Introduction.
Transcription is the process of accurately recording the content of meetings, interviews, lectures, etc., and requires expertise for the intended use and purpose. Outsourcing to specialized companies or freelancers is often used to achieve accurate textualization, but the results vary greatly depending on the cost, delivery date, and point of request.
This article will look at each of these options in detail, explaining the cost and time involved in transcription and tips for making a request.
Differences between professional contractors and freelancers
When outsourcing to a specialized contractor
Specialized companies specialize in transcription and have highly experienced staff. They can handle large projects with a large number of people, and can be expected to guarantee quality and prompt delivery. Here are some of the features of using a professional transcription company
- Cost: 12,000-18,000 yen per hour (200-300 yen per minute)
- Turnaround time: 3 to 7 days is typical (additional charges apply for urgent projects)
- Advantages: Effective when large amounts of data or high-quality output are required
- Disadvantages: high price and sometimes time-consuming for minor adjustment requests.
Example: In situations where accuracy and speed are required, such as corporate earnings presentations and contract meetings, the use of a professional vendor is recommended.
When hiring a freelancer
Freelancers are professionals who undertake work on their own. They are less expensive than professional contractors (1/3 to 1/2 of outsourcing) and can be expected to be flexible, but the quality of results will vary depending on their skills and experience.
- Cost: 6,000 yen per hour (about 100 yen per minute)
- Delivery time: 1-5 days (depending on the size of the project and the availability of freelancers)
- Advantages: Easy to meet detailed requests and direct communication
- Disadvantages: quality depends on the skills of the client and may incur administrative costs.
Example: Freelancers are suitable for situations where flexibility in content is required, such as for interview articles or interviews.
Tips for accurately requesting a transcription
Clarify how far you want to go with the transcription.
Before hiring, clarify whether you need “bare text”, “kerfing”, or “well-organized text”. By specifying the level appropriate for your purpose, you can control the amount of work and costs appropriately.
- Transcription: meetings, testimony, etc. that need to be accurately recorded.
- Keba-ripping: Ideal for drafting internal documents and interviews.
- Well-formed sentences: required for official reports and texts for the media.
Click here for an article on “3 Types of Transcription|The Difference between Transcription, Kebabori, and Arrangement, and How to Use Them.
Balancing delivery time and quality
If a prompt delivery is required, additional charges are usually incurred. If sufficient time is available for the request, the order can be placed at the regular price, so be sure to allow plenty of time for the request.
Check samples before making a request.
Recently, with the spread of crowdsourcing, more and more people are taking transcription orders on their own without going through a professional company, and there are many people with extensive experience in this field.
When hiring a freelancer, it is important to check past results and samples to see if they match your needs. Also, it is safe to start with a small-scale request for the first time.
Terminology will provide glossaries and resources.
If technical terms that do not appear in everyday speech are used in the audio data, there is a high possibility that they will not be transcribed accurately.
If there is a lot of jargon used in an interview or meeting, providing a glossary and materials in advance can increase accuracy.
Estimated cost and time per job
Types of Transcription | working hours | Cost (per hour) | feature |
---|---|---|---|
development | 3-5 hours | 12,000-18,000 yen | Accurate recordings, including quips and pauses |
edge removal | 2 to 3 hours | 10,000-15,000 yen | Cut unnecessary words to make it easier to read. |
compound statement | 2 to 3 hours | 15,000-25,000 yen | Formalize the written language and make it into a formal text. |
Use of outsourcing by case
- Records of important meetings and contracts: In situations where accuracy is required, ask a professional transcription company to transcribe and obtain accurate data.
- Interview articles and interviews for blogs: If you need to remove kebabs or format sentences, you can outsource them to freelancers for flexibility.
- Situations requiring quick turnaround: When a quick turnaround is required, it is important to check the schedule in advance to see if there are any additional charges.
Benefits of Automated Transcription with Interview AI
Interview AI can transcribe an hour-long audio file in as little as 15 seconds, after which the AI will also automatically “debase” and “rearrange” the text. This provides the following benefits
- Speed: AI handles the process automatically, significantly reducing manual time.
- Accuracy: Keba-ripping and sentence alignment are also done automatically, and only human checks are required for perfection.
- Flexibility: Combination of drafting, scuffing, and text preparation can be used depending on the application.

If you are doing transcription manually, including outsourcing, and are worried about the time and cost involved, please consider an AI transcription tool such as Interview AI.
summary
Transcription can be done efficiently by using both specialized companies and freelancers, depending on the purpose. Manual transcription is of high quality, but it is expensive and the turnaround time tends to be long, so you need to be well prepared before you make a request. Choose the method of request that best suits your needs, and aim for efficiency and cost control.