SwahiliBridge

Swahili Subtitles & Captions — Accurate. Timed. Professional.

English to Swahili or Swahili to English subtitling for films, YouTube, corporate video, and online courses.

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Professional Swahili Subtitling Services

SwahiliBridge produces accurate, frame-timed Swahili subtitles and closed captions for film, YouTube, e-learning, corporate video, broadcast, and apps. Every project is translated and timed by a native Tanzanian linguist working in standard Kiswahili Sanifu — not machine output — so your captions read naturally on screen and pass professional QA.

We deliver industry-standard SRT, VTT, ASS, and SBV files, plus burned-in (hardcoded) subtitles on request. Need the spoken audio replaced instead of captioned? See our Swahili voice-over & dubbing service — and read our guide to Swahili subtitles vs dubbing to decide which fits your project.

Subtitling often pairs with full Swahili translation and app or website localization. See transparent pricing or get a fixed quote within 2 hours.

Where We Subtitle

YouTube & Online Video
Films & Documentaries
Online Courses & E-learning
Corporate Training
Social Media
Broadcast TV

Subtitling Rates

Per finished minute of video. Minimum 5 minutes.

Standard

$15/min

Translated subtitles in SRT/VTT format

Best for: YouTube, corporate video, e-learning

  • English ↔ Swahili translation
  • Frame-accurate timing
  • SRT + VTT delivery
  • 1 revision
  • NDA available
Order Standard
Most Popular

Technical

$20/min

Specialized content, multiple formats

Best for: Medical, legal, scientific, broadcast

  • Everything in Standard
  • Terminology glossary
  • ASS + SBV formats
  • Burned-in option
  • 2 revisions
Order Technical

Rush

+50%

Expedited delivery on any tier

Best for: Tight deadlines, same-day needs

  • Priority queue
  • Same-day start
  • WhatsApp progress updates
  • Available on both tiers
Order Rush
Input Formats
MP4MOVMKVAVIExisting SRT
Output Formats
SRTVTTASSSBVBurned-in (hardcoded)

The Process

01
Receive Video
02
Transcribe & Translate
03
Timecode
04
QA Review
05
Deliver

Turnaround Times

Project LengthTurnaround
Under 10 minutes24 hours
10–30 minutes2 business days
30–60 minutes3–4 business days
60+ minutesCustom — quoted

“We publish 4–6 Swahili-language courses per quarter for NGO staff in Tanzania. SwahiliBridge subtitles every module — accurate, correctly timed, and always on schedule. Our learners consistently comment that the captions are clearer than any we've sourced elsewhere.”

KW
Kirsten W.
Head of Learning & Development · Lwala Community Alliance

FAQ

How much do Swahili subtitles cost?
Swahili subtitling starts at $15 per finished minute of video for standard SRT/VTT delivery, with a 5-minute minimum. Technical or specialized content is $20/min, and rush delivery adds 50%. See our full pricing page or send your video for a fixed quote — most projects are quoted within 2 hours.
What subtitle formats do you deliver (SRT, VTT, ASS, SBV)?
We deliver SRT, VTT, ASS, and SBV files. We can also burn subtitles directly into the video (hardcoded) upon request. SRT is our default and works with YouTube, Vimeo, and most platforms.
Can you improve auto-generated YouTube captions?
Yes — upload the auto-generated SRT file and we'll correct errors, improve timing, and apply proper Swahili formatting. This is faster and cheaper than starting from scratch.
Do you work from a transcript or only from video?
Both. If you have an existing English transcript, we can translate and timecode from that. Without a transcript, we transcribe directly from the video audio.
How accurate is the timing?
All subtitles are timed to within 0–2 frames. We follow industry standard segmentation rules (max characters per line, reading speed, speaker changes) so captions read naturally on screen.
Can you handle technical or specialized content?
Yes — our Technical tier ($20/min) covers scientific, medical, legal, and specialized content where precise terminology is critical. We maintain a terminology glossary per client.
Do you provide Swahili closed captions (SDH)?
Yes. Alongside standard subtitles we produce closed captions and SDH (subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing) that include speaker labels and non-speech audio cues, formatted to broadcast and accessibility standards.
Can you translate a video from English into Swahili?
Yes — English-to-Swahili (and Swahili-to-English) video translation is our core subtitling work. We transcribe the source audio, translate it into natural Kiswahili Sanifu, and timecode the result. For document or software translation, see our Swahili translation and localization services.
Subtitling vs dubbing — which do I need?
Subtitles keep the original audio and add on-screen Swahili text; dubbing replaces the spoken audio with a Swahili voice. Subtitles are faster and more affordable and suit most YouTube, corporate, and e-learning content, while dubbing suits film, TV, and audiences who prefer listening. Our guide on subtitles vs dubbing walks through the trade-offs, and we offer both.

Related Services

Voice-Over & Dubbing →
from $25/min
Swahili Translation →
from $0.12/word
App & Website Localization →
from $0.15/word

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