opensubtitles.org
Excellent subtitles are essential for the deaf and the hearing impaired. If it werenât for them, those who are hard of hearing would not be able to enjoy movies and TV shows to their fullest extent. Fortunately, though, there has never been a time in the history of film or TV where subtitles were more widely accessible. Be it through easily available closed captions on live TV, prewritten subtitles in several languages on streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, etc., decent subtitles are usually not too hard to find.
Some of you already know that subtitles can be inaccurate. In fact, sometimes they can be downright wrong. I know for a fact that I have seen far too many movies and shows where the subtitle text is wrong. The actor says one thing, and the subtitle says another.
It is tough to stomach when subtitles and closed captions are wrong - spelling, grammar, and all. It just doesn't make sense that the deaf and hearing impaired community should have to watch a different movie or show from everyone else because of it. This is 2020, after all.
Therefore, finding the best subtitle downloading site is crucial. You may not even have known that subtitle sites existed before today, but there are many of them - and they are not all created equal. Some, naturally, offer more subtitles than others. Some cater to a more diverse range of languages. Others have better quality subtitles and more accurate translations. How can you be assured that you will be able to find the best subtitle site? Well, you came to the right place!
I am extremely passionate about helping you find the best free movie and TV streaming sites and the best premium streaming services. I also care deeply about making sure that you can access the subtitles for these sites. So, the subtitle sites that I review are rigorously tested to make sure they are of the highest quality.
Even if you are not deaf, subtitles can make a HUGE difference when it comes to movie and TV viewing. There are no doubt moments when you don't quite catch what was said?a subtitle lets you read along, so you don't need to rewind to hear it again. Maybe an actor has a particularly thick accent that you are struggling to understand. Voila! A subtitle makes it crystal clear what is being said when you aren't sure.
Foreign films are often subtitled in English, but this leaves out many people who don't know English or whose English isn't good enough to follow the movie. Subtitle websites, the best of which are usually populated by translators, are like an online community of people who put in a lot of work so that everyone can enjoy entertainment.
If you primarily stream your movies & TV shows with Netflix's own subtitles, then a subtitle download might be beneficial. Especially if you like to download your movies or streams. Another instance where a subtitle file might be helpful is if the movie or show has the wrong language's subtitles.
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But, often times, when you download a movie, the file folder does not even include a subtitle file at all. So, by visiting one of the best subtitle websites, you can have a high-quality subtitle for your favorite movies in a matter of seconds. Then, it couldn't be easier from there. Simply upload your subtitle file into your media player of choice - VLC is a free one that supports all codecs, file types, and subtitles files with no problems; I highly recommend it? but there are others.
In light of what you now know about subtitles and where to find them, it seems like it's time to take a look at one of the internet's most talked-about communities: Open Subtitles. This site has tons of content to offer, including lots of places to find and share subtitles. Let's dive right in, shall we?
Design
Unfortunately, we have to start our review on a relatively negative note. Design is not the strongest aspect of Open Subtitles. In fact, it might be this site's Achilles' heel. I don't want to discourage you, though; I truly do think that design flaws aside, it might be one of the most effective and useful subtitle sites on the web. So, let's just get the biggest negative remarks out of the way first--I suppose.
I noticed that Open Subtitles has a small text size. It is hard to read. The site is designed in a way that makes it look like your browser has zoomed out. This isn't true. The site has blue hyperlinks scattered throughout a white and lime green design.
There are some links at the top of the page to associated sites, such as Classic Movies, BRAVE, English subtitles, and Release Log. Below that, you'll find a site menu bar with a sparse selection compared to some other sites. Here, browse by clicking on either Search, Upload, Request, Forum, Blog, or Player (more on these features in a moment).
The search bar on the left is simple and effective. Type in the movie or show you are looking for and select your language from a dropdown menu to the right. You will then be in business. Keep scrolling down and you will find boxes with subtitles featured in them, offering Featured, New, Monthly Top uploaders, Weekly Most Downloaded, Latest Forum Topics, Latest Blog Articles, Requested, and Latest Comments.
Content and Features
Secondly, the site is very easy to navigate, and even features an automatic subtitle search function. Finally, Open Subtitles offers a wide range of subtitles for a variety of languages and films.
Open Subtitles is working on a sleeker, more responsive site that is still in progress - Opensubtitles.com. You can also add their Chrome and Firefox extensions, making for more intuitive and streamlined subtitle searching and downloading.
The forum on the site is a great addition that adds to the community aspect of the site. Here, users can discuss movies, translations, requests, the best subtitles, etc. Get to know likeminded people who share your passions.
There is a blog that is not updated as frequently as one may hope. The articles are fascinating and on topic discussing things such as AI in subtitling, the Oscars, why subtitlers have one of the hardest jobs in TV, etc. Some worthy reads can be found in here.
Additionally, each subtitle comes with its own comments section, which is a great way for users to self-police the quality of content. If a subtitle is particularly bad, just let others know in the comments section!
As you can see, there is a lot of information here. This is one of the few subtitle sites that I actually want to spend extended periods of time on!
Mobile and Desktop Experience
The mobile site could use improvement. There are many ads and it is not entirely optimized for phones and tablets. The text is, again, tiny. But in a pinch it can be done on your phone.
Pricing and Plans
The site offers a VIP membership that gets rid of ads. Simply donate $15 and you'll enjoy this VIP membership for life!
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