5 Best Subtitles Download Sites for movies

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Updated on: December 6, 2024
Time to read: 8 minutes
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Adding subtitles to a video can be tedious, but not if you know the right website to get them from. We tried 30 subtitles downloading sites and removed the spammy ones, choosing the 5 best ones for you. Read below to discover our top sources for subtitles download.

Table of Contents

List of the Best Subtitle Websites

TVSubtitles

TVSubtitles provides a collection of subtitles for TV series, quoting quality and accuracy as their top priorities. The database contains over 290,000 subtitles for 2200+ TV shows in 24 foreign languages.

Collection of subtitles for TV Series

Pros

  • Comprehensive interface with easy access right from the homepage and handy “New”, “Top”, “TV Shows” tabs

Cons

  • There are some ads on the site that can be distracting or confusing
  • Language selection is not as wide as some other sources

Downsub

Downsub is a tool that allows users to download subtitles for online videos on platforms such as YouTube, VIU, Viki, Vlive, etc. After a link to a video is copied and pasted on the site, you can download TXT, RAW, or SRT files.

Free web application that can download subtitles directly.

Pros

  • Allows you to also download the online video along with the subtitles
  • You can edit the subtitles to change timing or translate them into another language using automatic translation, which gives you countless language options

Cons

  • It only works for online videos, but not movies you’ve downloaded locally
  • Automatic subtitle translation is not perfect
  • Features quite a lot of ads and suggested articles, including pop-ups

Subdl

Subdl is a simple-to-use subtitle site. You need to type the name of the movie, select the poster from the drop-down menu, and you will see a list of the available languages. In addition to the option to download subtitle files, Subdl offers an add-on and an API.

Find subtitles in any language for your favorite films and shows.

Pros

  • Quite a good selection of languages and TV show / movie subtitles
  • When you perform a search, it suggests posters, which decreases the chance of confusion between similar titles from different years

Cons

  • The interface is not entirely user-friendly, for example, the subtitle language filter can be a bit hard to find
  • It features some ads on results pages that are a bit distracting, but don’t get in the way

Opensubtitles

Opensubtitles is a popular subtitles website that has two domains: .com and .org. The .org is the original website and is the only one that allows users to upload subtitles at the moment. The .com site, established in 2018 and currently in beta, is set to eventually replace the old one.

Find the subtitles for your movie in a desired language.

Pros

  • Originally founded in 2005 and features close to 10 million subtitles for movies
  • The new website looks modern and optimized and includes improved infrastructure and algorithms
  • It features comprehensive information about joining the community, using the site, etc.

Cons

  • The link between the two domains may be unclear to some users, leading to confusion

Addic7ed

Addic7ed is another alternative which, although old-fashioned, does the job. To watch a movie with subtitles from Addic7ed, search for the title, and as the results appear, select your desired language from the list. The website is available in 17 languages in addition to English.

Download free subtitles for TV Shows and Movies.

Pros

  • No ads on the website
  • It has an active forum where users post language requests, etc.

Cons

  • The interface is very outdated and not so appealing
  • It has options such as “Browse by Show”, “Browse by Movies”, etc. but they’re only available to registered users

Tips for Choosing the Best Website for Downloading Subtitles to Movies and TV Series

To find the best subtitles website, here are some useful tips to keep in mind:

  1. Database Size: It’s best to use subtitles download sites with extensive libraries, such as OpenSubtitles, which offers subtitles spanning across many different languages, making it more likely for all users to find what they are looking for.
  2. User Interface: A user-friendly interface not only saves you time but also provides a pleasant experience altogether. Websites like OpenSubtitles.com are intuitive and make it easy for users to find their way around.
  3. Supported Languages: Look for websites that support multiple languages, especially if you’re looking for a less common one. OpenSubtitles, for instance, supports over 70 languages, while Sudbl and Addic7ed both have 60+. 
  4. Advertisements: It’s normal for free websites to feature ads, but some are so ad-heavy that they disrupt navigation and ruin user experience. Ad-free options like OpenSubtitles can be more agreeable to use.
  5. Search and Filter Options: Having different filters at your disposal (e.g. by language, year, genre, etc.) make it quicker and easier to find your desired subtitle track. OpenSubtitles excels in this aspect.
  6. Community Features: Websites with active communities that encourage engagement, such as Addic7ed and OpenSubtitles, are likely to provide access to the newest subtitles and welcome more contributors.
  7. Download Formats: Before you download subtitles for movies, make sure they are available in different formats such as .SRT or .ASS to guarantee compatibility. 
  8. Update Frequency: Ensure your chosen movie subtitles download site is frequently and regularly updated, otherwise it may lack the latest film titles.
  9. Request Options: The ability to request subtitles that are not yet available on a website can add a very convenient touch.
  10. Safety and Legitimacy: Stick to sources that are safe and reputable, steering clear of those that promote illegal actions or malware.


Thanks to the factors above, you can choose a website that best meets your needs and provides the user experience you seek.

How to Load and Add Subtitles to Movies in Elmedia Player

To make things as easy as possible and save you lots of time, Elmedia Player provides direct integration with OpenSubtitles.com. The app will automatically search for subtitles online in the background, eliminating the issue of how to download subtitles for movies altogether.

To benefit from this feature, do the following:

1. Open Elmedia and load your movie.

2. On the Menu Bar, click “Subtitles” > Subtitles Track > Download from OpenSubtitles.org. Select the suggested subtitle file.

Subtitles menu of the Elmedia Player
Note: To choose your preferred default language, go to “Preferences” > “Subtitles” > Autodownload > choose Preferred languages. You can check the “Autodownload subtitles” box to enable OpenSubtitles downloads.

If you still wish to insert subtitles from an external source yourself, follow these steps:

1. Download suitable subtitles for your movie from your preferred subtitle source.

2. Place them in the same folder as your movie.

The .srt file with subtitles is highlighted

3. Open Elmedia Player and load your movie file. The video file should then play with subtitles.

Elmedia Player is running .mp4 video with subtitles
Note: If there are multiple subtitle files available in the folder, your video may display the subtitles in the wrong language. Press the “S” button to switch through the languages.

Alternatively, you can manually select your subtitle file the following way:

1. Open Elmedia Player and load your movie.

2. Go to “Subtitles > Subtitles Track > Add from file…” on the Menu Bar.

The Add from File option is selected in the Elmedia Player

3. Navigate to the folder where you stored the subtitle file and select it.

Elmedia Player immediately recognizes embedded subtitles in a movie.

Download Subtitles Sites - Comparison Chart

Parameter / Website Name TVSubtitles Downsub Subdl Opensubtitles Addic7ed
Database Size 290,000 subtitles Infinite N/A Close to 10 mln. subtitles N/A
User Interface Outdated but accessible Easy to navigate Simple Modern in new domain; outdated in old domain Outdated
Supported Languages 18 All 60+ 70+ 60+
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Search and Filter Options Language filter N/A Language filter Language filter Language filter, or sort languages alphabetically
Community Features Users can provide feedback and upload subtitles No community, just an email to report issues Community in Telegram, requires app Active forum on Opensubtitles.org Community forum, not very active
Download Formats SRT SRT, TXT, VTT SRT SRT SRT
Update Frequency Several daily uploads Instantly as a video is available online Features new movies Daily N/A
Request Options Not needed
Safety and Legitimacy Good Good Good Perfect Okay

Conclusion

The lack of subtitles in movies can be a great inconvenience but thanks to the websites we recommended above, everyone can enjoy their favorite film or TV show episode, regardless of whether they are hard-of-hearing or simply prefer foreign language cinema.

Choose the subtitle website that best suits your needs based on the criteria outlined in the article, or opt for a media player such as Elmedia which offers built-in automatic subtitle downloads.