Comparison
Free vs paid subtitle tools: how to choose
Match the tool to captions-only vs full editing — and read free-tier limits (watermarks, accounts, SRT caps) before you commit.
“Free” and “paid” matter less than: watermark, account wall, export formats, and whether you need a caption tool or a full editor.
Decision checklist
- 01Captions-only after the cut → captions-first tool.
- 02Need multi-track edit + team → Kapwing / VEED-class suite.
- 03Edit mostly on phone → CapCut.
- 04Need free video without a logo → verify the export, not the homepage claim.
ZapSubs in one line
ZapSubs: free AI captions with unlimited video exports and no watermark; start without an account at /generate. Free includes 8 presets (5 animated), 3 SRT/VTT downloads a month, and uploads up to 10 minutes / 150MB; Pro unlocks unlimited subtitle files, 35+ animated presets, and uploads up to 30 minutes / 500MB.
Deep dive: /blog/zapsubs-free-vs-pro-2026. Side-by-side: /compare and /blog/zapsubs-vs-kapwing-veed-capcut.
Free basic captions. No watermark.
No account required. Pro unlocks animated presets, karaoke, emoji, speakers, and unlimited SRT/VTT.