No upload · No watermark · No minute quotas
Add subtitles to video — actually free
Most "free" subtitle tools meter you: a few videos a month, a watermark on the export, or no subtitle file download. CaptionForge's free tier is unlimited videos up to 3 minutes each, with styled captions, 1080p burn-in, no watermark and unlimited SRT/VTT export — because the AI runs on your device, free users cost us nothing.
- Unlimited videos free — the only limit is 3 minutes per video
- No watermark on free exports, ever
- 4 free presets including karaoke word-highlight
- SRT and VTT download is free and unlimited
How it works
- 1 Drop your video above — limits are stated on the dropzone before you commit.
- 2 Whisper transcribes locally with word-level timestamps.
- 3 Pick a style, fix any misheard words inline.
- 4 Export MP4 (1080p/30) or download the SRT/VTT.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free? What's the catch?
Videos up to 3 minutes are free forever: unlimited count, no watermark, 4 presets, full basic word editor, 1080p/30 export, unlimited SRT/VTT. The paid tier (Studio, $9/mo) sells longer videos, the full style library, brand fonts and power editing — not the basics. There's no trial that auto-converts to a charge.
How does this compare to other free tiers?
Concretely: Submagic free is 3 videos a month, capped at 90 seconds, with a watermark. VEED free gives 30 subtitle-minutes a month and won't let you download the SRT. Captions.ai's free tier includes zero AI credits, so captioning is effectively paywalled. CaptionForge free is unlimited videos at up to 3 minutes each — longer than Submagic's $19/mo tier allows — with no watermark.
Why can you afford an unlimited free tier?
Cloud tools pay GPU time for every minute they transcribe, so they meter minutes and watermark free output to force upgrades. CaptionForge runs the AI on your device — a free user costs us roughly nothing, so there's no reason to cripple the free tier.
What happens when my video is longer than 3 minutes?
You're told at file drop, before any processing: free covers up to 3 minutes, Studio does unlimited length. No work is wasted and nothing is held hostage — the file never left your machine in the first place.
Do I need an account?
No. Drop a video and start — no signup, no email. A license key exists only if you buy Studio.