Download: macOS, Windows. This is the current version of InqScribe, and the last to support QuickTime. Download this version if you rely on the “Save Subtitled QuickTime Movie” feature. Please note this is a 32-bit app, and it will not work on macOS Catalina or later. The FTW Transcriber offers a free version and free trial. The FTW Transcriber is transcription software, and includes features such as for manual transcription, playback controls, and timecoding. With regards to system requirements, The FTW Transcriber is available as Windows software. Costs start at $1.00/month/user. The Best Free Transcription Software for Mac and PC 2021 This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure for more info. In today’s post, I’ll be sharing my recommendations for the best free transcription software based on my experience as a professional audio transcriptionist.
The best transcription software for Mac must be ideal for its users. The tool needs to have a simple interface, good options for manual transcription or automated transcription, and the ability to transcribe both audio files and video files. It’s also helpful to have a human transcription option.
Using human transcription can make transcripts more accurate when audio or video playback has problematic noise levels. If the speakers on those files have heavy accents or quiet speaking voices, a human ear more easily hears the distinctions. The transcription process is necessary for people in various fields like journalism, translation, law and more.
Best Human Transcription Option
Accuracy: Word-Error Rate
Word-Error Rate is a way to determine accuracy when transcribing using software for Mac OS. It has three items it takes into consideration. Those three items are substitution, insertion and deletion.
- Substitution: A word someone said during audio or video playback is replaced with another word. For instance, if someone says “choose,” the file shows it as “shoes.”
- Insertion: In this case, the transcription file adds an extra word the speaker didn’t say. It may mistake an “uh” for “a.”
- Deletion: This is the opposite of insertion. This might occur when someone uses an acronym like “IRS” and it chooses “I are s.”
The Formula for Determining Word-Error Rate
The formula for Word-Error rate is S (Substitution)+ I (Insertion)+ D (Deletion)/Number (Number of words in the transcription)
Rev’s manual transcription’s accuracy is consistently at 99%, guaranteed.
How It Works
There are a few steps for you to order human transcription services.
- First, upload your audio or video file or paste a public URL
- Then, one of over 50,000 transcriptionists available for our 24/7 service begins to work on your file
- You receive your editable transcript. Edits are easy with our tool with a simple interface, and you can share the document with anyone
Automated Transcription Software Option
Automated transcription software benefits people who need something quickly and have high-quality audio in their video or audio playback. Files from portable voice recorders and from audio players work well with this platform.
Automatic transcription is usually generated by machines rather than people. This usually means quicker turnaround times and lower costs, but also lower accuracy rates
Accuracy
If the audio quality is good, automated transcription software is 80% accurate. Good audio has limited background noise, clear voices and speakers on the audio file have minimal accents. If there are any concerns about quality, human transcription is your best bet.
Mac Transcribe Audio To Text
How it Works
- Review the transcript: automatic transcription is not as accurate as human transcription but is great for getting a quick result.
- Edit the transcript
- Share it and export it to another file or document.
Some free features of the service include the ability to synchronize text and audio, and edit the text in the Rev Transcript Editor. Highlighting the text while you edit allows you to isolate a quote and share either that portion or the whole document. You choose whether to let others edit your transcript (sharing features & collaborative transcript editing) or simply you can share a read-only version.
Cost
The cost for automatic transcription software comes in at $0.25 per minute.
Video Transcription Software Mac Free Downloads
How Our Options Offer the Best Transcription Software for Mac
When comparing transcript results from Rev’s automatic speech recognition (ASR) to transcription from other companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft and more, we outdo the competition. Additionally, our human transcription service offers a 99% accuracy guarantee which is not available with many transcription services.
PC Mag Recognizes Rev as the Best Transcription Service
Mp3 To Text Software Mac
PC Mag rated Rev as the top choice for transcription services. The editors at PC Mag gave the top rating due to affordability, accuracy and ease of use. The magazine also mentioned quick turnaround times as a benefit to using our services.