UPDATED: October 26, 2022

Are you thinking of working for Rev.com? You’re probably reading this right now because you came across an article about how attractive Rev.com’s proposition is: Work from home or from anywhere you want and define your own hours while still making good money in the process. All you have to do is to listen to sound clips and videos then type them up. 

Sounds easy peasy! 

Because of this, one of the most common questions people ask is whether Rev is legit. Is it a scam? Will you get paid for doing the work? How much exactly will you end up getting paid? This article will discuss these commonly asked questions about Rev.com. 

Before we continue, here are some other ways to earn money from home using apps:

What is Rev.com?

Rev.com is a platform where clients can get transcription, captioning, and foreign subtitling services for very affordable rates. Rev prides itself in having a large network of professional transcriptionists and over 50,000 freelancers around the world called “Revvers”. 

Rev is based in San Francisco and Austin in the United States. It has been featured in many major publications like Forbes, The New York Times, Business, Insider, among others. According to its website, the company has served over 170,000 clients. 

Is Rev a Scam? Is It Legit? 

If you search online, you’ll find many former Revvers who are convinced that Rev is a scam. The definition of a scam is something that is a dishonest scheme or a fraud. Usually, it promises people large amounts of money for a small fee. 

With this definition, Rev does not really qualify as a scam. Rev is upfront about how much it will pay its freelancers and does not overpromise how much someone will earn. It is also free to join. 

Rev is even upfront that if you’re an average person, transcribing will take you at least four times longer than the duration of the audio you need to work on. This should already give you an idea of how much you’re only going to get paid for the time you’ll have to work. 

Rev.com is a legit company and it is not a scam, however, most people who believe that it is a scam had terrible experiences with the company. Some people shared that they could not understand why they were kicked out of the platform and complained about inconsistent graders as well as getting paid too low for the amount of work required. 

How Much Does Rev Pay?

The amount you get paid depends on the type of work you do as a Revver. You have three choices which will pay you the following: 

  • Transcriptionist – $0.30 to $1.10 per audio/video minute 
  • Captioner – $0.54 to $1.10 per audio/video minute 
  • Translator/ Subtitler – $1.50-$3.00 per audio/video minute

A transcriptionist needs to listen to video or audio and accurately type what is being said. A captioner has to watch videos, type up dialogue, convey sounds, and sync typed audio with video.

 If you know a foreign language, you can translate and subtitle which pays higher. A Revver gets paid weekly every Monday through Paypal for the previous week’s work. 

How Much Can You Earn in a Month Working at Rev? 

Based on the rates given above, you can earn between $18 to $66 dollars for every one hour or 60 minutes of audio/video minute. However, keep in mind that you have to spend longer typing up and syncing the transcription so it really depends on how fast you work. 

The Rev website explained that it usually takes an average person one hour to transcribe 15 minutes of clear audio so you will probably need four hours of actual work to complete transcribing 60 minutes of audio to earn at least  $18. If you do the math, that means your hourly rate is only $4.50. If you’re slower, then that will take more time. Professional transcriptionists can transcribe one hour of audio in 2-3 hours. 

To give you an idea of how much Revvers make, a work-at-home mom shared in this Rev page that she earns $1,000 to $1,200 a month by working 40 hours a week. Another Revver, a retired truck driver, said that he typically accepts 50-75 jobs a week and spends around 25 hours a week completing the work. He only earns $600 to $800 a month. The average Revver reportedly makes $156 per month after completing 15 jobs. 

What Are People Saying About Working at Rev?

The good, the bad, and the ugly. 

With over 50,000 Revvers all around the world, it will be impossible to keep everyone happy. While Rev’s mission of empowering people to work without geographical or time barriers sounds quite admirable, there are still mixed reviews about the website. 

To have a balanced perspective, let’s sum up the common Rev.com reviews from freelancers. 

The Good Things About Working at Rev 

A platform will not reach over 50,000 freelancers if there’s nothing good about it. The common positive feedback about Rev are the following: 

  • Great work life balance 
  • You can work as much or as little as you want 
  • Gives people part-time opportunity even if they stay at home
  • Weekly and on time payment 

The people who usually benefit from Rev are people who can’t physically hold a traditional 9 to 5 job. That is why work life balance is a factor many Revvers appreciate. Examples are housewives who have small children, people who act as caregivers to family members, people with disabilities, travelers, retired professionals and college students who want to work part-time. One student shared that Rev is a better option than a part-time job at a retail store that required her to stand for many hours leaving her exhausted.  

The Bad Things About Working at Rev 

The top things people complain about working with Rev are the following: 

  • Low pay for the amount of work required 
  • Unfair metrics / grading system 
  • Most videos have unclear audio 
  • Not enough work for everybody 

Many Revvers complain because even if they work 40+ hours a week, their earnings will not be enough to sustain a living in the United States. If a Revver is living in another country where the cost of living is low, then this could be acceptable, but the take home pay for most people is still very low compared to the amount of work they need to do. 

In 2019, Rev made  headlines when it announced that it was dropping its minimum pay to $0.30 from $0.45, giving the excuse that this move was done to enable them to pay higher for more difficult videos. The announcement was not received well by Revvers. 

Revvers also complained about the company’s unfair grading system where you can get kicked out or penalized by the platform for supposed mistakes that you cannot question or contest. There are also accounts of Rev graders who have varying quality control measures so Revvers become confused on the right protocols to follow. 

Another problem encountered by Revvers is that they said most videos have unclear audio and this is what’s making them work longer. However, these videos are not priced higher so they only get paid very low even if they work hard transcribing unclear audio. 

While Rev is proud about having a network of 50,000 freelancers, many Revvers think that this is a downside. There are Revvers who said that there is not enough job for everyone and you have to be really fast to claim a job, otherwise you’re left with the really tough videos. 

The Ugly Things About Working at Rev

In 2019, Rev changed its policies to bar workers who are under 18 from working on theplatform. According to an article published in The Verge, Revvers shared that there are numerous videos on the platform that contain disturbing content.

There are reportedly sound recordings and videos that have graphic descriptions of sexual assault, physical and verbal abuse, violence, transphobic dialogues, and more. One Revver confessed to being emotionally disturbed after transcribing a recording of someone talking about being abused and assaulted. 

Revvers said that they do not get any warning about the nature of the audio or video because most files are not labeled properly. In most cases, they are already halfway doing the job when they realize what they are dealing with.

How to Apply at Rev.com As a Revver?

Rev states that its mission is to give more people the freedom to work from home. If you want to become a Revver, you can decide when and where to work. 

You are not committed or tied to a certain number of hours. It’s up to you to decide how much or how little work you want to do. 

To apply to become a Revver, you need to pass a grammar test and complete a sample audio file you need to transcribe using the Rev transcription software. You don’t need to send a resume or go through an interview. You just need to provide your name and your email. 

Because of the straightforward application process, people who normally crumble during job interviews are given the chance to get to work almost immediately. If you do not pass, you can re-apply after 45 days. 

Is it a Good Idea to Work at Rev? 

The answer to this question will really depend on your skills and how much money you need to earn. Considering these factors will give you the answer you’re looking for. 

Be Honest About Your Skills

First, let’s talk about skills. Many people become frustrated with Rev because they have a misconception that it’s an easy way to make money, period. Since it is featured in many work-from-home articles, casual readers who may not really have decent grammar, typing, and English skills get attracted without really understanding what the job involves. However, when they get in, they realize that the work takes much longer and is much more complicated than they think.

To be effective as a Rev transcriptionist and captioner you must have: 

  • Excellent understanding of the English language including grammar, spelling, vocabulary, capitalization, and punctuation
  • Sharp listening skills and a good grasp of different regional accents 
  • Good concentration and focus 
  • Fast typing skills. If you type using your two forefingers, then find another gig.
  • A wide general knowledge of different topics and subject matters so you’ll be familiar with industry-specific words and jargon 

If you worked as a temp assistant, a legal secretary, a typist, or as an executive assistant before, this job could be a great side hustle for you. But if you don't have the skills above, you might only waste your time trying to transcribe and still not get good results. 

How Much Money Are You Looking to Earn at Rev? 

As already stated above, the average Revver only earns $156 after completing 15-20 jobs, while the highest paid, seasoned Revvers only earn a little over $1,000 a month.

If you are a beginner and you have not done any transcription in your life, you should not expect to earn $1,000 dollars on month one as you're more likely to earn just $100 or even less depending on your accuracy. 

Are There Better Alternatives to Rev? 

There are numerous transcription sites available online that hire freelancers including Scribie, Way With Words, TranscribeMe, GoTranscript, GMR Transcription, and Daily Transcription. If we compare the rates, Rev.com is in the middle of the pack. 

Way With Words and GMR Transcription pay a higher minimum and maximum per  audio minute compared to Rev. 

Daily Transcription has a higher minimum pay which is more than double Rev’s minimum pay per minute of audio, while the rest of the companies pay lower. 

  • Way With Words – $0.45 to $1.73 per audio minute
  • GMR Transcription – $0.70 to $1.25 per audio minute
  • Daily Transcription $0.75 to $0.85 per audio minute.
  • Rev.com – $0.30 to $1.10 per audio minute ($18 to $66 per audio hour)
  • TranscribeMe –  $15 to $22 per audio hour
  • Scribie – $5 to $25 per audio hour
  • GoTranscript –  Up to $0.6 per audio minute

Should You Work at Rev? The Wrap-Up 

If your only option is to work from home and your skills match those required to become a successful transcriptionist, then it is not a bad idea to try your luck with Rev. If you find other options that will pay you higher and provide better working conditions, then perhaps you should prioritize those first.