Name: Transcription City
Price range: $$$

Transcription Rates

Transcription Rates and Pricing Structures

If you have interviews, focus groups, dictations or conferences you want to have transcribed, we can help. Whatever work you are looking to outsource, one of the main questions you will have in your mind is how to get the best value for your money. The online transcription process is pretty straightforward just find a company, sign the necessary Terms and Conditions, upload your files or send them over for typing, and wait for your completed documents to be returned. But what about cost? For those ordering audio transcription or video transcription for the first time, pricing structures can be daunting. We all know that when purchasing any product, it’s best to look around for the best deals, but what extras can catch you out when using online typing services and what exactly do the different costs mean? Check out our guide to transcription rates.

Transcription Style

The first thing to consider that will affect the cost of your audio or video transcription is the transcription style. No matter which company you outsource to for your typing work. The rate of transcription charged will differ depending on the style of writing. There are many styles to consider. Prices reflect how time consuming it is for typists to type using these styles.

Starting from the most expensive, Subtitles, Discourse Analysis, Transcription with Visual Descriptions, Time-coded Transcription, Edited Transcription, Verbatim and Intelligent Verbatim. Depending on your requirements, it’s worthwhile to make sure you are only paying for what you need. For example, if you are having a conference typed up for simple circulation to your colleagues, it’s entirely unnecessary to order a discourse analysis transcription. Discourse analysis will include speakers’ changes in tone, any dominant background noise, laughter, etc, and ums and ahs. Instead, your best option would be the standard Intelligent Verbatim. For a full breakdown of what our different styles mean, visit Transcription our transcription styles page.

Audio Quality

Prices for audio transcription and video transcription will differ depending on the quality of the original material. Poor quality audio takes longer to type. We set a limit for poor quality audio at an extra 20p per audio minute on top of the cost of your transcript. It is, however, rare that we charge this fee.

Some companies may charge more than this for poor quality audio. We consider that if a file is this time consuming and difficult to type. So it is highly unlikely a client will receive back a transcript of an adequate quality. So we may not carry out work. We pride ourselves on transcripts of the highest standards and would rather be honest with clients if audio quality is very poor. It is far better to spend your time perhaps re-recording an interview or re-dictating a letter, rather than wasting your money!

Transcript Turnaround

Standard turnaround times vary between 24 hours and one week. It depends on which typing services company you look to outsource your transcription to. Don’t just go by the base cost. If you are a journalist, for instance, and will have a lot of regular urgent files that need turning around in less than 24 hours. You should be sure to check who has the best price for that requirement. On closer inspection, a company that has higher starting prices for standard turnaround transcription may actually be competitive and cheaper than other companies when it comes to your requirements.

Transcript Extra Proofreading

Costs for an extra proofreader need to be considered if this is a service you would like on top of your normal transcription. This cost is usually at a cost per audio minute’ rate and some companies will charge this as a standard. At Transcription City, transcriptionists always proofread their own work before sending it back. We also employ proofreaders to perform regular quality checks on typist’s work to ensure high standards and any inaccuracy issues will be highlighted and fed back to our secretaries to help them with their professional development. However, if you would like the extra security of a second proofreader to go through your work, this is a service we can provide.

Audio and Video File Delivery Method

When pricing up for audio or video transcription, you also need to consider delivery method. For example, you may need an Intelligent Verbatim transcription of a conference but need to send it via courier rather than online. If this is the case, you are likely to be charged extra for the company time spent converting that file. It’s well worth considering converting your audio into a digital format in order to save money. At Transcription City, we have included instructional videos on how to use our services including how to easily convert your cassette to digital audio. You can find these by hovering over “contact” on the menu bar and selecting “How to videos”.

Transcription, Proofreading, Copy Editing, Copy Writing and Ebooks

Finally, it’s worthwhile considering what you are looking to do with your interview script, letters, conference transcription or even your book. And what is is used for after you have had it transcribed. Transcription City offers many additional services that may save you costs. This avoids sending your documents to another company following completion. For example, we can offer an author transcription service that includes the completion of your book. Then we can convert your document to an eBook format for a fraction of the cost other companies charge.

Also, if you have a business with instructional or promotional material, and are looking to publish the contents of your video or audio as an article, Transcription City can provide this service as an add-on, again saving you money. Similarly, if you are having a video typed from YouTube that you are using for advertising we can convert your file to the correct format. You can then use to upload to YouTube as subtitles. This could not only save you time (and consequently, money) but will also help with SEO.

So there it is, the ins and outs of transcription pricing and transcription rates. We hope that’s cleared up a few misconceptions about the price structures out there and what’s good value. If you have any further questions or queries regarding our typing service prices, contact us today. You can do via our online chat, email us at info@transcriptioncity.co.uk or call us on 0208 816 8557.

We offer transcription services, translation services, subtitling services, note taking services and accessibility services. Contact us today for more information.