Is Scribie Legit? [Full Review: Can You Really Get Paid to Work-at-Home?] (2024)

Thanks for stopping by to check out my Scribie Review.

If you've ever worked at home before, you'll know how much time, energy, and money you can save. The challenge for a lot of people, though, is getting started. Finding a legit work-at-home job… which is what Scribie claims to provide.

Is it real though? Is Scribie what you've been looking for?

It certainly sounds appealing. Making money from home on your own terms, being your own boss…

In your quest for a legit way to make money online, I’m sure you don’t want to get scammed. And of course, it would also be nice to know how much money you can potentially earn, which I'll talk about in this review.

Believe me, I understand your need to earn from home. If for any reason you can’t (or don’t want to) leave your home to find a regular job, I get it. And more and more people are looking for jobs on the Internet these days. So they get it too.

Let’s get on with it, shall we? Among others, here are the main topics my Scribie review will cover:

• What is Scribie?
• Is Scribie Legit?
• How Does Scribie Work?
• Reviews and Complaints
• What I Like About Scribie
• What I Don’t Like About It
• Where Do You Go From Here?

Disclaimer:Please note, I am not a member or an affiliate for Scribie. 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 Scribie?

Founded in 2008 by Rajiv Poddar, Scribie is a transcription service company based in San Francisco, California.

The company was born when Rajiv noticed a problem in the transcription industry. He discovered that customers were finding it difficult to get high-quality transcripts, just as transcribers were also having a hard time with their work (with regards to handling large quantities of work).

With Scribie, Rajiv built a system that speeds up the transcription process without sacrificing quality and accuracy. And now, they can supply their clients with transcripts of audio files (up to 99% accuracy) for a reasonable cost.

Of course, freelance transcriptionists also benefit from the company by getting access to transcription jobs. As a work-at-home job, you can apply to Scribie and become one of their Certified Transcribers. They will then check your work using their system, submit your finished job to their clients, and the best part… you get paid.

Like Uber for transcription… Scibie brings the client and the independent contractor together for everyone's benefit. And Scribie’s mission hasn't changed… which is to become the world’s best transcription service provider.

And yet, there are still quite a few people searching to find out if Scribie is legit…

Is Scribie Legit?

Here's the thing… We're bombarded with scams. If it's not online, it's on our phones.

And scammers are particularly aggressive when it comes to anything related to making money online, whether it's a get-rich-quick scheme or what would otherwise be considered a legitimate job.

So, it's understandable that some would be suspicious, and to be honest, I don't think they're suspicious about Scribie specifically… I think they're suspicious about the work-at-home industry in general. And for good reason.

Having said that, I am happy to report that Scribie is not a scam. They are definitely legit, and those who get hired do earn money with Scribie.

But if you're skeptical, please don't take my word for it. Some positive clues that Scribie is legit include…

A physical address and real contact information – their office is located at 44 Tehama St., San Francisco, California, USA. And their contact number is +1 866-941-4131.

• A real founder and CEO (as mentioned earlier)
• They've been in business since 2008
• Scribie is rated by reputable sources such as PCMag as one of the best transcription services.
• They also have their own online following and social media presence.

Now, although Scribie is legit, much of the bad press and negative comments (not specfically about Scribie) come from the competitive transcription industry itself.

People are often surprised that although you can work from home and transcribing audio sounds easy… it's not.

You need fast fingers and a great ear. You're often working with less-than-ideal audio which has background noise, difficult-to-decipher accents, multiple people speaking at the same time, and so on…

And to earn decent money, like just about anything in life, transcription is a skill you must develop.

You get better at it with time (and practice), but that usually means it's not fun starting out and since transcription companies like Scribie pay by the audio hour or audio minute, it's hard to earn decent money until you get really good at it.

It's frustrating, and rather than admitting it's a hard skill to master, some people (not all) will aim their frustrations at the company and talk about things like low pay, too strict or unfair checks for accuracy, and so on.

They're not all wrong, and there certainly are poor transcription companies out there, but it's important to understand if you've never transcribed before that it's a skill. A valuable skill that takes time to develop.

If you're not certain transcription is your thing and all you're looking for is some pocket money in your spare time, something like online surveysmay be a more suitable option.

Sites such as surveyjunkie.com and ​​​​inboxdollars.com won't make you rich and they are definitely NOT going to provide you with a full-time income, but they're an easy way to get started online and depending on your situation, they also won't take you out of your comfort zone (and there are certainly times in life when our comfort zones are exactly what we need).

If something more serious is what you're after, an online business is another potential option.

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 youneedin order to get what youwant.

Now, I'm going to give you afreestep by step beginner's guide to making money onlineand you can get it by Clicking Here

How Does Scribie Work?

Scribie’s transcription process involves the following steps:

1. File splitting – This is the stage when an audio file (submitted by a client for transcription) is split into several parts (around 6 minutes each). This way, one file/project can be handled by many different transcribers.
2. Automated Transcription – Scribie has a built-in automated transcript generator, and you can use it to transcribe an entire file with a click of a button. However, this machine is not 100% accurate (accuracy level is around 60% to 90% according to Scribie), which is why human intervention is still needed (this is where you come in).

   You’ll have to go through the actual audio and compare it with the machine-transcribed file to correct mistakes and fill in the blanks.

3. Review Process – A reviewer performs this step. Transcribed work is checked for quality and overall correctness. It is also during this stage where timestamps and speakers are added to the transcription.
4. Proofreading – A proofreader does this part of the process. This step collects all parts of the original file so that the final transcription can be compared with the original audio file one more time. And again, errors (if any) are corrected at this point.
5. Quality Checking – A person assigned to make the final quality check will determine if a transcribed file is ready to be delivered to the client or if it should be sent back to be proofread again. This is the last step of the transcription process, but sometimes, it can take a while to get through it.

As a Certified Scribie Transcriber, here are the steps to follow once you get accepted:

• Log into your Scribie account.
• Choose a file to transcribe (you can check out the file’s details before picking one to work on).
• Do your work (transcribe, review, proofread, or quality check).
• Submit your work.
• Your earnings are then credited to your account.

Scribie Transcription Jobs

For the duration of your working career at Scribie, your job description can be any of the following:

• Certified transcriber (this is their entry-level position)
• Reviewer
• Proofreader
• Quality Checker

Later in this review, I’ll talk about their promotion process and how this affects your overall earning potential.

Scribie Transcription Requirements

If you've thought it through and decided to apply to Scribie as a transcriber, here are their requirements:

1. You must have a good comprehension of the English language.
2. You must be able to interpret conversations from audio files.
3. You must be able to identify mistakes when checking an audio file against a transcript.
4. You must have a verified PayPal account.
5. As a Scribie work-at-home freelancer, you must provide/have the following:

   – Computer (desktop or laptop)
   – Internet connection– Headset/headphone
   – The latest version of your browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.)

Scribie Application for Transcriptionists

In order to be accepted as a Certified Transcriber at Scribie, you must pass their certification process first. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Submit your application – To send your application, click the Apply tab on their Freelance Transcription page. They’ll ask for your PayPal account first, as this is one of their main requirements. They will then give you an Application number, and you can use this to track your progress/status.

1. Confirm your email – Upon receiving your application, they will send you an email with a link to verify your email. You will need to click the link to complete your application.
2. Wait for their invitation – Applications for Scribie are usually reviewed within one business day (but it's possible it may take longer). They will then send you an email to say you’ve been accepted or rejected. If accepted, they’ll put you on a waiting list for the test. You can monitor the status of your application on their Apply tab page.
3. Create an account to take their test – When your stats show Waiting list #0, that will be the time when they invite you to take a test. They’ll send you another email with a link that will take you to their main site. You’ll then be required to create an account with them (with your email and password) before you can take the test inside.
4. Submit your test – When you log into your Scribie account (to take the test), you’ll find several files to choose from. Choose one and transcribe the file the best you can before submitting it. They’ll screen and check your work to see if it passes their standards, so watch out for their next email.
5. Get your certification – They’ll give you a review date after submitting your work – and after passing that, you’ll become one of their Certified Transcribers.

Here are some notes to keep in mind:

• You’ll get paid for the test (the file you transcribed) if you pass.
• You won’t get paid if your work is rejected.
• You can check your submitted work against your reviewed file (to see what went wrong).
• You can re-take their test (up to 10 attempts).
• If you pass their test, you can start working immediately but are only allowed one assignment at a time.
• The turnaround time for each assignment is two hours (plus an allowed extension of one hour).
• You may cancel assignments (there are no penalties for this).

How Much Does Scribie Pay?

According to Scribie’s official site, they pay $5 to $25 per audio hour. The payment depends on several factors like the quality of the audio, level of difficulty, etc. It’s also important to note that they’re paying you by the “audio hour” which is different than an hour worked.

Transcribing an audio hour may take you two or three hours, for example.

For a six-minute file, they say your pay can be anywhere from $0.50 to $2.00… but again, it may take you ten or fifteen minutes to transcribe that six-minute file. Maybe longer for difficult audio files.

This is why I mentioned earlier that transcribing is a serious skill. An experienced transcriber might get through that file in ten minutes, while someone new may take thirty.

After each submission is received and approved, your payment will be credited to your Scribie account. You can then withdraw your money to your PayPal at any time. There are no minimum requirements for you to withdraw (however, you’ll be charged a 2% fee when you withdraw any amount less than $30).

And one more thing… you can only withdraw once a day. The good news though, is that it only takes them one business day to transfer funds to your PayPal account.

Scribie Transcription Bonuses

Scribie gives bonuses to their transcriptionists. They’ll give you a $5 bonus for every 3 hours of audio you complete in a month. You’ll get paid every first of the month for all the submissions you did on the previous month.

Scribie Referrals and Affiliate Commissions

Scribie also has a referral system that will help you earn more money. It works by giving you your unique referral link to others and promoting their business. You will then earn commissions from customers and transcribers who click on your link.

Affiliate commissions are 5% of the orders placed by customers and 2.5% of your referred transcriber's earnings.

Scribie Promotions for Transcription Jobs

Scribie uses a grading system to track your performance as a transcriptionist. Their highest grade is A+, which is equivalent to 5 or Excellent. Their lowest grade is D, which is equivalent to 1 or Poor.

Maintaining a good average will lead to promotions such as the following:

• Get promoted to the Reviewer level after one audio hour of transcription (your average grade must be 3).
• Get promoted to Self-Reviewer after getting an average of above 3 on 10 submitted reviews. Becoming a self-reviewer is beneficial because you're getting paid for both tasks on the same assignment.
• Get promoted to Proofreader status when your average grade improves after becoming a Self-Reviewer.

Note that while getting average and above average grades can lead to promotion, getting below average grades can cause demotions. In fact, if you get an average grade of below 2.5, you won’t be allowed to get assignments anymore. At this stage, you can only earn from Scribie through referrals.

You can take up disputes with the company if you think you’ve been graded incorrectly, but there are no guarantees they'll agree. They'll review your case and come up with a decision… which is, unfortunately, final when released.

If you find yourself in this situation (or even during the downtime while waiting for a decision), you can still earn a few bucks with online survey sites as mentioned earlier.

Market research companies likeSurvey Junkie are a simple way to get paid for your opinion and ​​​​Inbox Dollars is a similar site that also pays you for doing small tasks online.

To be clear, you won't be able to retire by doing online surveys and they won't replace your job income… but if you've never made money online before, they can be a good place to start.

They can also lead to something bigger like an online business.

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 someone else.

If that’s the case, knowing how (and where) to get started is what youneedin order to get what youwant.

Now, I'm going to give you afreestep by step beginner's guide to making money onlineand you can get it by Clicking Here

As far as Scribie's pay, you can see that it takes a lot of practice and effort to earn a decent income. There are transcribers who earn a full-time income with this kind of work, and you can too. But it requires commitment.

Scribie Reviews and Complaints

To tell you the truth, I wasn’t expecting to see many poor reviews on Scribie – but that’s what reviews are for because they let us see what’s behind the scenes.

Scribie Reviews on Glassdoor

On Glassdoor, when first reviewed, Scribie work-at-home jobs had an average score of 2.0 out of 5. This surprised me.

Today, however, that score has improved to 3.1 out of 5, which is a big jump considering it takes many reviewer ratings to be higher than 3.1 to pull that average up.

Here are some of the positive reviews I found on Scribie Transcription jobs:

• The flexibility of working from home.
• Good pay.
• Good support staff.
• Good source of transcription jobs for newbies.

The negative reviews (which are consistent with the common complaints I mentioned earlier regarding transcription work) said things like:

• Beware of terrible reviewers.
• Pay is not good.

I’m not saying you should rely entirely on the reviews above to make your decision about applying to Scribie. As I said earlier, these complaints are common to most transcription companies.

And, negative reviews have a tendency to overpower positive reviews because people are more inclined to talk about their bad experiences than they are about their good experiences (especially when it comes to services).

If Scribie was all bad, they wouldn't have survived since 2008.

To be fair though, I’m not saying you should disregard the bad Scribie reviews either. The below-average score is certainly disappointing, but looking at all the reviews, there are both good and bad experiences to draw insight from.

With regard to the pay, this is always subjective as some people will be satisfied with their pay while others won't. It often depends on your expectations.

Scribie Reviews on Facebook

I also looked at Scribie’s Facebook page for reviews, hoping they'd be a little more positive. They could be better but there are two points to be made. When first reviewed, they scored 2.1 out of 5 and they've since improved to 2.5 out of 5.

The first point is that although this might not seem like a big change, it's moving in a positive direction, and like Glassdoor's ratings… depending on the composition of reviews, it takes multiple ratings well above 2.5 to pull the average up.

The second point is that at one time, Facebook reviews showed transcriptionists complaining about Scribie Reviewers (the people who review your work), but since then, Facebook activity has slowed.

There is simply not a lot to report about Scribie in this regard on Facebook. Where their scores have seen the biggest jump is on platforms that receive more Scribie reviews.

You can, however, check out this helpful non-official Scribie Facebook Group if you have questions or want to purchase a transcriber account.

To add in my “two cents” here… I wouldn't let complaints discourage you from starting a transcription career with Scribie or any transcription company. People come in with different expectations and levels of experience.

Your time at Scribie will be unique, and whether it's a long time or a short time, you will learn and gain industry knowledge and develop your transcription skills further. Scribie has been around for many years and that requires a decent number of people to be satisfied with both the work and the service they provide.

There are also many other companies you can transcribe for, and each one is an experience and an opportunity to get better at it. You can even start your own transcription business if you freelance full-time for your own clients if this is the kind of work you want to do.

What I Like About Scribie

• Scribie.com is providing work-at-home opportunities at a time when the world really needs them. ​
• They’re a legit way to earn extra money.
• They have an automated transcript generator that helps you speed up the work.
• They give bonuses and promotions.
• They let you take the test up to ten times.

What I Don't Like

• Dealing with a lot of reviewers who correct your work can be tough.
• Relatively low ratings on Glassdoor and Facebook, which are hard to ignore.

Where Do You Go From Here?

Working for Scribie is really a question of whether transcription work is something you'd like to do.

Despite some reviews, you have nothing to lose, in my opinion, by giving Scribie a chance. If anything, you'll gain some new experience and insight. And, if you haven't attempted this kind of work before, it's an opportunity to find out if it's for you.

And, of course, another positive is that Scribie is legit, which is not easy to find these days when everything seems to be a scam.

As with any freelance gig, though, it's always good to diversify and utilize various options. That may mean signing up with other transcription companies as well or earning money doing something entirely different.

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're one of the 80-90% who are unfulfilled and unhappy in their job.

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 afreestep by step beginner's guide to making money onlineand you can get it by Clicking Here

You can also earn some extra spending money with online survey and get-paid-to sites.

Sites like Survey Junkie and ​​​​Inbox Dollars don't have the same earning potential as Scribie, but they also don't require the same level of skill.

I hope my Scribie review has been helpful, and if you have any comments, questions, or experience with Scribie, please share in the comments section below.

Check out Scribie jobs here.