Pricing and quotation guide
Video caption editing cost
Caption editing can be priced by the minute of video, sometimes with a minimum per video. The cost depends on the length of speech, how clear the audio is, how many speakers there are, how specialist the vocabulary is, whether captions start from automatic text or a fresh transcript and which formats are needed. A short, clearly spoken video with one speaker is quick. A long panel discussion with overlapping voices and technical terms takes much more time. Translation into other languages is a separate cost.
This guide covers cost drivers, video types, pricing approaches, back catalogues, comparing quotes and judging value.
Illustrative diagram
What drives caption cost
- Length
- More minutes of speech, more checking.
- Audio quality
- Noise and quiet speech slow checking.
- Speakers
- Several or overlapping voices take care.
- Terminology
- Specialist words need verification.
- Formats
- Files and burned-in versions each add work.
Costs paid to third parties (separate from our fees)
- Translation
- Video editing
- Platform uploading, if done by you
- Transcripts for other uses
Ask whether the price is per minute of video or per minute of speech.
Video types compared
| Video | Relative cost per minute |
|---|---|
| One clear speaker, everyday language | Lower |
| Two speakers, some technical terms | Moderate |
| Panel with overlapping voices and jargon | Higher |
How captioning is priced
Per minute
Suits you when
- Varied video lengths
Watch out for
- Minimum per video
- Difficulty surcharges
Per video
Suits you when
- Short, similar videos
Watch out for
- Length limit
Back catalogue batch
Suits you when
- Many existing videos
Watch out for
- Batch schedule
- Volume pricing
Audio quality and cost
Clear speech recorded close to a microphone lets automatic tools produce a good draft, so checking is quick. Echoey rooms, background music under speech and people talking over each other mean more listening and correcting. Better recording lowers caption costs for every video.
Formats
A caption file for a video platform is the base output. Burning captions into a styled social version adds an export and checking on a phone. A clean transcript for your website adds a little more. Ask for only the formats you will use.
Example: a back catalogue for a charity
Illustrative example — not a client case study
Situation: A charity has fifty campaign and event videos without accurate captions.
- Videos are grouped by difficulty: single speaker, interviews and panels.
- A per-minute rate is quoted for each group, with volume pricing for the batch.
- The most watched videos are captioned first.
What this shows: The charity could plan the work over several months. This example is illustrative.
Comparing quotes
Check whether pricing is per minute or per video, minimums, difficulty surcharges, whether every line is checked, formats included, turnaround, uploading and whether a term list is used.
Judging the value
Value shows in accessible videos that viewers who rely on captions can follow, fewer embarrassing errors and content that works with sound off. Feedback from viewers who use captions is the best guide.
Keeping the cost down
Record clear sound, supply a term list, choose the formats you need and caption new videos as they are made rather than letting a backlog build up.
Translation
Captions in other languages require translation by a fluent speaker, then timing and checking, and are priced separately from captioning in the original language. Start with the languages your viewers actually use, and check how each platform displays multiple caption tracks.
Turnaround
Captions needed the same day as a video is finished may cost more. Building captioning into your editing schedule, with a set number of days after the final edit, keeps prices standard and avoids publishing without captions.
Checking depth
A light check fixes obvious errors in automatic captions; a full check listens to every line, corrects timing and line breaks and verifies every name and term. Full checks cost more but give captions people can rely on. Ask which level the quote covers, since two quotes at different prices may describe different amounts of work.
Revisions
If you review captions before they are published, agree how corrections are handled. Supplying a term list up front keeps corrections to a minimum.
Speaker labels and sounds
Adding speaker labels and sound descriptions takes extra time. Decide whether your videos need them before asking for quotes.
Minimum charges
Very short videos may carry a minimum charge, because each still needs setting up, checking and exporting. Batching short clips together can work out cheaper than sending them one at a time.
Captioning in-house
For short, clearly spoken videos, your team can correct automatic captions using platform tools. Outside help is more useful for long, technical or multi-speaker content, or a large back catalogue.
Questions about video caption editing cost
How is caption editing priced?
It can be per minute, per video or as a batch.
What makes captions cost more?
Poor audio, several speakers and specialist terms.
Is translation included?
No; it is a separate cost.
Are burned-in captions extra?
They add an export and a check; ask.
Can a back catalogue be priced as a batch?
Yes, sometimes with volume pricing.
How can caption costs come down?
Record clear sound and supply a term list.
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