In What Way Can You Transcribe Audio Recordings? And What Is the Cost of Service?

Looking for the best method to transform your audio recordings into readable text? Then you’ve arrived at the right place. Creating text transcripts from audio files can benefit your personal and business projects in various ways. Transcripts are always necessary, whether for adding subtitles to a video, preparing text records of witness declarations, or recording everything that transpired within a focus group for a new product. 

Video files containing audio are not exempt from transcription, either. Take this into consideration: an average adult can read between 250 to 300 words per minute. On the other hand, the average talking speed with sufficient comprehension lands somewhere between 100-150 words per minute. As you can see, written material can be just as relevant today to make your content reach the masses efficiently.

3 Methods to Transcribe Audio to Text

Written text is an excellent complement to your audio and video recordings. It can make your content easily searchable and indexable by search engines, which helps to boost your brand’s awareness. Let’s take a quick look at the different methods you can use to transcribe audio to text. 

Use a Professional Human Transcription Service

Using a professional transcription service that’s human-based is, hands down, the best alternative to transforming audio recordings into text. A company with years of experience in the market and a long-standing reputation is the most promising route. There are many transcription providers, but the company that stands out has got to be GoTranscript. This provider makes it super easy and hassle-free to convert your audio files.

Despite what its name may suggest, the company also provides services besides transcription. The professionals on the platform can also translate, caption, and subtitle your content in over 60+ languages with a guaranteed 99% accuracy or better. They can work with bilingual files as well. For example, if you have a recording involving bilingual English-Spanish speakers, they can work on it without breaking a sweat. 

All of the platform’s services are human-based, so you can rest easy knowing that no pesky AI technology is scanning your content. It has a multiethnic global force of over 20,000 professionals and has worked with notable companies like Forbes, Netflix, Verizon, and many more. 

GoTranscript’s rates are affordable compared to other services in the market and will depend primarily on turnaround time, language, and the complexity of your file. For example, a 5-day service of a clean English file can cost $0.90/min. Marking your files with multiple speakers, thick accents, full verbatim, or short turnaround times can elevate these costs. Other languages have different rates depending on availability. As a bonus, you can get a 15% off through their customer loyalty program for big orders. 

Employ AI-Driven Automated Technology or Other Software

Using automated transcription software can be problematic, but it has its applicability under specific scenarios. This method is best for those that need lots of content converted into text for cheap. These services are fast and affordable, with the caveat that their precision leaves much to be desired. 

Automated transcription services often have text editors for you or someone else on the website to edit the resulting file manually. This method may have an ultrafast turnaround time, but if your files have background noise, multiple speakers, or strong accents, the resulting text will have huge accuracy issues. 

Another alternative here is using software that can transcribe for you. Multiple options exist on the market, each one at a different cost. These programs often allow you to upload mp3, mp4, m4a, or wav files for transcription. Furthermore, they can also process your dictations; some can even differentiate speakers and add timestamps. 

Manually Transcribe the Content Yourself

When all else fails, you can always transcribe your audio file into text on your own. This manual labor can take lots of time and energy. It also requires excellent typing and listening skills. If you’re a professional or a student, it’s probably not the best use of your time. Plus, truth be told, it can be somewhat tedious as well. Nevertheless, it’s still an option if you have enough free time or are working with a low budget. 

The Bottom Line

There are different methods to transcribe audio into text, each with its own pros and cons. Ultimately, choosing the best approach will depend on what you want to achieve, your budget, and the level of precision you require. For the best quality transcriptions at an affordable price and with many extra options, a company like GoTranscript sure beats the rest.