Use Cases
September 12, 2025
What Does It Cost to Translate a Video? A Professional Cost Comparison

Traditional Studio Dubbing with Voice Actors
What it involves:
- Script translation by a localization agency
- Voice talent selection for each target language
- Studio recording and editing
- Syncing and post-production
- (Optional) Manual lip sync matching
Pros:
- Very high production quality
- Fully customizable tone and voice selection
- Ideal for high-stakes, creative projects
Cons:
- Expensive and time-consuming
- Limited scalability
- Requires significant project coordination
Cost estimate:
€150–€400 per minute, depending on language, voice actor rates, studio costs, and complexity
Manual Subtitling via Translation Agencies
What it involves:
- Manual transcription of original video
- Professional human translation
- Subtitle timecoding and formatting
- Output as SRT or burned-in subtitles
Pros:
- More affordable than dubbing
- Widely accepted across platforms
- Good for clear, informational content
Cons:
- Viewers must read while watching
- Less immersive and emotional
- Not ideal for all audiences or use cases
Cost estimate:
€8–€20 per minute, depending on language pair, formatting, and vendor

Automatische Untertitelung mit Standard-KI
Was passiert dabei?
- Auto-Transkription und maschinelle Übersetzung
- Generierung von Untertiteln durch KI
- Geringer oder kein menschlicher Eingriff
Vorteile:
- Sehr schnell
- Niedrige Kosten
- Integriert in viele Plattformen (z. B. YouTube, LinkedIn)
Nachteile:
- Häufige Übersetzungsfehler
- Keine stilistische Kontrolle
- Ungenaue Timestamps und schlechte Lesbarkeit
- Kein Branding oder technisches Vokabular möglich
Kostenrahmen:
Nahezu kostenlos, aber auf Kosten der Professionalität
KI-basierte Übersetzung & Voiceover mit Dubly
Was passiert dabei?
- Video wird hochgeladen und automatisch transkribiert
- Übersetzung durch fortschrittliche Sprachmodelle
- Audio wird mit natürlichen KI-Stimmen erzeugt
- Optional: Lip Sync, Glossar, Native Speaker Control, mehrere Sprecher, Audio-Optimierung
- Ausgabe als Audiofile oder vollständig synchronisiertes Video
Vorteile:
- Hochwertige Ergebnisse in 30+ Sprachen
- Extrem schnell: Minuten statt Wochen
- Deutlich günstiger als Studiosynchron
- Anpassbar und skalierbar
- Datenschutzkonform & DSGVO-sicher
- Optional mit menschlichem Feinschliff (Native Speaker Review)
- Ideal für YouTube, E-Learning, Social Media, Unternehmensvideos
Nachteile:
- Bei extrem emotionalem oder schauspielerischem Content ggf. manuelle Nachbearbeitung sinnvoll
Kostenrahmen:
2 – 4 € pro Minute, je nach Sprache, Funktionsumfang und Volumen
FAQ: What Does It Cost to Translate a Video? – Professional Cost Comparison
Why do video translation prices vary so much?
Costs depend on length, number of target languages, quality requirements, and extras like lip sync or voice cloning.
Why is AI-powered translation cheaper than traditional dubbing?
Traditional dubbing requires studios, voice actors, and long production cycles. AI reduces effort significantly and lowers costs.
What makes Dubly’s cost-performance ratio attractive?
Dubly combines fast turnaround with professional results, offers flexible pricing models, and scales easily for high volumes.
When are additional services worth the investment?
For high-stakes campaigns, sensitive topics, or legally relevant content, native speaker review ensures maximum accuracy.
How should companies evaluate the overall cost?
Look beyond the per-minute rate and consider time savings, audience growth, and quality improvements. This makes AI translation highly cost-effective.
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Summary: The Right Balance Between Cost and Quality
When comparing different methods for video translation and localization, the differences in cost, quality, effort, and scalability are clear:
- Traditional studio dubbing is the most expensive option, at around €150 to €400 per minute. It delivers excellent quality but requires significant effort and is difficult to scale.
- Manual subtitling costs between €8 and €20 per minute. It offers medium quality, requires moderate effort, and provides moderate scalability.
- Automatic subtitles using basic AI are virtually free and highly scalable but deliver low quality and require minimal effort. They're best suited for simple content.
- Dubly with AI voiceover costs only €2 to €4 per minute. It offers high quality, minimal effort, and excellent scalability.
If you want to translate videos professionally, quickly, and at a sustainable cost, Dubly offers one of the best options available – with outstanding voice quality, lip sync capabilities, and full control over the result.
Does the Dubly.AI free trial include the Lipsync feature?
Yes. We believe you need to experience the full technology to understand its value. The free trial includes Generative Lipsync and Voice Cloning, not just simple audio translation.
Is there a difference between a standard "Video translater" and Dubly.AI?
Yes. A standard "Video translater" often only translates text or audio. Dubly.AI is a comprehensive AI solution that adapts the visuals (mouth movements) to the audio, creating a seamless experience.
Can I use Dubly.AI for long-form content?
Yes. While many free tools limit you to 60 seconds, Dubly’s engine is built for scale – from TikTok Shorts to hour-long corporate training modules.
Can I use translate video free tools to internationalize my content?
Yes, absolutely. Using free tools is a great starting point to test new markets without a budget. However, keep in mind that methods like subtitles or basic video translator apps usually only transfer information, not emotion. To truly internationalize your brand's personality and retain viewers, you will eventually need lipsync technology to ensure the audience feels connected to you, not just the text.
Does a free ai video translator work for all types of videos?
It works well for content where the speaker is not visible, such as screen recordings or faceless tutorials. However, for any video featuring a person speaking on camera, a standard tool often falls short. Because it lacks lipsync, the visual mismatch distracts the viewer. For content meant to build trust or emotion, you need a solution that adapts both the voice and the visuals.
Is there a free version of Dubly.AI?
You can translate your first video for free so you can validate the quality with your own files. We believe in letting you prove the value first.
Does this work for any language?
Our AI supports over 30 languages, covering the majority of global markets (English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese, Mandarin, etc.). The Lip Sync works universally across these languages.
How accurate is the translation?
AI translation is very good (95%+), but for critical content, context matters. That is why we offer Native Speaker Control (NSC) as an add-on, where humans review the AI's work. This combines the speed of software with the precision of a native speaker.
Can I automate this process?
Yes. For agencies, media houses, or companies with high volume, we offer an API. This allows you to integrate video translation directly into your content management workflow, removing manual upload steps entirely.
Über den Autor

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