How do you find freelance transcription work?

Many freelance transcription jobs come from companies that take applications directly, such as Rev and GoTranscript. You apply, complete a sample test, and then take files when the company offers them. Work on general marketplaces is possible too, but you should check each listing's pay terms and fee before you accept.

Start with companies that publish their terms. Read the pay per audio minute, the payment schedule and the test before you apply, and do not pay anyone to get on a list. The transcription jobs guide covers the pay and skills, and the question on whether a transcription job is legit has the full checklist.

Apply to companies that publish pay and test their applicants

Rev takes freelancers. Its application has two steps: an English and grammar check ¹, then a sample. Rev asks applicants to complete a short transcription, caption or translation sample to show they meet its quality standards ². The freelancer page also says it has a waitlist because of high application volume, but that applications are still open ³. The waitlist may delay your start.

GoTranscript's jobs page lists no application fee, weekly payments for approved work, and a two-step process of guidelines and a short test ⁴. GoTranscript defines an audio minute as the length of the file, not the time it takes to transcribe it ⁵. That definition is the basis for working out what a file will pay you.

Both companies test before they pay you. A company that offers paid work without any test should make you check its terms harder, not relax.

Use marketplaces with care

General freelance marketplaces list transcription projects alongside many other jobs. Check the platform fee on each contract before you accept it, because it comes out of what you earn. Some listings are posted by individuals or small agencies with no published pay per minute, and those need the same checks as any other offer.

If a listing does not state a rate per audio minute, ask for it in writing before you do any work. A client who will not state the rate is not offering a clear job.

Check the company before any paid start

The Federal Trade Commission says that if someone asks you to pay to get a job, that is a scam ⁶. Stop if you are asked for a starter kit, software, a training fee or a background check before you have earned anything.

Use this order when you search:

1. Build a list of five to ten companies that publish pay per audio minute and describe their test.
2. Apply to one or two at a time. Each sample takes time to do well, and a focused application is easier to track than several running at once.
3. Check independent reviews. Reviews on a site the company controls prove little.
4. Log every file. Record the minutes you spend on each file so you can compare platforms by real hourly rate, not by the posted rate. The question on how much transcriptionists make shows the arithmetic.

It depends on the work you want

• General transcription is the easiest to start, because the companies test your sample and your grammar and pay per file. Specialist work may pay differently, and it needs training and its own style rules.
• Medical and legal work may pay more on some platforms, but it needs training and specialist style rules. See the question on whether courses and certification are worth it before you apply.
• Remote work is one option in this field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says medical transcriptionists may work from home, receiving dictation and submitting drafts electronically ⁷. Freelance platforms set their own remote setup, so check each one.

For the wider question of whether this is worth your time, see the question on whether transcription is a good side hustle. For the first steps with no experience, read how to become a transcriptionist.

The short answer

Apply directly to companies that publish their pay per audio minute and test their applicants, such as Rev and GoTranscript. Treat marketplace listings and any offer that asks for money as things to check first. Work through one or two companies at a time, and track your real hourly rate before you commit to any of them.