Summary
- The best subtitle software depends on the job: make subtitles from video, fix a broken file, check it, translate it, style or burn it in, then deliver.
- Each guide below covers one job end to end, with the VideoText tool for each step and its free and Pro limits stated.
- VideoText's default checks are 42 characters per line and 20 characters per second. If a client's or platform's spec sets other limits, the spec wins.
- Make subtitles from your video in Video to Subtitles, or check an existing file free in the SRT validator.
Subtitle files fail in predictable places: a malformed timestamp that stops an import, overlapping cues, lines too long for the frame, a translation that drifts, or a typo burned into every frame. One subtitle editor rarely covers all of that well, so this page picks the right subtitle software for each job, all in the browser.
Start free: upload a video to Video to Subtitles for SRT and VTT, or fix a broken file in Fix Subtitles. Free account, no card needed.
Subtitle software for each job
| Step |
Tool |
Free |
Pro |
| Create SRT or VTT from video |
Video to Subtitles |
One a day, files up to 30 minutes |
Files up to 4 hours, cue editing |
| Check a file by cue number |
SRT validator |
Free, no account, in your browser |
Same |
| Fix overlaps, line length and reading speed |
Fix Subtitles |
Free account, one fix a day; watermark cues on downloads |
No watermark, cue editing, PDF and Word export |
| Translate with timing kept |
Translate Subtitles |
Daily allowance; 104 target languages |
Edit translated lines; no watermark |
| Style and approve a rendered frame |
Subtitle Style Studio |
Four presets |
All 12 presets, fonts, colours, safe areas, saved styles |
| Burn captions into the video |
Burn Subtitles |
One a day, up to 30 minutes, 720p, small watermark |
Up to 2 hours, original resolution, no watermark |
| Make the captioned file smaller |
Compress Video |
One a day, up to 30 minutes |
Up to 2 hours |
Fix and check
Translate
Need captions in the picture? Burn Subtitles turns a video and an SRT into one MP4, and Compress Video makes it small enough to send.
Burn in and style
Creators and social video
Offering subtitles as a service
FAQ
Where should I start if my file won't import?
With the free SRT validator. Structure errors such as a dot instead of a comma in a timestamp, or a missing blank line, stop imports, and the validator lists them by cue number.
Should I burn captions in or upload a subtitle file?
Upload a file where the platform accepts one. Burn captions in for feeds that ignore subtitle files or when captions must not be turned off.
Do VideoText's checks override my client's spec?
No. The defaults are 42 characters per line and 20 characters per second; follow the client's spec where it differs.
What is the best free subtitle software?
For checking, the free SRT validator needs no account. With a free account you can make subtitles in Video to Subtitles, fix a file in Fix Subtitles, translate and burn in, with a daily allowance per tool and watermarked downloads.
Next step
Open your file in the free SRT validator and fix it in Fix Subtitles, or generate one from video in Video to Subtitles. For subtitle work every week, Pro removes the daily caps and watermark, adds cue editing and files up to 4 hours, for $14.99/month or $120/year. All guides: Subtitle and transcription tools: the 2027 guide.
Sources: VideoText Video to Subtitles, SRT validator, Fix Subtitles, Translate Subtitles, Subtitle Style Studio, Burn Subtitles, Compress Video and pricing pages, https://videotext.io/video-to-subtitles, https://videotext.io/tools/subtitle-validator, https://videotext.io/fix-subtitles, https://videotext.io/translate-subtitles, https://videotext.io/subtitle-style-studio, https://videotext.io/burn-subtitles, https://videotext.io/compress-video and https://videotext.io/pricing (checked October 25, 2026; rechecked October 28, 2026).