Looking for the best captioning jobs for beginners? Keep reading to find companies that offer legit captioning jobs from home for beginners and pros.
Captioning is one of those jobs that give you the freedom to work from home or anywhere else with an internet connection. If you are a beginner, or you are looking to begin working as a captioner, you will be glad you stopped here.
Here, you will find everything you need to know about captioning jobs from home. Also, you will find sites and companies that have freelance captioning jobs for beginners.
Let’s dig deeper into the world of captioning.
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Who is a captioner?
Have you ever watched a movie, program, or a live show where the words being said pop at the bottom of the screen? Of course, you have seen such.
Those words are called captions or subtitles. And the person who generates them is called a captioner.
As a captioner, you will help movies or programs increase their viewership. Captions are also used to accommodate people with hearing impairment who may be watching a movie or program.
How do you become a captioner?
Captioning can be a rewarding side hustle. To get the most out of it, you can sign up with the companies and sites reviewed below. They are a great way to start your online captioning career.
I am pretty sure you have noticed some YouTube videos with subtitles. Yes, you can approach YouTube channels and offer your captioning services to them.
Cold pitching could get you further than you imagine. Don’t shy from approaching directors and producers of different programs. This could be your breakthrough in the captioning field.
Types of captioning jobs for beginners
I will review two types of captioning jobs:
- Offline closed captioning jobs
- Real-time captioning jobs
Offline closed captioning jobs involve pre-recorded programs, movies, or Youtube videos. Anything that is not live is offline closed captioning.
You do not need professional experience to work as an offline closed captioner. As long as you understand time codes, you are good to get started.
Real-time captioning involves captioning live sessions and programs. The subtitles captioned appear a few seconds behind the talking, unlike in offline closed captioning.
As you might have figured out already, real-time captioning is more complicated than offline closed captioning. You need to be quick and accurate. Most of the real-time captioners are professionally trained broadcasters.
How much can you make as a captioner?
What you make as a captioner will vary significantly. However, most gigs pay anything between $10 and $40 per hour of video. How much you earn per month will therefore depend on how many hours you put in.
Alright, let’s now look at some legit companies that offer work from home captioning jobs for beginners and pros.
Legitimate Work From Home Captioning Jobs For Beginners
More Jobs: 30 Best Online Transcription Jobs From Home
1. 3PlayMedia
3PlayMedia hires both captioners and transcriptionists. If you are a native English speaker, this company can hire you as an editor of captions. Editors are given software they can use to perfect their work.
Employees of this company get the benefit to work from home. You will also love the medical benefits that the employees enjoy.
2. Aberdeen
If you are conversant with Christian terminologies, you might love the captioning gigs at Aberdeen. Most of the jobs here revolve around Christianity.
They hire both real-time and offline closed captioners. Real-time captioners here make approximately $75 per hour. Offline closed captioners make anything between $12 and $15 per hour, depending on their experience.
Besides, depending on the project at hand, you can get hired as an independent contractor or as an employee.
3. AI Media
AI Media offers captioning services for pre-recorded videos and live TV shows. Some of their clients include Shopify, Mozilla, and Amazon. They hire both transcriptionists and captioners.
You will love that they have one of the best pay in the industry. You can make up to $42 per hour captioning videos on this platform.
They mostly have opportunities for UK and Australian residents. However, they occasionally have openings for global captioners too.
4. Caption Max
Caption Max hires both real-time and offline captioners. They hire freelancers as independent contractors.
For offline closed captioning, you do not need a degree. For real-time captioning, you will need to have a degree in AA or BS in Court or Conferencing reporting. They also accept candidates with degrees similar to this.
5. Caption Colorado
If you are a real-time captioner, you will love your work experience at Caption Colorado. They have opportunities for both full-time and part-time captioners.
To get hired by this company, you must have at least 98% accuracy. You will have to ace a 30-minutes long real-time captioning assessment. If you pass this stage, you will be directed for further interviewing, which may involve more assessments.
Caption Colorado employees enjoy benefits such as vacation pay.
Freelance captioning jobs for beginners
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6. CaptioningStar
CaptioningStar is one of the popular captioning industries. Some of its popular clients include Grammy Awards, Wall Street Journal, LinkedIn, and CNBC.
Most of their opportunities are live sessions. You need to prove 99% accuracy to get hired by CaptioningStar. Captioners here make anything between $60 and $70 per hour.
7. Netflix
Yes, Netflix usually has opportunities for captioners. The thing is you need to be keen because not all of them will be remote. They have opportunities for both captioners and caption editors.
Netflix includes captions in its shows to accommodate the deaf, and also to increase the viewership of their programs.
Are you wondering where you will find Netflix captioning jobs? Look on the Netflix Career page and see if you can land something you can do.
8. VITAC
VITAC provides both live and pre-recorded caption services to their clients. Some of their notable clients include Lifetime, Discovery Chanel and BBC America.
For closed captioning gigs, you need to have a Bachelor’s degree. For real-time captioning gigs, you will need to have a typing speed of at least 225 words per minute.
You will love that they offer on-site paid training that lasts for a week. Real-time captioners must complete this training before they start working.
9. ACS Services
ACS Services has both remote and on-site positions for captioners. It is one of the renowned captioning companies offering services to clients such as CNN, ABC, and Fox News.
If you have previously worked as a transcriber, you will have a quicker pass on this platform.
They also look for captioners who are up-to-date with current events, and with experience in AP style. If you have a bachelor’s degree in Journalism or English, you will have a quicker pass on this platform.
10. National Captioning Institute
National Captioning Institute (NCI) has opportunities for both voice writers and court reporters. You will enjoy the benefit of working from home.
You will love that this company offers insurance benefits to its employees. They also offer paid training and paid off time to their employees.
To qualify, you must have a bachelor’s degree or an HS Diploma. Training or certification in court reporting or voice captioning is an added advantage.
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11. Rev
Rev is one of the most beginner-friendly platforms for captioning gigs. The pay here may not be as enticing as on other platforms, but it’s a sure way to build your experience as a captioner.
Captioners here make $0.40-$0.75 per video minute. They pay weekly via PayPal.
Additional Reading: 15 Companies & Websites Like Rev To Find Transcription Jobs
12. Caption Media Group
You can find lots of offline captioning gigs at Caption Media Group. They hire people with at least two years of experience with closed captioning software.
They hire US-based captioners only.
Caption Media Group sometimes lists its job openings on Indeed. Always be on the lookout on Indeed, for you may bag some of their lucrative gigs.
13. Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD)
Just like its name suggests, this company focuses on improving the communication services for the deaf and people with hearing difficulties. CSD usually has freelance captioning positions for movies, TV broadcasts, and videos.
The captioning positions are listed under the Captioning Assistant page on their website. To get hired, you will have to ace a captioning test to get hired.
The starting pay is $11.40 per hour of video. Your compensation will be increased twice a year. So, the people who have been here for a long time earn some good money.
They have openings for both part-time and full-time workers. You, however, must be able to work on weekends, holidays and late in the evenings.
14. CopyTalk Business Services
If you have a background in Finance, I am sure you will love working at CopyTalk Business Services. Most of their gigs revolve around the financial world.
As a CBS captioner, you will enjoy benefits such as paid training, and working from the comfort of your house.
You, however, must dedicate between 16 and 40 hours of work per week. You will enjoy the privilege of creating your schedule, depending on your availability.
Beginners are paid $8.25 per hour. This amount will be raised immediately after training. Your experience here will see you increase your earnings on the platform.
To get started, fill out a form available on their website. They will contact you whenever they have openings.
15. DotSub
If you are bilingual or multilingual, DotSub is the ideal captioning company for you. You need to be a native English speaker to get hired.
Here, you may land gigs that let you generate subtitles from the source language (the language spoken by characters) to the target language (language understood by the target audience)
To get started with Dotsub, fill out an application form available on their website.
Ready to ace these captioning jobs for beginners?
Captioning is one of the most rewarding freelance jobs. If you are a beginner in the captioning world, I recommend that you try some of the companies reviewed above.
Sign up on 3-5 of the above companies and see which ones work for you. This way, you will find the most suitable company quickly, and you will have a consistent flow of work.
Which of these freelance captioning jobs for beginners will you ace? Feel free to talk to us about your favorite companies below, and your experience working as a captioner.
