Welcome to my Rev Transcription Review!
Are you looking for a job as a transcriptionist and you came across Rev.com but you are wondering whether it worths your time or it's just a scam you should avoid?
In this Rev.com 2019 review, I will explain to you what Rev.com is and how it actually works.
Before we get into this review, I want to tell you that I'm not affiliated with Rev, I'm just here to give my honest opinion about this company and show you their pros and cons.
So, Is Rev.com a scam? Can you make money with it as a transcriptionist?
How much can I earn with it? You'll find the answers below. 🙂
Rev Transcription Summary Review
Name: Rev
Website: Rev.com
Founder: Jason Chicola & Josh Breinlinger.
Recommended? Yes
What is Rev.com?
Rev.com is a platform that provides different services such as transcription, captioning and translation.
Some of their clients who use the Rev services are Comcast & PBS.
Rev was found in 2010, and its mission is to provide more people the freedom to work from home according to their "about us" page.
Transcribing is a good way to start making money online from home.
If you are a newbie you can easily apply Rev will even provide you a training that will help you to get started.
The Jobs that Rev Offers You
Rev.com offers different freelancing jobs where you can earn money which include:
- Captioning
- Translation
- Transcribing
- Adding Subtitles or translating them.
What is Transcribing?
Transcription is the main service offered at Rev, if you have no idea what that is let me take a second to explain it for you.
Transcribing simply means converting an audio, song, or video into text, and what a transcriptionist does is to write what they hear.
And of course transcribing just like any opportunity out there is not for everyone, in order to become a transcriptionist you need to have good listening skills and fast fingers to type.
So now that we know what transcribing is let me show you how Rev transcriptionist works and how to apply for it. 🙂
How Does Rev Work?
As I mentioned above, Rev.com is easy to apply to and it's a good place for newbies that want to earn some money transcribing.
In order to join this platform, you need to pass a grammar quiz which looks like this.
This test is not hard as long as you have good grammar skills which is one of the requirements to become a transcriptionist at rev.com.
After you take the test, you will get a Rev transcription applicant style guide tutorial that will show you how transcribing works it will look like this.
After watching the tutorial, you will be given an audio file so you can put into action what you have just learned from the tutorial.
Once you're done transcribing just press the submit button and wait until you get approved.
That's it, once you get approved, you will find transcription jobs to choose from and finally start making money.
Unfortunately the Rev team is very picky and most members get rejected for some silly mistakes so you better read the tutorial very well and practice a lot.
The Rev Transcription Guidelines
Rev.com doesn't care about your working history or experience all they care about is whether you can pass the test or not.
But to pass the test you will need:
- Good English grammar.
- Fast fingers
- Good listening skills.
If you want to do transcribing anywhere not just with Rev you will need the above skills.
By the way, if you to pass the Rev.com test it's a good idea to get familiar with the Rev transcription style.
If you want more tips on how to pass the Rev test just watch the video below.
How Long it Takes for Rev to Accept Your Application?
It used to take at least 3 days to hear from them, but hopefully things have changed now.
You will know whether you've been accepted or not in 24h or less.
Sometimes they will get back to you even within a few hours.
PS: I managed to earn a 4-figure monthly income online at the age of 24!
(no good grammar or test required!)
Equipment You Need for Transcribing
There are some equipment that you must have to do transcribing which includes:
- A good laptop with a comfortable keyboard.
- Good internet connection.
- Good quality headphones.
I've heard that there are some noise-cancelling headphones that are perfect for transcribing, and they can be found on Amazon for $50 or less.
Another, thing that a lot of transcriptionists like to use is a transcription foot pedal, for pausing, rewinding and fast-forwarding audio.
I think that this tool can be very helpful especially if you want to do transcribing for a living.
The Rev transcribers are divided into 3 levels which are:
- Rookie
- Revver
- Revver+
Immediately after you pass the Rev test, you will be considered a rookie which is the lowest level.
In order to move up to the higher level, you need to complete 60 minutes of graded audio work that must meet the Rev standards.
It goes without saying that 60 minutes of graded audio transcribing is easier said than done.
But the benefit of being at the Revver level is that you can work on any project that is available with 25% or more earnings per minute of audio transcribing.
To move up to the Revver + level and increase your earnings you will need to transcribe +1,300 minutes worth of audio while maintaining the same quality that meets the Rev standards.
How Much Can You Earn as a Transcriptionist at Rev.com?
The earning potential depends on different things like:
- How much time you put in.
- How fast you're in typing.
- How many transcribing jobs available.
When it comes to the Rev pay rate it's like this:
- Transcription: $0.40 to $0.65 per minute of audio transcribed
- Translation: $0.4 to $0.7 per word translated
- Captioning: $0.40 to $0.75 per minute of video
Here's how much you can expect to earn per month with Rev.com.
- Transcriptionist average earnings per month: $245
- Translator average earnings per month: $240
- Captioner average earnings per month: $958
With this free to Join Program, I can work from home on my own terms and earn over $3k a month.
​
I'd never been able to earn such salary with a transcription job, let alone that transcribing is harder!
How Does Rev Pay You?
The good thing about Rev if the fact that payments are issued every week on Mondays.
Another good thing is that their payment method offered is Paypal.
Rev Ugly Side & Concerns
#1 - VERY Low Pay Rate & Inconsistent Work
The average earnings as a transcriptionist or as a translator are less than $300 a month.
Do you think this is worth the hard work?
You need to spend the whole day in front of your computer transcribing hard to hear audios just to earn less than $300 a month.
That's If You're Lucky...
Because the competition is harsh and there are tons of other transcribers and translators that are going to try 24/7 to steal the Rev jobs from your hand.
That's why I personally quit any transcribing job like Rev and went for affiliate marketing which allows me to earn good affiliate commissions like these.
The best part is I can earn these affiliate commissions even when I'm sleeping!
#2 - Poor Support
I have read tons of complaints from Rev members towards the support team.
Many members say that the support team is either not responsive or it's rude and arrogant.
You can read some of the complaints in these screenshots below.
#3 - Audio Quality Issues
One of the biggest complaints about Rev is the audio quality issues of the videos uploaded by the clients.
Transcribing with Rev is very hard just like any other transcription job where you will have to deal with problems like:
- Hard to understand accents
- Audios from people talking in crowded rooms
- Audios with lots of external noise like loud music or barking dogs.
#4- You Get Fired without Reason?
While it's VERY hard to transcribe at Rev.com, this company is VERY picky, and they expect you to be perfect and make no mistakes.
Unfortunately one of the biggest complaints about this company is them being picky because they reject applications left and right.
But another issue is they fire people without any reason or for a little mistake or something like that.
It looks like this is a recurring issue with Rev.
Below you will read complaints from Glassdoor & Indeed about this same issue.
#5- Inconsistent Grading & No Worker Protection
Another complaint I read very often about Rev is the fact they are harsh when you make mistakes.
And that is the reason why people get kicked out.
For example, one member was kicked out because he typed in "going to" instead of "gonna."
Unfortunately, at Rev there is no worker protection and you're easily disposable.
#6 The Negative Rev.com Reviews
Another ugly thing about Rev is that there are a LOT of complaints about the company.
I have read many people calling Rev straight a scam which isn't in my opinion but it's worth saying that it's pretty concerning how many negative reviews there are online about this company.
Below you can read some of the most recent reviews about Rev I could find on websites like Reviewpedia and Reddit.
Hey I'm Anis!
I started Making over $3k a Month when I said goodbye to Transcribing!
What I Liked About Rev.com
#1- Rev is a Legitimate Company
Although there are so many complaints about Rev it still remains a legitimate company.
Rev was even featured on big websites like:
#2- BBB Accredited with an A+ Rating
Another good thing about Rev.com is that they have been officially BBB accredited since March 2019.
Currently, they have an A+ rating.
#3- Flexible Work
As a freelancer at Rev.com, you can decide what you want to work on and when to work.
A flexible schedule is one of the benefits of working for Rev.
#4- No Tax Withholding
As a Rev transcriptionist, Translator or captioner you're an independent contractor.
Which means Rev won't withhold taxes from your earnings.
Rev.com Alternatives
If you're looking for other transcription jobs from other websites then here are some alternatives to Rev.
Is Rev.com A Scam?
Rev is a legitimate company where you can make money transcribing, translating or captioning.
However, the pay rate and income potential are terrible which makes it not worth it.
The average earnings are $240 a month, this is a terrible salary for the kind of work you are expected to do.
There are so many complaints about this company which makes it hard for me to recommend it.
To be honest with you I personally tried transcribing but I quickly run away, and I found a better opportunity along the way which I'll share with you below.
This is How I Make Money from Home...
Transcribing is a legit way to earn extra cash, but it requires crazy HARD work and it's not worth the effort.
When I came across affiliate marketing, I realized that it's so profitable and that it's worth every drop of sweat from the hard work I've been putting in.
The benefits of affiliate marketing include:
- Very flexible opportunity
- High earning potential
- Can earn commissions when I'm sleeping
- Can be outsourced & automated
In fact, thanks to affiliate marketing I'm able to get commissions on Paypal like these every month.
The best part, I can earn this kind of commissions every month without any degree or special knowledge!
An interesting article, i don’t personally have much experience in this area but I do agree that it seems a whole lot of work for the money and that there have to be better options out there. You seem to have found your niche, more power to you, not entirely sure my fingers would be quick enough though!. Or the patience. It’s always interesting to read about the inside take and where other options exist to make money from home.
Thanks for your comment Rus, yes definitely you need fast typing fingers to make money with Rev.