background check on every transcriptionist?
Verify Legal Certification, CJIS and HIPAA Compliance: Can and is the company willing to certify legal transcriptions, and do they comply with all HIPAA and CJIS guidelines?

Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.