Captions
AI captioning and talking-video editor.
why this verdict
Downgrade — pay for the workflow, not the AI
CapCut and Descript cover the headline feature free, so the $10/mo is now paying for the workflow around it.
- A named launch, not a vibe named, unlinked
- Native captions everywhere. OpenAI, March 1, 2024 — no announcement link recorded yet.
- How much of the job it covers headline only editorial call
- The headline feature, but not the workflow, data or integrations around it.
- Is there a free way to do it? yes
- 3 of 3 listed replacements have a usable free tier: CapCut, Descript and Veed.
- What the call is worth $120/yr
- $10/mo at the entry paid tier — $120 a year per seat.
- Threatened by
- OpenAI
- Since
- March 1, 2024
- List price
- $10/mo
- Per year
- $120
The backstory
Captions is a mobile-first editor built around auto-captioning and AI talking-head video, popular with short-form creators. Automatic captions are now built into TikTok, Instagram, CapCut, and phone OSes, so that headline feature became table stakes. Captions is wounded because the thing it was named for is free everywhere. Its AI editing, eye-contact correction, and avatar tools keep some edge, but the caption moat is gone.
Escape hatches
switching could free up $120/yrFree editor with auto-captions and effects
capcut.com open_in_newText-based video editing with captions
descript.com open_in_newBrowser video editor with auto subtitles
veed.io open_in_new3 of 3 replacements have a usable free tier.