Video translator software: The ultimate guide

Do you need to translate your video content? Here's how video translator software works, plus some of the best translators out there.

In the era of globalization, translating your video content isn't just a considerate move; it's a smart business decision. The ability to offer multilingual content opens doors to new markets, improves accessibility, and even aids in language learning. Video translator software makes it easier than ever to reach a global audience by allowing you to translate, transcribe, and subtitle your video content in different languages. This article will delve into why you should translate your videos, how video translator software works, and recommend some of the best video translators available.

Why you should translate your videos

Translating your video content serves several purposes:

Marketing

By offering video subtitles or voiceovers in languages like English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Korean, you can reach an international audience. This expansion can boost views, subscribers, and social media engagement, effectively enhancing your brand's visibility.

There's a stunning array of linguistic diversity in the world, with around 7,000 distinct languages spoken. These range from widely used languages to those spoken by just a handful of individuals. However, when it comes to global communication, English reigns supreme. It's estimated that over 1.5 billion people worldwide speak English to some degree, whether as a first, second, or foreign language. This is about 20% of the global population. Despite this impressive figure, it's worth noting that the vast majority of the world—80%—does not speak English. These statistics highlight the significance of language diversity and the importance of multilingual communication, especially in our increasingly interconnected world.

Accessibility

Translated subtitles ensure your video content is accessible to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who prefer to watch videos without sound. This inclusivity can attract a more diverse viewer base and is an important consideration for content creators. Accessibility can also apply to bilingual audience members who may prefer to switch between languages while reading or listening to content.

Language learning

Videos, especially YouTube videos or tutorials, are often used as language learning tools. Providing translated subtitles can help people learning new languages better understand and engage with your content, increasing its value.

Comparing video translator software to traditional translators

Video translator software and human translators each have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to translating text and dubbing for videos. On one hand, video translator software offers efficiency and speed, with the ability to transcribe, translate, and dub content in real-time. It's also available 24/7 and can process large volumes of content quickly. However, automated translation systems can sometimes struggle with nuances, idioms, cultural references, and context-specific meanings that a human translator would intuitively understand.

On the other hand, human translators offer a level of accuracy, contextual understanding, and cultural sensitivity that machines can't match. They can interpret the intended meaning, tone, and emotion in the original language and convey these in the translated version. For dubbing, human voice actors can bring character, emotion, and authenticity to the dialogue.

At the same time, human translation and dubbing services can be more time-consuming and costly compared to video translator software. Therefore, the choice between the two often depends on the specific requirements, budget, and time constraints of the project.

How video translator software works

Video translator software simplifies the translation process. It typically works in the following steps:

1. Upload your video file to the online video translator.
2. The software will transcribe the audio into text, creating a transcription that you can edit using video editing tools.
3. Once you're satisfied with the transcription, the software can translate it into your desired language(s) in real-time. Some services also offer auto-translate video features, saving you even more time.
4. You can then generate subtitles in either SRT or VTT formats. Many services allow you to customize the fonts and templates of your subtitles to match your video aesthetics.
5. Some software also offers dubbing services, providing a voice over in the translated language.

Best video translators

While Google Translate is a well-known tool, it's not specifically designed for video translation. For a more professional approach, consider the following options:

Rev

Known for their transcription and translation services, Rev also offers subtitle services where they create the captions and translate them to the language of your choice.

SubtitleBee

This service offers auto-generated subtitles in various languages for your video content.

Trint

Trint provides transcription services and the ability to translate transcriptions into different languages.

Amara

This platform offers tools for captioning and subtitling your own videos or collaborating with a team to create and review multilingual subtitles.

Aegisub

This is a free, cross-platform open-source tool for creating and modifying subtitles.

ClipFlair

This is a free tool designed for language learning through the use of interactive captioning, revoicing, and audio description.

Zubtitle

This online tool can automatically transcribe and translate your videos, add subtitles, and even optimize the size and format for social media.

Speechify Dubbing Studio

Instantly translate audio into different languages with a single click through this AI-powered translator app.

Save time and get high-quality translations with Speechify Dubbing Studio

If you want to improve your audio and video editing workflow and don’t have the time or the budget to hire a professional voiceover artist to dub your content into another language, Speechify Dubbing Studio can help. With just a click of a button, you can get natural-sounding accurate translations for your videos, podcasts, and more. Now, your content can reach more people than you ever imagined.

Hear the difference with Speechify Dubbing Studio.