Transcription Service: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best

Which transcription company is recommended? I also want to know how to choose a transcription service provider!

For those of you with such concerns, we will introduce how to choose a transcription (audio transcription) company and recommended methods for transcription.

Transcribing audio recorded in meetings or interviews into text can be very time-consuming if you type it yourself on a keyboard, so outsourcing it to a specialized company (transcription service provider) for a fee is one option.

Additionally, besides companies where professional writers transcribe, utilizing AI transcription services is also recommended.

We will thoroughly explain the best ways to efficiently perform transcription (audio transcription) using services provided by various companies!

How to request transcription from a specialized company (transcription service provider)?

How can you request transcription (audio transcription) from a specialized company?

First, we will explain the types of transcription service providers and recommended ways to choose one.

What is transcription (audio transcription)?

Transcription (audio transcription) is converting recorded audio into written text.

• Meeting minutes
• Interviews
• Videos such as YouTube

By converting such content into text, it can be saved as a record, or used for magazine and blog articles, making it more convenient.

Transcription has existed since the era when cassette tapes were used for recording, so it is still sometimes referred to as "tape transcription."

Summary of methods to transcribe audio! What is "transcription" that converts audio into text?

We will thoroughly explain what methods are available to transcribe audio, what "transcription" is, and what recommended methods exist!

There are two methods for transcription:

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

What is a Transcription Company (Transcription Service Provider)?

Transcribing audio by typing it out while listening is time-consuming and labor-intensive, which is why many companies offer transcription (audio transcription) as a service.

By entrusting the work to a specialized transcription company, you can streamline the transcription process and convert audio to text quickly and smoothly.

Transcription Companies Employ Professional Transcribers

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

Since experienced transcribers handle the work, they can accurately deal with challenging aspects such as:

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

Outsourcing to a Professional vs. AI Transcription: Which to Choose?

If you're torn between outsourcing and AI services, it's best to start by comparing costs and turnaround times.

When considering outsourcing to a professional service, check the estimated cost and the number of days until delivery.

For AI services, in addition to the usage fees, it's important to check how much time you can save compared to transcribing it yourselves.

When outsourcing to a professional service, you'll need to specify during the quotation process which method of delivery you prefer: "verbatim transcription" (transcribing every utterance as is), "clean verbatim" (removing filler words like "um" and "uh"), or "edited transcription" (refining the text for readability).

For highly confidential audio, you also need to confirm data management practices.

When outsourcing, check if a non-disclosure agreement can be signed. When using AI services, review the terms of service and rules for data storage and deletion.

Outsourcing to a professional is suitable when you want to delegate the confirmation of technical terms and speakers, or when you don't have time for revisions.

AI transcription is recommended when you need text quickly, want to transcribe regularly, or can handle revisions yourselves.

For specific pricing ranges for AI services, individuals, and professional companies, please refer to this article.

How Much Does Audio Transcription Outsourcing Cost? [Tips for Cheaper Requests Explained]

For those looking to outsource transcription cheaply, we've compiled average costs for AI, individual, and professional audio transcription services. We also cover tips for successful outsourcing and techniques for getting high-quality transcription at a low price.

It's also recommended to try AI transcription for free and compare it with outsourcing providers.

When you want to use an AI transcription service, it's best to try it for free first.

A key tip when trying out an AI transcription service is to cut a short sample from the audio you plan to transcribe and upload it.

Since the recording environment, speakers, and technical terms will be the same as the actual audio, you can accurately check the transcription results.

Verify if proper nouns and technical terms are correctly converted and if speakers are properly distinguished.

With the AI transcription service Mr. Transcription, you can transcribe up to 3 minutes for free daily without registration.

Free members get up to 10 minutes free daily.

Before requesting a quote from an outsourcing provider, why not cut a short sample from your planned audio and try transcribing it for free?

Top 5 Recommended Transcription Services (Tape Transcription) + More

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

1. Coelabo

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

This transcription service provider has over 800 writers and handles various specialized fields such as medical, academic research, administration, politics, publishing, and IT, in addition to general business areas.

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

They offer prompt service, with standard delivery times ranging from 2 business days (for 15 minutes of audio) to 7 business days (for 180 minutes of audio).

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.

Coelabo

2. Tokyo Hanyaku

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

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

For an additional fee, they can perform transcription of foreign languages, including English, in addition to Japanese transcription.

They can also 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, with an "Ultra Express Same-Day Delivery" option where data submitted in the morning can be transcribed by the end of the same day, though this incurs a special fee.

This transcription service provider covers 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.

In addition to general transcription, they widely handle specialized transcription in medical, academic, and legal fields.

Foreign language transcription is available not only for English but also for Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and French.

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

Expedited services are also available, ranging from 1 to 4 business days faster, for an additional charge.

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 offer translation services from Japanese to English and English to Japanese.

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

For audio up to 120 minutes, same-day service is available with an express fee.

Voice Color

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 greatly depending on the language to be transcribed and the length of the audio file, so a quote 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 Services are also Recommended for Transcription

So far, we've introduced companies where human transcribers type out transcriptions. However, if you're outsourcing transcription, "AI transcription" is also highly recommended.

AI transcription refers to a service where an AI speech recognition engine automatically transcribes audio files when you upload them.

In recent years, AI has advanced rapidly, and the performance of AI transcription has significantly improved, allowing for highly accurate transcriptions comparable to professional transcription services.

Speech recognition is a field where AI particularly excels, making it possible to achieve transcription quality on par with professional transcription companies.

Moreover, AI offers additional advantages.

Fast Transcription Completion

When you request services from the companies introduced in this article, standard delivery times typically take at least one business day.

Furthermore, longer audio recordings will 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 transcriptions 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 1 minute!

Instant Transcription Anytime

When using companies that rely on human transcribers, you naturally need to make requests during business hours.

If a transcription is needed after business hours, you have to wait until the next business day.

Some companies may not even operate on weekends or public holidays.

On the other hand, AI transcription services are available 24/7, 365 days a year, unlike traditional transcription companies.

Interviews sometimes take place at night to accommodate the other party, but with AI, you can get the transcription done immediately after it concludes.

Foreign Language Transcription at the Same Cost

AI transcription services are also recommended for foreign language transcription!

Transcribing foreign languages like English requires different skills than transcribing Japanese, so transcription companies typically charge more for foreign languages.

Also, because 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 highly recommended.

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

Moreover, unlike companies that use human transcribers, there's no need to pay 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, such as Mr. Transcription, which supports 100 languages.

Affordable Pricing

Finally, AI transcription services allow for transcription at a lower cost than specialized transcription companies.

Companies where human transcribers perform the work incur labor costs because they rely on experts, leading to higher prices.

In contrast, AI transcription services do not require labor costs as processing is handled by computers.

While many AI transcription services operate on a monthly subscription model, their monthly fees are typically lower than the cost of transcribing a single audio file by a human transcriber at a specialized company.

How to purchase Mr. Transcription's paid plans (Basic, Value, Premium).

Mr. Transcription offers both free and paid plans. This guide explains how to purchase Mr. Transcription's paid plans with images.

Recommended AI Transcription Service: Mr. Transcription

For those looking for an AI transcription service, Mr. Transcription comes highly recommended.

Mr. Transcription is an AI transcription service that utilizes the latest high-performance AI.

It can provide high-quality transcriptions comparable to those done by professional human transcribers.

With its cutting-edge AI, even long audio files can be transcribed in about 1 minute!

Its support for over 100 languages, including Japanese and English, is also a significant advantage.

The usage fee ranges from 1,000 to 3,000 yen per month, depending on the monthly usage time, which is significantly cheaper than hiring a human transcriber.

Moreover, you can transcribe up to 3 minutes per day for free, with no registration or login required.

Furthermore, registering an account allows for up to 10 minutes of free transcription per day!

It's highly recommended to try transcribing a portion of your audio with Mr. Transcription before requesting a quote from an outsourcing company.

By reviewing the transcription results, you can easily compare them with other services.

On the transcription results screen, you can also press the play button to individually play back specific sections of the original audio.

The text display also switches in sync with the audio playback, allowing you to conveniently review the transcription results.

Choosing a Transcription Company

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

Companies that employ human transcribers often have their own areas of expertise, so it's advisable to understand each company's strengths before making a request.

Additionally, AI transcription services utilizing speech recognition AI have rapidly advanced in recent years.

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

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