Verbit Accuracy Analysis
Verbit says their captions are 99.9% accurate. We submitted files to Verbit in order to measure their true accuracy and provide empirical evidence of their product quality.
Read on for the results.
We submitted 5 files with good quality audio, of varied subject matters, and with a duration of 2+ minutes to Verbit.
What We Measured
- Spelling and Grammatical Errors
Since punctuation errors are subjective, we measured accuracy for both including and excluding punctuation and case. - Word Error Rate (WER)
The WER measures the number of substitutions, deletions, and insertions, divided by the number of words in the reference. - Order & Delivery Process
We measured the time elapsed from ordering to order confirmation and time elapsed from order received to delivery. - Revision and Support Experience
We also measured the time elapsed for editing and correcting the returned transcripts from Verbit.
Verbit's average accuracy rate for the 5 files submitted ranged between 94.83% to 95.58% accuracy.
The industry standard for caption quality is a 99% accuracy rate. This means that there is a 1% chance of error or leniency of 15 errors total per 1,500 words.
The FCC, DCMP, and WCAG have all set captioning quality standards to ensure captions are comprehensible. Failure to uphold these standards could affect your brand, messaging, or result in a costly lawsuit.
For more information on caption quality, read Best Practice for Caption Quality.
Here's a comparison of the files we submitted alongside their accuracy rate.
Verbit’s average accuracy rate including punctuation for the 5 files submitted: 94.83%
Even when we omit punctuation, Verbit’s accuracy falls short of 99%, and the average accuracy rate for the 5 files comes to: 95.88%
*Why include or omit punctuation? Punctuation errors can be subjective, so we measured both cases.
At 3Play Media, our accuracy rate is measured including punctuation.
Common Errors
Throughout files, we saw errors such as extra and incorrect words inserted into sections with no dialogue, false starts, misplaced commas, and spelling errors.
Incorrect Words
Verbit’s Errors:
- Incorrect words
- Extra words
- Missed words
- False starts
Why This Matters:
- Incorrect wording creates confusion for the reader
- Impacts reading comprehension and retention
Spelling
Verbit’s Errors:
- Use of nonexistent words
- Incorrect spelling of names and titles
- Incorrect tense usage
Why This Matters:
- Affects your branding
- Affects the meaning of the content
- Spelling errors distract the reader
Punctuation
Verbit’s Errors:
- Missing commas
- Missing apostrophes
- Missing hyphens
- Incorrect capitalization
Why punctuation matters:
- Affects meaning of the content
- Affects reading comprehension
Missing Speaker Identifications
Verbit’s Errors:
- Missing speaker identifications
Why punctuation matters:
- Helps distinguish speaker
- Important when there are multiple speakers
The Bottom Line on Quality
Verbit demonstrates quick turnarounds and low-cost rates. However, based on our findings, Verbit does not demonstrate – nor can they guarantee – 99% accuracy.
Verbit says their captions are 99.9% accurate. Based on this analysis, that is far from the case.
Don’t Let Inaccurate Captions Hurt Your Content
3Play Media guarantees a 99% accuracy rate for every file.
(In fact, we have a measured accuracy rate of 99.6%!)