No upload · No watermark · No minute quotas
Add captions to video
Most short-form video is watched on mute, and word-by-word animated captions are the format viewers expect. CaptionForge generates them on your device: Whisper transcribes with word-level timing, you pick a style and position, and the result burns in locally — no upload, no render queue, no watermark.
- Word-by-word animated captions — the format 9:16 viewers expect
- Safe-area guides for 9:16, 1:1 and 16:9 keep captions clear of platform UI
- Live preview is the export renderer — what you see is what you get
- Click any word to fix it; timings redistribute automatically
How it works
- 1 Drop your video — vertical, square or landscape.
- 2 Captions generate locally with word-level timestamps.
- 3 Choose a preset, drag the caption position; safe-area guides show platform chrome.
- 4 Fix any errors inline and export the MP4.
Frequently asked questions
Captions or subtitles — what's the difference here?
In short-form usage they've merged: "captions" usually means styled, animated on-video text, while "subtitles" often means a separate file (SRT/VTT). CaptionForge does both — burned-in styled captions, and free unlimited SRT/VTT export if you want the file.
Why do captions matter for short-form video?
A majority of social video plays muted — platform studies put it between 56% and 85% depending on the feed. Captions are how muted viewers follow the content, and animated word-by-word styles measurably hold attention longer than static text blocks.
Will the preview match the exported video?
Yes — the preview and the export run the same renderer, so caption position, timing and styling in the export match what you saw. Alignment drift between preview and export is a recurring complaint with cloud caption tools; using one renderer for both is how we avoid it.
Can I move the captions?
Yes — drag them vertically on the preview. Safe-area guides for 9:16, 1:1 and 16:9 show where platform UI (like the TikTok action rail and description) sits, and the default position already clears TikTok chrome.
What does it cost?
Free for unlimited videos up to 3 minutes: 4 presets including karaoke, 1080p/30 export, no watermark. Studio ($9/mo, $69/yr, $99 lifetime) adds unlimited length, all 8 presets, a custom style editor, brand fonts and 4K/60.