Ubiqus Review for Transcriptionists

If you have solid typing skills and are looking for a side hustle, you may wish to consider transcription jobs. There are many platforms offering transcription work, but not all represent a reputable gig. This Ubiqus review will help you determine if this popular platform could be a good choice for you.

Brief Overview of Ubiqus

Ubiqus provides multilingual support for international clients. The company is the 4th largest professional provider of language services in Europe, with over 600 employees around the world.

The company has been operating for over 30 years and specializes in minute taking, but there are also opportunities for translators and transcriptionists. Ubiqus completes more than 30,000 projects each year for over 20,000 clients.

Ubiqus Review – How It Works

Ubiqus has freelancing opportunities for interpretation, translation, and transcriptionist services. As a Ubiqus transcriptionist, you’re likely to be working with medical, legal, and business transcription documents.

Once you’re signed up as a transcriptionist, the Ubiqus team will provide you with an audio file from its client and you just need to type everything you hear on the recording. You’ll then submit your document, so it can be checked by a Ubiqus team member.

Just be aware that there are complaints that Ubiqus does not provide a consistent flow of work, so you shouldn’t rely on it solely as your gig. However, it could be a good way to fill gaps in your schedule.

The Job Requirements

While Ubiqus does consider all applicants, it’s important to have a minimum typing speed of 70 words per minute.

However, Ubiqus does not specifically require transcription experience. In fact, there’s an option on the application form for “No Experience”, which suggests that it should not be a barrier to securing transcription work with the platform.

You’ll need some basic transcription equipment including:

• A stable internet connection
• Computer with word processing program
• Headset

Many transcriptionists also find a foot pedal a useful piece of equipment. This will allow you to stop, start and rewind the audio without needing to take your hands off the keyboard, which can boost your transcription speed. See our recommended transcription equipment for more details.

How Much Can You Earn With Ubiqus?

The rate of pay will depend on the type of transcription work you’re assigned. Ubiqus has medical, legal, corporate, and foreign language transcription work, which all attract different rates of pay.

The more specialized the transcription, the more likely the better pay. The specialized fields such as foreign language and medical can pay as much as $0.00695 per word. For less specialized work, the rate is approximately $0.0058 per word.

This pay scale is a little different from many transcription platforms that pay on a per audio minute basis. Paying by audio minute can actually work out to be very different rates depending on your transcription speed. While experienced transcriptionists may only take three or four minutes per audio minute, newbies may need as much as seven or eight minutes for each audio minute. This means that for the same piece of work, an experienced transcriptionist would earn twice as much as a newbie.

So, the Ubiqus rates are easier to understand, particularly for those new to transcription.

Ubiqus pays its transcriptionists for their completed work every two weeks.

Ubiqus’ Reputation

Ubiqus has a solid industry reputation. On Trustpilot, the company has an excellent 4.7/5 rating. Of course, there are both positive and negative comments, but most negative comments relate to client issues rather than freelancers.

On Glassdoor, Ubiqus has a moderate rating of 3.7/5.

Getting Started

Ubiqus is a global company, but you need to select whether you want to work for the U.S or Canadian branch of the company.

Once you select the U.S, you will be directed to an application form. You’ll need to provide details including:

• Your name
• Postal address
• Email address
• Phone number
• Highest level of education
• Type of internet connection
• Years of transcription experience.

There’s also space on the application to attach a cover letter and resume. You’ll also need to specify the position you’re applying for and when you are able to start. There’s a box to tick if you’re able to start work immediately.

Once you hit “Send”, the Ubiqus team will validate your application and you’ll receive a delivery acknowledgment.

You’ll also need to take a transcription test before you can start work. This is standard for the industry and you’ll receive details about how to complete the test after your application has been reviewed.

The Potential Drawbacks

Of course, no platform or company is flawless. So, it’s important to be realistic about the potential drawbacks before signing up. The possible negatives of Ubiqus include:

• Low Hourly Rates: While Ubiqus is open to those with little or no transcription experience, it’s reflected in the rates. Even if you are transcribing highly specialized legal work, you’ll still be earning less than $0.007 per word. This means that as a newbie, you may struggle to earn $2 or $3 an hour.
• No Guaranteed Workflow: The Ubiqus team assigns projects to its transcriptionists, so you can’t simply pick and choose work from a transcription pool. There are review complaints about a poor work flow and some transcriptionists struggling to get work.
• Mostly Specialized Work: Although Ubiqus does have general commercial clients, most of the work is related to legal, medical or foreign language fields. So, while it is open to newbies, those with no transcription experience may struggle with the work.
• No BBB Rating: Ubiqus does have a solid reputation on platforms such as Trustpilot and Glassdoor, but there is no company BBB page.

Conclusion

Unlike many transcription companies and platforms, Ubiqus does not state that you need a specific amount of transcription experience. In fact, you can select no experience on the application form. You do need solid typing skills and will need to pass a transcription test, so it is a good idea to brush up on your transcription skills before applying.

Ubiqus does not offer the best rates within the transcription market, but it can be a good way to fill gaps in your schedule and bulk up your resume. Aside from a reliable internet connection, computer and headphones, you don’t need any specialist equipment to get started. This reduces the financial barrier to entry, common to many transcription platforms.

You can apply directly from the Ubiqus website, with a straightforward application form. You’ll receive a submission confirmation and then receive details about taking a transcription test. There is no indication of how long this process will take, so it is easy to assume that during busier periods, you may be waiting longer to find out if you’re approved. Additionally, it is likely that Ubiqus will prioritize applicants with experience, so newbies may be waiting even longer.

So, if you’re looking for transcription work, Ubiqus is well worth consideration.