Captioning, transcription, and audio description vendor rate comparison

Compare discounted rates available in ordering captions, transcripts or audio descriptions from the UW-Madison contracted vendors: 3PlayMedia and CaptionSync.

Captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions help to make media content more accessible to students, employees, and members of the public and help to ensure that your content is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Review the creating accessible video and audio content guidance to learn more about when they should be used, and learn how to set up an account with 3PlayMedia or CaptionSync.

In this document

Captioning and transcription pricing 

To produce captions, the vendors typically create a transcript (including speaker info, sounds, and tone information) and align the transcript based on the media you provide, before generating a variety of caption and text file options (.SRT, .VTT, etc.) that you can download and use with various media players.  

If you already have an accurate transcript with speaker, sound, and tone info, you can alternatively upload the transcript along with the media, and then order alignment services to generate the captions.  For alignment only: 3PlayMedia costs $0.90/min and CaptionSync costs $0.99/min. You can also use a script to create captions for media in Kaltura MediaSpace (free).

Turnaround Time
3PlayMedia Price
CaptionSync Price
10 day

$1.95/min*

Service not available

4 day

$2.10/min*

$2.09/min

2-3 day

$2.60/min*

$2.29/min

1 day

$3.10/min*

$2.89/min

8 hours (same day)

$4.10/min*

$3.59/min

2 hours

$7.10/min*

Service not available

* 3PlayMedia adds $1.00/min for audio difficulty.

Transcript only pricing 

For media that is audio only, the vendors offer transcription only options.
Turnaround Time
3PlayMedia Price
CaptionSync Price
10 day

$1.95/min*

Service not available

4 day

$2.10/min*

$2.09/min

2-3 day

Service not available

$2.29/min

1 day

$3.10/min*

$2.00/min

8 hours (same day)

$4.10/min*

$2.60/min

2 hours

$7.10/min*

Service not available

* 3PlayMedia adds $1.00/min for audio difficulty.

Audio description pricing

Standard Audio Descriptions: A voice-over track that describes what is visibly happening in the video.

Extended Audio Descriptions: Used when more detail is needed than can fit in the timing of the video. Extended audio descriptions pause the video intermittently to add additional voice-over detail.

Turnaround: Audio descriptions have a 5-day standard turnaround time. 3PlayMedia does offers additional turnaround time options:

Pricing proration: 3PlayMedia’s pricing is prorated to the nearest second. CaptionSync pricing is prorated to the nearest minute. 

 
Type
3PlayMedia Price
CaptionSync Price
Static Text Alternative

 Service not available

$4.00/min

Standard Audio Description

$7.50/min

Service not available for EDU content

Upgrade from Standard to Extended

$8.50/min ($510/hr)

Service not offered

Extended Audio Description 

$11.75/min ($705/hr)

$8.50/min

Services and features

All services

Results review service - What is this?

Caption encoding - What is this?

Caption import - What is this?

Output formats

Video platforms available

Contract details, training and languages

UW-Madison contract

For full details, see the UW-Madison contract.

Training

Free vendor-provided training is part of UW-Madison's contract is available by contacting the vendor directly.

Languages available

Language translation services are available and vary by language and service level. 

  • 3PlayMedia offers English and Spanish captioning at regular price. Translation for hundreds of languages starting at $10/min. 

  • CaptionSync also offers English and Spanish captioning at regular price. Translation available upon request.