Captio AI vs Apple Live Captions
Captio AI and Apple Live Captions on iPhone side by side: captions in the room, who is talking, languages, translation, saved transcripts, calls and price.
Facts checked on each company's own pages. How we compare
The short answer
Use Apple Live Captions if you want free captions already built into your iPhone, made on the device, that also caption Phone calls, FaceTime and audio in any app. Use Captio AI if you need a language Apple doesn't caption, labels for who is talking in the room, live translation of a conversation, or recordings you can keep and summarise. You can also use both: Live Captions for calls and videos, Captio AI for conversations you want to keep.
Choose Apple Live Captions if
you want free captions with nothing to install, captions on Phone and FaceTime calls or videos, or speech handled on the device, and your language is one of its 8.
Choose Captio AI if
you talk in groups and need to see who is speaking, need one of 60+ languages, want live translation, or want to keep recordings and turn them into notes and to-dos.
Captio AI vs Apple Live Captions, feature by feature
Tap any fact to see the details and the page it comes from.
| Feature | Captio AICaptio AI | Apple Live CaptionsApple |
|---|---|---|
| Works onThe phone you already have decides what you can use. | Captio AIYes: iPhone, iPad, AndroidOn the App Store (also listed for Apple silicon Macs and Apple Vision) and on Google Play since October 2026. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Google Play listing | Apple Live CaptionsYes: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision ProBuilt into iOS, iPadOS and macOS, and it works on Apple Vision Pro. During Live Listen, the iPhone's captions can also be read on a paired Apple Watch. Sources: Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPad (iPad User Guide) (Apple), Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple), Accessibility: Hearing (Apple), Control Live Listen on iPhone from Apple Watch (Apple) |
| NeedsOlder phones are often left out of built-in features. | Captio AIYes: iOS 15.1 or laterThe App Store lists iOS 15.1 or later for iPhone. Source: Apple App Store listing | Apple Live CaptionsYes: iPhone 11+, A12 iPad, Apple silicon MacApple lists iPhone 11 and later, iPad models with A12 Bionic and later, and Macs with Apple silicon. Captions during Live Listen need iOS 26 or later. Sources: Accessibility: Hearing (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple), Use iPhone as a remote microphone with Live Listen (Apple) |
| Captions people in the roomSpeech picked up by the phone's microphone, for face-to-face conversations. | Captio AIYes, from the phone's microphoneSpeech in the room appears as text while the person is still talking. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsYes, with the Microphone optionTap Live Captions, then Microphone, to caption an in-person conversation. On a Mac you switch the window to the microphone. Sources: Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPad (iPad User Guide) (Apple), Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple), Accessibility: Hearing (Apple) |
| Languages for live captionsThe number of spoken languages it can caption live. | Captio AIYes: 60+ languagesCaptions and translation in 60+ languages, including speech that switches languages mid-sentence. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsYes: 8 languages (18 variants)Cantonese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, in 18 language and region variants. It launched in 2022 as a beta in US and Canadian English only. Sources: iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability: Accessibility: Live… (Apple), macOS Feature Availability: Accessibility: Live Captions (Apple), Apple previews innovative accessibility features (May 17,… (Apple Newsroom), Get live captions in real time on iPhone (iPhone User Gui… (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple) |
| Live captions without internetPlanes, basements, hospitals and trips abroad often have no signal. | Captio AIPartly: Records offline, captions laterLive captions need internet. Without a connection it keeps recording and transcribes automatically when the phone is back online. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsYes, processed on the deviceApple says audio is processed on the device. A Mac downloads language data the first time, which needs internet; Apple's iPhone guide doesn't mention internet at all. Sources: Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple), Accessibility: Hearing (Apple), Apple previews innovative accessibility features (May 17,… (Apple Newsroom) |
| Shows who is talkingWithout it, a group conversation is one block of text. | Captio AIYes, live and saved; names on iPhoneSeparates speakers (Speaker 1, Speaker 2). On iPhone it can learn saved voices and show their names instead. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsPartly: FaceTime calls onlyIn FaceTime calls the captions show who's speaking. Apple describes no speaker labels for in-person or other-app captions. Sources: Use Live Captions and Live Translation in FaceTime on iPhone (Apple), Apple previews innovative accessibility features (May 17,… (Apple Newsroom) |
| Live translationFor a conversation in a language you don't read. | Captio AIYes, live, two-way modeLive translation next to the original captions, with a two-way mode where each person reads the other in their own language. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Translator (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsPartly: Separate Live Translation featureLive Captions only transcribes. Apple's separate Live Translation (Apple Intelligence, iPhone 15 Pro or later) translates Phone and FaceTime calls, and with supported AirPods translates in-person speech into your ears. Sources: Use Live Captions and Live Translation in FaceTime on iPhone (Apple), Use Live Translation on iPhone (Apple), iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability: Accessibility: Live… (Apple), Use Live Translation with your AirPods (Apple) |
| Saves transcriptsTo read a lecture, appointment or meeting again later. | Captio AIYes, with audio, syncedRecordings are saved with their audio in a searchable library and synced to your account. | Apple Live CaptionsPartly: No history; call captions up to 1 hourThere is no transcript library; you can copy or clear the captions. With Keep Call Captions set to 1 Hour, call captions stay for up to an hour, and everyone on the call hears a short notice. Sources: Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPad (iPad User Guide) (Apple) |
| Transcribes audio and video filesFor recordings and videos that have no captions. | Captio AIYes: Audio and video filesUpload audio or video and get a full transcript with speaker labels. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Audio Transcription (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsNot statedApple's guides list two sources only: the microphone and audio playing on the device. Transcribing a saved file isn't described. Sources: Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple) |
| AI summariesKey points and to-dos from a long transcript. | Captio AIYes: Summary, key points, to-dosTurns transcripts into summaries, key points, notes, to-dos and follow-up messages. Free plan: 3 summaries in total. Sources: Apple App Store listing, AI Summary (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsNot statedApple's Live Captions guide lists pause, copy, clear, move and full screen; no summaries are described. Source: Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple) |
| Add your own words and namesNames, medicines and jargon are the words captions miss most. | Captio AIYes, words and namesAdd names, medical terms or specialist words so they are recognised. Source: Live Captions (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsNot statedApple's Live Captions pages describe no way to add your own words or names. Sources: Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Change Live Captions settings for accessibility on Mac (Apple) |
| Text size and coloursCaptions have to be readable at arm's length, flat on a table. | Captio AIYes: Text size, colours, contrastText size, background colour and contrast can be adjusted. Source: Live Captions (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsYes: Text size and colour; more on MacOn iPhone and iPad you set the text, size and colour, and can move the window or make it full screen. A Mac adds font and background colour. Not adjustable inside FaceTime. Sources: Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPad (iPad User Guide) (Apple), Change Live Captions settings for accessibility on Mac (Apple), Accessibility: Hearing (Apple) |
| Captions phone callsPhone calls are a separate job from conversations in the room. | Captio AINoMade for in-person speech picked up by the microphone, not for captioning phone calls. Source: Live Captions (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsYes, Phone and FaceTime callsLive Captions can be turned on in Phone and FaceTime calls; the Keep Call Captions setting controls how long call captions stay. Sources: Accessibility: Hearing (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple) |
| Captions video callsZoom, Teams and Meet calls on the same device. | Captio AINoIt is not a video-call captioning service. Source: Live Captions (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsYes: FaceTime, and other apps' audioFaceTime has its own Live Captions button. Live Captions also follows spoken audio in other apps, and Apple's 2022 announcement named video-conferencing apps. Sources: Use Live Captions and Live Translation in FaceTime on iPhone (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Apple previews innovative accessibility features (May 17,… (Apple Newsroom) |
| Captions videos playing on the phoneVideos, podcasts and voice messages without captions. | Captio AIPartly: Uploaded files onlyIt does not caption audio playing on the phone, but it can transcribe a saved audio or video file. Source: Audio Transcription (Captio AI) | Apple Live CaptionsYes, audio from any appiPhone Audio captions spoken audio in apps such as Podcasts while it plays; on a Mac you switch to the computer's audio. Sources: Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple) |
| Where speech is processedOn the phone or in the cloud, and whether audio is kept. | Captio AIYes: Cloud; audio not stored on its serversSpeech is processed by third-party speech recognition after you agree. Audio is not stored on Captio AI's servers; content is never sold or used to train AI models. Source: Captio AI privacy policy | Apple Live CaptionsYes: On the deviceApple says audio is processed and captions are made on the device, which it says keeps your information private. Apple's pages say nothing about using caption audio for training. Sources: Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple), Accessibility: Hearing (Apple), Apple previews innovative accessibility features (May 17,… (Apple Newsroom) |
| Free planWhat you can do without paying. | Captio AIYes: 100 free credits a day + 3 summariesFree every day: 100 free credits a day for live captions or transcription, and 3 AI summaries in total. Sources: Apple App Store listing, Captio AI for AI assistants (llms.txt) | Apple Live CaptionsYes: Free, built into the deviceA built-in accessibility feature of iPhone, iPad and Mac; there is nothing to buy or download from the App Store. Sources: Accessibility features for hearing on iPhone (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple) |
| Paid plansPrices as listed by the company, with the country and date. | Captio AIYes: US$14.99/month or US$79.99/yearCaptio AI Plus on the US App Store, October 2026. No free trial. Prices differ by country. Source: Apple App Store listing | Apple Live CaptionsNo paid planIncluded with the device's operating system. Source: Accessibility features for hearing on iPhone (Apple) |
What actually sets them apart
Does Apple Live Captions caption people in the room?
Yes. Turn on Live Captions in Settings, then tap Live Captions and Microphone, and your iPhone captions the conversation around you. Captio AI also captions the room through the phone's microphone, and labels each speaker as they talk.
Sources: Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPad (iPad User Guide) (Apple), Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple), Accessibility: Hearing (Apple), Control Live Listen on iPhone from Apple Watch (Apple), Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI)
Which one shows who is talking?
Captio AI. It labels each speaker (Speaker 1, Speaker 2) in live captions and saved recordings, and on iPhone can show the names of people whose voices you saved. Apple Live Captions shows who's speaking in FaceTime calls; Apple doesn't describe speaker labels for conversations in the room.
Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI), Use Live Captions and Live Translation in FaceTime on iPhone (Apple), Apple previews innovative accessibility features (May 17,… (Apple Newsroom)
How many languages does Apple Live Captions support?
Eight: Cantonese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, in 18 language and region variants. Captio AI captions and translates 60+ languages, including speech that switches languages mid-sentence.
Sources: iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability: Accessibility: Live… (Apple), macOS Feature Availability: Accessibility: Live Captions (Apple), Apple previews innovative accessibility features (May 17,… (Apple Newsroom), Get live captions in real time on iPhone (iPhone User Gui… (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI)
Can Apple Live Captions translate a conversation?
No, Live Captions only transcribes. Apple's separate Live Translation, on iPhone 15 Pro or later with Apple Intelligence, translates Phone calls and one-on-one FaceTime calls, and with supported AirPods translates in-person speech into your ears. Captio AI shows a live translation on screen next to the original captions, with a two-way mode.
Sources: Use Live Captions and Live Translation in FaceTime on iPhone (Apple), Use Live Translation on iPhone (Apple), iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability: Accessibility: Live… (Apple), Use Live Translation with your AirPods (Apple), Apple App Store listing, Live Translator (Captio AI)
Can you save or summarise Apple Live Captions?
Not as a library. You can copy the captions into Notes or Messages or take a screenshot, and call captions can stay for up to an hour. Captio AI saves each recording with its audio in a library synced to your account, and can turn it into a summary or to-dos.
Sources: Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPad (iPad User Guide) (Apple), Apple App Store listing, Captio AI privacy policy, AI Summary (Captio AI)
Does it caption phone calls and videos?
Apple Live Captions does: Phone calls, FaceTime calls and spoken audio in any app, such as Podcasts. Captio AI is made for speech in the room, not calls, and doesn't caption audio playing on the phone, though it can transcribe a saved audio or video file.
Sources: Accessibility: Hearing (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple), Live Captions (Captio AI), Audio Transcription (Captio AI), Apple App Store listing
Where each one wins
Where Apple Live Captions is the better choice
It is built into iPhone 11 and later, iPads with A12 Bionic or later and Apple silicon Macs, with nothing to install or sign up for.
Sources: Accessibility: Hearing (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple), Use iPhone as a remote microphone with Live Listen (Apple), Control Live Listen on iPhone from Apple Watch (Apple)
It costs nothing. Captio AI's free plan gives 100 free credits a day.
Sources: Accessibility features for hearing on iPhone (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Apple App Store listing, Captio AI for AI assistants (llms.txt)
Apple says audio is processed and captions are made on the device. Captio AI sends speech to third-party speech recognition after you agree.
Sources: Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple), Accessibility: Hearing (Apple), Apple previews innovative accessibility features (May 17,… (Apple Newsroom), Captio AI privacy policy
It captions Phone calls, FaceTime calls and spoken audio in any app. Captio AI captions neither calls nor audio playing on the phone.
Sources: Accessibility: Hearing (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple), Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac Use… (Apple), Live Captions (Captio AI), Audio Transcription (Captio AI)
It works with Apple's other hearing features: Live Listen captions can show on a paired Apple Watch, and it works with braille displays.
Sources: Accessibility: Hearing (Apple), Use iPhone as a remote microphone with Live Listen (Apple), Control Live Listen on iPhone from Apple Watch (Apple)
Where Captio AI is the better choice
It captions 60+ languages, against Apple's 8.
Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI), iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability: Accessibility: Live… (Apple), macOS Feature Availability: Accessibility: Live Captions (Apple), Apple previews innovative accessibility features (May 17,… (Apple Newsroom), Get live captions in real time on iPhone (iPhone User Gui… (Apple), Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User… (Apple)
It labels who is talking in the room, live and in saved recordings, and on iPhone can show their names.
Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Captions (Captio AI)
It translates conversations live on screen, with a two-way mode.
Sources: Apple App Store listing, Live Translator (Captio AI)
It keeps recordings with their audio, transcribes files, and writes summaries and to-dos.
Sources: Apple App Store listing, Captio AI privacy policy, Audio Transcription (Captio AI), AI Summary (Captio AI)
You can add names, medical terms or specialist words so they are recognised, and it also runs on Android.
Sources: Live Captions (Captio AI), Apple App Store listing, Google Play listing
Try Captio AI free
It depends on where you are
A phone call or FaceTime call
Live Captions captions Phone and FaceTime calls. Captio AI doesn't caption calls.
Captions for this situationA podcast or video without captions
Live Captions captions spoken audio in any app as it plays. Captio AI can only transcribe a saved file.
Captions for this situationA family dinner or a group
Captio AI labels each speaker, so you can see who said what. Apple describes speaker labels only in FaceTime calls.
Captions for this situationA doctor's appointment
Captio AI lets you add medical terms first and keeps the recording, so you can read the appointment again.
Captions for this situationA lecture or meeting you need notes from
Captio AI keeps the recording and turns it into a summary, key points and to-dos.
Captions for this situationTravelling abroad
Captio AI translates the conversation live on screen. Live Captions only captions, in 8 languages.
Captions for this situationFacts you can check, not opinions.
From their own pages
Every fact comes from the company's website, help pages, privacy policy or store listing. Tap any fact to see the page it comes from.
Checked 28 October 2026
Each source has the date we opened it. If a company doesn't say something publicly, the table says "Not stated" instead of guessing.
We make Captio AI
So it's described with the same rules as every other app, limits included, and each page says where the other app is the better choice.
Something out of date? hello@captioai.app
Frequently asked questions
Does Apple Live Captions work for in-person conversations?
Yes. Turn on Live Captions in Settings, Accessibility, then tap Live Captions and Microphone, and your iPhone captions the conversation around you. Apple doesn't describe labels for who is speaking outside FaceTime calls. Captio AI also captions the room through the microphone, and labels each speaker live and in saved recordings.
Does Apple Live Captions work in Italian or Portuguese?
Not as of October 2026. Apple's feature availability page lists 8 languages: Cantonese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. Captio AI captions and translates 60+ languages.
Does Apple Live Captions work offline, for example on a plane?
Apple says audio is processed on the device, and its iPhone guide mentions no internet requirement. On a Mac, language data downloads the first time you turn it on, which needs internet. Captio AI needs internet for live captions; without it, it keeps recording and transcribes when the phone is back online.
Can Apple Live Captions show who is speaking at a family dinner?
Apple says the captions show who's speaking in FaceTime calls, but it doesn't describe speaker labels for conversations in the room. Captio AI labels each speaker in live captions and, on iPhone, can show the names of people whose voices you saved.
Can I save Apple Live Captions from a lecture?
Not as a saved transcript. You can copy the captions into Notes or Messages, or take a screenshot or screen recording; there is no history. Captio AI saves each recording with its audio and can turn it into a summary or key points.
Can Apple Live Captions translate Spanish into English?
No, Live Captions only transcribes. On iPhone 15 Pro or later with Apple Intelligence, Apple's separate Live Translation translates Phone calls, one-on-one FaceTime calls, and in-person speech through supported AirPods. Captio AI shows a live translation on screen next to the original captions.
Does Apple Live Captions caption phone calls?
Yes, Phone and FaceTime calls. If you keep call captions for 1 hour, everyone on the call hears that the call is being transcribed. Captio AI doesn't caption phone or video calls; it is made for speech in the room.
Is Apple Live Captions free?
Yes. It is built into iPhone 11 and later, iPad models with A12 Bionic and later, and Apple silicon Macs, with nothing to buy. Captio AI's free plan gives 100 free credits a day; Captio AI Plus costs US$14.99 a month or US$79.99 a year on the US App Store (October 2026).
Try Captio AI
Free to start, iPhone and Android
Download for free
More comparisons
Captio AI vs Live Transcribe
Google's free Android app that captions in-person speech through the phone's microphone and alerts you to sounds like alarms and doorbells.
Captio AI vs Android Live Caption
Android's built-in feature that captions speech in audio playing on the phone, such as videos, podcasts and calls, processed on the device.
Captio AI vs Ava
Live captioning app for deaf and hard of hearing people, with group conversations, offline mode, sound alerts and optional human captioners.
Sources
Every page this comparison uses, with the date we checked it.
Captio AI
- Live Captions - Captio AI on the App StoreApple App Store, checked 28 October 2026
- Captio AI on Google PlayGoogle Play, checked 28 October 2026
- Live CaptionsCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Live TranslatorCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Privacy PolicyCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Audio TranscriptionCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- AI SummaryCaptio AI, checked 28 October 2026
- Captio AI for AI assistants (llms.txt)Captio AI, checked 28 October 2026
Apple Live Captions
- Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User Guide, iOS 27)Apple, checked 28 October 2026
- Get live captions of spoken audio on iPad (iPad User Guide)Apple, checked 28 October 2026
- Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac (Mac User Guide)Apple, checked 28 October 2026
- Accessibility: HearingApple, checked 28 October 2026
- Control Live Listen on iPhone from Apple WatchApple, checked 28 October 2026
- Use iPhone as a remote microphone with Live ListenApple, checked 28 October 2026
- iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability: Accessibility: Live CaptionsApple, checked 28 October 2026
- macOS Feature Availability: Accessibility: Live CaptionsApple, checked 28 October 2026
- Apple previews innovative accessibility features (May 17, 2022)Apple Newsroom, checked 28 October 2026
- Get live captions in real time on iPhone (iPhone User Guide, iOS 16 version)Apple, checked 28 October 2026
- Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone (iPhone User Guide, iOS 18 version)Apple, checked 28 October 2026
- Use Live Captions and Live Translation in FaceTime on iPhoneApple, checked 28 October 2026
- Use Live Translation on iPhoneApple, checked 28 October 2026
- Use Live Translation with your AirPodsApple, checked 28 October 2026
- Change Live Captions settings for accessibility on MacApple, checked 28 October 2026
- Accessibility features for hearing on iPhoneApple, checked 28 October 2026
Published 28 October 2026. App names and trademarks belong to their owners. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by the companies it compares.