Perhaps you’ve just recorded an interview or recently hosted a focus group for a new product launch. The meetings went well, and now you have a file with all of the audio you recorded. Whether you’re going to share and review the content with your team or post transcripts online for the public to read, you need to convert the audio to text. The only problem? There are hundreds of transcription services to choose from — each offering slightly different benefits.

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Do you choose the service with the quickest turnaround time so you can review your content sooner? Or do you choose one with the fewest number of errors so you don’t have to make any manual changes? Or do you go with the least expensive option to save money?

If you’re new to transcription, this isn’t an easy decision to make — especially when all the services you’ve looked at say they’re the best.

To help you wade through this sea of information, we’re going to compare our service to 3Play Media (similar to our comparison breakdown of Rev vs. Trint). By comparing features like word error rate, turnaround time, and cost, you’ll be able to find a service that meets your needs and helps you create a process to manage future audio-to-text conversions.

Choose a transcription service that keeps up with your needs

Regardless of the types of audio you record, you need a transcription service that’s robust enough to manage your needs and minimize the amount of manual work required. The last thing you want to do is spend hours combing through audio to make sure casual conversational terms and phrases are captured correctly.

With Rev, you have access to on-demand transcription, captioning, and foreign-language subtitles. Our customers in industries like media, marketing, education, and legal rely on our flexible services to plan their projects based on their unique needs and budget.

3Play Media caters to users in industries such as education, entertainment, government, and faith. Their services include closed-captioning, translation, and audio descriptions. Their transcription service is geared toward making audio and video content searchable, engaging, and easier to understand than just watching or listening to content.

To help you understand how our service works and how it compares to 3Play Media, we’re going to look at five specific areas:

• Word Error Rate (WER) — How human and AI transcription accuracy compares
• Integrations — Types of integrations available
• Customer service support — How customer service resources and tools compare
• Caption formats — Transcription file formats
• Pricing options — Plans, features, and add-ons available to customers

We’re focusing on these features and services because they’ll give you a deeper look into each tool so you can make an informed decision based on your needs.

A low Word Error Rate (WER) ensures transcript accuracy

WER determines the accuracy of the text. A low rate indicates that the transcription closely matches the audio.

WER is calculated using the following formula:

WER = (S + D + I) / N

Where:
S = the number of words substituted incorrectly
D = the number of words that are omitted when audio is converted to text
I = the number of words that are added during the transcription
N = number of words spoken in the audio file

Even a slightly inaccurate transcription can distort the meaning of a sentence and confuse readers.

Rev’s Transcription Accuracy

Here at Rev, maintaining a low WER is extremely important. That’s why we use people to convert audio to text instead of using AI. We find that our transcriptionists are better able to pick up the nuances of speech that AI might misinterpret. We also help our transcriptionists by using an internal testing tool that considers synonyms, typos, and number representations to make sure we maintain the intended meaning of your audio.

Transcription technology is evolving. In fact, Neural machine translation (NMT) is an improvement on basic AI translation. However, NMT still doesn’t compare to the quality and effectiveness of human transcriptions. But it’s important to stress that there’s a place for AI. Instead of using it as the first option for transcriptions, it can be used as a backup when short turnarounds are needed.
As the largest online transcription company with 50,000+ freelance transcriptionists, we have a turnaround time of 24 hours— at no extra cost to users. To test our WER against the competition, we ran an experiment that looked at the accuracy of human transcriptionists. We intentionally chose audio files that weren’t perfectly clean — just like the audio files our customers submit, there was background noise, cross-talk, mic issues, and more. What this experiment shows is that we have an incredibly competitive WER compared to other platforms. In fact, 81.8% of the files we tested had a lower WER than 3Play Media:

3Play Media’s Word Error Rate

3Play Media is less accurate than us when human transcriptionists are used. In the same experiment, 3Play Media’s rate was 3.79% compared to our lower WER of 3.19%:

Like us, before sending converted files to customers, 3Play Media transcriptionists review them to ensure they meet quality expectations.

Altogether, with this quality control and two rounds of review, the turnaround time for 3Play Media’s transcriptions is an average of four days.

Integrations that simplify workflows

When it comes to transcribing, a smooth process that lets you upload your audio files to a platform to convert is incredibly helpful. Preferably you don’t have to hire or be a developer to use these services. Plus, it’s also helpful to have a seamless process for uploading the final text to third-party platforms — like a blog or a case study — to share the text content with relevant teams.

Rev’s Integrations

We offer caption integrations with leading video-management platforms. For example, you can upload video with captions to the following platforms:

• YouTube
• Vimeo
• Brightcove
• JW Player
• Panopto
• Kaltura
• Yuja
• Warpwire
• Ensemble

We also have an API that integrates with third-party apps to simplify uploads. You can test our API in a sandbox environment without creating an account. When you’re ready to order a transcript, simply create an account and integrate with the platform of your choice for smooth uploads. We even integrate with Zapier, so you can place orders directly from tools like Dropbox and Google Drive.

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3Play Media’s Integrations

There are over 20 integrations for video uploads, captioning, and transcription available to users. From video players to social media, there’s a wide range of options to choose from.

3Play Media has their own API options that let users build and automate custom workflows. Most API integrations are simple — like uploading and downloading files — while others require developer input to take advantage of more complex tasks.

Easy access to customer service support improves the experience

When using a digital platform, customer service is important. Unlike services that are available in brick-and-mortar service locations, you don’t have the option to walk up to someone and quickly ask a question. You either have to send an email or engage with a chatbot if you have questions about an online product.

The transcription service you choose should have up-to-date information readily available online, as well as access to a customer service team. This shows your needs are a priority, and they respect you as a customer.

Rev’s Customer Support

Our platform offers 24/7 support to cater to users who want to speak to a real person rather than search a site for answers. You can call our support line at 1-888-369-0701 or send an email to support@rev.com. For specific questions, you can contact us through a contact form on our website. There are six topic categories to choose from to ensure that your questions are reviewed by the right team members. Examples of the types of categories you can choose from include:

• Sales
• Orders
• Invoicing

Depending on the category you choose, you have the option to provide more details about your question. For example, if you have a sales question, you can specify your estimated monthly order volume.

We also have an in-depth FAQ section that answers general transcription questions on topics such as rush orders and time stamping. There are also answers to more complex questions about security and confidentiality.

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3Play Media’s Self-Service Support

3Play Media offers users access to a library of resources on their website. Users can search for information on topics like onboarding and account management.

There are also educational resources available — like videos, webinars, conferences, and an online knowledge center — for users to browse through to get their questions answered and to learn more about 3Play Media. As a last resort for users who can’t find answers online, you can send a support request online to their customer service team.

Multiple caption formats allow for user flexibility

The platform you choose should cater to the file types you prefer to use. This simplifies the upload process because you don’t have to find another tool to convert your work. The last thing you want is to have to convert a file, only for it to be distorted or deleted in the process.

We work with over 100,000 customers, all of whom use different file formats to manage their visual and audio content. To cater to this diverse range of formats, audio and visual content can be uploaded to our platforms in different formats. If you’ve recorded visual or audio content online, you can also submit them to us as a link.

3Play Media offers flexibility when it comes to caption file formats. There are also advanced formats available for more complex types of captions for platforms like Hulu and Netflix.

Here’s a summary of how the formats we both offer compare:
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Pricing options allow users to plan and budget effectively

Consider how often you’ll need to use transcription services before deciding on a platform. For example, if you prefer to place orders as you need them, a flexible pay-as-you-go platform like ours is a good fit.

Rev’s Pricing: $1.25 per minute

Unlike other transcription services that require users to buy a subscription, a contract isn’t required to access our services. And there are no hidden fees. Audio transcription costs $1.25/minute:

Unlike competitive services, we don’t charge additional fees for fast delivery, multiple speakers, or accents. However, if you have a rush order and require transcripts in less than 24 hours, we offer a rush service at an additional cost.

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We offer various types of audio and visual services, from transcription to subtitles, that range in price from $0.10 per minute to $7 per minute. These are competitive prices that give you premium service and a high accuracy rate without having to pay extra.

Here’s what our customers are saying about price:

Why max out your budget when you can pay less, when you need it, and still get the same level of accuracy and quality.

3Play Media’s Pricing Plans

There are three plans to choose from:

Each plan comes with additional features — for example, the Pro plan has more features than the Express plan. The Express plan is a basic package, while the Enterprise plan is more robust because it lets users set custom turnaround times and offers flexible billing. The Pro and Enterprise plans require a minimum video commitment. For the Pro plan, the requirement is five hours. It’s 30 hours for the Enterprise plan.

Why Rev is the superior choice to convert audio to text

Our products are constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of users. In fact, we launched a Voice Recorder app that lets users record and transcribe on the go with just a cellphone. This is perfect for impromptu interviews or recordings that take place away from your office space.

Features that stand out compared with 3Play Media include:

• You spend less. You don’t need a premium package to get premium service. Our competitive pricing helps you plan and budget for your future campaigns with ease.
• You get a faster turnaround time at no extra cost. Whether your audio is 30 seconds or 30 minutes, the standard transcription turnaround time is always 24 hours or less.
• You get access to premium service at no extra cost. Regardless of the size of your projects, you’re a valued customer, and we treat you that way.
• You don’t have to sign a contract. Pay for what you need, when you need it.
• You get access to a user-friendly platform. Creating an account is simple and only takes a few clicks to complete. We make it so you don’t have to spend hours trying to figure out a new system — just sign up, place an order, and checkout.

Based on your needs, you should have a better idea of what is available and how we can help you meet your needs. Try Rev for free to find out more about how we can help you make your projects more efficient — without breaking the bank.

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