Transcribing and translating audio are separate tasks, but the invoice depends on the deliverable. A source-language transcript, translated text, live interpretation, and timed subtitles solve different problems. Start with the output you need, then compare services that provide that same output for your source and target languages.
Key takeaways
- Transcription preserves the spoken language in text. Translation changes the language; subtitles also need timing and format.
- Published per-minute prices are useful reference points, but plans, language eligibility, review, and taxes change a real quote.
- For consequential work, verify both what was heard and how it was translated.
- Recorded and live audio need different workflows. A finished SRT or VTT file needs a subtitle-capable service.
Pick the output before comparing prices
A recording in French transcribed into French is a transcript. Rendering that transcript in English adds translation. Showing English text while someone speaks is live translation. A video editor asking for English subtitles needs translated text aligned to the video, usually as a timed file. Those are different purchase specifications, even when a vendor offers several in one interface. For a closer look at the last step, see our multilingual subtitles guide.
Write down the source language, target language, audio length, desired file format, deadline, and whether a qualified person must review the result. Ask whether a quoted price covers transcription, translation, timing, and review. Do not compare an AI credit top-up with a fully reviewed subtitle order as though they were interchangeable.
What current published rates can tell you
These examples come from the vendors' published pages checked in September 2026. Confirm the language and final checkout price before ordering.
| Service | Scope | Published reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev human transcription | Source-language transcript | From $1.99 per audio minute |
| Rev global subtitles | Translated subtitles from an English-source video; target language affects price | $6.49–$15.99 per video minute |
| Happy Scribe AI credits | AI transcription, subtitling, and translation allowance on an eligible plan | Additional credits $0.20 per minute; subscription separate |
| MirrorCaption Pro Annual | Live transcription and translation; desktop Transcriber can process uploaded audio | €54.99 per year with 110 included hours |
Rev's global subtitle product accepts English-source files. Its subtitle rate is therefore not a valid quote for a French- or Japanese-source recording. Nor does the difference between Rev's human service and Happy Scribe's AI top-up prove that translation itself is cheap or that people alone explain the price: the deliverables, service levels, and billing models differ.
Choose a workflow for recorded or live speech
| Situation | Starting workflow | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded, internal reference | Transcribe, translate, then spot-check names and figures | Audio language support and export format |
| Recorded, quoted or consequential | Create a source transcript and commission qualified review of the source and translation | Reviewer expertise, confidentiality, and sign-off |
| Video for publication | Produce timed subtitles and review against picture and audio | SRT/VTT delivery, timing, reading speed, and accessibility requirements |
| Live meeting | Use live captions and translation; arrange a human interpreter where stakes require one | Latency, speaker attribution, and who is responsible for decisions |
The recording's transcript is a useful checkpoint. In a cascaded speech-translation system, a recognition mistake can carry into the translated text. A 2025 speech-translation paper describes this error propagation while also showing ways to reduce it. If a name or number matters, replay that span of audio and check both languages; a fluent translation can still be based on the wrong source words.
Two illustrative buying decisions
One-hour English webinar for a second-language audience
If the deliverable is a reviewed subtitle file, Rev's English-source global subtitle starting rate would be 60 × $6.49 = $389.40 before any applicable extras or taxes. If an AI draft is enough, Happy Scribe's published $0.20-per-minute additional-credit rate would make 60 extra minutes $12 on an eligible plan, plus its subscription. That is a different level of service. The decision is whether the team can review and time an AI draft itself, or needs the vendor to deliver subtitles ready for use.
Recorded interview to be quoted in print
Keep the original-language transcript, mark the exact passages to quote, and have a qualified bilingual reviewer check those passages against the audio and the final translation. A full-file AI draft can speed navigation, but a price per audio minute alone does not buy a defensible quote. Ask for a review quote based on the actual language pair and scope.
Where MirrorCaption fits
MirrorCaption Meet shows the source transcript and live translation side by side during browser meetings in desktop Chrome or Edge. Talk serves face-to-face conversations on a phone. The desktop Transcriber can accept an existing recording and offers a translation option. These paths are useful when you need to follow speech or read a transcript, and you should still verify important wording against the audio.
Session exports are JSON, Markdown, and plain text. A finished SRT or VTT subtitle file is not currently supported. The current pricing page lists a free trial hour, Pro Annual at €54.99 with 110 hours, and separate Voice Packs; check the plan details for your use case. Our live versus recorded transcription guide covers the timing choice in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is transcribing the same as translating?
No. Transcription turns speech into text in its source language. Translation renders meaning in a different language. A translated transcript, live interpretation, and translated subtitles are different deliverables.
What does it cost to transcribe and translate a recording?
Prices depend on the output, source language, target language, plan, and review level. Rev lists human transcription from $1.99 per minute and English-source global subtitles from $6.49 to $15.99 per video minute. Happy Scribe lists $0.20 per minute for additional AI credits on eligible plans; a subscription is separate.
Should I transcribe before translating?
Keep a source-language transcript when you need to correct names, quote speakers, audit the work, or hand a reviewer a checkable record. For a live conversation, use a live translation workflow; for subtitles, also check timing, formatting, and human review.
When does a human need to review the result?
Use a qualified reviewer when errors could affect legal, medical, contractual, or published content. Check both the source transcript and the target-language meaning; reviewing only one can miss a mistake in the other.
Can MirrorCaption translate an uploaded recording?
The desktop Transcriber accepts a recording and offers a translation option. Session exports include JSON, Markdown, and plain text. It does not currently export a finished SRT or VTT subtitle file.
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