Cost
How much does closed captioning cost?
For prerecorded video, GoTranscript advertises human captions from $1.58 per minute and Rev lists English human captions at $1.99 per minute. TranscribeCat creates an automatic transcript and timed SRT/VTT drafts for $2 per audio hour, with a $2 minimum per file. Those drafts need your review before publication.
A transcript records the words. Captions also need readable timed cues, speaker identification where needed, and relevant sounds such as laughter or an alarm. Budget for correcting words, checking synchronization against the video, and reviewing the exported file in its destination player.
See a real transcript and sample exports before choosing a workflow. Our sample demonstrates automatic output, not a human-reviewed captioning service.
What does one file cost?
These examples compare the transcription draft charge with starting prices for human captioning. They buy different work. Optional turnaround, language, formatting, taxes and your own review time can change the total.
| One file | TranscribeCat draft | GoTranscript captions, from | Rev captions, from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | $2.00 | $7.90 | $9.95 |
| 60 minutes | $2.00 | $94.80 | $119.40 |
| 120 minutes | $4.00 | $189.60 | $238.80 |
Caption pricing sources: GoTranscript (2026-09-21); Rev (2026-09-21). Rev’s calculator lists English captions separately from Spanish, translated subtitles, burned-in captions and rush options. Confirm your language, turnaround and final price with the provider.
Review before publishing
TranscribeCat supplies automatic SRT/VTT drafts. They include speaker renames but retain original wording. Correct text, timing, line breaks and relevant sounds in a caption editor. Human review and video burn-in are not included.
The $2.00 minimum applies to each file. Compare total prices, included services and review time. Live captioning requires a separate quote.