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LiveInterpret.AI vs CaptionKit: which church captioning tool fits you?

By Ondřej Plevka, builder of LiveInterpret.AI, so read with that bias declared. Every CaptionKit number below was verified against captionkit.com on 2026-09-18; if you spot a stale price, tell us and we fix it.

Short answer: CaptionKit is a US captions-first tool for churches, priced from about $20 a month for a small bundle of caption hours and two simultaneous translations, with real deaf and hard-of-hearing accessibility. Translated audio needs their mobile app. LiveInterpret.AI is browser-only speech-to-speech audio that keeps playing on locked phones, EU-hosted, and never prices listeners. Captions-only budget: CaptionKit. Audio nobody installs: us.

Side by side (verified 2026-09-18)

LiveInterpret.AICaptionKit
Pricing modellanguage-minutes: packs €19–€299 (valid 12 months) or subscriptions €49/€99 per month, VAT included$12/mo church license + $4/mo per 4 caption hours + $4/mo for up to 2 simultaneous translations (example bundle ≈ $20/mo for 4 caption hours + 2 translations)
Free way to test30 free real minutes + unlimited free practice mode, no card4 hours free per month, no credit card required
Translated audioyes — speech-to-speech in the browseryes, but only through their mobile app — no browser-based audio translation found
Works on locked phonesyes — audio keeps playing with the screen offnot documented; captions need the screen on and visible to read
Listeners / devicesunlimited, never pricedno cap found on streaming devices or team members under one account
Languages39 for speech-to-speech audio and captions, no per-plan caps, honest per-pair quality notes70+ for sermon comprehension; translated text/captions in 200+ — audio translation is app-only
Whitelabel (your church's own branding)included from Premium €99/mo; logo/colors on all plansnot offered — no branding customization found
EU hosting / GDPREU-hosted, GDPR-first, DPA published, audience pages tracking-freeno data-residency or GDPR statement found
Commitmentpacks = none; cancel subs anytime self-servemonthly, no lock-in contract (their own claim)

Where CaptionKit genuinely wins

Honesty first: at roughly $20/month for a small bundle, CaptionKit sits well below our €49 Standard subscription, and it's a purpose-built accessibility tool. Churches serving deaf and hard-of-hearing members get large, readable captions with deep ProPresenter/OBS integration for the production team. Its translated captions reach 200+ languages, well past our 39, and the free trial needs no card. If the requirement is captions for reading rather than audio for listening, and the budget is tight, CaptionKit is a legitimate, honest choice.

Where LiveInterpret.AI wins

CaptionKit's translated audio requires installing their mobile app — the exact install step we built LiveInterpret.AI to avoid. Our speech-to-speech audio plays straight in the phone browser and keeps going with the screen locked and the phone in a pocket, something a captions-first tool structurally can't match (you have to look at a caption to read it). We publish a DPA and host in the EU; CaptionKit states neither. Your church's own name, logo and colors front the experience from €99/month; we found no branding option on CaptionKit at any tier.

The fairest way to decide

Ask what your congregation actually needs: readable captions for deaf or hard-of-hearing members, or translated audio playing in someone's ear while their phone stays in a pocket. Those are different products solving different problems, and both are worth rehearsing free before Sunday. Ours takes about two minutes to provision: scan the QR, run practice mode (free, unlimited, full rehearsal with synthetic translation), then spend the 30 free real minutes on one actual sermon.

Start a free rehearsal →

FAQ

Is CaptionKit cheaper than LiveInterpret.AI?

At small volumes, yes on sticker price — CaptionKit's example bundle starts around $20/month against our €49 Standard subscription. That price buys captions; translated audio still needs their mobile app installed, and adding caption-hours or extra simultaneous translations adds $4/month increments on top. Our €49 Standard covers a full weekly 90-minute two-language service with browser-only audio, EU hosting and unlimited listeners included.

Does either require an app?

CaptionKit's captions run in the browser, but its translated audio needs their mobile app installed — the no-install promise breaks there. LiveInterpret.AI runs entirely in the browser for both audio and captions, including with the phone screen locked.

Which is better for deaf or hard-of-hearing attendees?

CaptionKit, honestly. It's built around large, readable captions with deep production-software integration, a real and different need from spoken-audio translation. We're built for translated audio first; for a captions-first accessibility requirement, CaptionKit is the better fit.

What does switching cost?

Nothing. Signup to a live event page takes about a minute, practice mode is free forever, and the first 30 real minutes are on us. There's no migration — your sound desk feed and a QR poster are the whole setup.

Author: Ondřej Plevka, CTO by day. He built this after his Prague congregation needed it, and has run it live every week since June 2026. Corrections welcome: prices re-verified monthly, page updated when CaptionKit's change.