Accessibility

Live Captions Built for Deaf Streamers

Real-time captions on your stream so deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers never miss a moment. Browser source for OBS — no plugin to install, no GPU overhead.

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Why deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers leave streams

Deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers represent over 466 million people globally — and most live streams ignore them entirely. Without captions, they get a silent video. Most leave inside 30 seconds.

Tools that DO offer captions usually require a CPU-heavy OBS plugin, a paid model download, or accept frequent inaccuracies. Streamers skip captions because the friction is too high.

StreamTranslate solves the friction: paste a URL into OBS as a browser source, captions appear on your stream in real time. No plugin install. No GPU load. No model download.

How it works for deaf accessibility

Open /control — sign up free, get a unique browser source URL
Add the URL to OBS as a browser source — same as you would any image overlay
Choose "same-language captions" (English mic → English captions) or set up translated captions for international viewers
Captions appear on screen in under 2 seconds from the spoken word
Customize font size, position, color, outline — match your overlay theme

The pipeline uses Deepgram nova-3 transcription (the same model used for medical and legal transcription) so caption accuracy is broadcast-grade.

Built with the deaf community in mind

Word-by-word streaming — captions appear as you speak, not in chunks. Better for following along.
Customizable size and position — make text large enough for low-vision users, position it where it doesn't block gameplay.
High-contrast outlines — black-outlined text on any background (gameplay, IRL, talk shows).
No flicker, no delay glitches — most caption tools restart their text every few seconds. Ours streams continuously.
Same-language captions OR translation — deaf English-speakers get English captions; deaf international viewers get translated captions in their language.

Compliance and reach benefits

Adding captions isn't just inclusive — it's strategic. YouTube videos with captions get 13.48% more views in the first two weeks. Twitch viewers with sound off (the majority of mobile viewers) can follow your content. Deaf community Discords actively recommend captioned streamers. Brands prefer accessible content for sponsorships.

For partnered streamers and brands, captions also support ADA accessibility compliance — increasingly important as platforms add accessibility audits.

Frequently asked

Is this a true live captioning tool for deaf viewers?

Yes. Captions appear on your stream in under 2 seconds from the spoken word, with broadcast-grade accuracy. Deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers can follow your stream in real time.

Do I need a special OBS plugin?

No. StreamTranslate works as an OBS browser source. Paste the URL we give you, captions appear on your stream. No plugin install, no GPU overhead, no software downloads.

Can it caption in English only without translating?

Yes. Choose "same-language captions" for English-only viewers, or pick a target language for translated captions. Both modes work the same way.

Will captions work on a low-end PC?

Yes — all transcription happens in our cloud, not on your computer. Your CPU is untouched. Even potato PCs can stream with captions.

How accurate are the captions for deaf viewers?

We use Deepgram nova-3, the same speech-to-text model used for medical and legal transcription. Caption accuracy is broadcast-grade for clear speech. Backgrounds with heavy music or multiple speakers can lower accuracy slightly — same limitation as any caption tool.