SRT vs VTT: Which Subtitle Format Should You Use?

SRT and VTT are the two most common subtitle formats. They look similar, but they differ in features and platform support. This guide helps you pick the right one.

TL;DR

• SRT is simple and widely supported.
• VTT supports more styling and metadata for web video.
• Use the format your platform recommends.

What is SRT?

SRT (SubRip Subtitle) is a plain text format that stores captions with timestamps. It is widely used across video platforms and tools.

Example:

1
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,000
Hello and welcome.

What is VTT?

VTT (WebVTT) is a subtitle format designed for web video. It supports additional features like styling and positioning.

Example:

WEBVTT

00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:03.000
Hello and welcome.

Key differences

| Feature | SRT | VTT | | --- | --- | --- | | Compatibility | Very broad | Strong for web players | | Styling | Limited | Supports cues and styling | | Metadata | No | Yes | | Timestamp format | Commas | Periods |

Which should you use?

• Use SRT if you need maximum compatibility or the platform requests it.
• Use VTT for web video players that support styling and cue settings.

Common pitfalls

• Mixing comma and period timestamps
• Missing the WEBVTT header
• Incorrect line breaks between cues

FAQs

Can I convert SRT to VTT?
Yes. Many editors and tools can convert between formats.

Do YouTube and Vimeo support both?
Most platforms support SRT. Many also support VTT, but always check requirements.

Why do my captions look out of sync?
A small timing offset or timestamp format mismatch is usually the cause.

Summary

If you want universal compatibility, SRT is the safe choice. If you need web-specific features, use VTT.