Add Captions and Subtitles to Video Automatically
Subly's video caption generator makes closed captions that meet all the relevant standards in 100+ languages. Meet WCAG 2.1, ADA, Section 508, and EAA criteria, no matter if you're processing ten or ten thousand videos.
How to Make Video Captions and Subtitles with Subly
Our automatic video captions take you from video upload to compliant results in minutes.
Trusted by thousands of organisations in the US and worldwide
What Are Video Captions and Subtitles?
Captions and subtitles display text on video that stands for spoken words, sound effects, and audio cues.
People often use these two terms interchangeably, yet there are significant differences:
- Closed captions show both speech and non-speech sounds, such as music, door slams, clapping, and speaker identification. Viewers can turn them on and off. They are necessary for compliance with accessibility standards.
- Open captions are permanently burned into the video. Always visible with no viewer control. They are common on social media, where viewing without sound is the norm.
- Subtitles usually show conversations only and assume the viewer can hear. Their primary purpose is to translate dialogues, not to make videos accessible.
Closed captions are the norm for legal reasons. WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.2.2 requires captions for all prerecorded content with audio. The ADA, Section 508, FCC regulations, and the European Accessibility Act (EAA) require it for all covered organizations.
Supported formats: SRT, VTT, TTML, and XML for subtitles. You can download videos in MP4 or MOV format with or without captions.
Built for Scale, Speed, and Simplicity
Subly’s enterprise-grade platform automates audio description across entire video libraries. Process thousands of files faster, more accurately, and up to seven times more affordably than manual production.
Process thousands of videos with enterprise infrastructure
Minutes, not days. AI-powered automation.
Cut costs vs manual production.
Captions, audio descriptions, transcripts, translation — one platform.
Who Needs Closed Captions for Compliance?
Whether you want to cut the manual work or make sure every video is compliant before it becomes an issue - Subly does the heavy lifting.
Video Captions Are Just Part of the Platform
Subly covers every accessibility requirement for video content:
Captions & Subtitles
Transcriptions
Audio Descriptions
Localisation & Translation
Subtitle Editor
Colour Contrast
Descriptive Transcripts
Frequently Asked Questions
We've got answers! Browse through our FAQ section to find quick solutions and detailed explanations to some of the most common queries. Whether you're just getting started or need specific guidance, our comprehensive FAQs are here to assist you every step of the way.
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Yes. The ADA (Titles II and III), Section 508, and FCC/CVAA rules require covered organizations to provide captions. The DOJ has said that WCAG 2.1 AA is the standard for following the ADA. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) says that WCAG 2.1 AA must be followed by June 2025 in the EU by EN 301 549. Fines and settlement costs for failing to follow the rules often run into the six figures.
For deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, closed captions include both speech and non-speech sounds, like sound effects, music cues, and speaker identification. Subtitles only show dialogue and don't assume that people can hear. You need closed captions, not subtitles, to meet accessibility standards.
Viewers can turn closed captions on and off, and they come in a distinct file (SRT, VTT). Open captions are permanently written into the video. Both meet accessibility standards, but closed captions let viewers decide what they see. FCC rules for broadcast compliance require CCs.
The FCC requires that broadcast programming be 99% accurate, and this requirement has been the norm for all professional captioning. Captions must be accurate (matching spoken words exactly), synchronous (timed correctly), complete (running throughout the program), and properly placed (not blocking visual content). Subly's AI delivers high accuracy; human review ensures 99%+ to match the compliance criteria.
Yes. While the ADA doesn't specify technical standards, the DOJ recommends WCAG 2.1 AA for compliance, which requires captions under Success Criterion 1.2.2. Cases such as NAD v. Netflix established that online video platforms are "places of public accommodation" under ADA Title III
Request a demo to see how Subly handles your captioning workflow — from single videos to enterprise-scale libraries.
