Affordable Transcription Services: Pay-Per-Use vs Subscription
Compare transcription service pricing to find the most affordable option for your needs. BrassTranscripts: $2.50-$6 flat rate pay-per-use with no subscription, no monthly fees, no minimums.
What Makes Transcription Affordable?
Pay-Per-Use (BrassTranscripts)
- ✓Pay only for files you transcribe
- ✓No monthly fees or commitments
- ✓Most affordable for occasional use
- ✓No wasted credits or unused subscriptions
Best for: Occasional users, students, freelancers, variable workloads
Subscription (Otter, Trint, Descript)
- •Monthly fees regardless of usage
- •Often includes monthly limits or caps
- •Can be cost-effective for heavy users
- •Unused credits expire monthly
Best for: Daily users transcribing 10+ hours monthly
Affordable Transcription Services Comparison
| Service | Pricing Model | Cost | 30 Min File | 60 Min File |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BrassTranscripts | Pay-per-use | $2.50-$6 flat | $6.00 | $6.00 |
| Otter.ai Pro | Subscription | $16.99/month | $16.99* | $16.99* |
| Rev.com | Pay-per-use (human) | $1.50/min | $45.00 | $90.00 |
| Trint | Subscription | $60/month | $60* | $60* |
| Sonix | Subscription + per-hour | $10/hour | $6.00** | $10.00** |
| Descript | Subscription | $24/month | $24* | $24* |
* Subscription services require monthly payment regardless of usage. Costs shown are monthly subscription fees.
** Sonix pricing shown is per-file cost, but requires subscription plan to access.
Savings vs Rev: BrassTranscripts is 93% cheaper for 60-min files ($6 flat vs $90 with Rev at $1.50/min)
When Each Service Is Most Affordable
BrassTranscripts (Pay-Per-Use) Is Most Affordable When:
- ✓You transcribe less than 10 hours per month
- ✓Your usage is sporadic or seasonal
- ✓You need transcription occasionally (weekly or monthly)
- ✓You want to avoid unused subscription fees
- ✓You're a student, freelancer, or small business owner
Subscription Services Are Most Affordable When:
- •You transcribe 10+ hours per month consistently
- •You need daily transcription for business operations
- •Your team has predictable, high-volume needs
Real-World Cost Scenarios
Student (2 interviews/month)
60-minute interviews, twice per month
BrassTranscripts is $4.99/month cheaper than Otter, plus you only pay in months you actually transcribe.
Freelancer (1 project/month)
120-minute client meeting once per month
BrassTranscripts saves $54/month vs Trint, $174/month vs Rev.
Content Creator (4 podcasts/month)
60-minute podcast episodes, weekly
BrassTranscripts matches Descript pricing and is $16/month cheaper than Sonix, with no subscription lock-in.
Small Business (Variable usage)
Some months 0 files, busy months 5 files (each 16-120 min)
Variable usage makes pay-per-use ideal. Average $15/month vs $16.99 for Otter—and you pay $0 in zero-usage months.
What's Included in BrassTranscripts Pricing
✓ Core Features
- • Automatic speaker identification
- • 99+ languages with auto-detection
- • Processing in 1-3 minutes per hour
- • 30-word preview before payment
✓ All Formats Included
- • TXT (plain text)
- • SRT (subtitle format)
- • VTT (web captions)
- • JSON (structured data)
✓ No Hidden Fees
- • No subscription required
- • No monthly minimums
- • No per-speaker charges
- • No format conversion fees
Decision tools: Compare services with our Transcription Service Comparison Analyzer, calculate ROI with our Meeting ROI Calculator, or analyze costs with our Transcription Cost Analyzer.
Try the Most Affordable AI Transcription Service
$2.50-$6 flat rate • No subscription • Pay only for what you use
Start Transcribing Now →Preview free • 100% satisfaction guarantee • Cancel anytime (no subscription!)
Compare Affordable Transcription Services
See how BrassTranscripts compares to other transcription services. All comparisons feature the same professional AI transcription—without the subscription fees.
vs Otter.ai
Better for light users - no subscription required
vs Sonix
Cost-effective pay-per-use without monthly fees
vs Riverside.fm
Transcription-only for podcasters on a budget
vs Descript
Skip the editor, save money with simple transcription
vs Trint
Transparent pricing without contact-for-quote barriers