seconds, mm:ss or h:mm:ss
- typing it yourself
- 4 to 6 hours
- of your own time
- reviewing a software draft
- 10 to 20 minutes
- of your own time
- time you get back
- 3.5 to 6 hours
- the difference between the two
These count the hours you spend, not the wait. Software returns a draft in minutes, but the draft still needs reading, and that reading is the number in the middle. The ranges come from our guide on how long transcription takes, and they are estimates rather than promises.
Transcribe a file freeHow to use it
- Enter the length of your recording as seconds, mm:ss or h:mm:ss.
- Say who would be typing it and how clean the audio is, since both change the ratio sharply.
- Say whether you need a copy to skim or text you will publish, which sets how long the review pass takes.
The middle column is the only time you actually spend. Upload a recording and FastScribe returns a timestamped draft to review, free once a week with no account.
Transcribe a file free →Frequently asked questions
Why does this not tell me how long the software takes to run?
Because processing time is not your time. A draft comes back much faster than real time, but the exact wait depends on the file and the queue, and it costs you nothing to wait. What the transcript really costs you is the hours at a keyboard, so that is what this measures.
Where do the typing ratios come from?
From our guide on how long transcription takes: about four to six times the recording length for a practiced typist on clear audio, six to ten for several voices or rough audio, and eight to ten if you are new to it. Professional transcribers quote four-to-one as their fast case.
Does reviewing a draft really take that long?
It depends entirely on what the transcript is for. Skimming a meeting record for one useful sentence takes ten to twenty minutes an hour, and small errors cost nothing. Text you intend to publish or quote needs roughly the recording's length again, because you have to check it against the audio.
How do I find my recording's exact length?
Our audio duration checker reads it straight out of the file in your browser, without uploading anything. Your operating system's file information panel will usually show it too.