dictate2us
dictate2us is a privately held UK-based language services provider founded in 2006, offering transcription, translation, interpretation, and document processing to medical, legal, academic, public sector, and corporate clients worldwide via a self-serve platform, a proprietary mobile app, and dictation-software channel integrations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What dictate2us does
dictate2us Limited is a privately held UK-based language services provider founded in 2006, headquartered in Manchester (operational office in Bury; registered office in Stockport), delivering transcription, translation, interpretation, copy-typing, proofreading, copy-editing, voice-overs, subtitling, and alternative communication format services to medical, legal, academic, business, financial, public sector, and construction clients in the UK, US, and Australia on a 24/7/365 basis. The platform comprises a proprietary d2u Transcriber mobile application (iOS/Android) that captures and uploads audio directly for transcription, file intake via web, email, landline and mobile dictation, and channel integrations with Lexacom 3, BigHand Outsourcing Module, and Winscribe Exporter that embed dictate2us inside incumbent digital dictation workflows. The firm is BS EN ISO 27001:2013 certified (certificate 15/3235, UKAS 0120), Cyber Essentials certified, and a corporate member of the American Translators Association and Institute of Translation and Interpreting, providing the security posture required for NHS, Ministry of Justice, and US Congress engagements.
The business operates a usage-based revenue model: per audio minute for transcription, per word for translation, per page or per word for copy-typing and editing, and duration-based for interpretation, with no setup fees, no minimum commitments, and no long-term contracts. Distribution blends a self-serve web platform and mobile app (free trial, online quote calculator) for SMBs and individuals, dedicated account management for NHS trusts, universities, government bodies and blue-chip corporates, and channel sales through dictation software partners. Named customers include Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Spire Wellesley Hospital, GLP Solicitors, the UK Ministry of Justice, the United States Congress, BBC News, BP, Aldi, Microsoft, and the Universities of Cambridge, Edinburgh, and Liverpool; the company claims more than 9,000 business customers, 200+ language coverage, and a guaranteed 99%+ accuracy rate.
The firm is bootstrapped — no reported funding rounds, no parent company, founder/management-led ownership — and operates with 501–1,000 employees, consistent with a human-transcription-heavy service model. Strategic posture is mature and incremental: diversification has come through product line expansion (subtitling, voice-overs, alt formats added in 2015) and partner integrations, rather than through M&A, leadership turnover, or new geographic market entries beyond UK/US/Australia phone support.
dictate2us firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- dictate2us
- Legal name
- dictate2us Limited
- Website
- https://dictate2us.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- dictate2us is a privately held UK-based language services provider founded in 2006, offering transcription, translation, interpretation, and document processing to medical, legal, academic, public sector, and corporate clients worldwide via a self-serve platform, a proprietary mobile app, and dictation-software channel integrations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
dictate2us industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Transcription and Translation Services
- NAICS
- Translation and Interpretation Services (541930), Translation and Interpretation Services (54193), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219), Sound Recording Industries (5122)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Transcription & Data Capture (Audio/Video to Text) (BPAAAKAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Multilingual/Translation Communication Apps (BPAMACAJ), Assistive Hearing & Communication Access (Captioning, Hearing Support, Transcription) (EDAFAKAC), Assistive Reading & Writing Tools (Text-to-Speech, Speech-to-Text, OCR, Dyslexia Support) (EDAFAKAA)
Keywords
Where dictate2us is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
dictate2us business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Transcription Services: Charged per minute of audio for transcription services. Supports various audio formats including digital recorder files, phone dictations, and mobile app recordings. Offers both verbatim and intelligent verbatim transcription options.
- Translation Services: Charged per word for translation services. Translates content to and from over 200 languages using qualified linguists with sector-specific expertise.
- Interpretation Services: Charged based on duration and language requirements. Offers consecutive, simultaneous, and telephone interpretation services.
- Typing and Editing Services: Copy-typing, proofreading, and copy-editing services charged per page or per word depending on service type.
- Alternative Communication Formats: Production of Braille, Moon, Large Print, and audio files for accessibility compliance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Transparent per-unit pricing with no setup fees or minimum requirements |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Published rates available for specific services |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
dictate2us product offering
Product offeringCore offering
dictate2us Limited provides human-delivered audio and document transcription, translation across 200+ languages, interpretation (telephone and face-to-face), copy-typing, proofreading, copy-editing, voice-overs, subtitling and alternative communication format services. Services are sector-specialised across legal, medical, academic, business and financial sectors, delivered via a self-service web portal and the proprietary d2u Transcriber mobile app with digital dictation integrations.
Product overview
dictate2us operates as a comprehensive language services provider offering a portfolio of transcription, translation, and document processing services. The core offering includes transcription services (audio-to-text conversion with sector-specific specialists), translation (supporting over 200 languages with a one-year guarantee), and interpretation (including consecutive, simultaneous, and telephone interpretation). Supporting services include copy-typing, proofreading, copy-editing, voice-overs, subtitling, and alternative communication formats (Braille, Moon, Large Print). A key differentiator is the proprietary d2u Transcriber mobile application for iOS and Android that enables direct audio recording and upload for transcription. The company integrates with third-party dictation platforms (Lexacom, BigHand, Winscribe) and accepts files via multiple channels including web upload, email, landline dictation, and the mobile app.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- d2u Transcriber™: A unique mobile application developed by dictate2us that allows users to create, edit and complete digital recordings and have them accurately and efficiently transcribed. Available on Apple (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) and Android devices.
Products and services
- Audio Transcription
- Document Transcription
- Translation
- Interpretation
- Copy-typing
- Proofreading
- Copy-editing
- Voice-overs
- Subtitling
- Alternative Communication Formats
- d2u Transcriber Mobile App
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% accuracy rate guaranteed across all transcription services
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use dictate2us
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
dictate2us technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability3 records
Feature3 records
dictate2us partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- LexacomcoreLexacom provides advanced digital dictation and workflow solutions through their Lexacom 3 software. Users can integrate seamlessly with dictate2us to access outsourced transcription services as and when needed, providing flexibility for managing resources effectively. The integration offers secure outsourced transcription, speech recognition, and workflow management.
- BigHandcoreBigHand is a global leader in digital dictation and speech technologies with over 170,000 users and 1,600 customer organizations. BigHand customers can submit voice files directly to dictate2us via the BigHand Outsourcing Module. BigHand is a Microsoft Gold Partner, BlackBerry ISV Partner, and backed by Bridgepoint Development Capital.
- PayPalminorPayPal is integrated into the dictate2us online transcription platform for easy and convenient online payments. Customers can pay for services using PayPal through the online platform.
- Realex PaymentsminorRealex Payments is one of Europe's largest and fastest growing online payment gateways, processing payments valued in excess of £18bn per annum on behalf of 12,000 retailers throughout Europe. Founded in 2000 and privately owned.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
dictate2us competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GoTranscript: GoTranscript is a UK-headquartered transcription services provider competing directly on per-minute pricing, human transcription quality, and multi-sector coverage (academic, legal, medical, business).
- Rev: Rev is a US-based direct competitor offering human and AI-powered transcription, captioning, and translation services with per-minute pricing, mirroring dictate2us's core service model and target SMB/professional customer base.
- TranscribeMe: TranscribeMe provides audio-to-text transcription with hybrid AI/human workflows, serving academic, market research, and legal customers — directly comparable to dictate2us's per-minute transcription offering.
- 3Play Media: 3Play Media specializes in transcription, captioning, subtitling, and audio description for media and enterprise video — overlapping with dictate2us's subtitling, closed-caption, and accessibility format services.
Emerging players
- Trint: Trint offers AI-powered transcription with collaborative editing for journalists, media, and enterprise content teams, representing the AI-first emerging approach that competes with dictate2us's traditional human transcription model.
- Appen: Appen provides data annotation and transcription services for AI training, representing an adjacent emerging competitor and potential disruptor to dictate2us's human-in-the-loop transcription model.
- Otter.ai: Otter.ai provides AI-driven meeting transcription with subscription SaaS pricing, competing for enterprise and academic customers that dictate2us also serves — particularly in the academia segment.
Broad incumbents
- RWS Group: RWS (formerly SDL) is a global language services and content management incumbent offering translation, interpretation, and localization at enterprise scale — a broad competitor to dictate2us's translation and multilingual services.
- TransPerfect: TransPerfect is one of the world's largest language services and translation providers with global enterprise reach, overlapping with dictate2us on translation, interpretation, and multilingual content services.
- LanguageLine Solutions: LanguageLine Solutions is a large-scale incumbent in interpretation and translation services with strong NHS and public-sector presence, competing with dictate2us on telephone interpretation and document translation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
dictate2us social profiles
Digital presencedictate2us compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
dictate2us financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
dictate2us leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
dictate2us funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
dictate2us M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about dictate2us
What does dictate2us do?
dictate2us Limited provides human-delivered audio and document transcription, translation across 200+ languages, interpretation (telephone and face-to-face), copy-typing, proofreading, copy-editing, voice-overs, subtitling and alternative communication format services. Services are sector-specialised across legal, medical, academic, business and financial sectors, delivered via a self-service web portal and the proprietary d2u Transcriber mobile app with digital dictation integrations.
Is dictate2us a public or private company?
dictate2us is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was dictate2us founded?
dictate2us was founded in 2006. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is dictate2us based?
dictate2us is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does dictate2us make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Transcription Services are the primary driver. The others are translation Services, interpretation Services, typing and Editing Services and alternative Communication Formats.
Who are dictate2us's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GoTranscript, Rev, TranscribeMe and 3Play Media. Emerging players are Trint, Appen and Otter.ai. Broad incumbents are RWS Group, TransPerfect and LanguageLine Solutions.
Does dictate2us have an API?
No public API is recorded for dictate2us.
What industry is dictate2us in?
dictate2us's product category is Transcription and Translation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAAAKAI, Transcription & Data Capture (Audio/Video to Text), with a secondary code of BPAMACAJ, Multilingual/Translation Communication Apps. Its NAICS code is 541930 and its SIC code is 7370.