Our verdict: decide between a file and a look
Caption tools solve two different problems. One is a caption file (SRT or VTT) that a platform like YouTube can show, hide and index separately from the picture. The other is styled captions burned into the video, common on short social clips. Descript and FlexClip document the file route clearly. CapCut and Filmora document the styled route with presets, animation and emphasis, but we did not find caption-file export documented on their pages we fetched.
If you need both, choose a tool that exports the file and burns in captions, or generate the transcript once and use it in two tools.
Comparison from official documentation
| Tool | Languages | Editing | Style presets | Caption file export | Plan gate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descript | 26 listed, with Greek, Hindi and Welsh in beta; no Chinese, Japanese or Russian; one language per file | Edit the script; captions follow | Searchable preset library; font, colour, active-word styling | SRT or VTT; max characters per line, max lines per card, show speakers | Captions unlimited on all plans; translation uses credits |
| CapCut | 20+ on CapCut Web | Add, delete and correct captions | Multiple customisable styles | Not documented on pages fetched; SRT import documented | Free on Web per tool page; Pro advanced AI per help article |
| Filmora | Selectable; count not stated | Double-click caption track; Smart Text Correction suggests fixes | Dynamic Captions with active-word and keyword styling | Output format setting, formats not listed | Not stated in the guides |
| FlexClip | Selectable; count not stated | Upload existing subtitle files; editing steps not covered on pages fetched | Not covered on pages fetched | SRT, VTT, SSA, ASS, SUB, SBV, TXT, CSV | Credit cost shown before generation |
Languages and when auto captions struggle
Descript lists 26 transcription languages and describes support as limited to Latin-alphabet languages, although the list includes Greek and Hindi; it marks Greek, Hindi and Welsh as beta, requires English (UK) and Welsh to be chosen manually, and does not support files that mix spoken languages. Chinese, Japanese and Russian are not yet supported. CapCut Web says it supports 20+ languages including English, Spanish, French, Chinese and Japanese.
Several conditions reduce accuracy across tools. FlexClip says background music can interfere with speech recognition and advises deleting music tracks (muting is not enough) and keeping segments under 30 minutes. YouTube lists poor sound, long silence at the start, overlapping speakers and mixed languages as reasons its automatic captions may be unavailable.
Editing and styling
Descript builds captions from the script, so correcting the transcript corrects the captions. Its captions panel offers presets you can filter and sort, and per-speaker caption layers. Filmora offers two routes: Speech to Text for editable captions and Dynamic Captions for word highlighting with optional translation; a Smart Text Correction feature flags likely errors.
CapCut's caption pages describe changing font, size, colour, effects and motion, and adding or deleting captions to fix accuracy. Its video-to-text page says automatic speaker labels are not promised, so add speaker names manually if you need them. FlexClip accepts uploaded subtitle files in SRT, VTT, SSA, ASS, SUB and SBV, among others, which helps if you already have a corrected transcript.
Export formats and why they matter
SRT is a plain caption format with no reliable styling. YouTube says basic SRT and SubViewer files are supported without style information, while WebVTT supports positioning and limited bold, italic and underline. If you need captions positioned away from on-screen text, VTT is the better export.
Descript's subtitle export lets you set maximum characters per line and lines per card, which controls readability on small screens. Descript can also batch-export translated captions in several languages as SRT or VTT.
| Delivery | Format to export | Tools documenting it |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube closed captions | SRT or VTT | Descript, FlexClip |
| Captions positioned on screen | VTT | Descript, FlexClip |
| Styled captions in the picture | Burned-in video export | CapCut, Filmora, Descript captions layer |
| Translations | One SRT or VTT per language | Descript (translation uses credits) |
Proofreading checklist before upload
W3C states that automatically generated captions do not meet user needs or accessibility requirements on their own, and YouTube tells creators to always review automatic captions. Treat every tool's output as a draft.
- Read the full caption track against the audio, not just the first minute.
- Check names, product terms, numbers and negations; a missing not reverses meaning.
- Add non-speech information that matters, such as music or laughter.
- Split long lines; aim for captions readable on a phone.
- Label speakers when more than one person talks.
- Re-export captions after any edit that changes timing.
- Upload the file and play the video on the destination platform to confirm sync.
Questions before you decide
Which auto caption generator exports SRT files?
On official pages checked 30 October 2026, Descript exports SRT or VTT and FlexClip downloads SRT, VTT, SSA, ASS, SUB, SBV, TXT and CSV. CapCut and Filmora pages we fetched did not list caption-file export, so confirm in the app.
How many languages does Descript transcribe?
Descript lists 26 transcription languages, with Greek, Hindi and Welsh in beta, and describes support as limited to Latin-alphabet languages. Chinese, Japanese and Russian are not yet supported, and a file must contain one spoken language.
Are automatic captions accurate enough to publish without review?
No. W3C says automatically generated captions do not meet accessibility requirements on their own, and YouTube advises always reviewing and editing automatic captions before relying on them.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Descript Help: supported transcription languages Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript Help: exporting subtitles Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript Help: captions Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript Help: translate your captions into another language Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CapCut: AI caption generator (CapCut Web) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CapCut: auto caption generator Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CapCut: video to text Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CapCut Help: CapCut Standard vs Pro Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Filmora user guide: auto captions (Windows) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Filmora user guide: auto captions (Mac) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Wondershare Filmora: technical specifications Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- FlexClip Help: supported video, audio, image, font, subtitle and LUT file formats Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- FlexClip Help: why are AI-generated subtitles incomplete or failing? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- FlexClip Help: AI tools credit consumption guide Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- YouTube Help: supported subtitle and closed caption files Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- YouTube Help: use automatic captioning Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- W3C WAI: captions and subtitles Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.