Freelance Captioning Jobs: Super 20 Legit Online Sites Hiring in 2025 (No Experience Needed)

Meta Description: Freelance captioning jobs are in high demand in 2025 due to booming online video and growing accessibility laws. Discover the top 20 sites for captioning gigs, typical pay rates, required skills, and step-by-step tips on how to get started with closed captioning freelance work (no experience needed).

Freelance captioning jobs are booming in 2025. With video content dominating the Internet (over 80% of traffic is videostreamtvinsider.com), platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and online course providers need captions more than ever. U.S. law and accessibility standards (ADA, WCAG, CVAA) require companies to caption audio/video for the deaf and hard-of-hearingnad.orgverbit.ai. Captions also boost engagement and SEO and allow global audiences to enjoy content (multilingual subtitle files let creators reach non-English speakersverbit.ai). All this means freelance captioning jobs are in high demand as businesses seek help with remote captioning work and transcription and captioning jobs.

Why Freelance Captioning Jobs Are in Demand in 2025

• Video Content Explosion: Online video has exploded in recent years. Video streaming already accounts for around 80% of all internet trafficstreamtvinsider.com. The surge of social media video (YouTube shorts, TikTok, streaming lectures, webinars, courses, etc.) means more work for captioners to make content accessible.
• Accessibility Laws & ADA Compliance: U.S. companies must follow accessibility laws (like the ADA and FCC regulations) that essentially require captions on public-facing videonad.org. Firms hire freelancers to ensure their media (ads, training videos, broadcasts) are captioned for deaf or hard-of-hearing users and comply with WCAG standards.
• Global and Multilingual Reach: Captions aren’t just for the hearing-impaired – they also drive engagement and international reachverbit.ai. Companies now ask for multilingual captioning, subtitles, and translations to expand worldwide. This creates more freelance captioning work (e.g. creating caption files in English and other languages) and increases demand for transcription and captioning jobs.

20 Best Sites to Find Freelance Captioning Jobs

1. Rev – A popular platform for freelance transcription and captioning. Rev lets you pick video projects and earn ~$0.54–$1.10 per video minuterev.com. (Rev’s own ad: “Earn money transcribing, captioning, or subtitling from anywhere”rev.com.) Rev pays weekly via PayPalrev.com and has hundreds of caption projects available daily.
2. CaptionMax – (Now part of 3Play Media.) CaptionMax provides live and recorded captioning services to networks and studios. They hire freelance captioners, often with training provided. (CaptionMax jobs now mostly on 3Play’s site since acquisition.)
3. VITAC – A leading U.S. captioning company (serving TV, corporate, government). VITAC hires closed captioners and transcriptionists for remote work. They offer paid training and equipment (headset) for home captioners.
4. 3Play Media – A top provider of captioning and transcription. Freelancers work remotely on caption and transcript projects (including English and multilingual captions). 3Play pays weekly for contract work, and their site emphasizes “weekly paychecks working remotely from home providing captioning and transcripts”3playmedia.com.
5. CrowdSurf – A platform that offers on-demand transcription and captioning to make media accessible. CrowdSurf hires remote freelancers, even those with little experiencefireflies.ai. They pay per audio minute (typically $0.03–$0.20 depending on difficultyfireflies.ai), and you can work flexible hours on short clips.
6. Upwork – A huge freelance marketplace. Search for “captioner” or “closed captioning” to find many remote captioning jobs from U.S. and global clients. Upwork is known for online captioning jobs USA and worldwide. You can set your own rates and apply to listing jobs (many are transcription and captioning jobs).
7. Fiverr – A gig platform where freelancers offer services. Many video editors and captioners list “closed captioning” or “subtitle editing” gigs. Create a profile and offer your captioning service packages (e.g. captions per minute). Fiverr has categories for video subtitling and is beginner-friendly.
8. GoTranscript – A global transcription and translation company. They frequently hire freelance transcribers and captioners. You can complete their free test to qualify. Rates are modest (around $10 per video hour of work, plus bonuses) but payment is weekly.
9. Scribie – An online transcription service. Scribie offers flexible transcription and captioning gigs. You choose files to work on, transcribe or caption them, and get paid per audio minute (around $0.75 on average). Good for beginners looking for extra income.
10. TranscribeMe – Known for audio transcription work, TranscribeMe also offers closed-captioning tasks on rare occasions. You take a short test to join as a transcriptionist, then select jobs. Pay is low per minute (often $0.50+ per audio min) but you can boost earnings with bonuses. Weekly PayPal payouts.
11. TransPerfect – A major language services company. For 30+ years they’ve provided transcription, translation, and captioningfireflies.ai. TransPerfect hires linguists and captioners for corporate projects. (To apply, create an account on their vendor portal and select “Subtitling (Closed Captioning)” in services.)
12. Verbit – An AI-powered transcription/caption company. Verbit offers freelance captioning and transcription gigs to support their automated servicesfireflies.ai. You can check Verbit’s careers or freelance portal for open captioning roles.
13. Capital Captions – A captioning and subtitling firm. They occasionally hire freelance closed-caption writers/subtitlers (often on a subcontract basis)fireflies.ai. (Applicants need experience and a fast typing speed.) Good for experienced captioners.
14. National Captioning Institute (NCI) – A non-profit leader in captioning. NCI provides closed captioning for broadcasters and online media. They hire captioners and transcriptionists (in-house and freelance). Check NCI’s jobs page – they often list “remote realtime captioner” roles.
15. Ai-Media – A global captioning and translation provider. Ai-Media offers remote captioning and translation positions. Their website has a careers section listing captioning jobs worldwidefireflies.ai. They serve big clients (news, sports, education).
16. Daily Transcription – A transcription, translation and captioning company. Established for ~20 years, they post job openings for closed captioning and subtitlingfireflies.ai. Freelancers can apply to their current openings via the DailyTranscription careers page.
17. Vanan Captioning – An international captioning service. Vanan hires remote captioners for video subtitling in 100+ languagesfireflies.ai. You fill out an application on their site and, if accepted, work on short caption tasks (pay varies by language).
18. Classroom Captioning – Provides realtime CART and TypeWell captioning services for education. They periodically hire captioners for live remote captions (especially ASL/English live captioners). Email your resume to apply (info@classroomcaptioning.com).
19. CaptionLabs – A provider of closed captions for film, TV, and corporate video. They have opportunities for freelance caption editors and proofreaders. Check their jobs page for openings in captioning or transcription rolesfireflies.ai.
20. CaptioningStar – Offers live and recorded captioning (broadcast, open/closed captions). CaptioningStar hires freelance realtime captioners as contractorsfireflies.ai. To apply, fill out a simple online form on their site and await contact.

Freelance Captioning Jobs Salary & Payment Models

• Per-minute rates (entry-level): Many platforms pay by the video minute. For example, Rev quotes roughly $0.54–$1.10 per minute for captioning tasksrev.com (novice jobs often start around $0.40/min). Similarly, TranscribeMe and others pay cents-per-minute.
• Hourly rates (advanced): Experienced captioners (e.g. realtime or niche projects) can earn $25–$60 per hour. Indeed/Glassdoor data show remote closed captioner averages of roughly $31.60/hrfireflies.ai, with top pay up to $60+/hr on specialized gigs or real-time jobs.
• Payment frequency: Most captioning companies pay weekly or biweekly. For example, Rev and 3Play send weekly payouts via PayPalrev.com3playmedia.com. Other firms may pay via Payoneer, bank transfer or services like Wise on a set schedule.
• Bonus/Bonus Features: Some platforms offer bonuses or increased rates for tight deadlines, complex audio, or multilingual projects. U.S. averages (Glassdoor/Indeed) and pay ranges vary by company and experience, but most freelancers report earnings in the above ranges on those sitesfireflies.airev.com.

Skills Required for Remote Freelance Captioning Jobs

• Typing Speed & Accuracy: Fast, accurate typing (ideally 60+ WPM) is essential, since you’ll transcribe spoken words under time pressure. Errors or delays hurt both readability and delivery.
• Excellent English Grammar/Punctuation: Captions must be error-free and well-punctuated. Clients expect perfect spelling/grammar.fireflies.ai (Poor caption grammar can confuse viewers.)
• Familiarity with Captioning Tools: Learn captioning software like Amara, Subtitle Edit, Aegisub, or proprietary tools. Many jobs require uploading time-coded text files or syncing captions to videofireflies.ai.
• Attention to Detail & Timing: Good captioning requires syncing text precisely with the audio. Attention to nuance (pauses, speaker IDs, sound descriptions) is needed. Subtitles should capture all dialogue and relevant sounds in time.
• Listening and Language Skills: Excellent listening is a must. Optional skills that help: knowing a second language (for multilingual subtitles) or ASL knowledge (for certain caption jobs). Any background in transcription, editing or media can be helpful but not mandatoryfireflies.ai.

How to Get Started with Freelance Captioning Jobs

1. Choose a Platform & Apply: Pick one (or more) of the above sites and sign up. For example, on Rev you complete a quick online application. On Upwork/Fiverr, set up a freelancer profile. Many sites require basic info and a resume.
2. Complete Tests & Samples: Most platforms test your skills. For instance, Rev requires you to take a short English/grammar quiz and submit a caption samplerev.com. Others (3Play, TranscribeMe) ask for a sample transcription or editing test. Pass these to qualify for jobs.
3. Obtain Certification (Optional): You don’t need a degree, but a certification can boost credibility. For example, NCRA’s Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC) credential or AAERT certification shows professionalism. (Even if not required, taking a captioning/transcription course helps with skills.)
4. Set Up Your Workspace: Ensure you have a quiet workspace, good quality headset, and fast internet. Many captioners also use a foot pedal or playback software to pause audio while typing. Having a clean, distraction-free environment will help accuracy and speed.
5. Track Performance & Feedback: Once you start working, keep records of hours and quality metrics. Aim for high accuracy and on-time delivery to earn positive reviews. Happy clients or platforms (with good rating systems) often lead to more job invitations. Continuously improve your skills by practicing and learning from any feedback.

By following these steps and building your experience, you can turn closed captioning freelance work into a steady remote income. The demand for transcription and captioning jobs is only growing, and with dedication, even beginners can break into this field in 2025.