2025 Guide to Zoom Real-time Translation
Jiyeon Lee
In global team meetings, the real challenge isn’t connection — it’s understanding.
To bridge that gap, Zoom introduced its Live Captions and Real-time Translation features.
But for anyone who truly needs translation in meetings, a few questions naturally come up:
“Is it free?” “How accurate is it?” “Is it worth the cost?”
This article explains the key points of Zoom’s real-time translation and licensing, and introduces Deeptrue, a cross-platform AI interpreter that enables live voice translation with a single click.
🔍 Zoom Real-time Translation: A Quick Overview
(Image: Zoom)
Zoom’s Real-time Translation (Translated Captions) feature automatically recognizes a speaker’s voice and displays translated subtitles in real time.
For example, if someone speaks in English, participants can instantly view captions in Korean, Japanese, or Spanish.
This feature currently supports around 35 languages, allowing participants to understand meetings without human interpreters.
Zoom is also planning to release a new AI feature called “Real-time Voice Translation” in December 2025.
Once available, participants will be able to hear meetings in their chosen language, as the speaker’s voice will automatically be converted into another language during the session.
⚙️ How to Enable Zoom Translated Captions
(Image: Zoom)
To use real-time translated captions on Zoom:
- Update to the latest version of the Zoom app
- Go to Zoom Web Portal → Settings → Meeting (Advanced)
- Enable Automated Captions
- Enable Translated Captions
- During the meeting, click the CC (Captions) icon
- Select Show Captions → Translate to, then choose your preferred language
💰 Zoom Translation Plans and Pricing
Zoom’s translation features are not included in free accounts.
You’ll need one of the following paid options:
| Plan | Price (2025) | Translation Included |
|---|---|---|
| Pro Plan | ~$13.33/month | ❌ Not included |
| Business Plus or higher | ~$18.32+/month | ✅ Included |
| Translated Captions Add-on | $5/user/month | ✅ Add-on for Pro plans |
For Pro users, it costs around $18/month to use translated captions.
🚫 Limitations of Zoom Translation
Zoom’s real-time translation feature is convenient, but it also comes with some clear limitations.
- Host control required.
Only the meeting host can turn on translated captions. Even with a paid plan or add-on, participants can’t enable it themselves. To use translation freely, you’ll have to host the meeting. - Platform-dependent.
Each translation plan works only inside Zoom. If your team also uses Google Meet, Webex, or Microsoft Teams, you’ll need separate subscriptions for each — and costs add up fast.
🌍 Deeptrue: One App for Every Meeting Platform
Unlike Zoom’s platform-specific setup, Deeptrue removes platform limits. It works seamlessly across Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.
It combines AI real-time translation, Smart Sentence Suggestions, Meeting Transcripts, and live voice interpretation (Interpreter Mode) in a single lightweight app.
New users get 60 minutes free, so you can test it right away after installation.
⚙️ How to Use Deeptrue in 3 Easy Steps
1. Install the App
Download Deeptrue from deeptrue.org and log in.
It’s available for both Mac and Windows.
2. Set Your Languages
Choose your My Language (the one you speak) and Partner Language (the one your meeting partner speaks).
For example:
My Language: Spanish, Partner Language: English
Your settings are automatically saved for future meetings.
3. Join a Meeting and Turn on Deeptrue
Join any meeting on Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams, then open the Deeptrue app — that’s it.
- 🗣 Real-time AI-translated captions appear instantly
- 💬 Smart Suggestion helps you speak more naturally
- 📝 AI automatically generates a meeting transcript
- 🎧 Interpreter Mode lets you speak in your language while others hear it instantly in theirs
💡 No complicated setup or integration is required. Just turn it on, and captions and voice interpretation start automatically.
💬 Key Features of Deeptrue
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| 🗣 AI Real-time Captions | Instantly translates speech into on-screen text |
| 💬 Smart Suggestion | Recommends natural phrases during conversations |
| 📝 Meeting Transcript | Automatically records and saves meeting text |
| 🎧 Interpreter Mode | Converts your spoken language into the listener’s language in real time |
| 🌍 Cross-platform Support | Works on Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams |
Deeptrue isn’t just a caption generator, it’s an AI meeting assistant that lets your voice be understood in any language.
💡 Zoom vs. Deeptrue — Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Zoom | Deeptrue |
|---|---|---|
| Translation Type | Text captions | Voice output + text captions |
| Pricing | Pro : $13.33/user/month +$5 Add-on required Business : 18.33/user/month |
Pro Plan: $29/month (includes 300 minutes) Business Plan: $49/month (includes 800 minutes) |
| Available to Guests | ❌ No — only hosts can enable translated captions | ✅ Yes — guests can use translation freely |
| Platform | Zoom only | Zoom / Google Meet / Teams / Webex |
| Speaking Support | ❌ None | ✅ Smart Suggestion + Interpreter Mode |
| Setup | Complex (host required) | Simple (just turn it on) |
| Free Trial | ❌ None | ✅ 60 minutes free |
💡 Zoom supports text-only captions, while Deeptrue allows you to speak in your own language and be heard in another.
✨ Final Thoughts
Zoom’s translated captions are a solid starting point for breaking down language barriers in online meetings.
However, host permissions, separate subscriptions, and text-only limitations mean it’s not always the most flexible option for multilingual teams.
Deeptrue offers an alternative approach by providing real-time translation and interpretation across platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, Webex, and Teams.
Whether you’re hosting or joining, both tools help make global communication a little more accessible.