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Best Video Caption Software in 2024 [App, Mac, Windows & Online]
If you’re an avid video creator, adding captions to your videos is a must in 2023. These days, many people would rather watch videos on mute and read the captions than turn the sound on. And, notably, adding video captions makes videos more accessible for people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
However, if you’ve never added captions or subtitles to a video, you may be unsure how to do so. Thankfully, using a video captions software or subtitles app can simplify your process significantly. The best apps, desktop programs, and websites allow you to add video subtitles automatically or with a few clicks of a button.
Continue reading to learn about the nine best video caption software for mobile devices, Mac, Windows, and online.
- Top 3 Video Caption Editors in 2023
- 3 Best Subtitle Apps for iOS and Android
- PowerDirector - Best Overall Choice
- MixCaptions: Video Captions - Best for Automatic Subtitles
- Veme.ly: Video Subtitle: Best Basic Editing App
- 3 Best Subtitle Software for Windows & Mac
- PowerDirector - Best Overall Choice
- AHD Subtitles Maker - Best Caption-Only Software
- Adobe Premiere Pro - Best Professional Software
- 3 Best Online Subtitle Editors
- YouTube - Best for YouTube Videos
- Subtitle Edit Online - Best Online Subtitle Editor
- Veed.io - Best Online Editor
- Best Video Captioning App Free Download
- Video Caption and Subtitle FAQs
Top 3 Video Caption Editors in 2023
1. PowerDirector - Best Overall Choice
PowerDirector is a comprehensive video editing program and app that includes a powerful yet user-friendly subtitle editor. This caption editor allows you to add attractive and stylish text throughout your videos. More Info >
2. AHD Subtitles Maker - Best Caption Only Software
AHD Subtitles Maker is a basic, lightweight program that allows you to add manual subtitles to your videos. While the interface is a bit outdated, AHD Subtitles Maker is clean, straightforward, and usable. More Info >
3. YouTube - Best for YouTube Videos
YouTube Studio allows you to add automatic or manual captions to your videos before publishing them to YouTube. More Info >
3 Best Subtitle Apps for iOS and Android
1. PowerDirector - Best Overall Choice
Compatibility:
Android (5.0 and up) and iOS (12.0 or later)
Key Features:
- Click-and-drag text editor with dozens of font and color options
- Essential editing tools
- AI video editing effects
- Multi-timeline tools
- Voiceovers
User Friendliness: 10 / 10
Advanced Features: 10 / 10
Easy to Learn: 10 / 10
PowerDirector is an intuitive, user-friendly video editing app available in the iOS and Android app stores. This program features a powerful text editor that allows you to add text, titles, and animated text to your video within a few seconds. You can customize the text to your liking with dozens of fonts and a rainbow of color options.
On top of the app’s easy-to-use text editor, PowerDirector also includes all of the editing tools and features you would want in a mobile editing app. You can take advantage of hundreds of templates, transitions, filters, and sounds on top of advanced effects like chroma-key editing, speed adjustments, video stabilization, and more.
PowerDirector’s easy-to-use interface and powerful features make this app ideal for beginners and professional editors alike. If you’re looking for an all-around incredible editing app to add captions to videos and complete all of your other editing tasks, PowerDirector is your best choice.
2. MixCaptions: Video Captions - Best for Automatic Subtitles
Compatibility:
Android (10 and up) and iOS (11.1 or later)
Key Features:
- Automatic captions and transcriptions in 23 languages
- Caption and text editing
- Three display options
User Friendliness: 8 / 10
Advanced Features: 3 / 10
Easy to Learn: 7 / 10
MixCaptions is a video caption editor available for iOS devices. This app makes the process of adding captions quick and easy, as its speech-to-text transcription features can transcribe videos for you in a few easy steps. Once the app adds your automatic captions, you can edit them to correct any inaccuracies.
MixCaptions also allows you to edit the color, font, and backgrounds of your text to suit the imagery within your video. You can also choose where to display the captions: at the top, in the middle, or at the bottom of your videos.
One of the app’s coolest features is its ability to transcribe in 23 languages. While the app won’t translate your video into a different language, it can transcribe the spoken language from the footage into any of its 23 supported languages. Even though the app’s automatic transcriptions can lead to inaccurate captions, MixCaptions is suitable for adding quick subtitles to your videos.
3. Veme.ly: Video Subtitle: Best Basic Editing App
Compatibility:
iOS (12.0 or later) and Android (8.0 and up)
Key Features:
- Subtitle generator
- Text and color templates
- Video filters
User Friendliness: 7 / 10
Advanced Features: 4 / 10
Easy to Learn: 8 / 10
Veme.ly is a basic video editing app that allows you to add subtitles to your footage and make straightforward adjustments. You can either add captions to your footage manually or upload an SRT file that contains your prewritten captions. Then, you can adjust the fonts and colors of the caption text.
Along with adding subtitles, you can also use Veme.ly to record videos right in the app, trim videos and adjust aspect ratios, mute the audio, and loop your video. You can also choose from over 100 templates to add cohesive text and graphics to your footage.
While Veme.ly is available for both Apple and Android devices, the Android version of the app does not have many features at this time. If you have an Android device, we recommend a more comprehensive app like PowerDirector instead.
Top Subtitle Apps Comparison Chart
 PowerDirector (Mobile) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| OS | iOS and Android | iOS | iOS and Android |
| Auto Subtitling | No | Yes | No |
| Font Selection | Extensive | Average | 110+ fonts |
| Text Tools | Font face, size color, bold/italics, orientation | Customize fonts, colors, and text backgrounds | 500+ font icons, color choices, customizable caption placemen; 50+ pattern and 30+ gradients |
| Music Library | Yes | No | No |
| Direct Social Media Upload | Yes | No | Yes |
| Additional Features | Animated titles; precision editing tools, AI editing, audio effects, video stabilizer, voiceover, and more | Transcribes 23 languages; displays captions in three positions; allows for caption editing after transcription | Basic video editing tools; audio adjustments; background images; emoji library; progress bars |
3 Best Subtitle Software for Windows & Mac
1. PowerDirector - Best Overall Choice
Compatibility:
Windows and Mac
Key Features:
- Caption editor
- Keyframing
- Automatic object detection
- Automatic sky replacement
- Speech enhancement
- Smart background music
User Friendliness: 10 / 10
Advanced Features: 10 / 10
Easy to Learn: 10 / 10
PowerDirector is an editing program for Windows and Mac computers. This program features an easy-to-use caption editor that allows you to add subtitles and titles manually. You can adjust the text’s color, font type, style, and size to ensure cohesion with your video footage. You can even add animated titles to enhance the visual interest of your video.
Along with adding subtitles, you can also use PowerDirector to achieve numerous other video editing effects. The program includes all of the basic effects you need to adjust your video along with powerful advanced effects featuring artificial intelligence technology. These AI tools allow you to replace the sky, remove unwanted objects, and enhance speech with a click of a button.
The software is continually updated with the latest in the video editing industry. You can take advantage of simple caption editing and all of the other features you may need to create stunning, professional-level videos.
2. AHD Subtitles Maker - Best Caption-Only Software
Compatibility:
Windows
Key Features:
- Manual subtitle editor
- Automatic translations
- Text appearance adjustments
User Friendliness: 6.5 / 10
Advanced Features: 2 / 10
Easy to Learn: 7 / 10
AHD Subtitles Maker is a program that does exactly what its name says: makes subtitles. This lightweight, straightforward program focuses on creating common text-based subtitles that attach to specific timestamps in your video, ensuring their accuracy.
To use AHD Subtitle Maker, you’ll view your video in the left-hand panel, reference the subtitle data in the center, and adjust the subtitle tasks on the right. This setup allows you to make accurate adjustments while viewing the corresponding timestamp in your video.
You can adjust the color, font, and placement of the subtitles with this program and use a built-in Google Translate service to translate your text to a different language. Although AHD Subtitles Maker is a relatively basic program, it can get the job done if you’re only looking to add captions to a video.
3. Adobe Premiere Pro - Best Professional Software
Compatibility:
Mac and Windows
Key Features:
- Speech-to-text captions
- Professional editing tools
- Performance improvements
- Color matching
- Adobe Stock
User Friendliness: 7 / 10
Advanced Features: 10 / 10
Easy to Learn: 7 / 10
Adobe Premiere Pro is an advanced, professional video editing program with an extensive selection of tools and features. In July 2021, Adobe released an update that includes automatic speech-to-text captions. This feature allows you to turn dialogue into accurate subtitles and add them to your videos with a few clicks of a button.
Premiere Pro also includes numerous video effects, transitions, animation tools, and advanced features to streamline and enhance your editing process. For example, you can automatically correct color, edit VR videos, sync audio layers, and more.
While Premiere Pro includes an impressive selection of features, it is pretty pricey compared to the other programs on our list. You may find a more affordable program like PowerDirector more suitable for everyday editing and captioning.
Top Subtitles Software Comparison Chart
| PowerDirector (Desktop) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows and Mac | Windows | Windows and Mac |
| Auto Subtitling | No | No | Yes |
| Font Selection | Extensive | Limited | Extensive |
| Text Tools | Adjust font type, style, size, color, and 3D depth | Adjust font, color, and position | Adjust text size, format, appearance, color, and more in text editor |
| Music Library | Yes | No | Yes |
| Direct Social Media Upload | Yes | No | Yes |
| Additional Features | Artificial intelligence tools, numerous transitions and effects, animated titles, green screen effects, motion tracking, and more | Translate subtitles with Google translate; create subtitles with time format | Add subtitles in over a dozen languages; automatically reformat videos, use Adobe Stock music, video, templates, and more |
3 Best Subtitle Apps Online
1. YouTube - Best for YouTube Videos
Compatibility:
Browser-based
Key Features:
- Automatic transcriptions
- Captions from transcription files
- Manual subtitles
User Friendliness: 9 / 10
Advanced Features: 3 / 10
Easy to Learn: 8 / 10
If you create videos for YouTube, you can add captions right in YouTube Studio. YouTube Studio also includes several other features to edit your videos before posting them to YouTube, but here we’ll focus on the site’s caption editor tools.
YouTube provides three methods to add captions: automatic transcriptions, auto-sync, and manual input. In the first method, YouTube will automatically create subtitles from the dialogue in your video. If this method is available for your video, YouTube will add the captions to your video automatically when you publish it.
Keep in mind that the captions you add will only be visible on the video within YouTube, not the exported video. YouTube will essentially overlay them onto your video rather than editing the actual video footage.
2. Subtitle Edit Online - Best Online Subtitle Editor
Compatibility:
Browser-based
Key Features:
- Subtitle editor
- 300+ supported formats
- Auto-translate via Google Translate
- Audio visualizer control
User Friendliness: 8 / 10
Advanced Features: 3 / 10
Easy to Learn: 7 / 10
Subtitle Edit is a free, open-source subtitle editor that you can use through an online browser. This basic editor allows you to create, adjust, sync, and translate subtitle lines to allow for easier viewing and listening. You can use the subtitle editor’s tools to change the display time, merge or split subtitles, split long lines, and complete other visual effects.
Subtitle Edit is relatively easy to use. Additionally, because it is a browser-based program, you won’t need to download any clunky software to your computer or worry about viruses.
While Subtitle Edit doesn’t include any additional video editing features, if you’re looking for a simple program to add subtitles to your videos, it should suffice.
3. Veed.io - Best Online Editor
Compatibility:
Browser-based
Key Features:
- Automatic subtitles
- Manual subtitles
- Automatic transcriptions to text files
- Font and color adjustments
User Friendliness: 9 / 10
Advanced Features: 6 / 10
Easy to Learn: 7 / 10
Veed.io is a user-friendly online caption editor that allows you to add captions and subtitles quickly and easily. You can use this program to auto-generate subtitles using speech recognition software, type them manually, or upload them from a file to add to your video. Once you add the subtitles, you can adjust the timing, color, font, and size as needed.
The Veed.io interface is clean, sleek, and easy to navigate. While Veed.io is not entirely free, it may be worth the cost if you’re in the market for an easy-to-use caption editor.
Top Online Subtitle Editors Comparison Chart
| OS | Browser-based | Browser-based | Browser-based |
| Auto Subtitling | Yes | No | Yes |
| Font Selection | One | Limited | Average |
| Text Tools | None | Limited | Adjust color, font, size, and text |
| Music Library | Yes (in YouTube Studio) | No | No |
| Direct Social Media Upload | Direct to YouTube | No | No |
| Additional Features | Keyboard shortcuts; several captioning methods; | Typewriter and karaoke effects; display time adjustments; merge/split subtitles; history manager | Resize for social media; color grading, progress bars, automatic translations |
Best Video Captioning App Free Download
Adding captions to your videos is an essential step in making your footage more watchable and accessible. Thankfully, the apps, programs, and websites on our list make adding captions and subtitles a breeze. Many of these programs include automatic subtitle generation features, while others make it easy to input the captions manually.
If you’re looking for the best all-around video caption app, we highly recommend PowerDirector. This program includes user-friendly captioning tools along with an extensive selection of additional features to optimize your video editing experience.
Download PowerDirector for free today to begin adding captions to your videos.
Video Caption and Subtitle FAQs
1. What Other Features Should I Look For in a Video Captioning App?
If you’re looking to apply other edits to your raw footage before sharing it with friends, using a captioning app that also includes essential video editing features makes the most sense. Specifically, we recommend looking for an app that contains the following features:
- Overlays
- Transitions
- Motion graphics
- AI tools
- Multi-track editing
2. Is There a Difference Between Captions and Subtitles?
While we used the terms “captions” and “subtitles” interchangeably in this article (as many editing programs do) there is a difference in the actual definitions of these terms. Captions are technically the text versions of dialogue in a video. Meanwhile, subtitles are written translations from the language in the video to another language.
3. How Do I Add Subtitles to Videos?
You can follow these steps to add subtitles to videos with the PowerDirector desktop program:
Step 1: Upload a video to PowerDirector and open the Subtitle Room.
Step 2: Drag the timeline slider to your desired position in the video.
Step 3: Double click the subtitle in the panel and enter your text.
Step 4: Resize the subtitle marker to change the subtitle duration.
Step 5: Click the T button to adjust the font type, size, color, and 3D depth.
If you’d rather add subtitles on your mobile phone, you can follow these steps to use the PowerDirector app for iOS and Android:
Step 1: Upload your video and highlight the footage in the timeline.
Step 2: Click the double square icon on the left-hand side of the editor, then select Title.
Step 3: Select the text style and edit the text in the title.
Step 4: Adjust the font, color, and size.
This app includes all of the best video captions app features and added tools to complete all of your editing tasks. To learn more, check out our article How to Add Captions to a Video for an in-depth guide.
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