Transcribe Anywhere Review: Is it a Legit Option to Learn About Transcribing?

Do you have excellent listening and typing skills and want to make money as a transcriptionist? Transcribe Anywhere can make it easier to qualify for high-paying transcription jobs as you can take virtual courses to improve your skills and learn how to find excellent clients.

You might be wondering if it’s worth the time and expense to take a course, which specializes in general transcription and legal transcription. Additionally, there are entry-level and premium pricing plans. 

This review takes a look at the potential benefits and costs of using this platform. 

What is Transcribe Anywhere?

Transcribe Anywhere offers virtual courses that can help you specialize in general transcription or legal transcription and earn a full-time income. The self-paced courses offer video modules and templates that can improve your skills and help you procure clients.

There is also a networking forum that can help you find jobs, but this is a job placement platform and you will need to apply for work in other places.

The courses are led by Janet Shaughnessy who founded the platform after a decade of being a full-time transcriptionist. Many businesses need transcriptionists but it’s challenging to find qualified workers due to a lack of proper training.

Even if you have entry-level experience, these courses provide the advanced training necessary to qualify for the best transcription jobs. They can also help improve your typing speed and attention to detail. You can also preview the course syllabus to see what to expect. 

For example, the legal transcription course was the first of its kind to be approved by the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT). You won’t be a certified electronic transcriber but are well-prepared for that exam after completing this course. 

What I like about this platform is its focus on helping current and future transcriptionists learn the tools of the trade to be efficient and have the necessary knowledge. 

I have completed basic transcription work in the past and find the platform to be honest if you want consistent income.

Transcribe Anywhere Cost

A free workshop is available that helps you learn more about the trade and what to expect if you enroll in one or both paid courses with lifetime access. 

You can purchase just a course or also opt for the all-inclusive tier which includes an equipment bundle, a built-for-you website and one-on-one coaching. 

Even if you purchase a course-only package, your name is listed in the graduate directory upon course completion which can make it easier to find clients.  

The course prices are as follows:

• General Transcription: Theory and Practice: $497 
• Legal Transcription: Theory and Practice: $597
• Both courses (general and legal): $797
• Both courses, personal website and coaching: $2,997

You can also divide the package cost into four monthly payments for any of these plans. There is no refund policy or money-back guarantee for either course. 

These courses are not cheap, but they provide a lot of in-depth information for the price. You will want to consider them if you’re serious about making money as a transcriptionist. 

I think the upfront investment can be worth it if you don’t want to rely on low-paying jobs that are easy to claim and abundant but don’t pay as much for your time. 

However, you may avoid this platform if you are happy with the work available on Rev and similar freelancer sites.  

Transcribe Anywhere Course Options

Here are the various courses that you can enroll in. The best option depends on your interests. 

Note, the service doesn’t offer a medical transcriptionist course as it’s more challenging to find lucrative work that can justify the course fee and time commitment.  

Free Workshop

The free workshop is a short introductory video that introduces you to the instructor and lays out the course expectations so you can decide if it can help you become a better transcriptionist. 

The information presented in this workshop is similar to a free breakout seminar I listened to at a work conference when I was exploring part-time or full-time transcription work. It covers the basics and you should have a firm idea if you are willing to proceed or pursue other typing jobs.  

You won’t complete any exercises, but the content compares the general transcription and legal transcription courses so you can decide which is more relevant to your goals. 

It also helps you learn more about the various program benefits so you can decide if you only want to buy a course or upgrade to the premium package. 

As any Transcription Anywhere purchase is a weighty investment, you can also access the transcript to review later if you need additional time to compare your options. 

General Transcription

The general transcription course is a good option if you want to transcribe academic, business, financial or YouTube videos and podcasts. You don’t need a specific educational or professional background but must be willing to research unfamiliar topics for accurate transcripts.

The material is divided into seven levels with over 60 audio and video dictation files that you need to complete before attempting the final exam. These files have you practice transcribing plus look for grammar and spelling errors along with increasing your typing speed. 

For example, you will learn how to set up shortcut keys and text expanders. As you earn a fixed price based on the recording length, these skills boost your efficiency to finish assignments sooner. As a result, the speed increase improves your effective hourly rate.

This course and the legal transcription course split into several modules with increasing difficulty. After completing the modules, you take an exam that you can pass to receive several lifetime benefits that can help you find work and learn about the latest best practices.

Course benefits include:

• Direct access to the instructor and assistants
• Downloadable templates and cheatsheets
• Shortcut keys
• Student community forum
• Text expanders
• Transcription style guide

After finishing the course, you will take the final exam to receive a certificate of completion. 

You will also receive these post-exam benefits as a reward for completing the course:

• Lifetime access to the Grad’s Group
• Inclusion in the Official Graduate Directory
• Marketing tutorials
• Transcriptionist Pro WordPress theme access and tutorials

By upgrading to the premium package, an expert will build your website for you. You will also get one-on-one coaching that can help evaluate your skills after putting your training to work.  

Legal Transcription

Consider the legal transcription course when you want to work on depositions, law enforcement material and search warrants. For instance, you can work for attorneys, court reporters, insurance companies or research institutions needing specialized transcriptionists.

Many of the basics overlap the general transcriptionist course. So, you may decide to only purchase this one instead of the combo package if you don’t intend on working on general transcription. 

As the legal field is complex, there are several modules that provide the training you need as this course has a total of 10 modules versus seven for the general course.

Some of the additional material you receive includes:

• Definitions and descriptions of the types of law and the legal process
• Legal-related abbreviations, capitalizations and punctuation
• Over 100 pages of legal terminology (in English and Latin)

Upon passing the final exam, your name is in the official directory where prospective clients may find your contact details. You will also receive access to the Transcriptionist Pro WordPress theme to build your own website to apply for transcription jobs.

It’s noteworthy that this course is endorsed by the AAERT which manages the Certified Electronic Transcriber (CET) certification program. Many clients in the legal field may require this certification to be a legal transcriber.

While passing the Transcribe Anywhere course exam isn’t the same, it prepares you for the CET exam. Still, your certificate of completion for this course can be helpful in finding work.

Court Reporting

Experienced legal transcriptionists can diversify their income streams by enrolling in the Digital Scopist course that’s in partnership with The Court Reporting Academy. 

This course trains you to edit and proof AI-produced legal transcripts into final or near-final-ready legal transcripts.

Many companies are using artificial intelligence-powered voice transcription software to transcribe recordings at quicker speeds and lower costs. However, the results are imperfect and still require human oversight to make a perfect copy that’s admissible in legal proceedings.

This course is free for qualified individuals. Further, it qualifies for 3.5 continuing education units (CEU) credits for AAERT-certified members. 

You may consider revisiting this course later if you are just starting a career in transcription. I think this strategic partnership adds more value and helps prove that Transcribe Anywhere is legit with preparing freelancers for online jobs that pay well. 

How Transcribe Anywhere Works

Here is a closer look at the various membership perks you can enjoy as help you be successful.

Lifetime Access

You have lifetime access to the course material and post-graduation benefits which helps offset the upfront cost if you continually use the downloadable cheat sheets, style guides and networking forums. 

Additionally, you can set the pace with how quickly you complete each module. The slower pace can make this side hustle idea less stressful than going back to school if you have an inflexible schedule.

However, I suggest starting the course when you have several hours of free time each week to maintain momentum and recoup your investment.

Live Support

Premium members receive priority email support and live one-on-one coaching. All students have access to a community forum to ask questions and interact with other members. 

One complaint is that the majority of the course material is text-based and could be easier to understand in places by adding videos or images. You can use the support options to clarify your questions and continue advancing through the modules at a quick pace.  

After you pass the exam, you gain access to the online community forum for graduates. As you might imagine, the conversations in this channel will differ from the one for current students. The discussions can be more relevant to finding work and other tips for success.

I think the hands-on support helps establish confidence when you have questions about the course material or about how transcription works.

Website and Tutorials

Along with learning the ins and outs of transcription, you will receive marketing tutorials that show you how to secure clients and how much to charge.

Graduates will also receive access to the Transcriptionist Pro website theme which makes it easier to start a blog with a reader-friendly design. You can follow the tutorials to build your site on your own without being computer savvy.

The service will design your personalized website at no extra cost for premium members which saves you time. This convenience can also mean your website actually gets built if you have a busy schedule that delays you from building an online presence. 

I find these additional resources to help Transcribe Anywhere offer a complete education package. You will need to put in the work to find clients and build your brand but these tools provide a step-by-step roadmap that can make the difference in finding good clients.

Transcription Equipment

Premium members will receive the following equipment that many clients require:

• Foot pedal
• Headset
• Transcription software

Whether or not you choose the highest membership tier, the platform discourages buying this equipment until you start the course. One reason is that you can receive a discount by purchasing through the modules instead of out of pocket.

Transcription equipment is mandatory if you are serious about earning a part-time or full-time income from transcribing. These pieces also make it easier to convert complex recordings into Word documents so you can have fast turnaround times and meet short deadlines.

Official Graduate Directory

After passing the exam, your name and contact details go into the platform’s Official Graduate Directory which is viewable at hireatranscriptionist.com. Customers can search for experts by state and work category. 

This directory also lists contract and remote job postings that you can apply for. Openings post monthly or quarterly, so there isn’t a steady pipeline of opportunities but you can gain ideas of where to work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are several questions that people wonder about Transcribe Anywhere when comparing the courses.

Is Transcribe Anywhere Worth It?

Consider learning the tools of the trade with Transcribe Anywhere when you want to become a certified general transcriptionist or legal transcriptionist.

The training is extensive but boosts your skills and confidence. You can start with the free workshop to see if you’re a prime candidate for the courses.