Subtitles & Captions

When uploading a video, you can add subtitles to a video with YouTube’s automated subtitle service. However, you’ll probably get better results if you use professional video subtitling services. Using subtitling services means that a subtitle writer will be creating the subtitles for videos. With a human handling the subtitles, you won’t have to worry about the errors that automated captioning services can create. Your video subtitles should be more accurate and thorough than automatic captions would be.

Subtitles services review your videos and custom-create caption subtitles. These services can add English subtitles to video, but they’re also ideal for foreign-language options, such as French videos with subtitles.

Some services work with an SRT file, which is created with SubRip software*. This text file includes the subtitles and their time codes. This type of subtitle file is compatible with many platforms, including YouTube.

*Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this section. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.

Video subtitling costs will depend on the service you use, the length of your video, your requirements, and the video quality. Rush jobs and language translations may cost more.

You may find that video subtitling services charge significantly different rates. For example, working with an agency or a business might cost more than working with a freelancer, who may be able to give you a better price.

A freelancer may have a per-video-minute charge for YouTube captions and YouTube subtitles. Some freelancers offer a discount for subtitling video batches, which can save you money if you produce many videos for your YouTube account each month. Paying for subtitles can be a rewarding investment in your content and your YouTube channel. You can also find an independent subtitle provider right here on Upwork.

A transcriptionist performs one of the elements of subtitling and captioning, but a transcription service alone won’t give you a completed caption file. A transcriptionist will create a file of the dialogue that is contained in your YouTube videos.

Captioners take this one step further, creating detailed closed captions that include the text and time stamps and sometimes descriptions of actions in the video. Those time stamps are important for accurate playback. A high-quality caption file can improve the accessibility of your videos, potentially boosting your YouTube channel’s popularity.