Review and comparison of the Top Closed Captioning Services with Features. Get to know which best Closed Captioning Software you can pick from this list:
Closed captioning is the process of adding text to video content to provide a visual representation of the audio content. The text appears on the screen in real-time and is synchronized with the audio.
Closed captioning is used to enhance the accessibility of video content for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as for people who may be watching in noisy environments or for those who may not understand the language spoken in the video.
I have been noticing more and more videos with closed captions. YouTubers, Instagrammers, Facebook users, and anyone creating videos today use captions.
That’s a good thing for many reasons. Many of my readers are video creators, and they are interested in knowing about the captioning services they can use. So, here I am with a list of the best closed captioning software you can use. I have mentioned their features, pros, cons, and how to use them.
Table of Contents:
Most Popular Closed Captioning Services – Review
What is Closed Captioning Software
Closed captioning software is a computer program that is used to create and edit closed captions for video content. Closed captioning software typically offers a range of features that enable users to create high-quality captions that are synchronized with the audio content.
Some of the features commonly found in closed captioning software include:
- Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR): This feature uses speech recognition technology to automatically transcribe audio content and generate captions.
- Caption Editing Tools: These tools enable users to edit captions and adjust timing to ensure that they are synchronized with the audio content.
- Caption Styling Options: Closed captioning software allows users to customize the appearance of the captions by choosing the font, size, color, and position on the screen.
- Exporting and Embedding Options: Closed captioning software allows users to export the captions in various file formats, such as SRT or WebVTT, which can be embedded into the video file or used for other purposes.
- Real-time Captioning: Some closed captioning software offers real-time captioning capabilities, which enable users to create captions in real-time as the video is playing.
There are various closed captioning software available on the market, ranging from free, open-source options to high-end professional software. The choice of software will depend on the user’s needs, budget, and level of expertise.
Suggested Reading => Voice and Speech Recognition Software for Mac and Windows
Market Trends: Did you know 85% of Facebook videos are watched on mute? I watch most videos on YouTube, Insta, and Facebook, on mute, mostly while commuting or waiting. I often forget my earphones, so I prefer the ones with captions. I just scroll by the ones without captions.
And it’s not just that, a study shows that 23% of customers in restaurants prefer to watch TV on mute with captions. According to the same study, captions can improve language learning.
Watching a movie in a foreign language with captions in your native tongue allows you to enjoy that movie and enhances your knowledge of that language. Captions are also beneficial for people who can’t hear. Also, captions help children improve their reading level.
According to another study, 80% of consumers are more likely to watch complete videos if there are captions and it is mostly because they watch the videos on mute.
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Expert Advice: Don’t get confused with the abundance of closed or live captioning services available in the market. The accuracy and the quality of the closed captions are the most important factors to consider. Look for a service that has a high accuracy rate, as this will ensure that the captions are easy to read and understand.
Also, if you need your captions done quickly, it’s important to consider the turnaround time of the service. Before you pick one, check its pricing and features as well to see if they meet your needs for captioning.
List of the Best Closed Captioning Services
Here is a list of Captioning Services:
- 3play Media
- Aberdeen Broadcast Services
- Archive Captioning
- CaptionMaker
- GoTranscript
- Vitac
- CaptionLabs
- Scribie
- Amara
- YouTube
- Rev
Comparing the Top Caption Services
| App Name | Best For | Pros | Cons | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3play Media | Government compliant captioning | Integration with more than 20+ video platforms | Clunky user interface | $2.95 per minute |
| Aberdeen Broadcast Services | Multi-language subtitling, and voice dubbing | Live and Offline captioning | Slow turnaround time compared to Rev and 3Play Media | Request a quote |
| Archive Captioning | Real-time captioning services for live broadcasts and streaming | Best real-time captioning | Can be a little expensive | Request a quote |
| CaptionMaker | Bulk captioning multiple videos | Automatically detects and highlights poorly synchronized captions | Only available for Windows | From $2,043 to $16,520 |
Detailed Reviews:
#1) 3Play Media
Best for government-compliant captioning.
If you are looking for captions that are also compliant with FCC, ADA, and CVAA’s latest regulations, 3play Media is what you need. You get rock-solid compliance, fast turnaround times, and accurate transcription.
There are two rounds of editing to ensure accuracy, and the turnaround can vary from two hours to four days, depending on the length of the video. You can upload the video or add the link, and once captioning is done, you can download it in over 50 file formats. It also has an audio description and translation tool.
Features:
- Two-step captioning process for accuracy
- Real-time tracking for progress
- Fast turnaround time
- Supports more than 50 file formats
- Government regulation compliant
Pros:
- Accurate captions
- Integration with more than 20+ video platforms
- Audio description and Translation tools
- Real-time tracking
- Additional Language Support
Cons:
- Clunky user interface
- Cumbersome bulk upload and download completed files
How to Use 3Play Media:
- Go to the website
- Click on Services
- Select Captioning
- Select the Plan and create your account
- Upload your file
- Select the type of service you want
- Specify the turnaround time
- Wait for them to finish captioning and download it in your preferred format
Verdict: If you are looking for captioning services that align with government regulations, 3play Media is your best choice. The captioning is accurate and quick.
Price:
- Express Plan: Closed Captioning & Transcription: $2.95 per minute
- Spanish Captioning & Transcription: $4.50 per minute
- English Standard Audio Description: $9.00 per minute
- English Extended Audio Description: $14.00 per minute
For pro and Enterprise Plans, you will have to fill out a requirement form to view pricing for specific functions.
Website: 3Play Media
#2) Aberdeen Broadcast Services
Best for multi-language subtitling and voice dubbing.
Aberdeen broadcast services is one of my favourite services when it comes to real-time captioning. With this, you can make sure that your live event, broadcast, or meeting is accessible to a large audience and is compliant with government regulations.
It is a paid programming solution that effectively manages the final preparation of your video for broadcast ot web-based platforms.
Features:
- Real-time and offline captioning services
- Transcode and broadcast distribution
- Accurate captioning
- multi-language subtitling, translation, and dubbing
- Access to 800+ stations worldwide
Pros:
- A wide range of services
- Live and Offline captioning
- Multi-language support
- Accurate captioning
- Timely delivery
Cons:
- Trouble uploading big files
- Slow turnaround time compared to Rev and 3Play Media
How to Use Aberdeen Broadcast Services:
- Go to the website
- Select the service you need
- Click on Request a quote
- Fill out the form and click send
Verdict: Whether you want live captioning or post captioning, you can rely on Aberdeen Broadcast Services. They also offer subtitling, voice dubbing, and services for TV stations and producers.
Price: Request a Quote
Website: Aberdeen Broadcast Services
#3) Archive Captioning & Interpreting
Best for real-time captioning services for live broadcasts and streaming.
Archive Captioning service offers real-time captioning for your live broadcasts and streamings. They have captioners who use stenograph machines to convert audio into text in real-time. That’s why they deliver results with an extremely high level of accuracy. It is one of the best real-time captioning services.
You can use it for Zoom meetings, webinars, and video conferencing. It also allows you to edit how your captions are placed and includes sound effects as well.
Features:
- Zoom captioning
- Multi-language support
- Multiple levels of security check
- Live captioning
- Stenograph machines for converting audio into text
Pros:
- Accurate captions
- Same day turnaround
- Multi-language captioning
- Multi-platform integration
- Live captioning for Zoom and team meeting
Cons:
- Need to request a quote for pricing and get any services
- Could be a little expensive for your requirement
How to Use Archive Captioning:
- Go to the website
- Click on Services
- Select Captioning and Transcribing Services
- Click on Virtual Meetings
- Fill out the form to Request a Quote
- Hit Submit
Someone from the support team will reach you for further details and fill you in on how they will deliver their services to you.
Verdict: Archive Captioning is a pretty straightforward caption service and frankly, the best one for live captioning. If you need it for live broadcasts and meetings, you can reach them for the best and most accurate captioning without lag.
Price: Request a quote for pricing
Website: Archive Captioning & Interpreting
#4) CaptionMaker
Best for bulk captioning multiple videos.
CaptionMaker is an automated closed captioning service where you can upload your videos directly or add a link. I love it because I can create, edit, and encode videos here. If you prefer ultimate control over how the captions look, this is where you can check their accuracy and make sure they are aligned with each frame.
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You can also insert text, adjust the timing of the caption, convert it to different formats, and more. If you need bulk captioning, you have it here, and better than any other captioning service. Just upload multiple videos and let the automated software work on captioning. Moreover, it supports over 100 languages.
Features:
- Automated transcription
- Conversion into multiple formats
- Quality checks at multiple levels
- Multi-language support
- Video editor
Pros:
- Create and edit captions
- Multiple file format support
- Bulk captioning
- Automatically detects and highlights poorly synchronized captions
- Embedded captions and subtitles
Cons:
- Issues uploading bulk videos at times
- Only available for Windows
Verdict: This closed captioning service allows you to have complete control over captioning and transcription. You can edit captions, how they look in every frame, their timing, and everything else. Although, for me, it is like too much work, but if you are a control freak, this is your app.
Price:
- Desktop Edition: $2,043
- Pro Edition: $7,403
- Enterprise Edition: $16,520
Website: CaptionMaker
#5) GoTranscript
Best for accurate captions and transcriptions.
This is one of the best captioning services tailored to industry needs. This is where you should go if you want to caption enterprise, academic, legal, or medical work. They guarantee quality and accuracy despite the accent, industry, or language.
Yes, that means it offers multi-lingual support. The turnaround time starts at 6 hours, and it allows you to specify the turnaround time for rush delivery.
Features:
- Tailored to industry needs
- Custom orders & integration
- Quick turnaround time
- Easy ordering
- Accurate captioning
Pros
- Dedicated Account Executive
- Very accurate captioning irrespective of accent
- User-friendly interface
- Simple caption editor
- Rush delivery
Cons:
- Can’t connect to YouTube
- A little expensive
Verdict: I have used GoTranscript, and I loved it, despite its premium pricing. The only thing that bothered me was that it doesn’t have direct YouTube integration, I had to upload the SRT file afterwards. However, I still like this captioning service after Rev.
Pricing:
- Transcription:
- 5-day service: $0.84/min
- 3-day service: $1.03/min
- 1-day service: $1.22/min
- 6-12 hour service: $2.34/min
- Captioning:
- 5-day service: $1.22/min
- 3-day service: $1.40/min
- 1-day service: $1.68/min
- 6-12 hour service: $2.81/min
- Translation:
- Audio/Video:
- From $8.80/minute (Classic language pairs)
- From $17.60/minute (Exclusive language pairs)
- Text:
- From $0.07/minute (Classic language pairs)
- From $0.13/minute (Exclusive language pairs)
- Audio/Video:
- Subtitles:
- 12-72 Hours: From $9.35/min
Website: GoTranscript
#6) VITAC
Best for live captioning for programs such as YouTube live, Zoom, LiveStream, Adobe Connect, and Skype for Business.
VITAC is the largest captioning service provider in the US, and they have captioning professionals. It is well known for live captioning for platforms like YouTube Live, Zoom, Skype, Adobe Connect, and LiveStream.
You can also use their services for offline captioning for platforms like Broadnet, Facebook, and Twitter. They have extended their services to some of the well-known names like CNN, CNBC, Fox, Bravo, and BBC America.
Features:
- 24/7 assistance
- Live captioning
- Accurate and Professional Services
- Multi-language support
- A wide range of services
Pros:
- Captioning by trained professionals
- Round-the-clock customer support
- Industry-wide experience
- Quick turnaround time
- Integration with many live and prerecorded event platforms
Cons
- Price available on request
- Could be expensive
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Verdict: If you want quality captioning services that are in line with government regulations and are meant for big platforms, VITAC is where you will find it. They offer a wide range of services and have catered to some of the well-known platforms. I haven’t used it yet and they have no pricing mentioned on the website.
However, I can make an educated guess that they will not come cheap. Nevertheless, if you want quality, you can blindly rely on them.
Price: Request a Quote
Website: VITAC
#7) CaptionLabs
Best for perfect captions for urgent projects.
If you are on a deadline and need a perfect captioning service urgently, you can turn to CaptionLabs. Here, you can also find other services like broadcast captions, dubbing in a different language, and captions for live or archived webcasts.
They have a turnaround time of 24 hours or less. They have digital delivery, which means you get everything over the internet and fast. You can use their overdubbing feature to reach the audience that speaks a different language. It’s amazing the way they do things and the things they can do.
Features:
- Broadcast captions
- Urgent delivery
- Multi-language support
- Webcast captions
- Digital delivery
Pros:
- Quick turnaround time
- Digital and physical delivery
- Multiple file formats
- Multiple Language Support
- A wide range of services
Cons:
- Need to provide your email to know their pricing
- It’s a bit expensive
Pricing:
- Roll-up captions: $8/minute (Standard), $180 (Minimum)
- Pop-on captions: $12/minute (Standard), $250 (Minimum)
- Subtitles: $10/minute (Standard), $225 (Minimum)
Website: CaptionLabs
#8) Scribie
Best for a fast and accurate captioning service.
Scribie has both manual and automated captioning services, like all the others I have listed above. Just like them all, their manual captioning is more accurate than the automated ones.
They offer automated captioning at a lower price as compared to the manual ones and faster as well. There is a free transcription editor on Scribie that you can use to edit captions online. If you want more accurate transcription, go for their manual captioning service.
Features:
- Maintains confidentiality
- Accurate captioning
- Free Online Editor
- Hassle-free service
- User-friendly website
Pros:
- Quick turnaround time
- Extremely accurate results
- Proofreading and quality check
- Simple interface
- Pay as you go
Cons:
- Issues with automated captions
- Manual captioning is a little expensive, especially with add-ons
Verdict: You want quick, accurate, and hassle-free captioning service, Scribie is among the best choices. You can also count on them for confidentiality. Also, there is a free editor where you can make adjustments to the captions. I like its simplicity.
Price:
- Automated: $0.10/min
- Manual: $0.80/min
Website: Scribie
#9) Amara
Best for creating your own manual captions for free.
I can’t end this article without mentioning a free captioning service. So, here’s one of the best free closed captioning software where you can create your own captions.
Amara is simple and easy to use. Upload your video, enter the caption, and adjust it to sync with the audio. You can use keyboards to move your captions around. So, if you already have a transcription, adjusting it becomes easy and fast.
Features:
- Free platform
- Allows you to create captions manually
- Fast and easy
- Free editor
- User-friendly interface
Pros:
- Free subtitle editor
- High-quality captions
- Multi-language support
- Multiple formats
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Limited services
- It’s a bit expensive
Verdict: Its free caption editor is a good option if you have the caption and you just want to edit it. However, I will not, in good faith, recommend using the paid service. If you are willing to pay for caption services, I suggest you go for the above-mentioned services.
Price:
- Amara Public: Free
- Amara Plus: $24 per month for 2 users and $12 per additional user
- Contact Support for Amara Enterprise and Amara Integrated plans
Website: Amara
#10) YouTube
Best for watching and uploading videos.
Everyone knows YouTube. It is the world’s second-largest search engine, with over 2 billion users, and is primarily known for watching and uploading videos.
Those who upload videos here must already know that it has a built-in captioning feature. You can easily create closed captions on YouTube. Just upload the video and you can access the captioning option in the Creator Studio.
You can even pick a language. YouTube will automatically create captions for you. However, the captions will not be as accurate as the ones from premium services but if you want something easy and free, you can always consider YouTube.
Features:
- Free caption maker
- Easy to use
- Automatic caption generation
- Multi-language support
- Simple user-interface
Pros:
- Hassle-free captions
- Easy and free to use
- Automatic captions
- Multi-language support
- Instant captions
Cons:
- Accuracy is low
- Issues with editing
Verdict: If you want captions for personal videos or reels, you can count on YouTube to deliver instant automatic captions. You can edit and use them easily. However, if you are looking for something professional and accurate, this is not the place to look for.
Price: Free
Website: YouTube
#11) Rev
Best for quality captioning and fast turnaround.
Rev is a user-friendly captioning service with a turnaround of between 12-24 hours, the fastest among caption services. It supports many formats. You can upload videos, add URL files, or copy-paste links from video streaming services like YouTube and Vimeo. There are options for manual and automatic transcription.
Manual transcription is handled by a huge community of freelancers, while an advanced speech recognition AI handles automatic transcription. With its built-in video editing tool, you can edit your final video to ensure the captions fit perfectly into each frame. You can also embed permanent captions in your videos.
Features:
- Impressive community of freelancer manual transcribers
- Options for manual and automatic captioning
- Built-in video editor
- Fast turnaround
- Round-the-clock caption service
Pros:
- Fastest turnaround
- Easy to use
- Very accurate transcription
- Quick conversion of media files to text
- Affordable
Cons:
- Fails to catch accent
- Poor quality of audio files at times
How to Use Rev:
- Go to the website
- Click on Services
- Select Video Captions & Subtitles
- Click on English Closed Captions
- Click on Caption your video
- Select the location of your video
- Select a file to upload or add a URL
- Make the payment
- Now wait for Rev to finish the captioning and send it back to you.
Verdict: I love Rev. It has the fastest turnaround time and high level of accuracy. Moreover, it is an affordable captioning service. If you want quick captioning, this is your best option.
Price:
- $1.50 per minute for manual captions
- $0.25 per minute for automated captions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to close caption?
Cost of close captioning ranges from $1 to $15 per minute. The cost can increase for multiple speakers, caption formats, resubmissions, or video platform integrations.
What is the best 3rd party closed captioning service for Zoom?
VITAC is one of the best closed captioning services for Zoom live calls.
Can I do my own closed captioning?
It can take a lot of time to transcribe a video yourself. You can use a captioning service like Rev, CaptionMaker, and GoTranscript.
Is there a closed caption software?
3play Media, CaptionMake, VITAC are some of the closed captioning services you can try.
How do I get professional closed captioning?
Search for professional closed captioning services online and on social media. You can also post your requirements on websites like LinkedIn. Professionals will get in touch with you. Or, you can also ask your friends and relatives for references, in case they know anyone.
What is the largest closed captioning company?
VITAC is one of the largest closed captioning companies.
Which is better closed caption or subtitles?
Whether closed captions or subtitles are better depends on the intended audience and the purpose of the text. If the viewer does not understand the language spoken in the audio, subtitles would be more appropriate. If the viewer has difficulty hearing or understanding the audio, closed captions would be more helpful.
How much does live captioning cost per hour?
The cost of live captioning per hour can vary depending on several factors such as the type of event, the language(s) being captioned, the quality and accuracy of the captions, and the availability of the captioning service.
Generally, live captioning services can cost anywhere from $75 to $500 per hour. The cost may be higher for specialized events such as medical or legal conferences, where the captioner may require a higher level of expertise in the relevant subject matter.
Additionally, if the event requires multiple languages to be captioned simultaneously, the cost may be higher due to the need for additional captioners. It’s always best to contact several captioning service providers and compare their rates and quality of service to find the best fit for your needs and budget.
Conclusion
Generating captions is a tiring job. With these Closed Captioning Services, you can get that done easily at a cost. Rev and 3Play Media are two of my favourite premium captioning services. However, if I want the caption for a small video or I just need a little editing, I do it with Amara.
YouTube is a good captioning service as well, but not accurate. For more professional captioning needs, you can go for VITAC, Aberdeen Broadcast Services, or Archive Captioning. So, get your captions done right.
Research Process:
- Time Taken to Research and Write this Article on Closed Captioning Services: 45 Hours
- Total Closed Captioning Services Researched: 40
- Total Closed Captioning Services Shortlisted: 11