Best Free & Paid Closed Captioning Software

Key takeaways

• Closed captions improve accessibility, reach, and watch-time, and are essential for SEO and engagement.
• The easiest way to generate closed captions is with AI captioning software like Riverside.
• Modern AI captioning is fast, extremely accurate, and much cheaper than human services.
• Export captions in formats like SRT or TXT for maximum compatibility with YouTube and social platforms.

Closed captions are no longer optional if you publish video content. They improve accessibility, engagement, and reach across platforms.

And adding them doesn’t take long. Closed captioning software uses AI to turn video audio into time-synced captions in minutes.

I tested the best free and paid closed captioning software to help you choose the right option for your needs. Below are my top 6 picks.

The 6 best free & paid closed caption software

Now that you understand what closed captioning is, let’s take a look at some of your options. There are human transcription services out there too. However, for the purposes of this guide, we will only be looking at closed captioning software. These apps and programs tend to be affordable, easy-to-use, and available at the touch of a button. 

1. Riverside

Price: Free plan; paid plans starting from $34/month

If you are a professional creator who wants to record, transcribe, edit, and repurpose all in one place, then Riverside is your best pick. Record everything locally in up to 4K video and 48kHz audio, so your transcripts start with the cleanest quality. 

Generate up to 99% accurate transcripts in 100+ languages immediately after recording. You can also translate videos in up to 30 languages with your lips synced in videos to match. Download your transcripts as SRT files for captions or TXT for writing and content workflows. 

With text-based editing, trim your video simply by deleting words from the transcript, just like you’re editing a document. Then customize your layout, add branding, style your auto-captions, and export polished content in minutes.

But it doesn’t end here. 

Co-Creator, Riverside’s AI assistant can "read" your transcript, and you can chat with it to instantly generate content. Just ask it to turn it into a blog, show notes, summary, social media post, or a newsletter, and AI will do it in seconds.

Key Features

• Fast and up to 99% accurate transcripts in over 100 languages.
• Automatic closed captions you export as timestamped SRT files or as clean TXT files.
• Speaker detection so you can see exactly who’s speaking when.
• AI translation with synced video in up to 30 languages.
• Customizable open captions where you can choose fonts, colors, animation, and style them how you like.
• Records locally in 48kHz WAV audio and 4K video for studio-quality content and more clear transcriptions.
• Text-based video editing so you can edit videos by editing your transcripts.
• Chat with your AI editing agent, Co-Creator to instantly generate show notes, social posts, emails, summaries, and much more.
• End-to-end recording, editing, repurposing and hosting, all from your dashboard.
• Mobile app to record, edit, and add captions while on the go.

Best for: All-in-one recording and captioning service

Note: If you want to transcribe content for free, you can use our free transcription tool.

2. YouTube

Price: Free 

If you tend to use YouTube to publish your video content, it’s worth taking a look at the company’s automatic captioning feature. When you have uploaded your video, you can use the site’s speech recognition software to create your closed captions. 

To get started, make sure that you sign into YouTube Studio. Upload the video that you want to use here so that it is in your library. Next, select “Subtitles” on the left-hand menu. You can then select the video that you want to create closed captions for. Choose the language for your video and then select “Add”.

When you have done all of the above, the site creates captions that machine-learning algorithms generate. Keep in mind that there may be some inaccuracies here. If you have an accent or dialect, the site may misinterpret some of the words. Luckily, you can edit your closed captions after the generation process and before you publish them.

Key Features

• Generated by machine-learning algorithms 
• Available for pre-recorded content and live streams
• Edit or remove your captions afterward

Best for: Auto-generated captions

3. Rev

Price: $0.25+ per minute

Rev offers automatic closed captioning with an impressive five-minute turnaround time. All you must do is upload your videos and let the program do the hard work for you. When you sign up for this service, you get unlimited Zoom transcriptions. Plus, the near-perfect speaker ID means you can separate the closed captions by person.

There’s also a custom glossary feature that you can add to as you go along. That means you can customize your experience and ensure that branded or technical words show up. As if that weren’t enough, you can use either the mobile app or the in-browser recorder to record and automatically transcribe interviews when you’re on the go.

Key Features

• 90% accuracy guaranteed 
• Fast turnaround (between 12 and 24 hours)
• Built-in video editor

Best for: Quick results

4. AHD Subtitles Maker

Price: Free

If you’re looking for a simple program that’s free to use, the AHD Subtitles Maker may be the answer. The software is available for Windows users and is one of the most lightweight options on the market. When you have uploaded your video content to the program, you can use the audio transcription feature to transcribe the audio to text automatically. 

Multiple languages are supported — including English, French and Spanish — to name a few. You can preview the subtitles to ensure that they match the audio, edit them, and then use the caption synchronization feature.

Key Features

• Supports Adobe Encore, DVD subtitles, Final Cut Pro
• Trim and edit the text when using the software 
• Utilizes Google Translate features 

Best for: Newcomers

5. Subly

Price: Around $17 per month

With an automatic, accurate subtitle generator, Subly is a simple closed captioning app. You simply select the video you want to use when downloading it and subscribing (it costs around $17 per month!). There are two choices here. You can either upload content from your computer or import videos from TikTok, Vimeo, or YouTube. 

Next up, you can generate closed captions and edit as you go. The software allows you to make small changes to the subtitles in real time with the editor. That means you can change specific words, edit the timings or include some punctuation. You can also trim the video length or even use the integrated tool to create a small snippet instead. 

As if that weren’t enough, there’s room for some visual customizations here too. When you have completed the closed captioning process, you can add a unique headline to your video, and then change the color, font, and position of your subtitles. You can even add your logo to brand the video! After that, download the video as a MP4 or MOV file. You can also get a full transcription of your closed captioning by downloading a TXT, SRT, or VTT. 

Key Features

• Transcription for 31+ languages
• Choose your own style for video captions
• Export as any format that suits you

Best for: Customizable or branded subtitles 

6. Txtplay

‍

Price: $20+ per hour

Compatible with Brightcove, Vimeo, YouTube, Twitch, Teams, and Zoom, among others, Txtplay is a simple closed captioning program for Mac users. You must sign up to the service before you can use it. When you have done that, it’s a case of uploading your video and letting the speech recognition software work its magic. The software works in the background of your computer and will notify you when the transcription is ready. 

Once you get that notification, it’s time to move over to the online text editor. You can use this tool to highlight certain parts of the closed captioning, assign speakers to each part of the subtitles, and update it as needed. The final step is, of course, exportation. The software supports 20 different download formats, so you can get the file type you need.

Key Features

• Supports 20+ download formats
• Transcription in 48 languages 
• Simple upload/download process 

Best for: Mac users

How to choose the best closed captioning software

Now that we’ve talked about some of the best free and paid closed captioning software, let’s delve into how you can choose the right one for you. Consider the following factors:

Transcription time 

How long do you have to spare? One of the main factors to consider when choosing closed captioning software is the turnaround time. Some of the apps and programs we have covered over super-fast results or even real-time transcription. Be sure to read the details of the software that you choose and consider how long you can wait. 

Ease of use

Nobody wants to spend hours fiddling around with software. Before you sign up to a closed captioning app or program, find out how easy it is to use. In general, you should look for software that does all of the heavy lifting for you, leaving you with only minor edits.

Fees & pricing 

Your budget will always be a factor when you’re deciding what software to choose. Take a look at the pricing system for the closed captioning software you choose. You may find that there is a flat monthly or annual fee or that there’s a fee per minute of captioning. Decide how much money you can spend on this service and take things from there.

File formats

Which files do you need to use? Whenever you are considering a certain type of software, take a quick look at the small print. You need to know what file formats are supported. It’s important to check out both sides — the upload file formats and the download file formats. 

Accuracy

Accuracy is important for closed captioning. Take a peek at how accurate the programs are. Many of them have editing features. That means you can change any incorrect words or problems later. It’s vital that you have top-quality audio when transcribing too. That way, you will get the most accurate results.

Best closed captioning tools for:

Mac

Most of the platforms we have highlighted are available on Mac. However, Txtplay is specifically made for this operating system. Also keep in mind software that you can use in-browser, such as the Riverside studio and the transcription feature too. 

Windows

You can choose from a range of closed captioning software for your Windows device. The AHD Subtitles Maker is only available on Windows computers. Once again, you can also use in-browser programs to add closed captioning to your videos. 

Social media videos

The Riverside transcription feature is ideal if you're creating captivating social media videos. You can use the Clips feature to make a short, shareable snippet for your social channels. The transcription feature allows you to get the captions you need in seconds. You can edit these after the process is over and customize your video to make it engaging.

FAQs on closed caption software

What is the best closed captioning software?

Each program we have listed here has its merits. However, we believe that Riverside is the best closed captioning software. The site offers an all-in-one package, allowing you to record your videos, add closed captions, and then edit your video before publication. 

How do I generate closed captions?

Using one of the programs we have included here is a quick way to generate closed captions. Take the time to consider which of the apps or programs suits you. 

When you are using these programs, you generate a caption file that you can upload to the publishing platform you’re using. You should find that the platform — whether it’s YouTube or Facebook, for example — will offer the ability to turn captions on and off.

Is there a closed caption app?

Many of the programs we have listed also have an app. However, if you’re looking for an app-only closed captioning program, you can take a look at Subtly. 

What’s the difference between closed and open captions?

Closed captions can be turned on and off. These are subtitles of the audio in text form. Aside from direct transcriptions, closed captions often include extra information, such as sound effects and descriptions of any music.

On the other hand, open captions are always on the screen. People who view the video will not have the opportunity to turn the captions on or off.

Can I use closed captioning software on mobile devices? 

Yes, many closed captioning tools now offer dedicated mobile apps that allow you to caption content directly from your phone or tablet. For example, you can record videos and automatically generate highly accurate AI captions on the go using the Riverside mobile app. Others like Subly provide mobile-friendly workflows that let you edit videos from a mobile browser, though the experience is smoother on a desktop.