Best Caption Apps for iPhone

Every video app adds captions now, and the free ones are often good enough. A dedicated caption app is worth it when you want captions that look the same on every platform, styles that go beyond the defaults, or translation.

Below are the options on iPhone, free ones first. One of them, CapCap, is the app we make. Prices are the in-app purchases listed on the US App Store, checked on October 17, 2026.

Free: the platform's own captions

Instagram, TikTok and YouTube all generate captions inside their own apps. If you only post to one platform and the default look is fine, start there. The catch is that those captions stay on that platform. Post the same video somewhere else and you start over.

1. Edits (by Instagram)

Edits is Meta's free video editor. Its App Store description says it generates captions automatically, lets you change how they look, and exports in 4K with no watermark. There are no in-app purchases.

• Good for: free captions you can take to any platform, especially if you already post on Instagram.
• Watch out for: its listing doesn't mention translation or subtitle files.
• Price: free.

2. CapCut

CapCut is a full video editor with a multi-track timeline, speed curves, effects and auto captions. Its listing also includes text-to-speech in several languages.

• Good for: people who want a complete editor and captions in one app.
• Watch out for: captions are one tool among many, and several features need a subscription.
• Price: listed at $9.99 a month (Standard), $19.99 a month (Pro), or $89.99 a year.

3. Captions (by Mirage)

Despite the name, Captions is a broad AI video editor, with a chat-based editor and AI avatars. Its listing says it makes subtitles in 91+ languages and dubs into 29.

• Good for: creators who want AI editing, captions and dubbing in one place.
• Watch out for: the price, if all you need is captions.
• Price: Captions Basic is listed at $9.99 a month or $64.99 a year, and Captions Max at $24.99. The company's site says there's a free version.

4. InShot

InShot is a popular, inexpensive video editor with AI auto captions and bilingual subtitles.

• Good for: a cheap all-round editor that also does captions.
• Watch out for: captions aren't the focus of the app.
• Price: InShot Pro is listed at $4.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $49.99 once.

5. CapCap

CapCap is built around captions. It writes them word by word, lets you fix any word or sentence, style them (fonts, colors, outlines, word highlighting, templates), translate them, and export the video or an SRT file. It can also dub the video into another language.

• Good for: captions you want to edit closely and style, translated captions, and SRT files for YouTube.
• Watch out for: it's not a full video editor. You can trim and arrange clips on the timeline, but there are no speed changes or filters. iPhone only, iOS 18 or later.
• Price: the free plan gives 3 captioned videos a month, up to 3 minutes each, with a small watermark. Pro is $14.99 a month or $59.99 a year.

How to add subtitles to a video on iPhone

Which one to pick

• Free, no watermark: Edits.
• A full editor that also does captions: CapCut or InShot.
• AI editing and avatars: Captions.
• Captions you edit and style closely, in any language, plus SRT: CapCap.

Not sure whether to burn captions into the video or upload a file? Burned-in vs. closed captions explains which platforms take which.

CapCap isn't affiliated with any app mentioned here. App names are trademarks of their owners. Prices are as listed on the date shown above.