What Is an SRT File?
SRT (SubRip Subtitle) is a plain-text format with numbered cues, start and end times using a comma before the milliseconds (00:01:02,500), and the caption text. It has no official styling, which is part of why it is so widely supported: nearly every editor, media player and video platform can read it.
What Is a VTT File?
WebVTT (Web Video Text Tracks) is the W3C standard for captions in web browsers. The file begins with a “WEBVTT” header, uses a period before milliseconds (00:01:02.500), and allows optional cue settings for position and alignment, plus styling and metadata. It is the format the HTML5 <track> element expects.
Key Differences at a Glance
The practical differences come down to a few points:
- Header: VTT files start with WEBVTT; SRT files start directly with cue 1.
- Timestamps: SRT uses a comma (00:00:01,000); VTT uses a period (00:00:01.000).
- Cue numbers: required in SRT, optional in VTT.
- Styling and positioning: supported in VTT, not standardized in SRT.
- Support: SRT is accepted almost everywhere; VTT is native to web players.
Which One Should You Use?
Use SRT when uploading captions to video platforms or importing them into editing software — it is the safest choice. Use VTT when you host video on your own website or a learning platform that uses an HTML5 player. Course creators and developers often need both.
VoiceMaster Pro exports SRT and WebVTT from the same transcript, so you can produce whichever a platform asks for without re-transcribing — and without uploading your media to a converter.