For many, the idea of working from home is a dream. However, with all the schemes online… just about every company with a work at home opportunity gets labeled a scam. AccuTran Global is no exception. In this AG review I’ll discuss who they are, what they do, and why some might label them a scam.
Disclaimer:
Please note, I am not affiliated with AccuTran Global. This review has been researched with information and testimonials that are available online in the public domain. Any conclusions drawn by myself are opinions.
What Is AccuTran Global?
Accutran Global (AG) is a transcription company based out of British Columbian Canada. They provide services in the medical and legal fields, as well corporate and financial environments.
Transcribing can be the perfect at-home job, either full-time… or as a side hustle for the right person. If you’re new to transcribing, it’s a process that involves, typing, editing, compiling and proofreading audio recordings into written documents.
Some examples include presentations, round-table discussions, corporate earning calls, depositions and media interviews.
Accutran deals with these types of projects as well as audio recordings of things like focus group conversations and press conferences.
Is It a Scam?
No, AccuTran Global is not a scam. They’ve been in business since 2002 with a solid record of delivering services to clients… and, most importantly (for you)… paying their transcribers.
The reason some some have called them a scam, is because of the way AccuTran (and transcription companies in general) pay.
Depending on the type of project, the rates are either per word , or per audio minute.
As a result, people who are new at transcribing and not yet fast at it… don’t get paid very much for their time. In fact, depending on where you live, it’ll be less than minimum wage.
That’s why some people consider it a scam. Or, at the very least… not a legitimate job. How can you pay less than minimum wage, right?
That’s a fair question, but the reason is because you’re not an employee of AG, you’re an independent contractor.
So, it’s true there is no base salary as you might get if you were an employee (in a performance based job), but the appeal of working with a company like AccuTran Global is not that you’ll make a lot of money. It’s that you’re working from home, and managing your own schedule.
While the internet can provide big income opportunities like online marketing, AccuTran is a steady, down to earth, job. It may not make you a millionaire… but it’s certainly not a scam.
How Much Money Can You Make?
That’s the most important question… How much?
Can you earn enough to work from home full-time, or is transcribing better done as something on the side for extra pocket money?
It depends on your experience.
If you’re new, it will probably be a part-time thing.
However, as you get better, faster, and more accurate… you can certainly earn a decent income. I didn’t say a significant income… but decent, provided your living expenses are reasonable.
It could be the perfect stay-at-home job.
AccuTran pays from $.004 to $.0055 per word, or for longer projects… $.40 per audio minute.
In real terms that would be about $4.00 to $5.50 per 1000 words transcribed. The average person speaks between 125 to 150 words per minute which means 1000 words is roughly 6 – 8 minutes of audio.
Of course, this can vary greatly depending on the nature of the project. But someone who can accurately transcribe 3000 words (approx. 20 minutes of audio) in an hour could earn $15/hr.
I know what you’re thinking. That’s not a lot of money. However, when you consider the benefits of working from home, it just might be worth it for a little bit of freedom.
For example… you don’t need to live in an expensive city to be near higher paying jobs.
You won’t be paying for fuel or parking… in fact, you may not even need a car if you’re not commuting every day.
A work at home wardrobe is also less expensive, as are lunches and general expenditures like coffee shops and convenience stores.
It’s not for everyone, but for those who are debt free and looking for a simple life, it can be good. Transcribing is more about lifestyle than it is money.
Transcribing is also an option for students who nee a little extra money, or those who are retired and on fixed incomes.
Bonuses and Promotions
As you gain experience, you may get invited to do additional transcription tasks. These are the jobs where the $.40 per audio minute rates apply. They include…
- Scoping – Read throughs of transcriptions while listening to the audio and fixing things like dropped words, incorrect punctuation etc.
- Review – Compiling multiple transcriptions into a single document, ensuring continuity in concepts, style and format.
- Editing – After scoping, the transcriptions go through a second readthrough (with the orginal audio) to make additional corrections and research all names and terminology for accuracy.
- Proofreading – this is the third step in the quality assurance process after scoping and editing.
Bonuses and invites become available for those who become competent in specialized areas, such as medical or legal terminology or accurately transcribing specific accents.
Accutran Global Requirements
This where it might be a challenge for some who are considering transcription as an alternative income.
Unlike some freelance sites like Upwork and Fiverr, the only way to work for Accutran is to apply.
The first thing you will find on the application questionnaire is a typing test, and you must be able to type 70wpm.
That may disqualify many before they even start. The application also asks how many years you have been transcribing which indicates their preference for experience.
Another disqualifier for some is that you must have a domestic US or Canadian bank account. You can work from anywhere in the world, but your bank account must originate on North American soil.
The end of the application also tests your competence in punctuation, grammar, and comprehension. These are all timed… so AccuTran Global is not a “first come first serve” type of company. They are looking for qualified applicants.
On the positive side, there are no fees to get started with AccuTran and the only real equipment requirements are a Windows 10 computer, a broadband connection and a quality set of “over the ear” headphones. Earbuds are not sufficient.
One other thing I should mention. As you can imagine with things like depositions and corporate earnings calls… the audio you may be transcribing can be sensitive. Therefore, Accutran also asks if you’d be willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
It’s not necessarily a requirement, but not doing so will limit the number of jobs they can give you.
How Do You Get Paid with AccuTran Global?
US contractors are paid in US dollars and Canadian contractors in Canadian. Payments are made on or before the 15th for the previous month. If you worked in May for example, you will be paid on or before June 15th.
What I Like About AccuTran Global
- No fees to get started
- In business since 2002 so they have a long history of providing their services.
- The potential exists to earn a full-time income online, IF your living expenses are relatively low.
- Simple and straight to the point website.
What I Don’t Like
- Work is not guaranteed. The top transcribers with may have steady work most of the year, but don’t expect a full-time schedule from the start.
- AG is not beginner friendly.
- While you can work your own hours, you must provide ahead of time, a set schedule (every Friday for the following week). And, since work isn’t guaranteed, you could be spending your scheduled hours just waiting for a job to come in. In this respect, you may be better off working as an online freelancer.
Final Thoughts
As far as work-from-home jobs go, transcribing is one of the more solid and better paying ones. There are plenty of opportunities if you’re really good at it.
However, one thing to consider which doesn’t get discussed very often, is that automated transcription software is getting better. Voice and audio recognition is improving very fast, and computers are getting better at some things which were once considered uniquely human, like contextual understanding, comprehension, and making sense of heavy accents.
It’s only a matter of time before computers can as good a job, or even better, than a human transcriber for a fraction of the cost.
Transcription jobs aren’t the only jobs at risk of being automated… but if you’re going to start an online side hustle, it’s a good idea to pick up additional skills and diversify. Affiliate marketing for example, or providing virtual assistant (VA) services like blog outreach and managing outsourcing.
For now though… becoming a transcription specialist for AG is a legitimate opportunity, and not only a way to make money, but to learn and improve your transcription skills (opening the door to other opportunities).
I hope this AccuTran review was helpful… and, if you read somewhere that AccuTran is a scam, you’ll understand why the accusation, and also why they are not.
If you have any questions, comments, or experience with AccuTran you’d like to share, please comment below.
