SRT Files: What They Are and How to Get One for Your Video

SRT (SubRip Text) is the most widely supported caption format in the world. If you need captions for YouTube, Vimeo, or almost any other platform, SRT is the right format — and Speechpad’s human captionists deliver them at 99% accuracy in 48 hours

Publishing captions alongside your video also makes every spoken word searchable, which helps new viewers find your content through the exact phrases you used.

$1.50/min
Standard Captions, SRT included

48hr
Standard turnaround, faster on request

22+
Compatible platforms and players

What is an SRT file?

An SRT file is a plain text file that tells a video player when to show captions and what to display. Each entry has three parts: a sequence number, a timecode range showing when the caption appears and disappears, and the caption text.

It’s the simplest caption format available — which is exactly why it works everywhere. No special software needed to open, read, or upload it.

1 ← sequence number
00:00:03,400 –> 00:00:06,177 ← start and end timecodes
In this lesson, we’re going to ← caption text
be talking about finance.
 
2
00:00:06,177 –> 00:00:10,009
One of the most important aspects
of finance is interest.

Timecodes use a comma before milliseconds — for example, 00:01:07,053. Entries are separated by a blank line.

See SRT Captions in Action

The following video shows an example of what you would get if you ordered Speechpad’s Standard Captions. After you begin playing the video, click the “CC” on the video player to turn the captions on.

What Does an SRT File Look Like?

Here’s a sample excerpt from a real SRT file. Each numbered block is one caption entry, separated by a blank
line. SRT is just one of many formats you can download once the captions have been created. You could then
use the SRT file to allow various players and video hosting services to present captions with your video
(see compatibility list below).

1
00:00:03,400 –> 00:00:06,177
In this lesson, we’re going to
be talking about finance. And
 
2
00:00:06,177 –> 00:00:10,009
One of the most important aspects
of finance is interest.
 
3
00:00:10,009 –> 00:00:13,655
When I go to a bank or some
other lending institution
 
4
00:00:13,655 –> 00:00:17,720
to borrow money, the bank is happy
to give me that money.

Where Can You Use an SRT File?

SRT is supported by virtually every video platform, player, and editing tool. Here are the most common ones Speechpad clients use:

VLC
Windows Media Player
Adobe Presenter
Dailymotion
Metacafe
Slideshare
Flowplayer
Vidyard
Mediasite
Desire2Learn
Viddler
thePlatform
MediaCore
Blip.tv

If your platform isn’t listed, SRT almost certainly still works. It’s the default format most video tools look for first.

Need SRT captions for your video?

Human captionists. 99% accuracy. From $1.50/min with 48-hour turnaround.

Order Captions Now

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SRT files, how they work, and how Speechpad’s captioning service handles them

An SRT file (SubRip Text) is a plain text caption file. Each entry contains a sequence number, a start and end timecode, and the caption text. Entries are separated by blank lines. It’s the most universally supported caption format across video platforms and players.

YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Wistia, Brightcove, VLC, Windows Media Player, Kaltura, Panopto, Camtasia, Adobe Presenter, Dailymotion, and most other video platforms. If your platform supports captions at all, it almost certainly supports SRT.

Upload your video or audio to Speechpad, select Standard Captions, and choose SRT as your download format. Human captionists handle your file and deliver it within 48 hours, starting at $1.50/min. Create a free account to get started.

Speechpad guarantees 99% accuracy on all caption orders. Every file is handled by a human captionist — not an AI tool. This matters for multi-speaker content, accents, technical terminology, and anything automated tools regularly miss. All work is covered by Speechpad’s satisfaction guarantee.

SRT is the simplest and most widely compatible format. VTT (WebVTT) adds styling options for web use. SCC is used for broadcast TV. TTML is common in streaming. For most distribution needs — YouTube, Vimeo, Wistia, LMS platforms — SRT is the safest default. Speechpad delivers captions in SRT and several other formats.

Speechpad’s Standard Captions in SRT format meet ADA requirements for online video. If you need FCC compliance or SDH (Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) for broadcast, Premium Captions are the right choice.

Yes. Speechpad supports transcription and captioning in 27+ languages and dialects, all handled by native speakers. SRT format is available for foreign language caption orders as well.Sonnet 4.6