How to Choose a Transcription Company: A Complete Guide

What kind of transcription service is recommended? I also want to know how to choose a transcription company!

For those of you with such concerns, we will introduce how to choose a transcription service (or audio to text service) and the best methods for transcription.

Transcribing audio from meetings or interviews into text can be very time-consuming if you do it yourself by typing. Therefore, paying a specialized company (transcription service provider) to outsource the work is one option.

Additionally, besides companies that use professional transcribers, we also recommend utilizing AI transcription services.

We will thoroughly explain the best ways to efficiently transcribe audio (or convert audio to text) using services provided by various companies!

How to Hire a Professional Transcription Company (Transcription Service Provider)?

How should you go about hiring a professional company for transcription (audio to text services)?

First, we'll explain the types of transcription service providers and how to choose the best one.

What is Transcription (Audio to Text)?

Transcription (also known as audio to text or tape transcription) is the process of converting recorded audio into written text.

• Meeting minutes
• Interviews
• YouTube videos and other media

By converting such content into text, it can be preserved as a record, used for magazine or blog articles, and utilized more conveniently.

Transcription has been a profession since the era of cassette tapes for recording, which is why it is still sometimes referred to as "tape transcription."

There are two main methods for transcription:

• Typing out text while listening to audio
• Automatic conversion using speech recognition AI

What are Transcription Companies (Transcription Service Providers)?

Since typing out transcriptions while listening to audio is time-consuming and labor-intensive, many companies offer transcription (audio to text) as a service.

By relying on a specialized company (transcription service provider), you can streamline the transcription process and convert audio to text quickly and smoothly.

Transcription Companies Use Professional Transcribers

Transcription companies employ professional transcribers who type out text while listening to audio.

Because experienced transcribers handle the work, they can accurately deal with difficult points such as:

• Technical terms
• Homophones
• Speaker's slips of the tongue

Hiring a Transcription Company Costs Money and Time

However, naturally, using a transcription service provider incurs costs.

Since you are hiring a professional, the cost is a bit higher compared to "AI transcription," the other method of transcription.

Of course, transcription only begins after you provide the audio data, so you will also need to wait a few days for delivery.

*Some transcription service providers offer expedited services (e.g., next-day or same-day delivery), but these come at a much higher price.

For Affordable and Fast Transcription, "Mojiokoshi-san" is Recommended

• Want to transcribe more affordably?
• Need transcribed text immediately?

For those needs, we recommend the AI transcription service "Mojiokoshi-san."

The latest AI automatically transcribes audio, so:

• For the same cost as a single use of a transcription company, you can get much more.

As you can see, you can transcribe audio faster and more affordably than using a transcription service company.

What's more, you can transcribe up to 1 minute of audio for free without registration or login!

Since it's more convenient and faster than a professional transcription service for converting audio to text, if you're unsure about how to transcribe, why not try "Mojiokoshi-san" first?

Top 5 Recommended Transcription (Tape Transcription) Companies + More

Next, we'll introduce recommended companies (transcription service providers) that offer transcription services by professional writers.

1. Koelab

Koelab is a company specializing in transcription (tape transcription) by professional writers.

As a transcription service provider with over 800 writers, they handle not only general business fields but also various specialized areas such as medicine, academic research, government, politics, publishing, and IT.

They also accept requests from researchers using Kakenhi (Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research).

They offer prompt service, with transcription typically completed in 2 business days (for 15 minutes of audio) to 7 business days (for 180 minutes of audio) for standard delivery.

Expedited same-day delivery is also available for an additional fee.

To use their service, you fill out a quote form, discuss the price and delivery time, and then formally request the transcription.

Koelab

2. Tokyo Hanyaku

Tokyo Hanyaku is another well-known company for transcription (tape transcription).

Leveraging their connections with professional writers, they provide high-quality transcription services.

In addition to Japanese transcription, they also offer foreign language transcription, including English, for an additional fee.

They can handle fields requiring advanced specialized knowledge, such as medical transcription and transcription for court proceedings.

Standard delivery times range from 3 business days (for 15 minutes of audio) to 11 business days (for 240 minutes of audio).

Even shorter delivery times are available, including "Super Express Same-Day Delivery," where data submitted in the morning can be transcribed by the same day, though this incurs a special fee.

They are a versatile transcription service provider covering a wide range of fields.

Tokyo Hanyaku

3. Tape Rewrite

Tape Rewrite is a traditional transcription (tape transcription) company founded in 1963.

Given its long history, it has business relationships with mass media outlets such as NHK, Kyodo News, and Nikkei BP.

They also handle a wide range of transcription services, including general transcription, as well as specialized fields such as medical, academic, and legal transcription.

In addition to English, foreign language transcription is available for Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and French.

Delivery time is 4 business days (for audio up to 1 hour, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays).

Expedited delivery options are also available, ranging from -1 to -4 business days, for an additional fee.

Tape Rewrite

4. Voice Color

Voice Color Co., Ltd. is a transcription (tape transcription) company based in Hiroshima.

They have 50 transcription staff members and also provide translation services from Japanese to English and English to Japanese.

Transcription delivery times for their standard plan range from 7 business days to 1 business day.

For audio up to 120 minutes, an express fee applies.

This means same-day service is also possible.

VoiceColor

5. Editage

Editage is a global company that supports researchers.

In addition to English proofreading and translation of academic documents, they also offer transcription services.

What sets them apart from other companies is their focus on foreign language transcription.

They can transcribe not only English but also Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Italian, and Russian.

Furthermore, they offer a service that combines transcription and translation.

Delivery times vary significantly depending on the language to be transcribed and the length of the audio file, so an estimate from their official website is required.

This transcription service is recommended when you need to write academic papers in a foreign language.

Editage

AI Transcription is Also Highly Recommended

So far, we've introduced companies where human transcribers (typists) perform transcription. However, if you're outsourcing transcription, "AI transcription" is also highly recommended.

AI transcription is a service where an AI speech recognition engine automatically transcribes audio files once you upload them.

In recent years, with the rapid advancement of AI, the performance of AI transcription has significantly improved, making it possible to achieve very high accuracy comparable to professional transcription services.

Speech recognition is a field where AI particularly excels, so it's possible to get transcription quality on par with what you'd receive from a dedicated transcription company.

Moreover, AI offers unique advantages.

Transcription Completed in a Short Time

When you request services from the companies introduced in this article, standard delivery times are at least one business day, even for short recordings.

Furthermore, longer audio recordings require even longer delivery times.

While many companies offer same-day service for an express fee, the additional cost can be quite high.

In contrast, AI transcription services can complete transcription in a very short amount of time.

Amazingly, short audio files can be transcribed in just a few minutes, and even long files are completed in about 10 minutes!

Transcription Available Anytime, Instantly

When using a company with human transcribers, you naturally need to place your request during business hours.

If you need transcription after business hours, you'll have to wait until the next business day.

Some companies may not operate on Saturdays, Sundays, or public holidays.

On the other hand, AI transcription services, unlike traditional transcription companies, are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Interviews sometimes take place at night to accommodate the other party, but even then, you can transcribe immediately after completion.

Foreign Language Transcription Available at the Same Price

AI transcription services are also highly recommended for foreign language transcription!

Transcribing foreign languages, including English, requires different skills than transcribing Japanese, so transcription companies often charge higher rates for foreign languages.

Also, since there are fewer transcribers with foreign language skills, the options for companies that can handle foreign language transcription are limited.

This is where AI transcription services come in handy.

With AI transcription services, foreign language audio can be transcribed just like Japanese.

What's more, unlike companies with human transcribers, you don't need to pay any additional fees.

A point to note is that when using AI for foreign language transcription, you should check in advance if the service supports the language you want to transcribe.

It's recommended to choose a service that can transcribe many languages, like "Mojiokoshi-san," which supports 100 languages.

Affordable Pricing

Finally, AI transcription services can transcribe at a lower cost than human transcription companies.

Companies that rely on human transcribers incur labor costs for their expert staff, which leads to higher prices.

In contrast, AI transcription services do not require labor costs because computers handle the processing.

While AI transcription services often operate on a monthly subscription model, it's common for the monthly fee to be lower than the cost of transcribing a single audio file by a human transcriber at a traditional transcription company.

Recommended AI Transcription Service: "Mojiokoshi-san"

For those looking for an AI transcription service, "Mojiokoshi-san" comes highly recommended.

"Mojiokoshi-san" is an AI transcription service that utilizes the latest high-performance AI.

It can produce high-quality transcriptions comparable to those done by professional transcribers at transcription agencies.

Two types of cutting-edge AI are available, each with distinct features:

• PerfectVoice: Transcribes even long audio files in about 10 minutes, supporting 100 languages including Japanese and English.
• AmiVoice: Completes transcription in approximately the same amount of time as the audio file's duration, and includes a speaker diarization function (transcribes by speaker).

These features allow you to choose the best AI for your specific transcription needs.

The usage fee ranges from 1,000 to 3,000 yen per month, depending on the usage time, making it much more affordable than traditional transcription services.

What's more, you can transcribe up to 1 minute of audio for free without registration or login.

If you're unsure about transcription methods, it's highly recommended to try "Mojiokoshi-san" for free first.

Why Not Try Transcribing with a Convenient Service?

This article introduced companies that provide transcription (tape transcription) services.

Companies that rely on human transcribers each have their own areas of expertise, so it's recommended to understand their strengths before making a request.

Furthermore, AI transcription services utilizing speech recognition AI have rapidly developed in recent years.

They are now capable of producing high-quality transcriptions comparable to those done by professional transcribers at traditional agencies, so why not check them out alongside human transcription companies?

It's recommended to use convenient services for comfortable and smooth transcription.

■ AI transcription service "Mr. Transscription"

"Mr. Transcription" is an online transcription tool that can be used from zero initial cost and 1,000 yen per month (* free version available).

• Supports more than 20 file formats such as audio, video, and images
• Can be used from both PC and smartphone
• Supports technical terms such as medical care, IT, and long-term care
• Supports creation of subtitle files and speaker separation
• Supports transcription in approximately 100 languages ​​including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, French, Italian, etc.

To use it, just upload the audio file from the site. Transcription text is available in seconds to tens of minutes.
You can use it for free if you transcribe it for up to 10 minutes, so please try it once.

It is "Mr. Transcription" who can easily transcribe from audio, video, and images. Transcription allows you to transcribe for up to 10 minutes for free. You can copy, download, search, delete, etc. the transcribed text. You can also create subtitle files, which is ideal for transcription of interview videos.

HP: mojiokoshi3.com
Email: mojiokoshi3.com@gmail.com