FoCal Subtitler
Don’t want to install FoCal Subtitler? Drop the file here.
The first 20 minutes of any recording are transcribed free: a recording up to 20 minutes transcribes in full, a longer one is previewed, and a pack from $6 (500 minutes) transcribes the rest and opens every export, and credits never expire.
Niche subtitle authoring tool used by smaller European subtitle houses.
Best for small European subtitle houses needing per-seat authoring. Pricing: perpetual · contact sales.
What it is
FoCal is a European subtitle authoring tool used in smaller localisation shops, supporting common broadcast delivery formats.
Watch out for: Small vendor; limited integration partners.
Install / use
Go to FoCal Subtitler focalinfo.comWhat people actually do with FoCal Subtitler-style transcription
The tool is the means. These are the jobs — each one priced at published rates, each one wired up on its own page.
Features
| Speaker diarization | No |
| Word-level timestamps | Yes |
| Streaming / real-time | No |
| Languages supported | None |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
FoCal Subtitler vs Whipscribe
| Feature | FoCal Subtitler | Whipscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Desktop apps | Transcription APIs |
| Pricing | perpetual · contact sales | $6–$24 one-time packs (credits never expire) · first 20 minutes free |
| Speaker identification | — | Named in the summary, key quotes and chapters |
| Word timestamps | Yes | Yes |
| Streaming | — | No |
| Languages | — | 99 |
| Platforms | Windows | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to FoCal Subtitler
Frequently asked about FoCal Subtitler
How much does FoCal Subtitler cost?
FoCal Subtitler does not publish a self-serve price — it is quoted by the vendor on contact. Expect an enterprise-style agreement rather than a card-and-go signup.
Does FoCal Subtitler work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
FoCal Subtitler runs on Windows. It is not listed for other platforms; check the vendor for anything beyond Windows.
How do I get started with FoCal Subtitler?
There is nothing to install — FoCal Subtitler is used in the browser. Create an account on the vendor's site and upload or connect your audio.
Does FoCal Subtitler identify different speakers?
No. FoCal Subtitler does not label speakers; a conversation comes back as one continuous text. If you need speaker labels, that is a separate tool or a different service.
Does FoCal Subtitler give word-level timestamps?
Yes — FoCal Subtitler produces timing per word, which is what subtitle cues and clip boundaries need.
Can FoCal Subtitler transcribe live audio?
No — FoCal Subtitler works on finished files, not a live stream.
Is FoCal Subtitler HIPAA compliant?
FoCal Subtitler does not claim HIPAA compliance. For PHI, run it on infrastructure you control or choose a service that will sign a BAA.
What are the limitations of FoCal Subtitler?
Small vendor; limited integration partners.
Who is FoCal Subtitler best for?
Small European subtitle houses needing per-seat authoring.
Does FoCal Subtitler run offline?
FoCal Subtitler runs on your own machine as a desktop app. Check whether the model runs locally or calls a cloud service — some desktop tools do both.
Can I use FoCal Subtitler in the browser?
No — FoCal Subtitler is a Windows application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
What kind of tool is FoCal Subtitler?
In this directory FoCal Subtitler is filed under subtitle authoring as a desktop app.
What are the alternatives to FoCal Subtitler?
There is a side-by-side page at /tools/focal-subtitler-alternatives comparing FoCal Subtitler with the closest tools in the same category on price, platform and features.
Can I automate FoCal Subtitler-style transcription without running it myself?
Yes. If what you want is transcripts rather than the tool itself, Whipscribe does the same job as a hosted API: submit a file or URL, poll a job id, pull the result as txt, json, srt, vtt or docx. $0.012 a minute — about $0.72 an audio hour — bought as credits that never expire. The automation recipes on this site show it wired to Drive folders, Zoom recordings, S3 buckets and no-code platforms.
How is Whipscribe different from FoCal Subtitler?
FoCal Subtitler is something you run; Whipscribe is something you call. Recordings are transcribed on our own servers and never used for training, and every job returns five formats plus an AI summary, quotes and topics. The first 20 minutes of any recording are transcribed free, and a pack from $6 (500 minutes) transcribes the rest and opens every export.
Whipscribe is a hosted transcription service. If you want transcripts without running infrastructure, paste a URL or drop a file in the form below — you'll have a transcript in seconds.
Transcribe your recordings
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Need the subtitle file itself?
Upload the recording or paste a link and download SRT or VTT: see an SRT subtitle file from any recording, SRT subtitles from a YouTube link and the subtitle generator.
Rather have it done for you?
Free tools cost setup time. When you want a finished transcript instead: see an honest roundup of the best transcription services, the cheapest way to transcribe an hour of audio and transcription services from $6.