Subtitles and closed captions look identical on screen. They are not the same thing in law, in accessibility, or in the deliverable file. Mixing them up costs producers — wrong format gets rejected by the broadcaster; missing accessibility cues triggers ADA complaints; deliverable copy that doesn’t match the spec gets returned. This guide makes the distinction concrete.
The actual difference
The clean definition:
- Subtitles assume the viewer can hear the audio. The purpose is translation — “I hear French, I read English.” They show only spoken dialogue.
- Closed captions assume the viewer cannot hear. The purpose is accessibility. They show dialogue plus all the non-verbal audio cues a hearing person would notice: music, applause, sound effects, speaker identification, off-screen voices.
Same audio, two different deliverables. A focus-group video might have its dialogue subtitled for an Asian client and captioned for ADA compliance — the files look different even though the source transcript is identical.
SRT, VTT, CEA-608, CEA-708
The four formats you’ll hear about:
| Format | Where it lives | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| SRT (.srt) | Sidecar file | Universal web/video player. Simplest text format. Default for YouTube, Vimeo, Netflix exports. |
| VTT (.vtt, WebVTT) | Sidecar, HTML5 | Modern web standard. Supports speaker labels, styling, positioning. HTML5 <track> tags. |
| CEA-608 | Embedded in video stream | US broadcast TV standard (line 21). Legacy but still required for over-the-air retransmission. |
| CEA-708 | Embedded, digital TV | Modern US broadcast captions. Supports color, position, multiple languages. FCC-mandated for ATSC. |
For web video, ship SRT (simplest) or VTT (richer). For US broadcast or retransmission, you need CEA-608/708 embedded in the video stream — Lessrec delivers the textual master plus the encoded video file with captions burned in.
Captions for accessibility (ADA compliance)
The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) require closed captions on most public-facing video. The practical implication for a business:
- Public-facing video (marketing, product, training visible to customers) — caption it. Lawsuits over uncaptioned video have settled for $50k-$500k.
- Internal training for a federal contractor — caption it. Section 508 applies.
- Live events streamed publicly — live captioning required by FCC for major streams.
- Privately-hosted content at small companies — technically optional. Most modern brands do it anyway because: (a) reach, (b) SEO (captions are crawlable), (c) muted-autoplay social.
Caption deliverables for ADA include speaker identification (>> JOHN:), non-verbal cues ([applause], [indistinct chatter], [music swells]), and reasonable reading speed (typically 160-200 words per minute max).
Subtitles for translation
Subtitles strip the accessibility metadata. They serve a hearing viewer who needs the language translated. Considerations:
- Reading speed. Faster than captions because the audience also gets the audio. 200-220 wpm reading speed is acceptable for subtitles vs 160-180 for captions.
- Cultural localization. A direct translation often reads weirdly. Subtitle work includes light editing to make idiomatic phrasing work in the target language.
- Burn-in vs sidecar. Burn-in subtitles are part of the video file (rendered at export). Sidecar SRT/VTT files allow viewers to toggle. For corporate distribution where you don’t control the player, burn-in is safer.
Open vs closed captions — one more axis
Cross-cutting the subtitle/CC distinction is open vs closed:
- Open captions are burned into the video. Always visible, cannot be turned off. Used when you don’t control the player (social autoplay, public displays, kiosks).
- Closed captions are toggleable by the viewer. Lives as a sidecar (SRT/VTT) or embedded (CEA-608/708). Used when the platform supports player controls (YouTube, Vimeo, broadcast TV).
A YouTube video can have closed captions (toggleable, sidecar) for accessibility and open subtitles burned in for foreign-language reach. Different files, different purposes, same source transcript.
How captions are priced
Captions add work on top of base transcription: timing each cue to frame-accurate sync, non-verbal cue marking, line-length / reading-speed adjustment, format export. Typical pricing in the US market:
- Base transcript: per audio hour — $24-44/hr depending on tier.
- Caption add-on: $0.30-0.60 per audio minute for sync + format export.
- Translation (for foreign-language subtitles): $0.05-0.15 per source word, typically.
- Open-caption render (burn-in): one-off video render fee.
Lessrec quotes captions and subtitles as a bundle — see subtitles & captions.
FAQ
Do I need subtitles or closed captions?
Closed captions for accessibility and viewers who can’t hear. Subtitles for foreign-language audiences who can.
What format does YouTube accept?
SRT and VTT, plus SBV. VTT supports speaker labels and positioning.
Are CC required by US law for online video?
Yes for most public-facing video under the ADA. Internal training is a grey area.
Can the same transcript become both subtitles and captions?
Yes — source transcript is the same; captions include non-verbal cues, subtitles strip them.
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