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In this Scribie review, I will share 12 Pros and Cons about this platform and tell you everything I know.
I’ve reviewed many transcription platforms, and they are very popular when it comes to earning extra income. If you’re doing your research and want to find out how Scribie stacks up against the rest, you’re in the right place.
Let’s get started.
What is Scribie?
Scribie is a transcription site that pays you to convert audio to text. It is a freelancing platform.
Any individual can sign up. Users take a test that involves doing audio to text transcription, and they are scored based on their accuracy.
The site has been around since 2008. The company has headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area, and it has grown by leaps and bounds, providing jobs to thousands of individuals worldwide.
How Does Scribie Work?
The Scribie platform provides an opportunity to work from home as a transcriptionist. Your primary job is to listen to audio files and convert the audio into text accurately. There is an on-site word processor that users use for typing the text.
Most audio files are less than 6 minutes, and it is not that difficult to accomplish these tasks. These audio files come with instructions outlining what needs to be done.
The standard required turnaround time is 2 hours. Once you submit the text, the site’s moderators will review your work before submitting it to the client. You get paid once the client approves the text, and you are paid per audio hour.
Jobs are shared with transcribers in the marketplace, which includes a listing of all available jobs.
How to Join Scribie
To get started with Scribie, you need first to complete an application. After that, there are several steps with the goal being to get certified. Once you are certified, you will then be able to log in and start selecting files to transcribe. Here are the six steps to getting certified.
1) Submit your application
Visit the Scribie website to start your application. You will more than likely need to verify your PayPal account at the time of this review.
2) Confirm your email address
You’ll need to click a link in your email to confirm your email address.
3) Wait for an invite
In 1 business day, your application is reviewed. If you get rejected, you can reapply.
4) Create your account
Set up your account and you’ll get an invite to take a certification test.
5) Test file submission
You will be given a list of files to transcribe. Scribie will check your submission to see how well you did.
6) Certification
After your submission is accepted, it will then be reviewed. If your review goes well, you’ll be certified. If you get rejected, you can retake the certification.
To join the platform, you will need to meet the following requirements:
- Have good comprehension of the English language.
- Ability to interpret conversations.
- The ability to identify contextual mistakes
- You will need a verified PayPal account to receive payments
- A laptop or desktop computer with a reliable internet connection.
- Headphones or a headset.
- You will also need an up-to-date web browser such as Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.
- The ability and skillset to be make corrections of manual and or automated transcripts.
Scribie Jobs
Several assignments are available on Scribie. The main ones are as follows:
- Transcription
- Transcription and Reviews
- Transcription, Reviews, and Proofreading
- Transcription, Reviews, Proofreading, and Quality Check
There is a range of duties inside of these assignments. These are not only limted to Transcribing audio files to text but also be reviewing audio transcripts for accuracy. There is also a component where you will need to match the transcript with the audio. You may also be tasked with identifying mistakes in audio and correcting grammatical and punctuation errors in transcripts.
How Much Can You Make With Scribie?
As I mentioned, Scribie’s compensation structure is based on an audio hour. When you convert audio work of 60 minutes into text and get approved, you get paid for one audio hour.
The company makes payments via PayPal and is limited to countries that are supported by PayPal. It is worth noting that you must have PayPal to receive payments.
Keep in mind that only once your transcription is approved it will count towards the audio hour.
The pay rate starts at around $5 and goes up to $25 per audio hour. For a 6-minute file, the rate is between 50 cents and $2.
Note: The payment is according to the audio’s minutes, which you have converted. It is not according to the time which you have spent on converting the audio to text.
In most cases, when you go through the job requirements, you will get an idea of the pay.
The amount you will earn comes down to your skill level, as the company has described. According to Scribie, if you were to spend 8 hours per day performing the various assignments, below is a breakdown of what you can expect to earn monthly.
- Only Transcription – $200 to $300
- Transcription and Reviews – $300 to $500
- Transcription, Reviews, and Proofreading – $500 to $700
- Transcription, Reviews, Proofreading, and Quality Check – $700 to $1000
Bonuses
The platform also pays a $5 bonus for every 3 hours that you complete each month, paid the 1st day of each month. The harder you work, the more bonuses you can rack up.
Referrals
Scribie pays a 5% affiliate commission for every customer referral that you send the company’s way for transcript orders. When you refer transcribers, you earn a 2.5% referral commission. The amount that you can earn in referral/affiliate commissions is unlimited. The company provides you with a referral link or embed code that you can use to promote the platform.
How Do You Pass The Scribie Test?
After submitting your application, you must take and pass the transcription test. Applications are reviewed within one business day.
For most people, the test is the most pressing question that comes up. We will share our tips and answers below to help.
The test involves selecting one of the many audio files available. You have to transcribe it with the highest possible accuracy. The transcription process will be done using the on-site word processor, which you can run in the browser.
For the test, all the available audio files are of excellent audio quality. After the submission of your text, you will get the test results. Only once you pass the test can you start taking gigs in the marketplace.
The good news, if you do not pass the test, you can retake it. The website allows you to take the test up to ten times. This increases the probability that you will eventually pass the test.
The way to retake the test is pretty straightforward. You have to go ahead and pick another audio file and read the instructions. You then retake it as you took the first one.
When you compare this with some of the other alternatives out there, none offer ten retakes. For this reason, Scribie has a lower bar of entry than many other transcription websites.
In a nutshell, the test isn’t a big challenge, and most people get approved with the program.
What is The Best Transcription Company to Work For?
It’s a good idea to do your due diligence when selecting a transcription site. Below I share a couple of alternatives that might be worth your while. It might not be a bad idea to join a couple of sites to increase your earnings potential.
Quicktate
Quicktate is a similar transcription service that pays anywhere from .25 cents per word .50 cent per word. It pays twice a month through PayPal.
This site has a stricter approval process. And you also have to take and pass a test. After successfully passing the test, you will proceed to the next step. They also require you to get a background check. You are required to pay for this background check. The cost is $15.
Once they approve you, you can select available jobs in their marketplace.
TranscribeMe
The TranscribeMe platform is another audio transcription website that pays up to $20 per audio hour. The site requires you to take a short exam, and the grading process is automatic. As a result, the entire approval process is seamless and quick.
If your exam accuracy rate is on the higher side, the site will approve you immediately, and you can start transcribing. The payment is weekly through PayPal. The only problem with this site is that the site doesn’t post jobs as regularly as Scribie.
If you’re searching for a workplace website with a reasonably easy approval process, this one is undoubtedly a reliable option.
Rev
Rev is a good site if you’re just a newbie in the world of transcription services. The initial test is not that easy to pass. However, once you pass the test, you can make up to $ 200 per month.
The unique thing about this transcription website is that it offers video captioning gigs. As video captioning gigs are gaining popularity due to online streaming, the amount of available work on this website is higher than others on this list. Therefore, this website is gaining in popularity.
This website is a perfect option for you if you prefer video captioning work to other transcription work types.
The problem with the above alternatives is that one website might have some advantage over Scribie, whereas another might have a different benefit. However, if you’re looking for the complete package, Scribie tends to offer more than the competition.
Is Scribie Legit?
At the time of this review, Scribie has a four-star rating on Trustpilot. Trustpilot allows users to post-independent reviews, and on this platform, the company has a good reputation.
I couldn’t find Scribie on the Better Business Bureau. But when looking at third-party reviews for the site, you will find that most of them are positive.
The platform provides a decent opportunity to make money online. Due to this very reason, Scribie is undoubtedly a legit website that helps you in making some extra money online.
Pros and Cons of Scribie
Pros
- The platform has over 33,126 home-based freelancers.
- Scribie has paid out over $2,371,738 to transcribers to date.
- A solid 4-star rating with the Trustpilot review platform.
- It is free to join the service.
- Solid earning potential of up to $1000 per month according to the site (results may vary).
- A variety of assignments to increase your earnings potential with the platform.
- You get 10 chances to take the certification exam.
Cons
- You have to pass a transcription test to start with the platform.
- No accreditation or rating with the Better Business Bureau.
- You need PayPal in order to get paid with Scribie.
- You will be graded while on the platform, and if your average grade falls below 2.5 out of a possible 5, you will no longer be able to select assignments. This is a quality control measure put in place for transcribers.
- Only available in countries that have PayPal.
Conclusion
So that’s my unbiased Scribie review. As I mentioned, there are many transcription platforms out there.
I outlined the pros and cons for you to help you see how Scribie measures up. If you’re looking to make a solid income, this platform will probably be on the higher end when it comes to earnings.
But there are drawbacks. Specifically, the grading system, certification process, and you’ll need PayPay to get paid.
Aside from that, it might not be a bad idea to try out a couple of transcription sites to increase your earnings potential. And Scribie is probably one of the more reputable ones of the bunch.