• Speechpad

Overview

Speechpad has a rating of 4.4 stars from 35 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. Reviewers satisfied with Speechpad most frequently mention transcription company, and quality work. Speechpad ranks 1st among Transcription sites.

  • Service
    4
  • Value
    3
  • Quality
    4

What reviewers want you to know

Positive highlights

  • Speechpad is the BEST transcription company out there for a number of reasons.
  • They increased rating from 92 to 94 and locked some of us from work.

Critical highlights

No critical highlights yet

How would you rate Speechpad?
Top Positive Review

“Best Place For A Transcriber”

Eliud S.
11/6/19

Unlike many (almost all) transcription sites, they've NEVER discriminated against me for being a non-native English speaker. Speechpad gave me a test, which I did and got 94. They've literally helped me grow in this field of transcription. My rating firmly stands at 98-99. Sometimes, I do get clients outside Speechpad and I can't go without showcasing to them my Speechpad experience. Thank you, Speechpad support.

Top Critical Review

“One star because I can't go any lower!”

Angela W.
6/1/17

I was churning through work this morning on M-Turk, when a link popped up in a HIT for Speechpad. (It's basically to recruit people off of Amazon.) Since I'm such a skeptic in general, I promptly googled reviews for Speechpad and was impressed with what I read. I signed right up, did some tests, then eagerly began my first actual job. The sound quality of the audio clip was complete and utter crap. The speaker stammered, stuttered and repeated himself through the entire 4 minute clip. Half of the sentences did not make sense. I was dumbfounded, but painstakingly finished the transcription within the time frame required. It was immediately rejected upon submission. My username was promptly blocked by Soeechpad. I seriously wonder how many people they swipe work from, just to kick them off. It's a scam. If you want honest reviews of Speechpad, look on Reddit. I wish I'd done that beforehand! I never would have bothered.

Reviews (35)

Rating

Timeframe

Other

Reviews that mention popular keywords

transcription company (5) rating (9) jobs (11) quality work (4) transcription companies (3) time (24)
Thumbnail of user eliuds
1 review
7 helpful votes
November 6th, 2019

Unlike many (almost all) transcription sites, they've NEVER discriminated against me for being a non-native English speaker. Speechpad gave me a test, which I did and got 94. They've literally helped me grow in this field of transcription. My rating firmly stands at 98-99. Sometimes, I do get clients outside Speechpad and I can't go without showcasing to them my Speechpad experience.

Thank you, Speechpad support.

Thumbnail of user brianb1285
1 review
3 helpful votes
December 10th, 2019

Exceptional service and timely customer support. Highly recommend them at any time. These guys are the big deal.

Thumbnail of user shanem63
2 reviews
16 helpful votes
January 8th, 2017

This company is really great if you want the job done fast and shiny. Kudos. I've tried this for my interviews, projects, and even some contraption experiment with kids. They got the difficult parts even when kids are playing the Rube Goldberg machines and while eating too. I believe this company just lacks referrals to clients, but still, the best out there. Thanks a lot! Love your work.

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

Thank you so much, Shane! We are pleased to know that you are happy with our quality and timeliness. The Speechpad team would love to post your feedback on our site as shown in our real customers section https://www.speechpad.com/ We really wouldn't mind you recommending us to your friends and colleagues, but we certainly hope to see you again soon!

Thumbnail of user brianj110
1 review
8 helpful votes
August 24th, 2017

Working at Speechpad has been a blessing. The audio files are very good quality. Low-quality audio files take longer to complete and are all worth the time as they are all compensated well. Back Office Support is always on standby to assist me whenever I need. If you ever feel like getting telecommuting gig, come to Speechpad first. Your skills could earn you some serious money.

Tip for consumers:
If you got what it takes or feel like you need an environment where you can be nurtured to grow, apply today!

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

Wow, what a great review, Brian! Thank you for being a part of our team! Never hesitate to email us at worker@speechpad.com if you have questions about your ratings or need extra time for a job.

Thumbnail of user sirjoicea
1 review
12 helpful votes
August 5th, 2017

I like how you get do a whole file by yourself. Not like other companies that cut the files into smaller bits. This is encouraging, because you can set targets for yourself, and grow financially. By cutting files, you rush to finish, then try to pick another one, which means low quality work, then sometimes you find no more jobs on the portal. Speechpad is awesome. When you get a quality audio that's 1 hour and above consistently, there is so much growth on your part. I give you 5 stars on not cutting files.

Thumbnail of user colettec4
1 review
18 helpful votes
May 12th, 2016

I joined Speechpad last year while trying to find an income around my busy family's life. With having young children, especially one with special needs, it was a terrific option for me. You simply have to choose a job, when you have time available, and finish it. If you have any problems or questions, you can send an email to the support team and they are fantastic to help. They were very helpful with me in coaching and providing tips when I would reach out to them. I have been telling my other friends and family about this site because I think it's a fantastic option for freelancers.

Tip for consumers:
I do advise that if you don't have a fast typing speed to brush up before starting to work, as this can be very helpful in giving you more "bang for your buck" when trying to do your jobs in a timely manner. Also, they have wonderful style guides to access while you're working if you need to refresh your memory on how the job should be done, because different jobs have different requirements sometimes, depending on the client's needs.

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user sarahc178
1 review
22 helpful votes
May 12th, 2016

I found Speechpad at a time when I was submitting resumes and looking for supplemental work. The first month is difficult because you're basically training and learning their particular style guide. They are always available to help when you're confused. I've always been paid on time for all of my work. I look up terminology that I'm not familiar with and I run spell check when I'm done. I can make over $500 weekly. I was able to do that about three months after I started. You don't have any work requirements and you can work from anywhere.

Thumbnail of user hilaryn3
1 review
8 helpful votes
February 21st, 2018

And this is the truth, and from my perspective.

I'm from an African Country, and I learnt English as my second Language right from the primary school. I'm not that good with English but I can perfectly hear, understand, and talk though not with that accent of a native speaker.

I started transcription on June 2017, and I self-taught myself where I toiled and struggled with Speechpad test, and fortunately or by good luck, I passed with rating of 92 after attempting like 10 times with them. That time it was 92. And from that time, the support has been excellent. OK, my rating dropped once or twice, but after explaining the reason, they exempted me and I ended up ensuring that my rating will never drop below 94.

They nurture and provide relevant information to their workers who improve in the quality of their transcripts as well.

They are awesome. The only thing I have learnt about them is that don't accept a job you know you will not be able to transcribe with high accuracy. Better you leave to take a job than take and do it badly.

Unlike other sites, where your cash/earnings are deducted for submitting low quality transcripts, Speechpad pays you every well transcribed file.

It the best company to work for.

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

Thank you for this review, Hilary! It's great to hear that you're satisfied with your experience with us!

Thumbnail of user homew13
1 review
14 helpful votes
December 31st, 2017

I honestly hate their rating system. It's like if you don't have 94 or higher you wont get any jobs and kicked out with no explanation. Worse off the reviewers are cheats. They ensure that you get a low rating so you don't do jobs anymore. Several times on my transcripts the so-called mistakes were pretty much exactly with what they corrected and I get punished when I didn't even make a mistake. The only positive thing is they do pay which is good but be prepared to just work once or twice then after that they give you a low rating (in my case am stuck on 93 while all jobs available are 94 and above) and you will never have access to any job again. They really should change their rating system because a lot of good transcribers like myself are unfairly reviewed. In my case, all my jobs were above 95 and then this one job which had exceedingly horrible audio, speakers mumbled and were far away from the mic, with distracting background noises, given so little time to complete it, did the best I could with it and that job alone cost me my rating and now, two weeks later they are still no jobs available. I honestly wish they could accommodate a way for transcribers to improve their rating. Even after passing all their tests, I still have no jobs available. If you're looking for stable transcription work, this isn't the place you'll find it.

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

Please email us at worker@speechpad.com so we can evaluate the job mentioned and exempt the rating, if warranted. We also encourage you to use the "Request extension" action under the "File" menu. You can also email us or use our live chat, both of which are available 24/7, to request more time. We are very fair and understanding when it comes to difficult files and new transcribers.

Thumbnail of user mercyw4
1 review
5 helpful votes
August 30th, 2018

Speechpad is the best transcription company, with good pay and good quality audios. They are a great team with a quick response from their support team.
They nurture and provide relevant information to their workers who improve in the quality of their transcripts as well.
Great work!

Thumbnail of user danielar16
1 review
18 helpful votes
April 11th, 2017

I've stayed home to raise my children since my oldest was born nearly 9 years ago and desperately searched for quality work from home opportunities. Everything seemed like a scam, or money up front, etc. I was SO lucky to find Speechpad! I can work at home whenever I want... pick up extra files during nap time, etc.

The key is to start slowly and build your way up. DON'T take on a long file on your first try just because the $$ is attractive. Familiarize yourself with the guidelines and take your time with small files and so on... before you know it, you'll be comfortable with the longer files. This has been a life saver and has allowed me to continue to stay home and earn money when I thought I would surely have to go back to work in an office. The support staff does recognize transcribers that submit quality work and they are always happy to work with you if you have questions. TRY SPEECHPAD NOW!

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user angelaw126
1 review
13 helpful votes
June 1st, 2017

I was churning through work this morning on M-Turk, when a link popped up in a HIT for Speechpad. (It's basically to recruit people off of Amazon.)
Since I'm such a skeptic in general, I promptly googled reviews for Speechpad and was impressed with what I read. I signed right up, did some tests, then eagerly began my first actual job. The sound quality of the audio clip was complete and utter crap. The speaker stammered, stuttered and repeated himself through the entire 4 minute clip. Half of the sentences did not make sense. I was dumbfounded, but painstakingly finished the transcription within the time frame required. It was immediately rejected upon submission. My username was promptly blocked by Soeechpad. I seriously wonder how many people they swipe work from, just to kick them off. It's a scam. If you want honest reviews of Speechpad, look on Reddit. I wish I'd done that beforehand! I never would have bothered.

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

Hi Angela, We do not reject jobs without first giving you a rework to correct your mistakes. Did you try to email us at worker@speechpad.com to try to resolve the issue?

Thumbnail of user lukes59
1 review
22 helpful votes
June 17th, 2017

When I first heard of this, I thought it was a good opportunity to make a little extra income while also gaining what could be some valuable experience for future job opportunities. I still hold to that opinion, but I also see potential for improvement that could make it possible for more people to be involved.
I started this with no prior experience in transcribing videos but with confidence that I could catch on soon enough once I became familiar with the guidelines. I passed the first few qualification tests (basic, confidentiality, and grammar) and was surprised to find out that I was then already qualified to start working on some of the easier jobs. After my first one, it took several days before I received my rating and corrections, so I tried a much shorter one while waiting. When I did receive my scores on both of them, I found that I certainly had room for improvement. I looked through the corrections to see what types of mistakes I had made, which mistakes were most common, which parts of the style guide I should look through more carefully to get a better understanding, and how I could improve quickly. However, the scores of my first two jobs had lowered my overall rating to an 89, and I have not since been able to find any job offers or qualification tests to give me an opportunity to improve. Every job I've checked has required a rating of 92 or higher.
Essentially, it's difficult to get started if you can't score high enough on your first few transcriptions. I think it would be a good idea to give more practice tests both to help someone become familiar with the style guides and such BEFORE allowing them to start taking jobs and to give them an opportunity to improve their rating if they don't do well enough on their initial job attempts.

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

If you would email worker@speechpad.com, then we can pull up your profile to give you more details on the corrections made and see what we can do about your rating. Unfortunately, we do not have practice files. We usually only hire experienced workers, but if an inexperienced worker passes the tests, then we are always willing to work with them potentially being great transcribers.

Thumbnail of user surajs5
1 review
25 helpful votes
March 30th, 2015

I am into transcription for more than 15 years now. I've been associated with Speechpad for six months now. I started working as a freelancer for Speechpad 'coz I needed some extra bucks. But I loved the freedom and flexibility so much that now I've taken it up as my priority job. I really can't find words to explain how much I love it.

Transcribers, if you're looking for a flexible, rewarding job, come join Speechpad.

Thank you Speechpad for this exciting, enjoyable job opportunity.

Thumbnail of user ericr117
1 review
14 helpful votes
November 9th, 2017

SPEECHPAD is basically a scam.So I was on their site yesterday and successfully registered as a transcriber. I went ahead and clicked on the qualifications to caption a conversation between the Facebook founder Mark and an unidentified person.The audio was four and a half minutes long but the two were talking over 300 words a minute which basically means that you should be ready to fill a ton of pages on your computer writing. Unfortunately, I fell for it and ended up spending three and a half hours typing and editing a four minute audio! Because they talked so fast. I finally submitted and got a reply saying I missed the 92 qualifying score by 7 points and so I had to retake it (NO WHERE ON THE SITE MENTIONS THIS) and if it does it's somewhere you can't easily find. To retake it means an extra 3 and half minutes of a different conversation of the same people! I fell for it again and ended up spending four hours on this just to end up getting the same response that I missed it by 7 points! How the hell is that possible considering I even used different editing apps! This time round I got an email saying I could retake the test in another 90 days (basically telling you to go f@*k yourself). I wasted 8 hours yesterday while someone else got paid for my work. I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND SPEECHPAD TO ANYONE!

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, Eric. I see that you've already contacted one of our support staffs. Our audios are actually better than our general workflow. Should you pass, you will encounter more challenging files which, by the way, is out of our control since these are coming from our customers. Unfortunately, there were still numerous errors in your transcript. As we've mentioned, there is a waiting period because the experience needed to transcribe for us cannot be learned overnight. We anticipate workers who don't pass the test to have a hard time with our workflow, and so we suggest you get the experience/practice first. If you need any more clarification, email us at worker@speechpad.com.

Thumbnail of user isabellabiskeyc
1 review
7 helpful votes
August 23rd, 2017

I sooo love this company.

Why?
1. Pay -- regular, consistent, on-time, and the rate is higher than the other companies I've tried working with.

2. Great Worker Support Staff -- the managers are so approachable, understanding, and truly, truly, truly supportive.

3. Lots of jobs -- I can work when I want, however much I want.

4. Opportunities for self-improvement -- since there are different clients and different styles, also with the rating scheme, you would do nothing but better yourself to stay with the team.

5. Great learning -- with the different clients [who have different topics and materials], one will, of course, learn a lot, not just by listening but also by researching the things being discussed.

6. It's just so cool to be here.

I've tried other transcription companies that seemed promising, but Speechpad is still the best for me.

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

We appreciate you taking the time to provide us with feedback, Issa!

Thumbnail of user stacim8
1 review
7 helpful votes
August 5th, 2017

I looked for years for a good way to make money online from home and this is the best. If you're intuitive and self starting you can go far at SpeechPad.

Thumbnail of user greggg10
2 reviews
21 helpful votes
May 13th, 2016

I have been working with Speechpad for a few years now and my experience with them has been entirely positive. Any issues I've ever encountered with deadlines/time limits, the rare system glitch here or there, or difficulty with files (either being more intensive than anticipated, missing portions of transcription, or format questions) have been addressed fairly and efficiently.

I've never had any problems with receiving payment. On one isolated occasion, a file I submitted somehow was also submitted by someone else... don't ask me how. I was accorded the benefit of the doubt and paid nonetheless. Similarly, on the rare jobs when my own computer problems or other personal issues have necessitated a longer-than-usual period of time in which to complete a file, I'm pleased to say the staff at Speechpad have always worked with me to enable completion of the file.

Many of these critical reviews seem like sour grapes to me. Speechpad requires accuracy and consistency. From what I have seen from a handful of the files I've reviewed, those requirements are often ignored (along with obvious instructions in the Style Guide). If the work's not up to par, obviously that's going to be reflected in a less than pleasant experience. Doing solid work, on the other hand, should result in a strong relationship with Speechpad.

My main advice: communicate. If there is an issue, email the staff at Speechpad. Jill, Krystal, and everyone else I've dealt with have always addressed my issues/problems/concerns/questions honestly and without delay. It's hard for me to believe that many of the situations described here couldn't have been resolved -- or at least improved -- by contacting the company for help and guidance.

Thumbnail of user tonyo34
1 review
7 helpful votes
August 6th, 2017

Amazing growth opportunities, good rates, easy to navigate platform, easy to understand guidelines, plenty of work, on-time payments and helpful staff team 24/7. I can't think of a better transcription company to work for than Speechpad. Long live!

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

Thank you so much, Tony! We appreciate you as well!

Thumbnail of user amyb196
1 review
7 helpful votes
August 5th, 2017

The staff bends over backwards to help you any way they can. Especially when I first started out, I was emailing every day with questions, either about specific jobs or just general questions about things I didn't understand about the guidelines. No matter how many questions I had, they were incredibly patient to help me any way they could. Any issue I've ever had with a particular job, whether I needed a little extra time or had questions, etc, they've bent over backwards to work with me any way they can.

I've tried almost every other transcription company out there, at least all the other ones I know of. I've always come back to Speechpad because the people there make all the difference.

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

And we're so happy to have you, Amy!

Thumbnail of user micahp6
1 review
19 helpful votes
March 9th, 2016

I've been working for Speechpad for the past few months. First as a transcriber and now more as a reviewer. It is true that you occasionally get a poor quality audio file, and even poorer transcripts, but I haven't had any issues with the way I was treated. If I ever had an issue with something, they were very quick to respond and resolve anything that came up.

It sounds like the majority of people who have bad reviews about Speechpad simply are not patient enough to persevere through the rough patches. It is a little hard starting out, and sometimes the pay isn't as good as you would like, but once you get the hang of it, it's definitely worth it in the long run!

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

Thank you so much for the positive review, Micah!

Thumbnail of user elainef12
1 review
11 helpful votes
May 12th, 2016

I have never had a problem with getting paid or receiving answers to any questions that I've had. I have worked as an independent transcriber for going on six years now and exclusively work with this company. Most other companies have either paid on a monthly basis or late. There is ample opportunity to work up and really start from the bottom. That takes a bit of work, but you will get feedback and answers to any questions you may have.

Thumbnail of user rachaelp10
1 review
30 helpful votes
May 14th, 2016

Finding Speechpad has given me a chance to work from home at my own pace, on my own schedule. Day or night, long or short, transcription or review, I choose what I want to work on when and for how long. I have serious health issues that prevent me from working. With Speechpad I can work when I am able with no recriminations if I have to take a few days off or if I have to ask for a time extension because I have to go a little slower.

Of course you have jobs that are rejected, it goes with the territory. No one is perfect no matter how long they've been transcribing. But I always get a chance to rework a job, usually it's something simple. If the problem is something the reviewer can pick up, I lose a few points for that job, but I've never found the corrections to be unnecessary. Usually it's because I wasn't paying attention to speaker tokens or guideline rules (particularly the "clean verbatim"). My bad!

One last observation: you are not going to make the same amount of money you would if you had an hourly job. This type of work is based on quality and quantity. You have a certain amount of time to complete a job and a posted amount paid on approval. This is the sacrifice we make working at home. I have awesome skills (I've been work for 38 years so I've earned bragging rights!) -- but they are worth NOTHING if I can't work. Speechpad has give me that work and a chance for income where I had none.

The staff are awesome. I usually have an answer within 45 to 60 minutes. They are helpful, professional, and always friendly and there to offer help. No matter if my question is important or if I just want to whine about a particularly difficult job (admit it, we all whine occasionally!), they always answer and treat me with respect. I've worked several online transcription opportunities. Speechpad has proven to be the most professional by far.

Thumbnail of user carrieg32
1 review
7 helpful votes
August 5th, 2017

When I first began transcribing, I worked for three companies. When I had a question, it sometimes took two or three business days to hear back. I hear back from the Speechpad staff within minutes! They are always kind and helpful.

Thumbnail of user earnestm24
1 review
4 helpful votes
August 9th, 2017

Their staff are so responsive and kind. When I have a problem, I know I can trust them to give me a solution.

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F. – Speechpad Rep

And we hope that we are always kind, Earnest! Don't forget to email us if you ever have questions!

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From the business

Speechpad provides services for captioning? Video, including subtitles? And closed captions. Transcription services cover a wide range of industries and

Company Representative

Thumbnail of user jillf13
Jill F.

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