In this post, I will be sharing my personal preferences for the best transcription tools. I understand that other transcribers may have different preferences, which is why I might sound super biased now. But trust me, these tools I chose are not just a random selection. They are the ones I have personally used and found to be efficient, productive, customisable, accurate, easy to use, have integration capabilities, and are cost-effective. I use them daily to transcribe all my files and highly recommend them. Hopefully, this list will help if you’re looking for new transcription tools to achieve the best results.
Disclaimer: I am not in any way endorsed by any of these programs and no link included in this post is affiliated links.
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FTW Transcriber
FTW Transcriber stands out as the best transcription tool for because it’s designed with efficiency in mind. It offers features like customisable hotkeys, automatic timestamps, and playback controls with hotkeys that makes numerous transcription process less tedious.
FTW Transcriber also has advanced audio processing technology that ensures high accuracy in transcriptions. Once you load the audio file, it maximises the audio quality and minimises errors and discrepancies.
The hotkeys in FTW Transcriber can be customised to your preference. Its default hotkeys did not match my hands motoric memory, so I changed up the hotkeys to make it easier for my hands to move during transcription.
Compared to other transcription tools on the market, FTW Transcriber offers excellent value for money. Its affordable pricing plans and flexible licensing options make it a cost-effective solution for both individual users and businesses. In addition, it also provides exceptional customer support. I ran into some technical issues when I started working with FTW Transcriber, and their team was responsive and ready to assist me with the questions I had.
It’s been three years since I first used FTW Transcriber and I can honestly attest that I never had any problems with it.
NCH FastFox Text Expander
I use FastFox Text Expander simultaneously with FTW Transcriber because they go hand-in-hand very well. I was not satisfied with Microsoft Word’s auto text feature because if I put too many words in the dictionary, it slows down the program.
FastFox allows me to create a list of shortcuts of frequently used words and phrases. I only need to type in a few characters and the word I want can instantly expand. Surely this saves me considerable time and effort, especially for repetitive tasks such as transcribing.
The word list I have in FastFox really helps with accuracy and consistency. It also easily integrates with Microsoft Word or other word processors. If I’m not mistaken, FastFox works seamlessly across various platforms and environments.
Cost-wise, FastFox offers excellent value for money. It has options for HOME and BUSINESS licence for one device and it’s affordable, too.
Additional tools
I use a tool called FxSound to enhance my audio experience while transcribing. It’s a program that can be installed on my operating system. The tool comes equipped with a TRANSCRIPTION mode, which I find extremely useful. Of course, being me, I still like to adjust the equaliser and other settings, but this tool has significantly improved my transcription and movie-watching activities on a daily basis.
What would my life be without Grammarly? Grammarly launched precisely when I had to write my Masters thesis in 2009. Since then, it has been my go-to tool to write English correctly. Back then, I could only afford to use the free version of Grammarly. But now, I’m a proud Premium user of the program and reap the benefit of using it daily.
Grammarly no longer supports me in writing scientific articles or excavation reports. Now, it has successfully shifted its function, helping me proofread and edit my transcripts before I deliver them to my clients.
Audacity is my best friend when the audio needs some TLC in the form of enhancing, minimising background noise, etc. I haven’t used it very often since 2020, and audio files have improved in quality. But I will still recommend using Audacity for its user-friendliness and not to mention it’s free. Initially, I found navigating Audacity to be a daunting task, with its array of features and functions overwhelming me. However, thanks to the wealth of tutorials available on YouTube, I quickly overcame this challenge. These tutorials provided clear, step-by-step guidance, helping me grasp the intricacies of Audacity and understand how to utilise its tools effectively.
Final thoughts
Over the past three years, these transcription tools have been invaluable assets for my transcription business. They’ve served as reliable companions, steadfastly upholding the quality standards of my transcripts while significantly enhancing my efficiency in the workflow.
Through their intuitive interfaces and powerful features, they’ve maintained the integrity of my transcriptions and propelled me towards greater productivity and professionalism.
With their assistance, I’ve navigated diverse audio recordings with ease, ensuring accuracy and precision in every transcript produced. As integral components of my daily operations, these tools have met and exceeded my expectations, consistently delivering exceptional results and contributing to the success and growth of my business as a transcriber.
