Captioning Cost Calculator

Estimate captioning costs for real-time, post-production, and AI-assisted methods with turnaround times.

Duration (minutes)

Type (1=Real-time, 2=Post-Prod, 3=AI)

Target Accuracy (%)

Tab to move between fields

Total Cost

$210.00

≈ 14 movie tickets

Cost Per Minute$3.50

Turnaround (hours)0

How to Use This Calculator

Enter Duration (minutes) — the total length of content to be captioned.
Select Type: 1=Real-time CART (most expensive, live events), 2=Post-production (highest accuracy), or 3=AI-assisted (lowest cost, needs review).
Set Target Accuracy (%) — FCC mandates 99%+ for broadcast; set lower only for internal/informal use.
Review Cost Per Minute and Total Cost to compare captioning vendors.
Use Turnaround (hours) to check if the delivery timeline meets your production schedule.

How the result changes with Duration (minutes)

Duration (minutes): Total duration of content to caption in minutes
Type (1=Real-time, 2=Post-Prod, 3=AI): Real-time CART is most expensive; AI is cheapest but less accurate
Target Accuracy (%): FCC requires 99%+ for broadcast; higher accuracy costs more for AI methods

Identify Input Parameters
Duration (minutes) = 60, Type (1=Real-time, 2=Post-Prod, 3=AI) = 1, Target Accuracy (%) = 99 = 3 input(s) provided
Calculate Total Cost
Total Cost
210 = $210
Calculate Cost Per Minute
3.5 = $3.5
Calculate Turnaround
Turnaround
0 = 0

Engine last updated August 5, 2026. Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.

The questions that sit next to this one — chosen by subject, including calculators filed under a different category.

Estimate braille transcription costs based on source page count, format, and binding options.

Estimate the cost of hiring sign language interpreters including hourly rates, team requirements, and travel.

Evaluate an accessible route for ADA compliance across slope, width, and surface requirements.