SmartSub vs SRTGen

SmartSub is an open-source desktop app for transcription, subtitle translation, proofreading, AI dubbing and video subtitle rendering. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and is free with no local usage limits. For local processing, its maker says models process files on the user's computer, so those files do not leave the device. Transcription options include whisper.cpp, faster-whisper, FunASR, Qwen3-ASR and FireRedASR. Translation includes 20 services, including built-in free translation and integrations such as DeepSeek, Gemini and Ollama. The proofreading workspace offers video-synced editing, undo and redo, search and replace, and AI proofreading. SmartSub can generate speech from subtitle lines, align audio to the timeline and clone voices with ZipVoice, Volcengine or ElevenLabs. It can burn subtitles into video or package soft subtitles, preview styles and include dubbed audio. It also downloads videos from links using yt-dlp and lux, supporting more than 1,800 sites. Cloud transcription uploads audio to the configured provider endpoint; the README advises against using it for sensitive content.

SRTGen is a web and API platform for creating and localizing subtitles for video and audio. It transcribes uploads into editable, time-coded text, then lets users review captions, translate them, style them or burn them into video. Subtitle exports include SRT, VTT, ASS and TXT; JSON is available through agent localization. The service supports 100 caption languages and a workflow combining transcription, translation, voice dubbing, review and export. Its stated content range includes social videos, podcasts, courses, marketing videos and news. The free plan includes 20 signup credits, 20 transcription minutes and 40 translation minutes, with recording capped at five minutes and 720p. Paid plans start at $4 per month for the first two months, then $8 per month. Monthly or yearly billing and non-expiring top-ups are offered. SRTGen also supports MCP-compatible agents, collaborative workspaces and a REST developer API on higher plans.