Audio transcription is a process that consists of listening to a recording and converting that audio file to text, word by word. There are many transcription companies, as well as professional freelancers working in different fields such as legal and medical transcribers. However, automated transcription is becoming more popular and there’s a good reason for it.
How To Choose a Audio Transcription Service?
There are three main aspects to look at when choosing a transcription company – the accuracy of the end result, price-to-quality ratio and their confidentiality agreement.
– Accuracy
The industry’s standard is 99%, with companies advertising even higher than that. However, with manual transcription, there’s always a lot of room for human error. People are constantly applying for these positions, filling the industry with novices. Furthermore, most of them are non-native speakers.
It’s highly important for the end result to be as error-free as possible. Otherwise, you’re going to have to waste both time and money searching for mistakes and editing them. Look for reviews of former customers and see how the company can guarantee quality.
– Price
If it seems too good to be true, then it most likely is. Companies promising top-notch accuracy at a ridiculous price aren’t trustworthy in most cases. Make sure that the pricing plans are structured properly and that there are no hidden costs involved. Even though you might be tempted to settle for the cheapest option, you might end up wasting even more time and money re-doing it yourself. Always choose established companies.
– Security
Companies should have a rigorous, sturdy internal security system, especially if you are outsourcing confidential information. Only pick providers that have solid confidentiality agreements, with transcripts shared through a system where only you can access them.
Always check their privacy policy to see which information they collect. Manual transcription companies must have a signed agreement with their workers, whose identities have been checked and verified. This prevents any leakage of sensitive information.
Audext – An Automated
Service
With audio to text converter online, Audext.com, a lot of risky features are non-existent from the start. Since it can transcribe audio to text automatically through the use of neural network and AI, there’s virtually no risk of any information being leaked.
– Accurate
Audext is able to recognize the words, as long as there’s no severe background noise. So whether the contest is of educational, media or medical nature, automation removes the whole aspect of human error.
– Feature Packed
You get exactly what you pay for, whether it’s per hour or monthly basis. Prices range from only $9 to $13 per audio hour. You get access to the end result inside of a built-in text editor, right from your browser. Each transcribed word is connected to the exact moment when it was spoken, to help you check the accuracy yourself.
If you’re running short on time – Audext can convert audio file to text in a matter of minutes, where as with manual transcription it can take a couple of days. Text is formatted according to the speaker identification automatically, saving you time for the more important things. There’s file format options for everyone – MP3, WAV and WMV, as well as different download possibilities once the transcription is done.
Besides, with a free 30-minute transcription, Audext lets you judge the quality for yourself before spending any money. Delivery time is the same for everyone and you won’t have to waste any additional money if you’re in a tight spot. It does all the hard work for you with minimal downsides.
Comparing Few Manual Transcriptions –
Transcription Panda
Transcription Panda is a manual service offering two options which differ depending on the features that are included. The more expensive option starts at $0.95 per audio minute and promises up to 100% accuracy with timestamps and speaker identification.
Although this might not seem expensive, when you select all it’s features, the price can go up to $3.45 per audio minute. There is a 24-hour delivery method too but that increases the price per minute from $0.95 to $1.45. So, you get the promised high quality but at an extremely high price.
GoTranscript
Similar to Transcription Panda, GoTranscript guarantees 99%+ accuracy and offers different turnaround time options. Starting cost is $0.72 per audio minute and increases according to the chosen features. They have a 6-12 hour delivery option, but this will put you back another $2.5 per audio minute. There can be a lot of unnoticeable hidden costs. It all depends on audio quality, accents, turnaround time etc.
