Telestream MacCaption
Don’t want to install Telestream MacCaption? 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.
Mac authoring tool for broadcast captions and post-production workflows.
Best for mac-based post houses preparing CEA-608/708 captions for US broadcast and OTT delivery. Pricing: perpetual · contact sales.
What it is
MacCaption is Telestream's macOS caption authoring suite. Imports SCC, MCC, STL and SRT, supports CEA-608/708 closed captioning and subtitle exchange across delivery specs (Netflix, iTunes, broadcast). The Mac counterpart to CaptionMaker on Windows.
Watch out for: Mac-only; per-seat license is a meaningful cost for small shops.
Install / use
telestream.net/maccaption — purchase
What people actually do with Telestream MacCaption-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 |
Telestream MacCaption vs Whipscribe
| Feature | Telestream MacCaption | 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 | macOS | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to Telestream MacCaption
Frequently asked about Telestream MacCaption
How much does Telestream MacCaption cost?
Telestream MacCaption 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 Telestream MacCaption work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
Telestream MacCaption runs on macOS. It is not listed for other platforms; check the vendor for anything beyond macOS.
How do I get started with Telestream MacCaption?
There is nothing to install — Telestream MacCaption is used in the browser. Create an account on the vendor's site and upload or connect your audio.
Does Telestream MacCaption identify different speakers?
No. Telestream MacCaption 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 Telestream MacCaption give word-level timestamps?
Yes — Telestream MacCaption produces timing per word, which is what subtitle cues and clip boundaries need.
Can Telestream MacCaption transcribe live audio?
No — Telestream MacCaption works on finished files, not a live stream.
Is Telestream MacCaption HIPAA compliant?
Telestream MacCaption 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 Telestream MacCaption?
Mac-only; per-seat license is a meaningful cost for small shops.
Who is Telestream MacCaption best for?
Mac-based post houses preparing CEA-608/708 captions for US broadcast and OTT delivery.
Does Telestream MacCaption run offline?
Telestream MacCaption 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 Telestream MacCaption in the browser?
No — Telestream MacCaption is a macOS application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
What kind of tool is Telestream MacCaption?
In this directory Telestream MacCaption is filed under subtitle authoring, broadcast as a desktop app.
What are the alternatives to Telestream MacCaption?
There is a side-by-side page at /tools/telestream-maccaption-alternatives comparing Telestream MacCaption with the closest tools in the same category on price, platform and features.
Can I automate Telestream MacCaption-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 Telestream MacCaption?
Telestream MacCaption 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.
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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, the YouTube to SRT page and the subtitle generator.
Looking at paid options?
Before you choose a transcription tool or service: see an honest roundup of the best transcription services, the cheapest way to transcribe an hour of audio and transcription services from $6.