Fed up with working 9-5 and want to try something a little different? Well, why not try some transcription work from home? Take a look at my Rev transcription review to see what’s involved and how much I earned.
Rev summary
Pros and cons:
✅ A decent amount of work available
✅ Rates of pay aren’t bad
✅ Can work as much or as little as you like
❌ Requires good listening and typing skills
❌ Can be very tedious
Rev
Earn from home transcribing with Rev
Over the last few years, I have made quite a decent attempt at earning extra money from home. Online surveys have been a consistent way to make extra each week and so have focus groups. But the difficulty is finding work that is constant and well-paid.
One option that appeared recently to me was transcribing. And being game for most things, I thought I would give it a go.
What is a transcriber?
A transcriber is somebody that listens to audio (or watches a video) and writes down everything word-for-word. These jobs can last for just a few seconds or go on for well over an hour.
What is Rev?
Based in the USA, Rev is a company that offers to convert audio into text using both humans and AI. It’s used by over 170,000 customers across a number of industries. Not only do they provide English transcription, but for 15 languages including Arabic, Chinese and Russian.
Becoming a transcriber
I guess Rev had issues with fake accounts as the setup has changed since I initially joined. Now, when you create an account, you’ll need to provide basic contact details, such as an address, and verify you are who you claim to be. This involves sending in a copy of an official ID and taking one of those moving selfies. You know, the one, where you have to move your head to the left and right. It’s quick to do and mine was approved straight away.
Then, Rev needs to ensure you’re a suitable candidate. That means taking a test. Like mystery shopping, transcribing isn’t for everyone. Because people will be relying on your written word, it’s important that you have a good grasp of the English language, not only spelling but grammar too.
Rev started off with a few simple spelling tests, which steadily got harder. Then, just as I got to grips with that, they threw in some questions about sentence structure and grammar. It’s not my strong subject, but fortunately, there’s always Google to help. I’m not sure if that counts as cheating though…
Once that’s over, you must show them your transcribing skills. You’re given a 2-minute (ish) clip, which you need to transcribe. When you finish that, you click submit and hope for the best. Now, it’s just a matter of waiting to find out if you’ve passed or not.
Fortunately, within 2 hours, I was sent an email to say that I had been accepted as a transcriber. Which was just as well, otherwise this review would have been very short. And now was my chance to earn some money.
Making progress
As you work, Rev will grade what you do based on the following categories:
- Accuracy
- Formatting
- On-time
- Commitment ratio (the number of projects you’ve completed against those you claimed)
In the dashboard, you’ll find your current grades, as well as a graph showing you your earnings.
Once you have 45 minutes of work which meets the minimum requirement, you’ll be promoted to Revver. A Revver gets access to longer transcribing jobswith higher pay per audio minute. And impress as a Revver and you can move up to Revver+, which will give you earlier access to tasks.
Any downsides?
Unlike many other money-making ideas I looked at, this isn’t really one you can dip in and out of and it needs a bit of dedication. Plus, you really need to have a certain level of English. Yes, you can visit Google if you don’t know how to spell a certain word, but you can’t keep checking. If you did, it would take you ages to transcribe. It also helps if you are a good listener and a quick typer. Both of which I’m not.
And I’m not sure of the long-term future of transcribing. AI continues to develop and improve and it’s a far cheaper option compared to using a person. I do think that the amount of work will decrease in the future.
Rev transcription pay
So, how much does a transcriber get paid with Rev? This depends a lot on you. The quicker you are, the more you earn.
Most jobs pay around $0.50 per video minute (just under 40 pence). So, a competent transcriber could earn around £24 per hour. However, I struggled and earned far closer to £8 per hour. I’m sure I could pass the £10 per hour mark with practice, but I don’t think I could go much further.
What other people think
If you look around the internet, there are plenty of reviews of Rev to be found. If you take a look at Indeed, the site scores an average 2.7 out of 5 stars. Although people say it is good for ‘pocket money’, most find it a chore and the pay does not reflect the work you put in. It scores a far better 4.1 out of 5 on Trustpilot, although these are a mix of reviews from people who work for Rev and those that use it to have their work transcribed.
Will I continue transcribing?
Since I gave up my full-time job, I have more time on my hands. However, I won’t be carrying on my career as a transcriber. When I look at ways to earn extra money, I’m interested in two main factors;
- Is it enjoyable?
- Can I earn with little effort?
Transcribing requires a lot of concentration, so I need to put aside a decent amount of time if I want to get through a video. And, quite frankly, it’s not enjoyable and can be a little tedious. At £10 an hour (for me), it’s just not worth it.
But, with all that said, transcribing is a viable way to make some decent earnings, especially for those with more patience than me. And if you have the skills, you can make a decent amount of money.