How Much Does a Deposition Transcript Cost?

Under the assumptions shown on this page, a court reporter's standard-delivery original transcript of a 2-hour deposition is an industry estimate of about $360 to $550, including an appearance fee. AI transcription of a 2-hour recording with Juris Compiler costs $90, at $0.75 per minute.

The two figures do not buy the same thing. The reporter's figure is for a certified original transcript. The $90 is for a working transcript of a recording you already have, which you review before you rely on it.

The estimate at common deposition lengths

The table itemizes the court reporter estimate at four lengths and sets the Juris Compiler price for the same recording beside it.

In the 2-hour row, 80 pages and the appearance fee add up to $360 to $550. The pricing page uses the same model, so its calculator gives the same figures.

What drives a court reporter's price

A court reporting invoice is usually built from two main parts, plus extras. The estimate covers the two main parts, and the extras it leaves out are listed with the calculator below.

The per-page rate and the page count

The original transcript is typically billed by the page, and the estimate uses a standard-delivery rate. Expedited or same-day delivery costs more. Because the rate is per page, the page count drives the total. A standard transcript page holds 25 lines, and the model assumes about 40 pages per hour of testimony. The real count depends on how much is said, so it can come in higher or lower.

The appearance or per diem fee

Reporters may also charge for their time at the deposition, by the hour or by the day. The estimate treats it as an hourly fee, so a longer deposition raises both the page count and the fee.

Recording costs and copies

Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure (FRCP) 30(b)(3)(A), the party that notices a deposition bears the recording costs. Copies are covered by Rule 30(f)(3): when paid reasonable charges, the officer must furnish a copy of the transcript or recording to any party or the deponent.

Estimate a different length

Move the slider to the length of your recording, from 15 minutes to 7 hours. The calculator uses the same model as the table. Below it you will find every assumption behind the court reporter figure and the extras the estimate leaves out.

How Juris Compiler pricing works

• Per minute, per file. You pay $0.75 per minute of audio or video. Each file is rounded up to the whole minute, with a 1-minute minimum. A 1-hour hearing is $45, a 2-hour deposition is $90, and a 4-hour session is $180.
• Estimate first, exact amount at checkout. The upload panel shows an estimated price. The billable length is then measured on our server from the file itself, and Stripe's hosted checkout page shows the exact amount for you to approve before you pay.
• Batches. You can add up to 10 files in one upload and pay once. Each file is rounded separately.
• No subscription. There is no subscription and no monthly minimum.
• Free minutes. Sign up with Google or Facebook and you get 30 free minutes, no credit card. It is a one-time allowance, applied as a credit, and only time beyond it is billed. A transcript processed entirely on free minutes cannot export the PDF or SRT.

What the $90 buys, and what it does not

Here is what a paid 2-hour file includes, and what it leaves out.

What you get

• An English-language, speaker-labeled transcript. Speakers are labeled A, B, C until you name them.
• A timestamp and a confidence score on every line, so uncertain lines stand out for review.
• In-place corrections. The original wording, who changed it, and when are kept as an audit trail.
• Case intelligence: a plain-English summary, legal issues, key parties, and possible actions.
• A contradiction finder that flags statements in tension within the transcript, and Ask the Record answers grounded in the transcript.
• First-draft documents, including a deposition designation sheet that cites timestamps, which you then map to the certified page:line.
• A formatted PDF with numbered lines and timestamps, and an SRT caption file.

The demo page shows the transcript view, case intelligence, the contradiction finder, and Ask the Record in a worked example with a fictional deposition. No account is needed.

What you do not get

• A certified transcript. The Rule 30(f)(1) certificate comes from the officer, not software, and the court reporter vs. AI transcription guide explains what it covers. The output here is a working transcript for review.
• An oath. Under Rule 30(b)(5)(A), the officer's opening statement includes administering the oath or affirmation to the deponent. That is a person's function, not software.
• A realtime feed. Juris Compiler works from a finished recording and returns the transcript afterward.
• The record on appeal. That relies on the certified transcript from the reporter of record.
• Page:line layout or human proofreading. The PDF numbers each line and shows its timestamp, but it is not laid out as 25-line pages. No person proofreads the file. You do.
• Playback. There is no audio or video player, and the uploaded file is deleted after transcription, so keep your own copy.

Those rule references are federal, and state rules differ.

Questions to ask when you get a court reporting quote

Quotes are not all itemized the same way. These questions put them on equal terms.

• What is the per-page rate for the original transcript, and what is it for a copy?
• Does the page count assume 25 lines per page?
• What delivery time does that rate assume, and what does expedited or same-day delivery cost?
• Is there an appearance or per diem fee, and is it charged by the hour or by the day?
• Are rough drafts, a realtime feed, exhibit scanning, a videographer, shipping, or travel included, or billed separately?
• Are there minimum charges, cancellation fees, or extra charges if the deposition runs long?
• What formats will the transcript come in, and will it carry the reporter's certificate?
• How will the other parties order copies, and at what rate?

A lower page rate can still produce a higher total once extras are billed separately, so the totals are the fairer comparison.