Subtitle Font: 10 Best Fonts for Subtitles and Closed Captions

The Importance of Choosing the Right Subtitle Font for Videos

Creating videos involves many decisions, and choosing the right subtitle font is one of the most important. The font you choose affects how easy it is for viewers to read subtitles. Good subtitles improve the viewing experience, make your content more accessible, and can even boost your video's popularity online.

Why Are Subtitles Essential in Videos?

Subtitles add great value to any video. Here’s why:

• Accessibility: About 1.5 billion people worldwide experience hearing loss (WHO, 2021). Subtitles ensure that everyone, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, can follow your content.
• Language Barriers: Not everyone speaks the video's original language. Subtitles help non-native speakers understand and enjoy your content.
• Silent Viewing: A study shows that 85% of Facebook users watch videos without sound (Veed, 2021). Many people watch videos in public places where sound is off, making subtitles essential.
• SEO Benefits: Videos with subtitles often appear higher in search results. Search engines can better understand the content, leading to more views.

Including clear subtitles with the right font makes videos inclusive, helps reach a wider audience, and improves their overall effectiveness.

Why Is Choosing the Right Subtitle Font So Important?

The font you pick for your subtitles shapes the audience’s experience. Here’s what you need to consider:

• Readability: Some fonts are hard to read, especially for people with vision issues. If your subtitles aren’t clear, viewers may miss important information or stop watching.
• Focus: Flashy or large fonts can distract viewers from the video content. The right font complements the video, rather than overpowering it.
• Compatibility: Not all fonts work across different devices or video formats. Choose fonts that display well everywhere.
• Ease of Use: Your chosen font should be easy to add using editing software and settings.

If the subtitles are hard to read, viewers may leave your video—even if the content is excellent.

Stats on Subtitle Usage

• 85% of videos on Facebook are watched without sound (Veed, 2021).
• 68% of people say subtitles make it easier to follow along with videos (Ofcom, 2020).

How to Pick the Best Font for Subtitles and Closed Captions

When choosing a subtitle font, follow these key steps:

• Prioritize Legibility: Select fonts with simple, clear shapes. Avoid scripts, cursive, or fancy styles. People need to grasp text quickly while watching a video.
• Consider the Font Size: Make sure subtitles are big enough to read easily but not so large that they cover too much of the screen.
• Ensure Good Color Contrast: Use a subtitle color that contrasts well with the video’s background, usually white or yellow with a black outline or shadow for better visibility.
• Test Across Devices: Try your subtitles on different screens, like phones, tablets, computers, and TVs, to check for readability.
• Check Font Compatibility: Pick fonts that stay consistent across video editing software and platforms.

Top 10 Best Fonts for Subtitles and Closed Captions

Professional editors often choose the following fonts because they are reliable, easy to read, and widely available.

• Arial: A modern sans-serif font, Arial is everywhere and works well for almost any video. Its clarity at various sizes makes it perfect for subtitles. (Learn about captioning services)
• Open Sans: This font offers a friendly, neutral look. It includes a wide range of characters, making it a smart choice for multilingual projects.
• Helvetica: Known for its high legibility and clean design, Helvetica remains a favorite among designers and editors. It was created in 1957 and is still popular today.
• Inter: Developed in 2019, Inter was specifically made for screen readability, with tall letters and clear spacing.
• Lato: Lato’s semi-rounded letters give it a calm, professional look without drawing attention away from the video.
• Roboto: Roboto strikes a balance between mechanical shapes and open curves, making it pleasant and easy to read, even at smaller sizes.
• Verdana: Designed in 1996 for on-screen use, Verdana is great for small subtitle text, offering excellent clarity and contrast.
• Tahoma: Tahoma is a commonly available font that works well for subtitles due to its simple, well-spaced letters.
• Archivo: This font stands out on busy screens and is often used for captions that need high visibility.
• Rubik: Rubik’s clear-cut style and spacing make it a strong choice for fast-paced videos where viewers need to read subtitles quickly.

Tips for Better Subtitle Use in Videos

To make your subtitles even more effective:

• Keep lines short—ideally under 42 characters per line.
• Limit subtitles to two lines at a time.
• Time subtitles so that they sync perfectly with the audio.
• Edit for spelling and grammar to look professional. You can use transcription proofreading services for this task.
• Translate your subtitles to reach international audiences using a trusted audio translation service.

Getting Subtitles Right: Fast, Accurate, and Affordable Options

Adding the perfect subtitles while considering all these factors can be a challenge. GoTranscript helps video creators with:

• Professional transcription services for accuracy and speed.
• Closed caption services that deliver selectable, compliant captions.
• Subtitling services using the fonts and formats preferred by professionals.
• Automated transcription and AI-powered tools for fast results.
• Multilingual text translation services for global reach.

You can check affordable transcription pricing and captioning services pricing on their site. Ready to upgrade your videos? Order transcription or order captions today and make your content available to everyone.