# Page 2 | Express Scribe Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra

> Page 2 - Is Express Scribe the right Medical Transcription solution for you? Explore 52 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice.

Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/190970/Express-Scribe/reviews

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Express Scribe

4.3 (52)

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Last updated March 13th, 2026

# Page 2 - Reviews of Express Scribe

## Showing most helpful reviews

Showing 26-50 of 52 Reviews

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Most Helpful

Rating

Company Size

Reviewer's Role

Length of Use

Frequency of Use

MP

Monica P.  
office manager  
Legal Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Mostly I love it, rarely disappoints"

March 15, 2018

5.0

Affordable software for playing back my audio files to get my transcription work done effectively.

Pros

What I like most is the variety of file options that Express Scribe plays without having to worry about converting the audio or having to use alternate methods of playback.

Cons

What I like least about this software is the fact that if you have to reinstall it on your computer you have to pay full price again each time. I personally have had to do this twice. Frankly, I would prefer to pay more for it one time and get unlimited updates and downloads than have to pay a smaller amount any times I have to reload onto a computer for whatever reason.

Review Source

Response from NCH Software

December 11, 2019

Hi Monica, Thank you for contacting us. Our Registration Support Team will be happy to re-send your registration code and installation file to the software you previously purchased, without having to purchase a different license. You can contact our Registration Support Team here: http://www.nch.com.au/support/regcontact.html \_NCH Software Team

IAC

Ignacio Araujo C.  
Freelancer Translator  
Translation and Localization  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Excellent tool for those working with transcriptions."

January 18, 2019

5.0

If you work with transcription services, this simple program is a must-have tool in your "utility belt"! At first, it may seem too simple and even a bit old-fashioned. But you will realize that less is more in this case, and its clean layout is perfect to make your job easier. Also, they have lots of shortcuts (all customizable) and it is totally compatible with a USB pedal (that professional transcribers use to make their job even faster and easier). Give it a try it and you will ask yourself how you could ever transcribe without it!

Pros

A simple, yet powerful tool. It has lots of shortcuts to make your job easier (rewind, forward, pause, slow-down or speed-up video, etc), plus full compatibility with an USB pedal, if you feel like using one to support your job. Once you get used to their shortcuts, you will work faster than ever and won't see other option to transcribe any text!

Cons

As for the tool itself, almost no cons. After years of usage, I had one or another problem to open some kinds of videos, but I could easily convert it to a more popular format and it worked fine.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Special Education Teacher  
Primary/Secondary Education  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Simple and Effective Transcription Software"

July 27, 2019

5.0

Pros

Express Scribe was very easy to use. I had only had experience with one other transcription program before this, but I had no problems learning this one. It was easy to connect to my footpedal, but it also has hot keys for those who don't use a pedal. The volume and speed controls met my needs. I used it along with a word processing software to complete my short-term (6-12 months) job of medical transcription. For the price, it was great.

Cons

It would have been nice to have more audio filters. I didn't see options to adjust mid-range tones, though it did have an option to eliminate background noises. This was fine for the relatively quiet and clear medical transcription files I was transcribing. For those transcribing files with groups or garbled speakers, you may want to consider something with more options. (I never needed to use the background noise filter, so I can't vouch for how well it worked.)

Review Source

Joseph N.  
Professional Freelancer  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: Less than 6 months

### "Transcription Simplified!"

October 21, 2018

5.0

Express Scribe is such an amazing software

Pros

The Software has control of the files like I had not known before. With just a foot pedal, you can chose when to play, pause, fast forward or rewind your audio. It also has got options to changing the speed of the audio. To make it more convenient for the transcriber, the software offers a text box in which you will type what you hear from the audio. Sometimes in a conference or a meeting, some said things may pass me by. With Express Scribe however, I can sit down and retrace what was said. I can also put it into text for easier reference.

Cons

It however lacks format options for the transcript.

Review Source

Response from NCH Software

December 23, 2019

Hi Joseph, Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. If you would like, you can send a suggestion directly to our Development Team to request options for the transcript be added to a future version of this app, here: http://www.nch.com.au/suggestions/index.html -NCH Software Team

JP

Julie P.  
Owner  
Legal Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Transcription with Express Scribe"

June 16, 2020

5.0

I have had very good experience with this software. I've had good customer service whenever I needed assistance. I would definitely recommend using this product.

Pros

I thought installing the software was very easy and straightforward. Setting up my foot pedal and getting started and using the software is literally plug and play. The features are very easy to use and the sound quality for the audio is very good.

Cons

There literally is not anything I don't like about this software. I have been using it for several years and wouldn't change.

Review Source

AT

Ashleigh T.  
Legal Secretary  
Law Practice  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Best software for dictation-cost effective!!"

August 28, 2018

5.0

Very easy to setup, love that the foot pedal comes with the program- cost effective and very easy to use, our whole office uses it and likes it very much.

Pros

How easy it was to set up and most of the times, it is super easy to load and transcribe the dictations. I also love the extras they offer.

Cons

Sometimes my boss/attorney records his dictation in a different format somehow, and it won't work with Express Scribe. BUT.. even then I just tell him and he saves it as the correct format and the issue is solved! Just takes an extra step!

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Writer, Researcher, Mentor & Consultant - Exercise and Strength and Conditioning  
E-Learning  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Great App"

February 5, 2019

5.0

Very happy with this software - great complement to the audio recorders from Olympus and others. Well done. Many thanks.

Pros

I love simplicity and Express Scribe has that in spades. I've used it to transcribe interviews from 3 different research studies. Like the ability to filter, enhance and slow the audio down. Great cheap option with all that I needed for my work.

Cons

Probably setting the hotkeys​ to control and pause the audio - often conflicts with other apps

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Digital Note Taker  
  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Absolutely fantastic! "

May 7, 2018

5.0

Pros

I personally love the way you can slow down or speed up audio by percentage. That makes such a huge difference with transcription!

Cons

I wish there were more options to raise/lower levels of audio. That would help transcriptionists hear different speakers, adjust the audio levels as needed, etc.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Medical Office Assistant  
Medical Practice  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Good choice "

January 9, 2023

5.0

Pros

I like this program in comparison to others that do the same. It's easy to use and works well.

Cons

There's a few features that are a bit tricky but mostly its user friendly

Review Source

BN

Bonnie N.  
cxo  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Express Scribe Was Okay Until..."

June 22, 2020

2.0

It was great back in the day when it was the only game in town.

Pros

It was easy to implement. The software I use now makes Express Scribe totally obsolete. To use Express Scribe now would be like returning to the stone age of manual typewriters.

Cons

Not at all user-friendly or feature-rich when compared to my present software. No control over hearing the speaker as tho naturally speaking if the speed of playback were hurried or lessened.

Review Source

Response from NCH Software

July 1, 2020

Hi there, thank you for contacting us. You can adjust the slow (F11/F12) and fast (F3) playback speeds. The speeds are represented as a percent of normal speed so 50% is half speed and 200% is double speed. Recommended settings are slow 50% (minimum 25%, maximum 100%) and fast 150% (minimum 100%, maximum 300%). The speed of play current speed (F9) is controlled using the speed control on the main window. If you need further assistance, you may contact our support team here: https://www.nch.com.au/support/supportcontact.html?software=Scribe Thanks. - NCH Software Team

AB

Amy B.  
Writer  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Not my favorite"

June 9, 2020

3.0

Generally I found this software irritating to use, definitely not user-friendly, with inferior sound quality despite the ability to adjust the balance.

Pros

Ability to tweak sound is a plus, although I didn't find it helped all that much.

Cons

Most frustrating was the inability to have automatic or customized timestamps, along with the overall busy appearance and complexity of the interface and generally inferior sound quality compared to other software I use. I find less is more with transcription software. I replaced ExpressScribe with FTW after a year and have never looked back.

Review Source

Response from NCH Software

July 1, 2020

Hi there, We appreciate your feedback. You may follow the steps on this tutorial to automate the time stamps - https://expeditedtranscripts.com/tutorial-express-scribe-hot-keys-timestamps-bitcs/. If you need further assistance, you may reach our support team here: https://www.nch.com.au/support/supportcontact.html?software=Scribe .Thanks -NCH Software Team

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Freelance Transcriber  
Internet  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Simple to use, makes transcribing files a simple task."

June 18, 2019

4.0

Excellent. Has been a time saver and simple to use.

Pros

I really liked the ability to utilize the hotkeys and use of the program while it runs in the background. It makes transcribing tasks a lot easier, being able to assign the hotkeys to your preference and you can easily skip back, forward, speed up or slow down the audio, even while the software runs in the background. Saves a lot of time without the hassle of pause/play, back and forth between applications. Also, your finished work can easily be exported to a word processing application of your choice.

Cons

Personally, I have had no issues or negative opinion when using this software. One thing I have noticed, which could pose an issue to others, is that not all file formats are supported. Even then, it does offer a free trial to a separate application, in which you can easily convert any type of file into the formats used in Express Scribe.

Review Source

TS

Tonya S.  
Transcription  
Research  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Great for doing transcription"

November 2, 2018

5.0

I have used it for over six years with my transcription work. I love how easily it connects to my foot pedal, how with one click, I can open Microsoft Word and start working. The speed control and volume control switches are easy to get to.

Pros

It is very convenient and easy to use. I love how easy it is to connect to a foot pedal.

Cons

No complaints that I can think of. There's a cost now but I think it's worth it.

Review Source

Aya M.  
Freelancer | VA | Lead Generation  
Hospital & Health Care  
Used the software for: I used a free trial

### "ExpressScribe"

September 9, 2021

5.0

For my overall experience with Express Scribe, it has been excellent and I highly recommend this product!

Pros

What I like most is it's being user-friendly and the sound quality for the audio is very good.

Cons

The least feature that I am not happy with about this software is there is no auto proofreading.

Review Source

MT

Monique T.  
Transcriber  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Expressscribe is the standard"

May 21, 2020

5.0

Good. Easy. It’s my friend.

Pros

It’s all you need. Seems to be the main one most of us use.

Cons

Most Extra features remain A mystery to me.

Review Source

TT

Timothy T.  
Software Tester  
Automotive  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Easy and fast transcription software"

April 24, 2021

5.0

Pros

Very easy to use even without a guide. I like the ability to use a USB petal to rewind and fastforward the audio. Supports all of the major audio formats to import and supports copy paste and ability to save the text after transcription is done.

Cons

No issues at all. The interface is pretty basic but it just makes it much easier and faster to integrate to your transcription needs.

Review Source

HB

Haylie B.  
Transcriptionist  
  
Used the software for: Less than 6 months

### "Super cool that you're able to use a pedal and control the sound."

January 19, 2018

4.0

Pros

You're able to use the pedal and control the sound. The display is super easy to read and all the info you need is right there.

Cons

Freezes a lot and the pedal won't work sometimes. The customer service stinks. I emailed them to see why I wasn't able to use a free version anymore and never got a response back. Turns out it's a free TRIAL it never says that on the website.

Review Source

Response from NCH Software

December 10, 2019

Hi Haylie, We are very sorry to hear you had a negative experience with our software. Some functions in our app do require an upgrade to the full version, however many features are completely free forever. We appreciate your feedback, if you have any further questions or concerns, our Support Team is always available here: https://www.nch.com.au/support/supportcontact.html?software=Scribe -NCH Software Team

eB

erica B.  
transcriptionist  
Information Services  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Great for transcribing"

October 16, 2018

5.0

I do love Express Scribe. It is the best transcription software that I have used. I've tried a couple different softwares and this one is by far the easiest to transfer files and just use in general.

Pros

I love that I was able to use my foot pedal with this software, which made my transcribing work so much faster and easier.

Cons

I had to pay for the upgraded software just to use my foot pedal. I feel as though you should be able to use the foot pedal with the basic software.

Review Source

ET

Erica T.  
Court Reporter  
Legal Services  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Not the greatest"

June 9, 2020

3.0

Pros

I do love that it has the most basic features that are needed for playback and transcription.

Cons

I do not love how they have not improved upon this ability to play alternative file types.

Review Source

Response from NCH Software

June 30, 2020

Hi there, thank you for your feedback. Express Scribe load most common audio and video file formats which you can check here - https://www.nch.com.au/scribe/kb/656.html . We are constantly improving our software. Please feel free to send your suggestions here: www.nch.com.au/suggestions/index.html .Thanks - NCH Software Team

RF

Rebecca F.  
Owner  
Publishing  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Easy to use"

July 21, 2022

5.0

It works well. I dislike their business model.

Pros

It provides a hands-free format to transcribe dictations and organizes my audio files in one place.

Cons

I have to purchase it over and over if I want to upgrade to new versions.

Review Source

IL

Iris L.  
Transcriptionist  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Not my go-to"

August 24, 2022

4.0

I used Express Scribe mostly in the beginning of my career. These days, I use it occasionally to see if I can suss out a particularly difficult audio bit.

Pros

Express Scribe offers a great free-trial option. Additionally, the various options to improve the quality of the transcript are a plus.

Cons

The sound quality overall is tinny and staticky.

Review Source

AC

Alex C.  
Managing Director  
Entertainment  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "The best transcribing software I know!"

July 9, 2020

5.0

I looked for a good transcribing software for a long time and this is the best I one I've found thus far. I don't think I'll be looking anymore either.

Pros

It's very easy to use. It took me 5 minutes to figure it out once I'd downloaded it. I love the hot keys feature as I don't have a foot pedal to start and stop audio.

Cons

I haven't found any issues yet. And as long as you're not using it for commercial use, there is a free version which is great if you need to try it out first.

Review Source

Response from NCH Software

August 28, 2020

Hi there, Thank you very much for your balanced and fair review. We are glad that you are happy with our software. It's something we've worked hard on and we're pleased our efforts resonated with you. -NCH Software Team

LS

Lauren S.  
Transcriptionist  
Information Services  
Used the software for: Less than 6 months

### "Easy to use"

November 4, 2019

5.0

I transcribe files for a contracting company. It works great with a foot pedal, and is easy to load files.

Pros

It allows for some files to be split into channels with separate volume controls, and it's easy to use.

Cons

I wish there were an easy way to label files as "complete". Check box or grayed out, etc. Otherwise, no issues!

Switched from

[Express Dictate](https://www.capterra.com/p/189177/Express-Dictate-Digital-Dictation-Software/)

Needed to transcribe .ogg files, which are not supported by Express Dictate.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
freelance  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: I used a free trial

### "Its a good start for beginner transcribers"

September 30, 2020

3.0

For a free software its valuable.

Pros

Its free, and does a pretty good job for a free software.

Cons

It took some getting used to as far as the outlay of the software but once you do- it definitely makes transcribing easier- and a good way to test whether its work youd be interested in doing.

Review Source

Response from NCH Software

October 20, 2020

Hi there, Thanks for your review. We have simple tutorials that you can access to gain more understanding about the interface and features - https://www.nch.com.au/scribe/tutorial/ Please also feel free to contact our support team if you have any questions - https://www.nch.com.au/support/en/index.html Thanks.

CC

Caryn C.  
teacher  
Education Management  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Very user friendly"

August 19, 2021

5.0

Pros

I don't use this often, but when I do, it's easy to jump back into it.

Cons

I don't have any negatives about this software.

Review Source

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