When I started working from home more than 10 years ago as a freelance transcriptionist, Zoom and DocuSign were startups. Technology has come a long way since then, thank goodness! And over the years, I’ve tried a lot of tools and programs in my search for ways to save time and make more money. I’ve learned through trial and error what works and what doesn’t. And today, I’m happy to share with you the tools that have been essential to the success of my transcription company. I’ve divided these tools into two categories, Transcription Essentials and Business Essentials. Transcription Essentials are the tools that every freelance transcriptionist simply cannot do without. Business Essentials are the tools that are necessary if you want to grow your transcription career or start your own transcription company.
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Transcription Essentials
Free Transcription Software – The FTW Transcriber
The FTW Transcriber is the most popular transcriber. I love the automatic timestamp feature. And in my opinion, the audio quality is better through FTW than it is through other transcription software. The free version provides all of the necessary functionality, but if you decide to upgrade to the paid version, be sure to use Discount Code: adastra22 when you purchase a license key.
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Free Voice-to-Text Software – Otter.ai
For verbatim transcription with one or two speakers, I use Otter.ai. And as with any voice-to-text software, it is still necessary to make corrections to the transcripts it produces, but Otter.ai does a great job overall. The editing can be done right on their platform or offline. You can also add collaborators, like your clients, your freelance transcriptionists, and your editors. The platform allows you to create a list of speakers and a word list, which is particularly helpful if your audio contains industry-specific terms or acronyms. I’ve used Otter.ai quite a bit for accented English and it’s much more accurate than any of the other voice-to-text software I’ve tried.
Free Proofreading Software – Grammarly
Grammarly is essential for transcription. I use the grammar checker on every single transcript. But Grammarly does so much more than just check spelling and grammar. The free version checks spelling, grammar, punctuation, and tone. The paid version also checks word choice and clarity and will suggest tone changes and rewrites to phrases and sentences. The tool decreases my editing time exponentially and ensures that I never overlook a mistake.
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Business Essentials
Virtual Office Tools – Google Workspace
Google Workspace is the central hub for my transcription company. Having all of our productivity tools in one place with the ability to collaborate across teams keeps my company running efficiently. We use Docs to make our style guide and policies available to the entire team. Transcriptionists and editors can add their work schedules to our Calendar. And we use Chat, Meet, and Gmail for communicating. I love how Google Workspace seamlessly integrates with my Trello workflows as well. Get a 14-day FREE TRIAL, and use Discount Code MCQNEYXCQTYX4HM to get 10% off the Business Starter Plan.
Free Payment Processing – Melio
Melio allows me to pay freelance transcriptionists and vendors for free. I can also receive invoice payments for free and integrate all of the transactions with my bookkeeping software. Melio includes the option to add collaborators and set up approval workflows for teams. Paying international contractors is also an option, but for a fee. Melio also allows for automatic bill pay. It’s really the best B2B payment platform I’ve ever seen.
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Legal and Contract Templates – The Freelancer’s Legal Bundle
A Self Guru offers all types of legal templates created by a lawyer. The templates are easy to customize and provide you with all the protection your transcription services could ever need. The Freelancers Legal Bundle is a great place to start, whether you work alone or hire freelance transcriptionists. The bundle includes eight templates, including an independent contractor contract, an operating agreement, and a confidentiality agreement. These three documents are the bare minimum that freelancers and small business owners need to protect themselves.
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I could list other resources that my transcription company uses on a daily basis, but these six really are the essential tools that we depend on every day. Let me know in the comments below what platforms and programs you are using. I’d love to hear about what works for you. And if you try any of the tools I’ve recommended, share your experience with me!
