When ordering a transcription, it can sometimes be difficult to know which service you need. Do you simply need the recording converted into text, or do you need legal transcript formatting with line numbers and a specific layout?
The answer can affect both the price and turnaround time.
At Scribie, our transcription services generally fall into two categories: General Transcription and Legal Transcription with Custom Formatting.
The important distinction is that a recording does not automatically require legal transcription simply because it involves a court case, attorney, deposition, or other legal matter. In many cases, a standard transcript with timestamps and speaker labels is all you need.
Here’s how the two options differ.
General Transcription: $0.80 per Minute
Our General Transcription service is designed for customers who primarily need the spoken content of an audio or video recording converted into text.
A standard transcript can include timestamps and speaker labels, making it easy to follow who said what and when.
For example:
00:01 Austin Tuan: Hello.
00:05 Rajiv Poddar: Hello.
00:07 AT: Yes. Rajiv, can you hear me?
00:10 RP: Yeah, I can hear you.
This type of transcript is suitable for many common uses, including:
- Meetings
- Interviews
- Podcasts
- Webinars
- Research recordings
- Lectures
- Discussions
- Business calls
- Legal recordings that do not require specialized legal formatting
General Transcription starts at $0.80 per minute.
For clear audio recordings of 2 hours or less, we usually deliver the completed transcript within 24 hours. This is a typical turnaround time and is not a guaranteed delivery time. Please find below a sample showing our default formatting for general transcription orders.
If this is all you need, General Transcription may be the right choice.
When Do You Need Legal Custom Formatting?
Some customers need more than the words spoken in the recording.
If your transcript needs a specific layout or specialized formatting, it may require our Custom Formatting service.
Examples of additional formatting requirements include:
- Line numbering
- Specific margins and spacing
- Legal-style page layouts
- Examination and cross-examination formatting
- Specific speaker identification formats
- Page numbering
- Caption or case information
- A customer-specific transcript template
- Other formatting requirements needed for a particular legal or professional purpose
These requirements involve additional work beyond standard transcription. That’s why transcripts requiring this type of specialized formatting are handled as Legal Transcription / Custom Formatting.
General Transcript vs. Formatted Legal Transcript
Consider the difference between these two examples:
General transcript:
00:04:36 ATTORNEY: Can you please state your name for the record?
00:04:41 WITNESS: My name is Jane Smith.
Formatted legal transcript:
Q. Can you please state your name for the record?
A. My name is Jane Smith.
A legal transcript may also include numbered lines and a specific page layout:
1 Q. Can you please state your name for the record?
2
3 A. My name is Jane Smith.
The content may be essentially the same, but the required output format is different.
Legal Transcription: Starting at $1.30 per Minute
Our Legal Transcription service starts at $1.30 per minute and typically has a turnaround time of 5–7 business days.
This service is intended for customers who require specialized legal transcript formatting rather than a standard transcript.
Because legal transcript requirements can vary from one customer to another, first-time Legal Transcription customers are asked to provide a sample of their required output.
Why Do We Need a Sample?
Legal transcripts do not always follow one universal formatting standard. Different customers may have specific requirements for line numbering, speaker identification, spacing, headings, page layout, and other details.
A sample allows us to understand exactly how you want your finished transcript to look and prepare the appropriate template before processing your order.
Providing a sample, like the one below, also helps avoid unnecessary back-and-forth and ensures that we are working toward the format you actually need.
What About Difficult Audio?
The length of a recording is not the only factor that can affect the amount of work required to produce a transcript.
Some recordings require significantly more effort from our transcribers because the speakers or audio are difficult to understand.
Examples include recordings with:
- Multiple speakers talking over one another
- Distorted or muffled audio
- Speakers who are far away from the microphone
- Strong or unfamiliar accents
- Significant background noise
- Speakers who are difficult to distinguish
- Other audio-quality issues that make portions of the recording difficult to understand
In these situations, our team may need to spend considerably more time listening to and reviewing the recording.
Additional Charges Are Not Automatic
If we determine that a recording requires substantially more work and may incur an additional charge, we will notify you first.
We do not automatically add a difficult-audio surcharge without your approval.
If additional work is required, we will explain the situation and request your approval before proceeding. Once approved, the additional amount will be billed separately.
Which Transcription Service Do You Need?
If you’re still unsure which service is right for your recording, this quick guide may help.
The key question isn’t simply “Is my recording legal?”
Instead, ask: “What do I need my finished transcript to look like?”
If you only need the recording accurately transcribed with timestamps and speaker labels, General Transcription may be all you need.
If you need line numbers, a specialized legal layout, or a specific formatting template, Legal Transcription / Custom Formatting is likely the better option.
A Quick Look at the Pricing and Turnaround Time
*For clear audio recordings that are two hours or less. Turnaround times are typical and are not guaranteed.
Additional charges may apply when a recording requires substantially more work because of audio or speaker-related difficulties. Any additional charge requires customer approval before the additional work proceeds.
Still Not Sure Which One You Need?
You don’t have to figure it out on your own.
If you’re unsure whether your project requires General Transcription or Legal Transcription / Custom Formatting, let us know what you need the finished transcript to look like.
If you have a sample of the transcript format you need, you can provide it to us. This is especially helpful for legal transcription projects where formatting requirements can vary.
We’ll help you determine the appropriate service for your project before you place your order.
Need a transcript? Get started with Scribie today.
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