CastingWords
CastingWords (US company, in operation since 2005) is a crowd transcription marketplace whose freelance 'Workshop' community handles transcription, transcript editing, grading, and QC for its client…
In one paragraph
CastingWords pays for audio transcription — billed per audio/video minute, paid via PayPal. Typical pay: 8.5 cents to a bit over $1 per audio minute for transcription (official FAQ, updated January 2025), bonus-multiplied by quality grade: grade 5 = base pay, 6 = 1.5x, 7 = 2x, 8 = 2.5x, 9 = 3x; grades 0-4 are rejected and unpaid (except preliminary-edited work, paid at base rate). Available: United States only for new freelancer registrations. Minimum age 18+ (official FAQ: 'You must be at least 18 years of age.').
Quick facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Category | Transcription & Captioning |
| Platform type | Crowd transcription marketplace |
| Website | castingwords.com |
| Pay unit | Per audio/video minute |
| Typical rate | 8.5 cents to a bit over $1 per audio minute for transcription (official FAQ, updated January 2025), bonus-multiplied by quality grade: grade 5 = base pay, 6 = 1.5x, 7 = 2x, 8 = 2.5x, 9 = 3x; grades 0-4 are rejected and unpaid (except preliminary-edited work, paid at base rate). |
| Payout methods | PayPal |
| Payout cadence | Weekly, Threshold-based |
| Minimum payout | $1 — you can request a PayPal transfer once your balance is at least $1 and you have been a Workshop member for at least one week; scheduled transfers run every Friday at 10:00 AM Pacific, CastingWords pays the PayPal fees via PayPal Mass Payment, and high-workload periods can add a 3-5 day delay. |
| Minimum age | 18+ (official FAQ: 'You must be at least 18 years of age.') |
| Countries | 1 tracked — United States only for new freelancer registrations — the Workshop application page states 'We are currently accepting new accounts from freelancers located in the United States only.' Legacy international workers (approved when registration was open worldwide to PayPal countries) remain active. |
| Languages | English, Spanish, French |
| Equipment | Computer, Stable internet |
| Experience needed | Beginner friendly |
| Identity verification | 18+; must live in a supported location; one Workshop account per independent contractor (multiple accounts forfeit all access); a personally-owned PayPal account that can receive transfers is mandatory and must belong to the Workshop account owner; US persons must submit an IRS Form W-9 (PayPal is payer of record, so no 1099s are issued); applicants from some states must provide an EIN to document independent-contractor status. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-02 |
Pros & cons — facts only
Pros
- Rated beginner friendly — open to newcomers.
- Pays via PayPal.
- Payout cadence: Weekly.
- Publishes rate guidance: 8.5 cents to a bit over $1 per audio minute for transcription (official FAQ, updated January 2025), bonus-multiplied by quality grade: grade 5 = base pay, 6 = 1.5x, 7 = 2x, 8 = 2.5x, 9 = 3x; grades 0-4 are rejected and unpaid (except preliminary-edited work, paid at base rate).
Cons
- Single-market availability.
- Entry gated by qualification/identity checks.
How to join CastingWords
- Apply at workshop.castingwords.com/apply with name, email, and a 15+ character password
- confirm registration by email
- fill out a brief bio. Some (not all) new signups are directed to a short transcription test (transcribing a short audio file to verify accuracy, English usage, and style-guide understanding) — results reportedly arrive within about 2 weeks, with a re-take possible after 1 week if rejected. All workers must read the full Style Guide before paid assignments. No fees ('No fees - we pay you, you don't pay us').
Signup involves: Sign up · Qualification test
Pay & payouts
- Typical rate: 8.5 cents to a bit over $1 per audio minute for transcription (official FAQ, updated January 2025), bonus-multiplied by quality grade: grade 5 = base pay, 6 = 1.5x, 7 = 2x, 8 = 2.5x, 9 = 3x; grades 0-4 are rejected and unpaid (except preliminary-edited work, paid at base rate).
- Billed per: Per audio/video minute
- Payout methods: PayPal
- Payout cadence: Weekly, Threshold-based
- Minimum payout: $1 — you can request a PayPal transfer once your balance is at least $1 and you have been a Workshop member for at least one week; scheduled transfers run every Friday at 10:00 AM Pacific, CastingWords pays the PayPal fees via PayPal Mass Payment, and high-workload periods can add a 3-5 day delay.
Requirements
- Minimum age
- 18+ (official FAQ: 'You must be at least 18 years of age.')
- Languages
- English, Spanish, French
- Identity verification
- 18+; must live in a supported location; one Workshop account per independent contractor (multiple accounts forfeit all access); a personally-owned PayPal account that can receive transfers is mandatory and must belong to the Workshop account owner; US persons must submit an IRS Form W-9 (PayPal is payer of record, so no 1099s are issued); applicants from some states must provide an EIN to document independent-contractor status.
- Skills
- No experience required — beginners start with short 1-3 minute clear-audio jobs and low badge ranks, then earn badges (New to Perfect, plus Working Hard/Trifecta badges) through consistent grades that unlock more assignments and higher pay. Accurate transcription, correct English usage, and mastery of the Style Guide drive earnings; rejected work (grade 0-4) is discarded and unpaid, and losing the New Transcriber badge makes a worker ineligible for all jobs (second chances via Support review).
- Equipment
- A computer and internet access only — audio can play in the browser right on the job page; optional external players include Express Scribe, iTunes, QuickTime, Windows Media Player, and VLC; typing in an external word processor (Word, Google Docs, Notepad) is recommended since the site does not save work until submission. No foot pedal or special hardware is mentioned anywhere in the official FAQ.
Where it's available
United States only for new freelancer registrations — the Workshop application page states 'We are currently accepting new accounts from freelancers located in the United States only.' Legacy international workers (approved when registration was open worldwide to PayPal countries) remain active.
Restrictions: All non-US applicants are currently excluded. Within the US, new accounts are not supported from CA, DC, HI, IN, MA, NY, or WV (state independent-contractor labor-law definitions); applicants from several other states must provide additional documentation such as an EIN (not an SSN) before account activation.
- United States
What kind of work
- Audio transcription
- Quality analysis
CastingWords FAQ
Is CastingWords legit?
Yes — CastingWords is a real, operating platform. We verified its signup, payout, and policy pages directly on 2026-10-02 using 6 sources.
How much does CastingWords pay?
8.5 cents to a bit over $1 per audio minute for transcription (official FAQ, updated January 2025), bonus-multiplied by quality grade: grade 5 = base pay, 6 = 1.5x, 7 = 2x, 8 = 2.5x, 9 = 3x; grades 0-4 are rejected and unpaid (except preliminary-edited work, paid at base rate). Work is billed per audio/video minute, so earnings scale with volume and acceptance rates.
How does CastingWords pay out?
Via PayPal. Payout cadence: Weekly / Threshold-based. Minimum payout: $1 — you can request a PayPal transfer once your balance is at least $1 and you have been a Workshop member for at least one week; scheduled transfers run every Friday at 10:00 AM Pacific, CastingWords pays the PayPal fees via PayPal Mass Payment, and high-workload periods can add a 3-5 day delay.
Who can join CastingWords?
Minimum age 18+ (official FAQ: 'You must be at least 18 years of age.'). United States only for new freelancer registrations — the Workshop application page states 'We are currently accepting new accounts from freelancers located in the United States only.' Legacy international workers (approved when registration was open worldwide to PayPal countries) remain active. 18+; must live in a supported location; one Workshop account per independent contractor (multiple accounts forfeit all access); a personally-owned PayPal account that can receive transfers is mandatory and must belong to the Workshop account owner; US persons must submit an IRS Form W-9 (PayPal is payer of record, so no 1099s are issued); applicants from some states must provide an EIN to document independent-contractor status.
How do I sign up for CastingWords?
Apply at workshop.castingwords.com/apply with name, email, and a 15+ character password; confirm registration by email; fill out a brief bio. Some (not all) new signups are directed to a short transcription test (transcribing a short audio file to verify accuracy, English usage, and style-guide understanding) — results reportedly arrive within about 2 weeks, with a re-take possible after 1 week if rejected. All workers must read the full Style Guide before paid assignments. No fees ('No fees - we pay you, you don't pay us').
What skills does CastingWords require?
No experience required — beginners start with short 1-3 minute clear-audio jobs and low badge ranks, then earn badges (New to Perfect, plus Working Hard/Trifecta badges) through consistent grades that unlock more assignments and higher pay. Accurate transcription, correct English usage, and mastery of the Style Guide drive earnings; rejected work (grade 0-4) is discarded and unpaid, and losing the New Transcriber badge makes a worker ineligible for all jobs (second chances via Support review).
Sources & verification
Facts on this page were verified against 6 sources. Last full check: .
- workshop.castingwords.com officialchecked
- workshop.castingwords.com officialchecked
- workshop.castingwords.com officialchecked
- generaltranscriptionworkfromhome.com third-partychecked
- gighustlers.com third-partychecked
- wahojobs.com third-partychecked