Thinking of working from home as a transcriptionist? If you can type well and accurately, this flexible work-from-home job might be right for you. When you start looking for legitimate copywriting jobs that you can work from home, you’re sure to come across Rev.
Rev is an option that many new and intermediate transcribers should consider. Rev delivers consistent work and pays you competitively per minute of audio. This review will cover everything you need to know to decide if you should apply for them freelance transcriber or the role of subtitler.
Rev Review
Roar is a popular website that helps people convert their audio and video content to text. They offer transcription, subtitling and subtitling services and charge by the minute.
What sets Rev apart is that they promise fast delivery without compromising on accuracy or quality. This means that transcribers and captioners are encouraged to work quickly and efficiently on content projects. Other services Rev offers include foreign captioning and automatic live captioning for Zoom meetings and webinars. Rev works with everyone from large and small businesses to entrepreneurs, YouTubers and more.
How to make money with Rev
There are several ways to earn money with Rev as a freelancer. Two of the most common are by becoming a transcriber or a captioner.
1. Transcriber
If you like to type and can type pretty fast, the Rev transcription option is one of the best for remote workers. You will be tasked with listening to audio and video content and then describing exactly what you hear. In short, the audio content should be converted into a text document word for word.
The material you are transcribing can be anything from a podcast or video to a group conversation or even a lecture.
2. Captioner
AND subtitler is a bit different than a transcriber. Captioners must watch the videos and write exactly what is being said. In addition to accurately transcribing what is said in the video, you also need to describe any other sounds you may hear, whether it’s music or a short sound effect.
Closed captioning needs to be very accurate as it can help someone who is deaf or hard of hearing better understand and enjoy the content. Captioners also time the subtitles so they appear at the same time as the audio. Rev’s captioning work can range from writing captions for YouTube videos to working on closed captioning for a film or brand marketing videos.
3. Translator of foreign subtitles
Another type of work you can do through Rev is translating foreign subtitles. If you speak another language, you can take the English subtitles and translate them into another language. This way people who are viewing the content and want to read the subtitles in another language can do so.
Job qualifications
To become a transcriber or subtitler with Rev, you must have a good command of English and be able to accurately transcribe audio. You will also need a desktop or laptop computer and reliable internet to complete the work. This is the perfect freelance job for a beginner copywriter because you don’t need any previous experience. Rev currently hires freelancers from the United States (excluding California), Australia, Canada, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
How to apply for a job at Rev
To apply for a position with Rev, click the purple “become a freelancer” at the bottom of the home page and select whether you want to apply for a position as a transcriber, subtitler or translator.
From there, you’ll fill out some basic interview questions, including:
- What is your highest level of education?
- How many years of experience do you have?
- What topics are you interested in?
- Do you have previous transcription experience?
- What is your current employment status?
From there you will have to answer some short questions with a minimum of 200 characters and a maximum of 500.
- Why do you want to work for Rev?
- What is your favorite hobby and why do you do it?
- Where were you last on vacation and what did you do?
After submitting short answers, you will be required to agree to their terms of service. Once your application is complete, you will receive an email confirming that they have received your application. Rev currently has a waiting period of 4-12 weeks for new applicants. If you are selected to move forward, you will receive another email inviting you to take the qualifying exam.
This transcription test will assess your knowledge of English grammar and give you the chance to demonstrate how you would implement Rev.’s styling rules. If you pass the quiz and are approved to work for Rev, you can start right away.
Rev has a job market that allows you to search for projects that interest you and apply for them. When you’re looking for a job, the audio content, the amount of compensation and the deadline are listed in advance, so there are no surprises.
You can apply for as many jobs as you want and set your schedule according to your availability. Rev also provides a web-based transcription editor that can be used to capture all audible English speech into an audio file. Once you’ve completed a project, you can apply for more. Rev pays freelancers weekly for all work completed in that pay period.
How much does Rev pay?
As with most transcription jobs, Rev pays freelancers per minute of audio. Transcription projects pay anywhere from $0.30 to $1.10 per minute of audio or video. This means that if you transcribe a 25 minute video file, you will earn between $7.50 and $27.50 for this project. One important note: Rev is paid per audio or video minute, not per minute worked. It will probably take you many minutes to transcribe one minute of audio. AND good transcription ratio is 3:1, meaning it will take you three minutes to complete one minute of edited text.
Compensation varies based on experience and past projects, including how accurate your work has been. I imagine the highest rates are reserved for transcribers who do high quality work. The platform’s top earners earn around $1,495 per month.
The pay rate for subtitles is $0.54 to $1.10 per minute of audio or video. Rev’s top headliners earn around $1,570 per month.
Foreign subtitles pay a top rate of $1.50 to $3.00 per minute of audio or video. Prices vary depending on the language you write your subtitles in. The average salary for translators on Rev is $958 per month.
Rev pays freelancers weekly via PayPal for all work completed. Payments are always on time, so you don’t have to worry about contacting clients or sending invoice reminders.
Rev reviews from real workers
I’m always interested review from people who have actually tried a certain work from home job, especially when it’s a platform that promises contractors consistent work.
One freelancer gave Rev 3 stars (out of 5) on Indeed saying it was a good side job. This person said she made around $150 a week working for Rev and it was a decent part-time gig. However, they couldn’t see themselves doing it full-time.
Others said it was a very flexible job but the assessment process was a bit strict. To be a successful transcriber, the ability to submit accurate work is essential. If you are new to this type of work, it might be worth spending some time practicing and building your skills to keep up with the Rev standards.
Overall, it will get Rev a 3.6 star rating on Glassdoor.com aa 2.7 star rating on Indeed.
Other transcription companies to explore
Since Rev has a long wait time for new rewriters, you may want to explore some alternatives. These companies below hire independent contractors for various transcriptions.
Conclusion of the revision
if you want earn extra money away from rewriting, Rev may be a good opportunity for you.
Work is available as soon as you are accepted, and you can set your working hours by selecting only jobs with deadlines that suit you. While Rev is best as a side income, you can use this site to improve your transcription skills and prepare yourself for better work from home transcription gigs while making money at the same time.
Remember that you will need a computer, a solid internet connection, good English grammar and excellent writing and listening skills to transcribe. To make this side hustle easier, you’ll want to invest in a foot pedal to control the speed of your audio clips and some high-quality headphones to help you clearly hear the audio clips you’re transcribing.
Transcription is a skill that takes a lot of practice to master, so keep improving your writing skills. If you would like more information on acquiring the skills and training needed for transcription work, check out Janet’s free transcription workshop.
I hope this review answered all your questions about the company. If you have any other questions, please comment below.
Originally published on August 23, 2021. Content updated on August 2024.