Subtitleedit

Open source alternative to EZTitles, Telestream CaptionMaker and OOONA

14.7K stars
MIT
Active this week
Last commit today

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Edit, convert, and sync subtitles with video playback, OCR support, and optional online services. MIT licensed, fully offline, for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

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Read the full breakdownWho it is for, how it works, trade-offs, the quick start and the FAQ

who it's for

Who Subtitleedit is for#

Independent video creators captioning their own content

Load your video, adjust cue timing frame by frame, and export to the format your platform requires, all without a subscription. Offline operation means you can caption pre-release footage without exposing it to cloud services.

Skip if:

If you need collaborative review cycles with multiple reviewers marking up a shared draft, Subtitle Edit has no built-in review workflow. A cloud-based captioning service with review tooling would fit that case better.

Localization teams converting subtitle formats between standards

When a workflow produces subtitles in one format but delivery requires another, Subtitle Edit handles conversion locally without sending files to external servers. It supports subtitle formats used across broadcast and streaming pipelines.

Skip if:

If your team needs translation memory, glossaries, and reviewer sign-off flows, a dedicated localization management platform covers those requirements better than a standalone subtitle editor.

Accessibility professionals working with sensitive or pre-release footage

Content with strict data handling requirements cannot be uploaded to cloud transcription services. Subtitle Edit provides a fully local workflow with manual timing tools and OCR via configurable external services for image-based subtitles.

Skip if:

If the footage is not sensitive and you need fast first-draft captions at high volume, a cloud speech-to-text service will produce drafts faster than manual entry.

Developers building local subtitle format conversion pipelines

Subtitle Edit supports conversion between multiple subtitle standards locally, which fits workflows where caption files need reformatting before delivery without round-tripping through a cloud API. The desktop application handles the conversion without a subscription.

Skip if:

If you need programmatic subtitle manipulation in a server-side pipeline, a library like pysrt would integrate more cleanly than a desktop GUI application.

the problem

The problem it solves#

Professional subtitle editing tools designed for broadcast and post-production carry per-seat licensing fees or require cloud accounts. EZTitles, Telestream CaptionMaker, and OOONA are built for enterprise captioning pipelines with pricing that excludes independent creators, small localization teams, and accessibility-focused developers on tight budgets.

The secondary issue is privacy and portability. Cloud-based captioning workflows send media content and subtitle data to third-party servers. For productions with pre-release footage, confidential content, or data handling requirements, that is not acceptable. Local tools that export to open subtitle formats let you move between software without lock-in, but most either lack synchronized video playback for timing work or require commercial licensing.

how Subtitleedit solves it

How it solves it#

Offline video playback for timing work

Plays back video directly in the editor using mpv and ffmpeg, so you can time subtitle cues against the actual footage without switching applications. The macOS and Linux builds bundle mpv and ffmpeg, so no separate media player installation is required.

Subtitle format conversion

Reads and writes subtitle files in multiple formats including SRT, ASS, VTT, TTML, and others used in broadcast and streaming workflows. Format conversion runs locally without uploading files, making it straightforward to convert between caption standards in a single export step.

OCR via optional third-party services

Extracts subtitles from video files with burned-in text using OCR through optional third-party services you configure. This lets you generate editable caption files from content that only has image-based or hard-coded subtitles, without manually transcribing each line.

Local auto-backup

Saves backups of your subtitle files automatically during editing sessions. All backups stay on your device: no cloud account is involved, and files never leave your machine during normal operation.

Optional translation and speech-to-text

Connects to third-party services for translation, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and dictionary lookups when you configure them. Only the minimal data for each request is sent directly to the selected provider; Subtitle Edit does not retain or forward it.

Cross-platform prebuilt binaries

Ships prebuilt releases for Windows (10 version 22H2 or newer), macOS (12 or newer), and Linux. The macOS .dmg is signed and notarized by Apple, and the Linux Flatpak bundles mpv and ffmpeg so no separate dependency installation is needed for video playback.

strengths · trade-offs

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

Fully offline by default with no data collectionAll core editing, format conversion, video playback, and auto-backup run entirely on your device. Subtitle Edit does not collect, transmit, or analyze subtitle files or media content, and it makes no network requests during normal use.
No account, subscription, or per-seat costDownload a prebuilt binary and start editing immediately. There is no account creation, no subscription, and no usage tracking. Unlike EZTitles or OOONA, there is no per-seat cost for the editor itself.
MIT license for unrestricted commercial useMIT licensed, which means you can use it commercially, integrate it into workflows alongside proprietary tools, and distribute it as part of a larger toolchain without paying royalties or licensing fees.
Over a decade of active maintenanceThe repository first appeared in 2014 and the last commit landed in October 2026, showing sustained maintenance over more than ten years. With over 14,700 GitHub stars and 1,341 forks, it has a substantial user base backing continued development.
Bundled dependencies on macOS and LinuxThe macOS .dmg includes libmpv and ffmpeg inside the app bundle, and the Linux Flatpak does the same. No Homebrew, MacPorts, or system package manager installs are needed to get video playback working on either platform.

Trade-offs

-Windows-first heritage; cross-platform support is newerSubtitle Edit was originally a Windows application built in C#. Cross-platform support for macOS and Linux arrived later, and some features or workflows may work more smoothly on Windows. The Linux native build requires mpv and ffmpeg installed separately unless you use the Flatpak.
-OCR and translation require external service configurationOCR, translation, speech-to-text, and text-to-speech all depend on optional third-party online services rather than running locally. If offline OCR or automated translation is a hard requirement, you will need to configure a compatible local service endpoint yourself.
-No built-in collaboration or review workflowSubtitle Edit is a single-user desktop application with no real-time collaboration, shared review queues, or QC reporting. Teams needing multi-user workflows with comment threads or version tracking must handle that through external file sharing and communication tools.

versus alternatives

Subtitleedit vs alternatives#

Subtitle Edit vs EZTitles

EZTitles is a Windows-native subtitle editor used in broadcast and streaming post-production, with compliance validation for specific broadcast delivery standards. Both tools handle subtitle creation and format conversion, but they serve different deployment models and pricing.

Feature	Subtitle Edit	EZTitles
License	MIT	Proprietary
Price	Free	Paid per seat
Platform	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows
Offline operation	Yes	Yes
Broadcast QC	No	Yes

Subtitle Edit is the better choice when you need an offline editor at no cost or when your workflow includes non-Windows machines. EZTitles is worth choosing when your pipeline requires validated compliance with specific broadcast delivery standards and runs entirely on Windows.

Subtitle Edit vs Telestream CaptionMaker

Telestream CaptionMaker is a professional captioning application that supports a wide range of closed caption and subtitle formats with validation and conversion for broadcast delivery. It is proprietary and runs on Windows and macOS.

Feature	Subtitle Edit	Telestream CaptionMaker
License	MIT	Proprietary
Price	Free	Paid
Linux support	Yes (Flatpak)	No
Broadcast delivery	No	Yes

Subtitle Edit covers subtitle creation and format conversion at no cost. CaptionMaker is the stronger choice when broadcast-specific caption validation, compliance reporting, or integration with Telestream's broader media workflow tools are part of your delivery pipeline.

Subtitle Edit vs OOONA

OOONA is a cloud-based subtitle and localization tool with collaborative review workflows, template management, and quality control features designed for localization service providers. Unlike Subtitle Edit, it requires a cloud account and internet access.

Feature	Subtitle Edit	OOONA
License	MIT	Proprietary (SaaS)
Deployment	Local desktop	Cloud
Collaboration	None	Yes
Offline operation	Yes	No

For individuals or small teams that do not need real-time collaboration or cloud QC workflows, Subtitle Edit handles caption editing locally without a subscription. OOONA is the better fit for localization teams that need a shared review queue, template-driven workflows, or integration with a broader localization management system.

install · quick start

Quick start#

bash

Install Subtitle Edit dependencies on Linux, then download the portable build from GitHub Releases.
```bash
sudo apt install -y mpv libmpv-dev ffmpeg
```

tech stack · detected from GitHub

What it's built on#

Languages: C#

frequently asked

FAQ#

Is Subtitle Edit free to use commercially?

Yes. Subtitle Edit is MIT licensed and free to download, use commercially, and modify without restriction. There is no subscription, no per-seat fee, and no paid tier. Download a prebuilt binary from the GitHub Releases page for Windows, macOS, or Linux.

Does Subtitle Edit send my video files or subtitle data to the cloud?

No by default. All core features including editing, format conversion, video playback, and auto-backup run entirely on your device. No data is collected, stored, or transmitted during normal use. Optional features like translation, speech-to-text, and OCR connect to third-party services you configure, and only the minimal data for each specific request is sent directly to that provider.

What platforms does Subtitle Edit run on?

Subtitle Edit runs on Windows (10 version 22H2 or newer), macOS (12 or newer, with a signed and notarized .dmg), and Linux (via a Flatpak that bundles mpv and ffmpeg, or a native .tar.gz build). All three builds are available as prebuilt binaries on the GitHub Releases page.

How does Subtitle Edit compare to paid captioning tools like EZTitles or OOONA?

EZTitles and OOONA are commercial captioning tools with per-seat licensing or subscription costs, aimed at broadcast studios and localization teams. Subtitle Edit covers subtitle editing, timing, format conversion, and OCR without any licensing cost. The trade-off is that Subtitle Edit lacks the broadcast QC reports, collaborative review workflows, and enterprise delivery integrations found in commercial tools.

What subtitle formats does Subtitle Edit support?

Subtitle Edit supports reading and writing multiple subtitle formats used in broadcast and streaming workflows, including SRT, ASS, VTT, and TTML. The full format list is documented on the project's official help pages at subtitleedit.github.io and in the GitHub repository.

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