Captions vs Transcripts vs Audio Descriptions: What’s the Difference — and Why Do You Need All Three?

Written by Meet Aandi | Jul 16, 2025 2:46:57 AM

Let’s be honest — digital accessibility jargon can feel like alphabet soup.
Captions, transcripts, audio descriptions... aren't they all kind of the same thing?

Spoiler: They’re not.
And if you’re making or sharing video content — especially in government, education, or corporate training — you need to understand why all three matter.

Because using just one or two? That’s like offering someone a book with half the pages ripped out.

1. Captions: Reading the Soundtrack

What They Are:

Captions are the text versions of all spoken words and relevant sounds in a video, displayed in sync with the audio.

Types:

Closed Captions (CC): Can be turned on/off by the viewer
Open Captions (Hard-burned): Permanently displayed on the video

What They Include:

Dialogue
Sound effects ("[Applause]")
Music cues ("[Dramatic piano music]")

Who They Help:

Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing viewers
People in noisy or silent environments
ESL learners or viewers processing quickly-spoken content

Captions = access to the sound
But they don’t help when visuals do the talking...

2. Audio Descriptions: Narrating the Visuals

What They Are:

Audio descriptions (AD) are voice-over narrations that describe key visual elements in a video — things like actions, facial expressions, setting
changes, or on-screen text — that are important for understanding the story or message.

When They Play:

Typically during natural pauses in dialogue. In some cases, the video may briefly pause to insert longer descriptions.
Examples:

“She raises her hand slowly.”
“A red banner appears on screen with the words: Emergency Evacuation Notice.”

Who They Help:

Blind or low-vision viewers
Anyone watching a visually complex video (animations, demonstrations, charts)

Audio Descriptions = access to the visuals
But they don’t help you search or skim content...

3. Transcripts: The Full Script of the Experience

What They Are:

A transcript is a written document of everything said and shown in the video — think of it as a linear text version of the content.

What They Include:

All spoken words
Descriptions of key visuals
Speaker identification (e.g., “John: Let’s begin the demo.”)

Why They Matter:

Ideal for screen readers
Useful for quick reference and study
Enables easy translation
Often required for compliance in LMS platforms or public sector comms

Who They Help:

Neurodiverse learners
Blind/low-vision or Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing users
ESL audiences
Anyone who prefers to read or skim

Transcripts = access to everything, in one place

So... Can’t I Just Pick One?

Short answer? No.
Each serves a different purpose — and each helps a different group access, understand, and engage with your content.

Here’s the breakdown:

Need Captions Audio Descriptions Transcripts

Hear what's being said
Understand visual info
Use screen readers (if audio)
Study or reference later
Comply with accessibility
laws (if visual content is key)

The Good News: You Don’t Have to Do It All Manually

At Meet Aandi, we take care of all three — without the headache.
Upload your video to our cloud-based platform, and we’ll help you:

Auto-generate captions you can tweak and train

Add audio descriptions with built-in text-to-speech preview
Export complete, formatted transcripts
Comply with WCAG, DDA, and education sector requirements

$1/min for DIY. $15/min for full-service.
Bulk pricing available for legacy video remediation.

Get started now – you can be remediating your videos in minutes [link to sign up page]
Or have a question – please get in touch. [contact us form]
Because inclusive content isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s the smart thing to do.

View full post