Budgeting for Transcription in Academic Research
Transcription is an essential part of many research projects, yet it is often planned late or budgeted imprecisely. Clear, realistic budgeting helps ensure research timelines are met and avoids delays once data collection begins. Whether preparing a grant application or planning an ongoing study, understanding transcription costs early helps avoid unexpected expenses and procurement delays later in the project.
What Actually Affects Transcription Cost
✔ Total recorded minutes
Transcription is charged per recorded minute of audio or video. You are charged only for the exact number of minutes transcribed, even if an initial estimate was higher.
✔ Number of speakers
Recordings with multiple speakers require additional time for accurate speaker identification and formatting.
✔ Service type
Fully human transcription or hybrid editing of client-generated drafts
✔ Turnaround time
Faster turnaround options may carry a higher per-minute rate.
The following factors do not affect pricing when using PageSix:
✔ Background noise or challenging audio
✔ Sensitive or complex subject matter
✔ Speaker anonymisation
Choosing The Right Service
We offer two flexible transcription services, allowing you to choose the right balance of accuracy, turnaround time, and cost — without compromising on quality or ethics.
✅ Fully Human Transcription
Human-only transcription, ideal for focus groups, sensitive interviews, protected participants, and recordings with complex content or challenging audio quality.
✅ Hybrid Editing Service
Human review and editing of client-generated draft transcripts produced via Zoom or Teams.
Ethics & Compliance Considerations
✔ Transcription providers act as data processors under UK GDPR
✔ Automated or AI transcription tools may not be approved for governed research
✔ Human transcription reduces ethical and data protection risk
✔ Accurate budgeting helps prevent delays during ethics or procurement approval
Budgeting Examples
✔ Estimate total recorded minutes for the full project duration and apply per-minute pricing.
✔ Discounts may apply for larger or ongoing projects of 20 recorded hours or more.
✔ Exact costs can be confirmed before work begins, allowing purchase orders or grant budgets to be approved in advance.
✔ An Instant Quote Calculator is available on the PageSix website.
Example 1: Small Face-to-Face Interview Study
· 5 interviews, estimated 60 minutes per interview (total minutes 300)
· 2 speakers
· Fully human transcription
· 1-week turnaround
300 minutes @ £1.20+vat per recorded minute
Estimated cost: £360.00+vat
Example 2: Large Teams Interview Study
· 30 interviews, estimated 60 minutes per interview (total minutes 1,800)
· 2 speakers
· Hybrid editing of the Teams produced draft transcript
· 1-week turnaround
· Large volume 10% discount included
1,800 minutes @ £1.08+vat per recorded minute
Estimated cost: £1,944.00+vat
Example 3: Focus Group Research Study
· 10 interviews, estimated 90 minutes per interview (total minutes 900)
· 5-6 speakers in each group
· Fully human transcription required due to number of speakers
· 2-day turnaround
900 minutes @ £1.70+vat per recorded minute
Estimated cost: £1,530.00+vat
Planning Tips
✔ Calculate total recorded minutes realistically
Include pilot interviews, follow-ups, and any repeat recordings.
✔ Estimate the number of speakers per recording
Focus groups and panels require additional speaker identification time.
✔ Select the appropriate service type
Consider whether you need fully human transcription for sensitive or complex research, or hybrid editing where a good quality draft transcript will be produced via Teams or Zoom.
✔ Choose a realistic turnaround time
Our 1-week turnaround is often the most cost-effective for larger projects.
✔ Budget for transcription per recorded minute
Transcription is charged on recorded time, not meeting duration or speaking time.