
Hi, thanks for stopping by to check out my GoTranscript Review.
You're probably here because you'd like to work from home, or at least supplement your income from home. And, with bills piling up or debt you'd like to get rid of, home transcription sounds like it might be a good opportunity.
So let's talk about GoTranscript and whether it's right for you.

GoTranscript provides work-at-home opportunities for transcribers who want flexible working hours and the ability to work as much (or as little) as they want. It sounds interesting, but is GoTranscript legit?
In this review I'll discuss who they are, what they do, how they work and of course… if they're the real deal and worth your time and effort.
Here are the broader topics I’m going to cover:
- What is GoTranscript?
- How Does GoTranscript Work?
- Is GoTranscript Legit
- Reviews and Complaints
- What I Like About GoTranscript
- What I Don’t Like
- Where Do You Go From Here
Disclaimer:Please note, I am not a member or an affiliate for GoTranscript. This review has been researched with information and/or testimonials that are available online in the public domain. Any recommendations and/or conclusions are strictly opinions and may not apply to, or agree with, all persons or situations. See full disclaimer for more info
What Is GoTranscript?
GoTranscript is a transcription company founded in 2005 and headed by CEO Peter Trebek. They are currently headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
With clients all over the world and 144 million minutes (274 years) of audio transcribed, they're main services include transcription, translation, subtitling, and captioning.
While GoTranscript uses an AI (Artificial Intelligence) platform for their transcription service, they also employ freelance transcribers (you) to do manual transcribing. Machines are simply not perfect, which is why human intervention is still required – and that’s why they’re hiring people like you to help.
If you want to work as a transcriptionist, you can apply at GoTranscript but keep in mind, transcription is more than a simple typing or data entry type job… you need good listening and researching skills to be successful (and earn a decent income).
How Does GoTranscript Work?
To start your transcription career at GoTranscript, you first need to take (and pass) their test. That’s basically all you need to do to get accepted and start working for them.
I know, easier said than done, right?
They do try to make it easy for you by providing Guidelines which outline their expectations.
Once you’re inside, you can access their job page and choose any one of their available jobs and projects… and of course, you will be paid for those you complete and get accepted.
Important Information About Working for GoTranscript
Here are some other things that you need to know:
- You’ll be alerted via email every time a client uploads a file for transcription.
- You’ll find a particular job’s description on the jobs page (text format, turnaround time, length of audio/video, etc.).
- You’ll see your earnings on your Stats page as soon as you upload your finished transcription.
- As a transcriber, your transcription work will be reviewed and graded by an editor. Your ratings can be anywhere between 1 and 5 (I’ll talk more about this in a bit). The editor will also leave comments on your work so that you can improve on your transcription job as you go on.
- You can apply to become an editor when you get a rating of more than 4.5 average.
GoTranscript Requirements
As far as transcription companies go, getting accepted by GoTranscript is relatively easy. But of course, there are still some requirements you must meet.
- You must be of legal age.
- There’s no experience required, but you need to pass their test. And if you fail their test, you can try again in a few days.
- You need to have good English skills.
- It doesn’t matter if you type fast or type slow because their turnaround time for a 10-minute audio is 6 hours. Having said that… you are paid per audio-minute, so if it takes you 6 hours to transcribe 10 minutes of audio, you are only paid for those 10 audio-minutes.
- There are no specific computer requirements. As long as you have a computer and internet connection, you are qualified to work for them. Of course, having a fast computer and solid internet connection will be advantageous. If you're an experienced transcriber you may also have hardware like a quality headset and a foot pedal for more efficient transcription work.
If for some reason you don't meet their requirements or you are unable to get hired, you can also make some money online with survey sites like surveyjunkie.com and inboxdollars.com.
These site won't make you rich of course, but they're an easy way to get started online.
They can also be a stepping stone to something more serious like an online business.
You may be at home because of difficulties with your health for example, or young ones to look after.
If that’s the case and a full-time income online is what you want, knowing how and where to get started is what you need in order to get what you want.
Now, I'm going to give you a free step by step beginner's guide to making money online and you can get it by Clicking Here
GoTranscript Jobs and Opportunities
As a newbie, you’ll be working as a transcriber/transcriptionist for their entry-level position. However, aside from transcribing, GoTranscript has other jobs available such as…
- Editor/editing
- Translation
- Subtitling
- Captioning
Newbies will handle general transcription jobs. But GoTranscript also has specialized transcriptions for more experienced and skilled transcribers.
These specific transcription jobs offer higher pay…
- Medical transcription
- Legal transcription
- Academic transcription
- Research transcription
GoTranscript Test/Exam
As I’ve said in the previous sections, you’ll need to pass their test to get accepted.
Start with their guidelines, which goes over things lik edifferent text formats. The difference between full verbatim and clean verbatim for example, and how to handle certain utterances such as speech errors, filler words, slang, stutters, repetitive statements etc.
It also talks about time-stamping, using speaker labels and dealing with abbreviations and acronyms among other things.
As I stated earlier, transcribing is more than simple typing or data entry.
It's important to fully understand what they are asking before your test, which is a short audio or video.
Also, be prepared for a non-native English speaker test because that’s often how they conduct their exam. Not to make things difficult on you, but because you will get a lot of non-native English projects with accents that may or may not be difficult to decipher.
They may also use an audio/video file with poor quality for their tests. Again, this is intended to prepare you for similar tasks once you get accepted.
GoTranscript Pay
According to their website, GoTranscript pays their transcribers up to $0.60 per audio/video minute.
They also say average earnings can be around $150 per month. And that their top earners are making up to $1,215 per month.
I’m sure they have some basis for the statistics above, but I just want to say something about this.
First of all, note that they said UP TO 60 cents per audio/video minute. So that means 60 cents per audio/video minute is the maximum rate.
Realistically, the pay can be lower than 60 cents per audio/video minute as this will depend on several factors (such as the audio/video quality, length, turnaround time, etc).
I'm not saying this to discourage you, but so you go in with accurate expectations.
For the $150 per month average… that sounds reasonable. However, they didn’t specify if that’s applicable to general transcription or specialized transcription (with higher pay) or editorial jobs.
At least, I didn't find that information but if you have experience with GoTranscript and have current information on this, please share in the comments section below.
As far as the $1,215 figure they gave for their top earners, I have no reason to dispute their claim. I will say though, if you're just starting out, it's probably not a target to aim for right away.
Higher paid transcribers are very skilled, and a better target to aim for is developing those skills.
Their are obvious skills like typing speed and accuracy. But if you've never transcribed before you may be surprised by how easy it is to get tripped up by poor audio quality, noises in the room, multiple voices talking over one another, difficult to interpret accents and so on…
This quick video highlights some tips that can help you improve your transcription efficiency and turnaround times.
With experience and practice you'll be able to manage these challenges much more efficiently, but again… it's a skill you must develop over time.
As I mentioned a moment ago, I’m not discouraging you from joining GoTranscript, and their pay is decent for a transcription platform. But depending on your financial needs, it probably won't provide a full-time income. At least not on it's own…
Full-time freelancers usually have more than one iron in the fire so to speak. You can sign up with multiple transcription companies for example. You can drive for Uber or walk dogs when you don't have transcription work available. Again… just examples.
You can even earn a few extra bucks in your spare time with online survey sites.
Market research companies like Survey Junkie are a simple way to get paid for your opinion. Inbox Dollars is another site that pays for doing things you may be doing online anyway, like searching the web, watching videos and visiting websites.
To be crystal clear here though… you won't make a full-time income doing online surveys either, but if you've never made money online before, they can be a good place to start.
For something more significant, an online business may be what you're looking for.
Making money from home might be something you need because of medical issues, children to look after, or maybe you're just tired of working for a boss.
If that’s the case, knowing how (and where) to get started is what you need in order to get what you want.
Now, I'm going to give you a free step by step beginner's guide to making money online and you can get it by Clicking Here
Getting back to transcription pay though, it ultimately depends on the pay per audio/video minute, and your speed in transcribing each audio/video minute.
The actual number of working hours is irrelevant (as far as your pay is calculated).
GoTranscript Payment Schedule and Method
GoTranscript pays weekly (every Friday).
Currently, pay is transferred via PayPal and Payoneer, so you should have an account with at least one of those payment companies.
And a little bit of good news (especially if you're a freelancer who gets paid via PayPal), GoTranscript covers the PayPal fees so you won’t be charged for each transaction when you withdraw.
Oh… and there is currently no minimum threshold to withdraw either.
GoTranscript Grading and Rating System
GoTranscript operates with an accuracy rating system.
You must maintain an average rating of 3.5 to remain in good standing. You can be removed from the system when you perform below minimum standards. Their rating system is based on the following percentages…
1 – 0%-83% accuracy
2 – 83%-88% accuracy
3 – 88%-92% accuracy
4 – 92%-96% accuracy
5 – 96%-100% accuracy
Here are some specific rating factors to keep in mind:
- You can get penalized for grammatical errors.
- You can get penalized for mistakes that adhere to their Guidelines (examples I gave earlier would be handling things like abbreviations or slang as per their requirements).
- You can get penalized for errors made due to lack of research.
- If you score 3.4 and below as a new transcriber (for 3 transcriptions), you will be removed (aka fired) from the company. When this happens, you may not get paid for your work.
Is GoTranscript Legit?
I won't beat around the bush here. You may have read this far and already know GoTranscript is legit… but this is making money on the internet we're talking about… so no one would blame you for feeling as if you're drowning in scams and wondering if GoTranscript is just another one.
The good news is that GoTranscript is 100% legit.
But you're here, not to just take my word for it, but find real evidence to put your mind at ease.
The first good sign is that they’ve been around since 2005… or 15 years at the time of this review.
I’ve also seen a lot of positive reviews from both clients and freelance transcribers (which I'll get more into a in a moment). And, while there are some negative reviews as well, I don’t recall reading any accusing them of being a scam.
You can also be confident that GoTranscript has an online following and community that supports them.
Their Facebook page which was created in 2011 currently has more than 11,000 likes and followers. And their Twitter account (with 2,400+ tweets to date), has over 3,000 followers.
These are not record breaking numbers by any means, but they are also not what you typically see when it comes to scams.
GoTranscript also provides real ways to get in touch with them, including a phone number and Skype, as well as a chat option on their site.
Again, I don't think their legitimacy was ever in doubt, but when it comes to making money online, it's a necessary topic to discuss.
The good news is that GoTranscript is legit.
GoTranscript Reviews and Complaints
At the time of this writing, GoTranscript has a 4.1 out of 5 average (from 147 reviews) on Glassdoor.com. That's up there with similar companies like TranscribeMe.
Needless to say, the pros an cons found on the site will give you an idea if they're any good.
Reviewers commented on things like…
- editors being helpful with corrections.
- pay is fair (and it’s an added bonus they pay on time).
- people appreciate the overall flexibility of working from home.
There were some negative reviews on Glassdoor as well, with comments that mention things such as
- difficulties transcribing audio/video files due to poor quality.
- transcribing non-English accents can also be difficult.
Of course, those are common complaints about transcribing in general, not just GoTranscript. And, unfortunately, dealing with those things is part of a transcribers job unfortunately.
It would be like a truck driver complaining about icy roads or traffic. It's part of the job.
Indeed also had some reviews and their overall rating there is currently 3.8 out of 5 (based on 17 reviewers). There were also pros and cons listed there which I think you'll find useful.
The positive comments included…
- ample time to complete a task.
- the ability to choose your project.
On the not-so-positive side of things, there were some complaints about…
- low pay,
- the quality audio/video files (which again, is common).
- one complaint talked about getting a low accuracy rating, getting removed (fired), and not getting paid because of it.
Overall, there were no real surprises here. People appreciate the fact that work-at-home transcription jobs are flexible
They also like having the option to choose their projects.
Complaints about pay are common with transcription companies (or any company and industry for that matter), and it really depends on your income needs and expectations.
One thing is certain, if you're just starting out, this won't work as a full-time income. At least, not without having a diverse freelancing strategy that includes other work-at-home jobs or side hustles.
What surprised me the most in the reviews is that I didn’t see many complaints about not having enough work to go around. I don't know if that's because there is an abundance of work, or if GoTranscript simply manages expectations well enough that transcribers know (and accept) there will be times when no projects are available.
What I Like About GoTranscript
- For professional freelancers, GoTranscript is a legitimate source for online jobs.
- Beginner friendly. They have minimal requirements and should you fail their test, you can re-take the test after a few days (not weeks or months!).
- Regular payments (once a week).
- They cover the PayPal fees and don’t charge transaction fees when you withdraw your money.
- No real complaints about the number of available jobs.
- They have a built-in transcription tool to help you out. Their AI powered transcription software (sort of) does the initial transcription for you.
- GoTranscript is legit and not a scam.
What I Don't Like
- Pay can be low depending on your requirements and expectations. This is not a criticism of GoTranscript specifically, but rather online transcription jobs in general. Higher paying trascription gigs are for those with a lot of experience.
- You can get removed (fired) if your average falls below 3.5. Of course, I understand this policy and it makes perfect sense… I don't have to like it though 🙂
- You might not get paid when you’re suddenly removed from the system (at least according to one reviewer).
- Complaints about low-quality audio. These will take more time and effort to transcribe and bring your average per/hour pay down.
As I mentioned earlier, this is a common challenge with all transcription jobs. In fact, it's the reason they still need human transcribers.
If all audio was perfect and each speaker was clear and easy to understand, they would just use software to transcribe 99% of their files with a just a handful of people cleaning them up. In other words, the challenges that some people complain about are the exact reasons they have work in the first place.
Where Do You Go From Here?
I know you want to make money from home, and I can tell you from experience, it's a great way to earn a living.
Whatever your reasons are… to catch up on bills, pay off debt, or have more freedom and independence, transcription work is worth considering.
GoTranscript is a good option. It might not be your only transcription gig, but it's worthy of being on your list. And… if you're a full-time freelancer, it's another legit source of income you can add to your revenue stream.
What if you're just getting started though? What if GoTranscript is currently your only potential revenue stream?
You might be a student in school or a single parent at home. You may have health challenges that make regular work difficult, or maybe you just hate your job and you’re desperate for a way out.
If that's the case, an online business is what you want.
With all the scams and schemes out there though, knowing how and where to get started the right way is what you need in order to get what you want.
Now, I'm going to give you a free step by step beginner's guide to making money online and you can get it by Clicking Here
If you're just looking for a simple way to make some extra spending money, online survey and get-paid-to sites are another good way to get started.
Sites like Survey Junkie will pay you for your opinion and Inbox Dollars offers rewards for doing things like watching videos, visiting websites and searching the web.
As I mentioned earlier though, these types of sites won't make you rich. They can be a good way to earn a few bucks in your spare time though. And, if you've never made money online before, they are a good first step.
I hope my GoTranscript review has been helpful and if you have any comments, questions, or experience with GoTranscript, please share in the comments section below.
Thanks Angela for an amazing content: I am a newbie to freelancing and this is very helpful. The challenge is most of these sites restrict people from specific regions
I need work Transcription
Thanks Angela for an amazing content: I am a newbie to freelancing and this is very helpful. The challenge is most of these sites restrict people from specific regions.
quite informative for the beginners… but online survey and get-paid-to sites Survey Junkie don’t hire people from my country…any other sites that are interested in hiring from India?
About 5 years ago (2017/2018) I used GoTranscript to provide transcriptions of my dissertation audio. The quality of the transcriptions left much to be desired (I would have been better off simply using text to speech software) and I never intended to do business with them again.
Anyway, I never felt the need to complain about GoTranscript until now, five years later. Why? Because GoTranscript’s “business development manager” has started spamming my brand-new work email, an email I never provided GoTranscript. I have now asked GoTranscript at least 3x to stop contacting me at my brand-new work email address, but the spamming continues.
How did GoTranscript get my brand-new work email when I never share this address with anyone? No clue, but I’m speculating web scraping.
Just a few years ago Gotranscript was a good company to work for (prompt payments and good support).
But not anymore… it started to look like a scam.
Don't waste your time (2$ per 10 min of a transcription that might take appr. 3 hours of your time).
And by the way, you'll not get paid if a few of the tasks you've done, will be evaluated below 3.2
Stay away from this company. There are better opportunities online.
I feel that If the had a clearer warning system where they tell you that you are on your third strike that would be so much better,
but not you just score below that threshold and boom they kick you out that aint cool in my view
I tried GoTranscript and passed the initial test. Then I had my hand at some audio transcriptions, and ended up with brutal scorings from the editor. The reviewer was better, and I was penalized $1.00 for getting too many errors in one of my sessions, so my overall score ended up under 3undefined5 and therefore did not advance to doing any more work – basically my transcriber privileges were removed. As a result I did not get paid my < $5.00 cheque for about 3 hrs of honest work sitting at the computer with earphones on diligently working away. This seems like a scam to me!
So – yes, they will withhold pay and you won't get paid if you get so-called "fired."
That should be illegal [in itself] – maybe it is ???
Since then I have made it my mission to get my deserved money somehow – but have not succeeded yet!
Hi Mark, sorry to hear about your situation and hope you can get it resolved soon. I do appreciate your feedback and insight.
The same happened with me, but for $60.
Thank you vvvvvv much for the great tips on transcription job. I have a lot of office experiences but a newbie in online jobs. God bless you richly!
In my experience, if you get below 3.6 average, they won’t pay you. I had an 3,66 average and they kicked me out without paying me what I earned.
It was really helpful thanx alot