Which Transcript Format? TXT vs SRT vs VTT vs JSON Decision Guide

Four transcript formats. Four different use cases. This guide helps you pick the right one in under a minute.

Short answer: If you're reading it, use TXT. If it's for video, use SRT. If it's for web video with styling, use VTT. If you're building something, use JSON.

Quick Navigation

• The Decision Tree
• Format Comparison Table
• TXT: Plain Text
• SRT: SubRip Subtitles
• VTT: WebVTT Captions
• JSON: Structured Data
• Format Selection by Use Case
• AI Prompt: Format Converter

The Decision Tree

Answer one question to find your format:

What are you doing with this transcript?
│
├─▶ Reading/editing/sharing as document
│   └─▶ Use TXT
│
├─▶ Adding subtitles to video
│   │
│   ├─▶ YouTube, Premiere, Final Cut, or standard player?
│   │   └─▶ Use SRT
│   │
│   └─▶ Custom web player or need styled captions?
│       └─▶ Use VTT
│
├─▶ Building an app or running automated analysis
│   └─▶ Use JSON
│
└─▶ Not sure / want flexibility
    └─▶ Download all four (BrassTranscripts includes all)

Still not sure? The format comparison table below has the details.

Format Comparison Table

TXT: Plain Text

Use when: You're reading, editing, searching, or sharing the transcript as a document.

What TXT Looks Like

Speaker 1: Welcome to the podcast. Today we're talking about AI transcription.

Speaker 2: Thanks for having me. I've been working in this space for about five years now.

Speaker 1: Let's start with the basics. What exactly is AI transcription?

Speaker 2: AI transcription uses machine learning models to convert speech to text automatically. The technology has improved significantly, though accuracy varies based on audio quality, accents, and background noise.

TXT Strengths

• Universal compatibility—opens in any text editor
• Easiest to read and edit
• Smallest file size
• Best for copy/paste into documents
• Screen reader accessible

TXT Limitations

• No timestamps (or optional timestamps in brackets)
• No video player compatibility
• Can't be used directly for subtitles

Best For

• Meeting notes and documentation
• Research analysis and coding
• Blog post creation
• Email sharing
• Archive and search

SRT: SubRip Subtitles

Use when: You're adding subtitles to video in YouTube, Premiere Pro, Final Cut, or most video players.

What SRT Looks Like

1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,500
Welcome to the podcast.
Today we're talking about AI transcription.

2
00:00:03,500 --> 00:00:06,200
Thanks for having me.
I've been working in this space for about five years now.

3
00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,800
Let's start with the basics.
What exactly is AI transcription?

4
00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:16,500
AI transcription uses machine learning models
to convert speech to text automatically.

SRT Structure

1. Sequence number (1, 2, 3...)
2. Timestamp: start --> end in HH:MM:SS,mmm format
3. Subtitle text (1-2 lines, under 42 characters per line ideally)
4. Blank line separator

SRT Strengths

• Widest video software compatibility
• Simple, well-documented format
• Easy to edit manually
• Supported by YouTube, Vimeo, most platforms
• Works in Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve

SRT Limitations

• No styling (colors, positioning, fonts)
• Must convert for HTML5 web video
• Speaker labels awkward (no standard format)

Best For

• YouTube video uploads
• Video editing in professional software
• Offline video players
• DVD/Blu-ray authoring

VTT: WebVTT Captions

Use when: You need styled captions, web video, or HTML5 compatibility.

What VTT Looks Like

WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.500
<v Speaker 1>Welcome to the podcast.
Today we're talking about AI transcription.</v>

00:00:03.500 --> 00:00:06.200
<v Speaker 2>Thanks for having me.
I've been working in this space for about five years now.</v>

00:00:06.200 --> 00:00:09.800 align:start position:10%
<v Speaker 1>Let's start with the basics.
What exactly is AI transcription?</v>

VTT Structure

1. WEBVTT header (required)
2. Optional metadata block
3. Timestamp: start --> end in HH:MM:SS.mmm format (note: period, not comma)
4. Cue text with optional styling tags
5. Blank line separator

VTT Styling Options

• <v Speaker>text</v> — Voice/speaker tag
• <c.classname>text</c> — CSS class styling
• <b>bold</b>, <i>italic</i>, <u>underline</u>
• align:start|middle|end — Horizontal position
• position:X% — Precise positioning
• line:X% — Vertical position

VTT Strengths

• Native HTML5 <track> support
• Styling and positioning
• Better speaker attribution
• Supports multiple languages in one file
• Accessibility features (described video)

VTT Limitations

• Slightly less compatibility with older software
• Styling requires CSS knowledge
• Overkill for simple subtitle needs

Best For

• Custom web video players
• Styled/branded captions
• Interactive video applications
• Accessibility compliance (WCAG)
• Multi-language video content

JSON: Structured Data

Use when: You're building an application, running automated analysis, or need programmatic access to transcript data.

What JSON Looks Like

{
  "metadata": {
    "duration": 125.4,
    "speakers": 2,
    "language": "en"
  },
  "segments": [
    {
      "start": 0.0,
      "end": 3.5,
      "speaker": "Speaker 1",
      "text": "Welcome to the podcast. Today we're talking about AI transcription.",
      "words": [
        {"word": "Welcome", "start": 0.0, "end": 0.4},
        {"word": "to", "start": 0.4, "end": 0.5},
        {"word": "the", "start": 0.5, "end": 0.6},
        {"word": "podcast", "start": 0.6, "end": 1.1}
      ]
    },
    {
      "start": 3.5,
      "end": 6.2,
      "speaker": "Speaker 2",
      "text": "Thanks for having me. I've been working in this space for about five years now."
    }
  ]
}

JSON Structure

• Metadata: Duration, speaker count, language, audio info
• Segments: Array of transcript chunks
• Words (optional): Word-level timestamps for precision alignment
• Speaker: Attribution per segment

JSON Strengths

• Word-level timestamps
• Complete metadata
• Programmatic access
• Easy to transform into any other format
• Integration with APIs and databases

JSON Limitations

• Not human-readable for casual use
• Largest file size
• Requires programming to use
• No direct player compatibility

Best For

• App development
• Automated content analysis
• NLP and machine learning
• Custom integrations
• Building search indexes
• Accessibility tool development

Format Selection by Use Case

AI Prompt: Format Converter

Need to convert between formats? Use this prompt with any AI assistant.

AI Prompt: Transcript Format Converter

Convert this transcript to a different format.

SOURCE FORMAT: [TXT/SRT/VTT/JSON]
TARGET FORMAT: [TXT/SRT/VTT/JSON]

CONVERSION REQUIREMENTS:

**TXT to SRT/VTT:**
- Estimate timestamps based on ~150 words per minute speaking rate
- Split into 2-3 second segments
- Keep segments under 42 characters wide

**SRT to VTT:**
- Add WEBVTT header
- Change comma to period in timestamps (00:00:00,000 → 00:00:00.000)
- Add speaker tags if speakers are identified

**VTT to SRT:**
- Remove WEBVTT header
- Change period to comma in timestamps
- Strip styling tags, keep text only
- Add sequence numbers

**Any to TXT:**
- Remove timestamps and formatting
- Add paragraph breaks at natural pauses
- Keep speaker labels

**Any to JSON:**
- Structure as segments array
- Include start/end times
- Add speaker attribution
- Include metadata (duration, speaker count)

OUTPUT:
- Full converted transcript
- Note any information lost in conversion
- Flag any segments needing manual review

TRANSCRIPT TO CONVERT:
[PASTE YOUR TRANSCRIPT HERE]

---
Prompt by BrassTranscripts (brasstranscripts.com)
---

📖 View Markdown Version | ⚙️ Download YAML Format

The Easy Solution: Get All Four

BrassTranscripts includes all four formats—TXT, SRT, VTT, and JSON—with every transcription at no extra charge. Upload once, download whichever format you need.

No more guessing which format to choose upfront. No format conversion. No extra fees.

Try it now →

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between SRT and VTT?

SRT (SubRip) and VTT (WebVTT) both contain timed subtitles, but VTT supports styling (colors, positioning, fonts) while SRT is plain text only. VTT works natively in HTML5 video; SRT requires conversion for web use. For YouTube, either works. For custom web video players, use VTT.

When should I use JSON format?

Use JSON when you need programmatic access to transcript data—building apps, running automated analysis, or integrating with other tools. JSON includes word-level timestamps and speaker metadata that other formats don't provide. If you're just reading or adding subtitles, skip JSON.

Can I convert between formats?

Yes. TXT is the base—all formats can export to TXT. SRT and VTT are largely interchangeable (VTT adds a header and supports styling). JSON to SRT/VTT requires processing to extract timing. BrassTranscripts provides all four formats with every transcription, so you don't need to convert.

Which format does YouTube accept?

YouTube accepts SRT, VTT, and plain TXT (auto-timed). SRT and VTT are preferred because they include precise timing. YouTube can also auto-generate captions, but uploaded transcripts are more accurate and give you control over timing.

Related Resources

• Complete Transcription File Formats Guide — Deep technical reference
• Transcript Processing Workflow — Clean and repurpose your transcripts
• Video Transcription Service — Add captions to any video

Format Quick Reference Card

Save this for quick reference:

TXT  → Reading, documents, sharing
SRT  → YouTube, Premiere, video editing
VTT  → Web video, styled captions, accessibility
JSON → Apps, automation, developers

Not sure? Download all four (BrassTranscripts includes all)