The best transcription software
I've been looking for the best transcription software, but like many of you, I may not have known which tools were available on the market.
After scouring the internet for hours, I've narrowed down my search to Descript.com, Otter.ai, Trint.com, Rev.com, HappyScribe.com, Piktochart, Wave.video, and Pictory.
With so many great options available on the market, it can be difficult to decide which transcription service is the right fit for you and your business. It is for that reason that I have decided to share my experiences with each of these services and provide an objective overview of the pros and cons.
I'll cover topics such as accuracy, customer service, cost, ease-of-use, and features so you can make an informed decision. With this information, you'll be able to make an educated decision about which transcription service is right for your needs.
If you're interested in knowing more about the best transcription software on the market and which one will give you the most value for your money, please feel free to read the full article.
Introduction to Transcription Software: What it is and What it Does
As someone who runs several YouTube channels, and who creates content, primarily in the form of long-form and short-form video, across several different platforms, I was excited to learn about transcription software and how it could make my video creation more efficient.
Transcription software allows you to convert your audio or video into text. This means that you can transcribe your meetings, interviews, classes, or other audio content into a written format. Many people use transcription software to create written transcripts associated with podcasts, vlogs, speeches, and webinars.
With tools being continuously developed and improved upon, we now have great audio and video transcription software that we can use that costs a fraction of what it did a few years ago.
The English language is my primary language, and as a result, my transcriptions are done in English. Having said that, if you aren't a native English speaker or you create content in a different language, I have seen several of the software programs indicate that their transcription languages are not limited to the English language.
You may be wondering why you should use transcription software. Well, there are a number of benefits to using a transcription software service:
It saves you time. One of the primary benefits of transcription software is that it allows you to convert your audio or video files into written content extremely quickly. For example, you can transcribe an entire hour-long interview in a couple of hours, and there’s no need for any human transcriptionists, either, as transcription software can convert your files automatically.
It improves productivity. Transcription software lets you focus solely on your other tasks, allowing you to make the best use of your time.
It improves accuracy. Another benefit of transcription software is that it can convert your files with far greater accuracy than humans. For example, transcription software can convert files 99.9% of the time without making mistakes. Human transcriptionists, though, can make mistakes up to 10% of the time.
Popular Types of Transcription Software
As someone who creates lots of videos and who has several blogs, using transcription software saves me lots of time, and I’m always on the lookout for the best options available on the market.
In the past, you needed to spend hours listening to audio and then transcribing the audio yourself, or you could use a professional transcription service like Rev.com to transcribe your audio and video files for you.
There are a variety of real-time transcription options to choose from today, each with its own unique features and capabilities. I’ve found that the most popular transcription softwares includes Descript.com, Otter.ai, Trint.com, HappyScribe.com, Piktochart, Wave.video, and Pictory.ai.
Descript.com is a transcription software that offers a powerful and easy-to-use transcription platform. It allows users to transcribe audio and video files quickly and accurately, and also offers audio and video editing capabilities. The software also provides powerful audio search functions and AI-powered automatic transcription.
Otter.ai is a transcription software that is designed to help users quickly and accurately transcribe audio and video files. It uses powerful AI technology to provide automated transcription and audio search capabilities. The software also offers a range of audio editing tools, including voice recognition and voice-to-text capabilities.
Trint.com is a transcription software designed to help users quickly and accurately transcribe audio and video files. It provides a range of features, including automated transcription, audio search, and audio editing capabilities. The software also offers a range of features for creating transcripts, such as the ability to add keywords and mark sections.
HappyScribe.com is a transcription software designed to help users quickly and accurately transcribe audio and video files. It provides a range of features, including automated transcription, audio search, and audio editing capabilities. The software also offers a range of features for creating transcripts, such as the ability to add keywords and mark sections.
Piktochart is an online design platform that helps users create visual stories. It provides a range of tools, including templates, graphics, and icons, to create compelling visual stories. The software also offers a range of features for editing and sharing visuals, including the ability to create transcriptions and subtitles for video.
Wave.video is a video editing platform that helps users create, edit, share videos as well as live-streaming capabilities. It also provides a range of features, including video templates, video editing tools, and video sharing capabilities as well as the ability to transcribe your videos. The software also offers a range of features for creating and editing videos, such as the ability to add text, transitions, and animations.
Pictory is an online video platform that helps users create and edit videos and has one of the best transcribing capabilities that I have seen. One of the features which I like, is their "highlights" feature where you and trim the video into smaller segments which you can post onto social media and your website.
Benefits of Using Transcription Software
I love technology and its ability to streamline and simplify my tasks. As a husband and dad with limited time available, I'm a big fan of transcription software, which can make tedious and time-consuming tasks like transcribing audio or video recordings into written text a breeze. With the right transcription software, you can quickly and easily convert spoken words into written text, allowing you to get more done in a fraction of the time.
With more and more companies pivoting to remote work and work hybrid models, where saw an increase in online meetings on platforms and the increase in popularity of Zoom meetings, Google meet and similar platforms. As some of these platform's did natively transcribe the videos, it often someone having to listen to the full video and then doing some for of manual transcription which took hours.
An alternative to transcribing it in house, was to make use of a human transcription service, which made use of professional transcriptionists and which could take several days before you got your transcriptions back, but now you can simply upload audio recordings and your video content and have it transcribe your videos in minutes or sometimes longer depending on the size of your original audio and video file.
Several of these tools use AI-based transcription processes to ensure transcription accuracy. This is important as it saves time by having the correct words that may not be transcribed accurately. I must, however, point out at this point in time that you should always review the transcriptions, and at this point in time you may still have to do some manual tweaking.
I recently tried out several "automatic transcription software" options and wanted to share my experiences with you. One of my favorite transcription software options is Descript.com, which offers a powerful and easy-to-use platform that makes it easy to quickly transcribe audio and video recordings. With Descript.com, you can even edit the transcriptions directly in the platform, making human it easy to make changes in real-time.
Another great transcription software option is Otter.ai, which is designed to be a powerful and intuitive transcription tool. Using artificial intelligence, Otter.ai can accurately transcribe audio and video recordings and even detect different speakers. It also offers powerful search and organization features so you can quickly find and edit the transcriptions you need.
If you’re looking for a more specialized transcription software, I’d recommend checking out Trint.com. Trint.com specializes in automated video transcription, and its cloud-based platform makes it easy to quickly transcribe and share video recordings. Additionally, it offers many editing and collaboration features so you can collaborate with teams and make changes in real-time.
Another benefit of these tools, is that you can export transcripts and upload it to file sharing services like google docs on your google drive and provide different individuals access to the transcription which they could then use for different purposes, for example printing a copy of meeting notes, creating social media posts, content for newsletters and much more.
Tips for Choosing the Best Transcription Software
I remember when I first started transcribing audio for my business. It was a tedious, time consuming task. I needed to find a way to make the process more bearable, so I started researching transcription software. After some digging, I found there are many transcription software out there, from Descript.com to Otter.ai to trint.com, and so on. Although the options seemed overwhelming, I was determined to find the best transcription software for my needs and looked at several popular platforms.
After reviewing the features of each transcription software, I realized that they all had different advantages and disadvantages. Some were better suited for small businesses and content creators, while others had more features that benefited larger companies. Choosing the right transcription software for my own needs came down to a few key factors.
First, I assessed how user-friendly the software was. I wanted something that would be easy to use and I could learn quickly. I also wanted to make sure that it had enough features to meet my needs without becoming too complicated. Happyscribe.com and Piktochart were two of the options that stood out to me for this reason which allows me to create accurate transcripts quickly.
Second, I considered the cost. It was important for me to find a transcription software that fit within my budget and that had affordable pricing based on the hours of transcription I needed each month. Descript.com and Wave.video were two of the options that had reasonable prices an that had a good subscription plan that fitted my use case.
Third, I considered the video formats and audio format that the softwares accepted for upload purposes as I use Apple products so needed to make sure that the audio and video file formats that I created my videos in were able to be uploaded directly into the software.
Fourth, as I am by no means a power user or someone that creates hours of content each month, I assessed how many hours of transcription each of these tools provided me and whether or not, I could create closed captions and specifically speaking English captions for my videos.
Finally, I looked at the accuracy and quality of each transcription software. I wanted to make sure I was getting the best possible result for my time and money. After some research, I found that trint.com and otter.ai had the best accuracy and quality for the money.
Ultimately, I found the perfect transcription software for my needs. It was a combination of user friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and accuracy. After a few weeks of using the software, I was able
Pros and Cons of the Top Transcription Software
As someone who now relies on software for their automatic transcription services, I understand the importance of having the right transcription software, and by right I mean one that is cost friendly, but also one that reduces the amount of corrections I would have to make on the backend. I have used many different programs over the years, and have gathered a wealth of knowledge on the pros and cons of the top transcription software. I am fully convinced, while there may still be a need for professional transcribers, a lot of what they do, can now be done by softwares available on the market.
Descript.com
Descript.com is a great tool for those needing to transcribe audio or video recordings quickly and accurately. It supports a wide range of languages, and its AI-powered engine can automatically transcribe recordings within minutes. One of the biggest pros of this transcription software is its ability to identify multiple speakers and accurately differentiate between them.
Descript.com also supports a variety of editing functions, allowing you to make quick changes to your transcript without having to redo the entire document and also has a great speaker identification feature.
It also has a built-in-editor which is a great as you would not need a separate video or audio editing software. I must however caution, for some, this may be a simple editing tool, so if you want to do some more advanced editing you may still want to use tools like Davinci resolve and Adobe Premiere Pro but it would definitely come down to your personal use case.
The one downside is that it is that while they have a free plan, in order to truly benefit from the amazing features in Descript, you probably have to sign up for one of their paid plans.
Otter.ai
Otter.ai is another popular affordable transcription software. It has a fast and reliable transcription engine that can accurately transcribe audio files in a matter of minutes. It also supports multiple languages and has a user-friendly interface.
One of the biggest pros of Otter.ai is its ability to recognize multiple speakers and accurately differentiate between them. Additionally, it also has a variety of editing and formatting tools, making it easy to make changes to your transcript.
The one downside is that it is not as feature-rich as other transcription software.
Trint.com
Trint.com is a great tool for transcriptionists who need to quickly and accurately transcribe audio or video recordings. It Is definitely a popular transcription software and supports a wide range of languages and its transcription engine is fast and reliable. It also has a variety of editing and formatting tools, making it easy to make changes to your transcript. One of the biggest pros of Trint.com is its ability to accurately differentiate between multiple speakers in a recording. The biggest downside is that it is quite expensive compared to other transcription software.
HappyScribe.com
HappyScribe.com, a great tool for transcriptionists who need to quickly and accurately transcribe audio or video recordings. It supports a wide range of languages and its transcription engine is fast and reliable. Additionally, it also has a variety of editing and formatting tools, making it easy to make changes to your transcript. One of the biggest pros of HappyScribe.com is its ability to accurately differentiate between multiple speakers in a recording. The one downside is that it is not as feature-rich as other transcription software.
Common Features of the Best Transcription Software
As a content creator, I'm always on the lookout for the best transcription software to help me in my work. Having the right software can make a huge difference in the speed and accuracy of my work. After trying out a lot of options, I've concluded that these are the key features I find in the best transcription software.
The first is platform compatibility. The best transcription software should be available on multiple platforms, including desktop, tablet, and smartphone. That way, I can use it wherever I am and on whatever device I have with me. Descript.com, Otter.ai, Trint.com, and HappyScribe.com all offer great multi-platform compatibility.
The second feature I look for is accuracy. It's essential to have accurate transcriptions, so the software should have a high accuracy rate. All of the software I mentioned above also have an accuracy rate of over 95%, making them highly accurate.
Third, I look for good editing tools. Editing tools like Descript.com, Wave.video, and Pictory, make it easy to edit my transcriptions and make sure I don't miss any details. I also like software that offers real-time editing so I can make changes and corrections on the fly.
Fourth, I look to see if any of the softwares offer a team or collaborative features so that I can work on projects with my team at the same time.
Finally, I look for the following essential feature in software, that being a software that offers a variety of file formats available when I need to import files and also when I need to export files. The best transcription software should be able to save files in multiple formats. This makes it easier for me to share my transcriptions with others and use them in different contexts.
These are the core features I look for in the best transcription software and while many of these software have more advanced features, several of them fall outside of the scope of this blog post. With the right software, I know I can get accurate and detailed transcriptions quickly and easily.
What to Look for in Quality Transcription Software
When it comes to transcription software, I want to make sure I'm getting the best quality I can find. With so many options out there, it can be hard to know which one is right for me. I’ve done my research and here’s what I look for when deciding which transcription software is right for me:
First, I want to make sure I’m getting software that is accurate and reliable. I don’t want to be dealing with typos or errors. Companies like Descript.com, Otter.ai, and TRINT.com have spent years perfecting their speech recognition technology to make sure their transcripts are accurate and error-free.
Second, I want to make sure I have access to a wide range of features. Some transcription software offer a basic set of features, while others like HappyScribe.com, Piktochart, Wave.video, and Pictory offer a much more robust set of features. I want to make sure I choose a program that has the tools I need to make the most of my transcripts.
Third, I want to make sure I’m getting the best value for my money. Some transcription software can be quite expensive, so I want to make sure I’m getting the most bang for my buck. I look for programs that offer free or discounted trials, or that offer discounts or money-back guarantees so that I can test the software before signing up for either their basic plan or more advanced plans depending on my use case and needs at a given point in time.
Finally, I want to make sure I’m getting a program that is backed by a reliable customer service team. I want to make sure I can get help quickly and efficiently if I ever have an issue or have a question about my transcription software. I normally determine this by reading other customer reviews and also based on my own personal experience with customer service.
These are the things I look for when choosing transcription software. I want to make sure I’m getting the best quality I can find so I can get the most out of my transcripts.
FAQ
1. What is transcription software?
Transcription software is a program that converts audio or video recordings into written or typed text. This type of software uses advanced voice recognition technology to transcribe speech into text. Transcription software can be used for a variety of purposes, including for medical dictation, legal transcription, audio or video captioning, and general transcription. Many transcription software programs also offer features such as time-stamping, speaker identification, and editing tools to make transcription work more efficient and accurate.
2. How accurate is transcription software?
The accuracy of transcription software depends on several factors such as audio quality, background noise, speaker accents, and the language being spoken. Therefore, no software is 100% accurate. However, with constant improvement and optimization of the algorithms, transcription software has become increasingly accurate in recent years. Ultimately, humans can still catch nuances and contextual references better than machines do.
3. What is the difference between automated transcription and human transcription?
The difference between automated and human transcriptions lies in the accuracy, quality, and reliability of the transcribed text.
Automated transcriptions are done using speech recognition software and algorithms, which convert speech to text in real-time. These transcriptions are fast and cheap, but tend to be less accurate due to the limitations of the technology, such as poor audio quality, accents or dialects, background noise, and multiple speakers.
On the other hand, human transcriptions are done by actual human transcribers who listen to the audio file and type out the text manually. This process takes longer and is more expensive, but provides much higher accuracy, quality, and reliability. Human transcribers can better understand the context, slang, and nuances of the language, and they can ensure that the final transcription is accurate and error-free.
Overall, automated transcriptions are best suited for simple and straightforward tasks, such as transcribing voicemails, while human transcriptions are recommended for more complex and sensitive tasks that require a higher level of accuracy and attention to detail, such as transcribing legal, medical, or financial documents.
4. How Much Do Transcription Services Cost?
While some transcription software has free trials, all of them have price plans based on the number of transcriptions you need per month, and they have all done a good job of making their products available at an affordable price.
5. Do I have to download the transcription software onto my computer?
The software mentioned is cloud-based, which means it can be used on your computer irrespective of whether or not you are an avid Mac user or a Windows user. While the ones mentioned do not have mobile applications, you can, in some instances, access the services on your phone, but I don't recommend this as it is easier to work with these softwares on a desktop computer.
6. I am not tech savvy and wondered if these tools have a steep learning curve.
Most of these are simple tools in that, while they have amazing capabilities, they're not difficult to use.
Conclusion
I took the plunge and decided to use Descript.com as my transcribing software of your choice. While I still believe that there is a place for human transcribers, the fact that I can transcribe my own videos using software is veery appealing to me.
As someone that creates long form videos and short form videos, Decript.com allows me to quickly repurpose my longer videos to shorter videos which I can schedule on Publer.io and cross post onto several platforms. At present, I primarily use this as a video transcription software but who knows, I may launch a podcast in the future in which case having a tool that I can use for pure audio transcriptions is great too.
Descript.com was incredibly easy to use and it has an intuitive interface and made transcribing and caption creation a breeze. it has lots of extra functionalities like the ability to get rid of filler words and was even able to detect my South African accent when I was speaking fast and still rendered accurate transcripts.
While Descript.com offers 1 hour of transcription per month on their free plan, I generally need more than that and as a result use on of their paid plans.
The end result was a perfectly transcribed document that was accurate and easy to read. I am so glad I signed up for Descript.com as it has made my content creation process and workflow much easier. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable and efficient transcription solution.
Additional tools for Transcription not specifically addressed in this blog post:
Rev.com
Transcriber
Express Scribe
Sonix
Scribie