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10
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Table of contents:
What to consider when choosing a caption app
9 best caption apps for video and audio
Best overall caption app: Riverside
Best caption app for Android: CapCut
Best caption app for iPhone: Clips by Apple
Best caption app for Mac: Final Cut Pro
Best caption app for Windows: PowerDirector
Best caption app for social media: Zubtitle
Best caption app for live streaming: StreamText
Best captioning app for customization: MixCaptions
Key takeaways:
- Benefits of captions: Adding captions to videos enhances accessibility, improves SEO, and increases audience engagement, especially for viewers watching videos without sound.
- App selection criteria: When choosing a captioning app, consider factors like price, ease of use, accuracy, language support, and compatibility with your devices and editing tools.
- Diverse needs, diverse apps: Specific apps cater to different needs, such as CapCut for Android users, Clips by Apple for iPhone users, and Zubtitle for social media creators looking to add captions effortlessly.
- Riverside's strengths: Riverside stands out as the best overall captioning app. It offers free, highly accurate AI-powered transcription, supports over 100 languages, and allows easy customization of captions, including font, size, and placement.
Adding captions to your videos might feel like one more thing on your to-do list, but trust me, it's worth it. It also doesn’t have to be a headache.
The trickiest part? Picking the right tool for the job. That’s why I’ve put together this guide to the nine best caption apps for videos, no matter what device you’re using. Let’s take a look!
What to consider when choosing a caption app
With so many options, selecting the best captioning app for your needs can feel overwhelming. Here are some key criteria to help you make an informed decision:
Price
Your budget and the value you expect from the app should play a significant role in your choice. Free apps can be appealing, but they often lack advanced features or may compromise on quality. Compare pricing plans and assess whether a paid app offers extra value, such as faster turnaround times, advanced customization, or superior accuracy. Always balance affordability with your specific needs.
Usability
An app’s ease of use is critical, especially if you’re on a tight schedule. Look for tools with intuitive interfaces and streamlined workflows to caption your videos quickly and efficiently. Features like drag-and-drop uploads, real-time previews, or automatic syncing can make the process much smoother, even for beginners.
Accuracy
Accuracy is non-negotiable. A captioning app should be able to produce reliable transcriptions with minimal errors, particularly if you’re dealing with technical terms, industry-specific jargon, or multiple speakers. Check user reviews or try a demo to ensure the app meets your expectations before committing.
Customization
Captions should align with your video’s style and brand identity. Choose an app that lets you customize font styles, sizes, colors, and positioning. Some apps even allow you to add special effects like animations or keyword highlights, which can be beneficial for social media content.
Language support
If your audience speaks multiple languages, ensure the app supports captioning in those languages. Look for tools with multilingual transcription capabilities or translation features to expand your reach and engage a global audience.
Compatibility
Your captioning app should integrate seamlessly with the devices and software you already use. Check if it supports your operating system (e.g., Windows, macOS, Android, iOS) and whether it can export captions in formats compatible with your editing tools or publishing platforms.
Speed and efficiency
Consider an app that prioritizes fast processing and automatic transcription for time-sensitive projects. Apps with real-time captioning and batch-processing features can save you significant time handling multiple videos.
9 best caption apps for video and audio
Adding captions to your videos is essential for boosting accessibility, engagement, and reach.
Whether you're a content creator, business professional, or social media enthusiast, the right captioning app can save you time while enhancing your videos.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the best caption apps for video and audio across different devices and use cases, so you can find the perfect fit for your needs.
Best overall caption app: Riverside
Price: Free; paid plans start at $15/month
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
Captioning videos shouldn’t feel overwhelming, and Riverside ensures it doesn’t. From AI transcription to customization, they’ve thought of everything. Whether you're a creator like me, a business owner, or an educator, the app is designed to take the stress out of captioning your content.
Riverside’s AI transcription tool delivers near-perfect accuracy - up to 99%, to be exact. It supports over 100 languages, making it perfect for anyone catering to an international audience. Plus, you can tweak captions to match your brand or style with easy customization options for font, size, color, and placement.
One of my favorite features is speaker detection. It automatically identifies who’s talking, so your captions stay neat and clear, even with multiple voices in the mix. And if long recording sessions make you nervous about losing data, don’t worry. Riverside’s real-time progressive uploads have your back.
The best part? You don’t need to be a video editing pro to get started. Riverside’s clean and straightforward interface makes it easy for anyone to start creating (really!).
Riverside’s captioning tool is just one cool feature of this all-in-one video recording and editing platform. Unlike most captioning tools, Riverside allows you to record, edit, and share your content with top platforms. You can even livestream directly from Riverside. I recommend signing up for Riverside and using the full suite of editing tools, including transcriptions and captioning. But if you just want a quick transcript, try their free transcription tool.
Key features:
- Fast, accurate transcription: Automatically transcribe audio and video as you record with up to 99% accuracy. Transcribe or translate your content into more than 100 languages.
- Customization options: Tailor captions by adjusting font, size, color, and positioning to align with specific branding or aesthetic preferences.
- Support for multiple caption formats: Use open or closed captions, allowing for flexibility in how captions are displayed to your audience.
- Speaker detection: Get crystal clear transcripts separated by speaker, making editing easier.
- Real-time progressive uploads: Minimize the risk of data loss during lengthy sessions as content is progressively uploaded to the cloud.
Best caption app for Android: CapCut
Price: Free
Compatibility: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac
If you use Android and want an easy way to add captions to your videos, I recommend trying CapCut. It’s designed primarily for mobile use, and one of its standout features is Auto Captions, which uses AI to generate captions from your audio automatically.
Honestly, I was impressed by how accurate it was—even when I spoke quickly! You can tweak the captions to match your style, changing the font, size, color, and placement. You’ll love that it can translate captions into 24 languages if you have an international audience.
But it’s not just about captions. CapCut has many editing tools, from transitions and effects to pre-designed templates that let you quickly create polished videos. If you’re not super experienced with video editing, don’t worry - the app is beginner-friendly. It’s also owned by the same company that owns TikTok (ByteDance), so it provides seamless TikTok integration.
Key features:
- Auto captions: Get accurate, AI-generated captions that are easy to edit and customize.
- Customization options: Adjust font, size, color, and placement to fit your branding or aesthetic.
- Multi-language support: Generate captions in various languages to reach a wider audience.
- Social media integration: Share content directly to TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms.
- Professional-grade editing tools: Multi-track editing, transitions, effects, and more for polished videos.
- Pre-designed templates: Create stunning videos quickly with ready-to-use templates.
Best caption app for iPhone: Clips by Apple
Price: Free
Compatibility: iOS
I'm an iPhone user, and can confirm Clips by Apple is an excellent option for adding captions to your videos. It’s free, super simple to use, and even has some fun extras to get creative with.
The star of the show is Live Titles. While recording, just talk; the app magically adds captions in real time. It even supports multiple languages, so you're covered if you’re trying to connect with a diverse audience.
Sharing is also simple. You can send your videos directly through Messages or email or post them to social platforms like Instagram or YouTube. I use iCloud a lot, so being able to start editing on one Apple device and finish on another was a huge bonus.
Note that Clips is aimed at casual users and social media enthusiasts. It is probably not the best choice for users who want professional-quality recording and editing tools.
Key features:
- Live titles: Generate captions in real-time as you record; transcribe or translate them in multiple languages.
- Artistic filters and effects: For a creative touch, add dynamic filters, stickers, emojis, and animated text.
- Selfie scenes and AR spaces: Transform your background with immersive 360-degree scenes or AR effects.
- Music integration: Access a library of soundtracks or use your personal collection, with tracks that automatically adjust to your video length.
- Easy sharing: Seamlessly share your creations via Messages, email, or social media platforms.
Best caption app for Mac: Final Cut Pro
Price: $299.99 (one-time purchase)
Compatibility: macOS
If you’re a Mac user looking to caption your videos, let me tell you, Final Cut Pro is a game-changer. This pro-level video editing software makes adding and managing captions super easy and incredibly precise.
What really sets Final Cut Pro apart is how smoothly it handles captions. It supports multiple formats, so whether you’re creating, editing, or exporting captions, it’s all seamless. And with version 11, they’ve upped their game with an AI-powered feature called Transcribe to Captions. It automatically generates captions right on the timeline. How cool is that?!
You can fine-tune caption timing and formatting so everything syncs perfectly with your video. It also has built-in validation tools to catch errors and ensure your captions meet broadcast standards. The only downside is that this professional-level video editing suite has a slight learning curve.
Key features:
- Transcribe to Captions: Automatically generate captions on your timeline using AI.
- Supports multiple caption formats: Including CEA-608, iTT, and more.
- Comprehensive editing tools: Allows for precise timing, formatting, and placement of captions.
- Caption validation: Checks for errors and ensures compliance with industry standards.
- All-in-one solution: Combines advanced video editing features with robust captioning tools in one platform.
Best caption app for Windows: PowerDirector
Price: Free version available; premium version is $51.99/year
Compatibility: Windows, MacOS
PowerDirector by CyberLink is a fantastic choice for Windows users for video captioning. It’s packed with features to make adding and customizing captions easy, even if you’re new to editing.
I love how it strikes the perfect balance between powerful features and being super easy to use. The Speech-to-Text feature is a total time-saver. It automatically turns your audio into captions, so you can skip the tedious typing. Plus, you get complete control over how your captions look—choose the font, size, color, and position to perfectly match your video’s vibe.
Flexibility is another win here. PowerDirector works with multiple subtitle formats, so you can import, tweak, and export captions without breaking a sweat. They even have a dedicated Subtitle Room, where you can handle everything from syncing to formatting all in one place.
Overall, PowerDirector is a powerful video editing tool, but that means it isn’t the most user-friendly option for video editing newbies.
Key features:
- Speech-to-text: Automatically converts spoken dialogue into text captions in multiple languages.
- Customizable captions: Offers control over caption appearance.
- Multiple subtitle formats: Supports various formats for importing and exporting captions.
- Subtitle room: Dedicated workspace for adding, editing, and syncing subtitles.
Best caption app for social media: Zubtitle
Price: Free trial available; paid plans start at $19/month
Compatibility: Web-based; accessible via any browser
Zubtitle makes it surprisingly easy to add captions to social media videos. It’s built for social media creators like me who want to add captions without jumping through hoops.
Think about it: so many people scroll through social media with their sound off, which makes captions a must. Zubtitle uses AI to take the words you say in your video, turn them into captions, and sync them perfectly with the audio.
Additionally, you can add snappy headlines to grab attention, resize your videos for any platform, and even toss in progress bars to keep viewers hooked. Another benefit is that you can customize fonts, colors, and logos to match your style. Zubtitle also supports more than 60 languages. (Note that it can only be transcribed in the language of your video’s audio; it does not translate transcriptions.)
The best part? Zubtitle is super user-friendly. You'll feel right at home, even if you’re new to video editing.
Key features:
- Automatic transcription: Convert spoken words into accurate, timed captions using AI technology. Supports more than 60 languages.
- Customizable headlines: Add compelling titles to your videos to capture viewer attention.
- Video resizing: Effortlessly adjust your video's aspect ratio to suit different social media platforms.
- Progress bars: Include visual progress indicators to keep viewers engaged throughout the video.
- Brand customization: Personalize fonts, colors, and logos to maintain brand consistency across your content.
Best caption app for livestreaming: StreamText
Price: Usage-based pricing starting at $0.06 per minute
Compatibility: Web-based; compatible with major browsers
Whether it’s a corporate webinar, a legal briefing, or an educational seminar, StreamText makes livestreams more accessible - and stress-free.
This video captioning app delivers captions in real time, integrating seamlessly with your favorite streaming platforms. StreamText offers human and AI-powered real-time captioning, making it a unique option. Plus, it’s built to handle massive audiences, so even if you’ve got thousands of viewers tuning in, StreamText won’t miss a beat.
StreamText offers real-time translation into more than 130 languages. Accessibility is also a big win here - it’s compliant with Americans with Disabilities ACT (ADA) standards and works beautifully with screen readers like JAWS. You can even embed the StreamText live caption player directly into a web page to display live captions alongside your event’s content.
Key features:
- Real-time captioning: Delivers live captions through both human and AI-based services.
- Scalability: Supports large-scale events with up to 1,000 clients per event without additional fees.
- Multilingual translation: Offers real-time translation into more than 130 languages, enhancing global accessibility.
- Accessibility compliance: Provides custom viewing options compatible with screen readers, ensuring ADA compliance.
- Easy integration: Allows embedding of the caption player into any webpage and supports major browsers.
Best captioning app for customization: MixCaptions
Price: 3-minute free trial available; paid options vary between per-minute and monthly plans
Compatibility: iOS and Android
I want my captions to match my style and vibe, so I had to add MixCaptions to this list. Whether you're making videos for your business, teaching online, or just creating cool content, it helps your videos stand out while staying accessible and on-brand.
What’s awesome about MixCaptions is how it handles the hard stuff for you—like generating super-accurate transcriptions in multiple languages. But the real magic is the customization. I can play around with fonts, colors, and sizes and even decide exactly where my captions should go. It works seamlessly across platforms, so my captions always look on point.
MixCaptions also supports importing and exporting SRT files so that you can work across different platforms without a hitch. Plus, it has thoughtful extras like a profanity filter and an option to bleep audio - great for keeping your content professional or family-friendly. And if you’re sharing on social media, the built-in aspect ratio support makes sure your captions fit perfectly wherever you post your videos.
Key features:
- Automatic transcription: Quickly generates accurate captions in multiple languages, but it can only caption in the language of the speaker.
- Caption customization: You can control the font, size, color, and placement of your captions to ensure perfect alignment with your content.
- SRT file support: Makes importing and exporting captions across platforms easy.
- Aspect ratio support: Handles various vertical and square formats for social media optimization.
- Profanity filter: Automatically censors inappropriate language, adding bleep sounds if needed.
Best free captioning app: Amara
Price: Free
Compatibility: Web-based
If budget’s a concern, Amara is the ultimate free tool for creating captions that don’t skimp on quality. It’s especially popular with educators, nonprofits, and creators who want to make their content more accessible.
What makes Amara stand out for me is its collaborative vibe. Multiple people can work on a video’s captions at the same time, which is perfect for big projects or community-driven initiatives. It’s efficient, accurate, and fast.
Additionally, Amara supports multiple languages and integrates seamlessly with platforms like YouTube and Vimeo. Its user-friendly interface is great for beginners, but it lacks the editing features you’ll find in some other options on this list (like Riverside!).
Key features:
- Collaborative captioning: Enables teamwork for efficient and accurate captioning.
- Multilingual support: Provides tools for captioning in various languages, promoting global accessibility.
- Platform integration: Integrates with YouTube and Vimeo for a smooth workflow.
- Community-oriented: Perfect for projects that require teamwork.
- Intuitive interface: Easy to use for beginners while offering depth for advanced users.
FAQs on the best apps to caption videos
Still need more information? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.
How do I caption my videos?
To caption your videos, upload them or start recording directly on Riverside. The platform will automatically transcribe the audio into captions during the process. Once the transcription is complete, you can review and edit the captions within the platform to ensure accuracy.
If you decide to embed the captions into your video, you can customize the font, style, and placement. If you add captions as an SRT file instead, you can download them from your Riverside studio, which is ready for use on platforms like LinkedIn and YouTube. You can also try Riversides’ automatic, AI-powered transcription tool. Just upload your video and it will deliver an SRT file in a few minutes. Read How to Add Captions & Subtitles to Videos for more tips.
How do I add subtitles to a video automatically?
Riverside makes it super easy. Just upload your video or record it directly in the app. The AI-powered transcriber will automatically create subtitles synced to your audio. You can customize the subtitles' font, size, and position, then export your video with the subtitles integrated. You can also download your subtitles as an SRT file.
Can I add captions to videos in different languages?
Absolutely! Some apps, like Riverside, support multilingual transcription. You can create captions in multiple languages or even translate them for an international audience. Note that many caption apps that support various languages only transcribe in those languages - they don’t translate the content. If creating transcripts in multiple languages is important to you, look for a tool that can transcribe and translate your content, like Riverside.