Zoom's $5 secret: the add-on that translates meetings into 38 languages
Newey Team
Zoom can translate live captions between 35 languages (38 including target-only ones) — but not on every plan. Translated captions come included with Zoom Workplace Business Plus and Enterprise tiers, or as a US$5 per user/month add-on on any paid plan. The cheapest path is Pro + the add-on, about $22/month per user. Contrary to a common misconception, translated captions are not an AI Companion feature. Here's the full picture as of July 2026: plan math, setup, supported languages, human interpretation channels, and Zoom's new beta voice translator.
Zoom's four language features at a glance
| Feature | What it does | Plan requirement | Languages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automated captions | Live subtitles in the spoken language | All plans, including Free | 49 languages/variants (~46 languages) |
| Translated captions | Live subtitles translated into a language each viewer picks | Business Plus / Enterprise, or $5/user/mo add-on on any paid plan | 35 source → 38 target |
| Language interpretation | Audio channels for human interpreters you bring | Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise | 9 default + custom |
| Voice translator (beta) | AI speech-to-speech translation with synthetic audio | Pro+ (beta, US accounts, desktop app 7.0+) | 5 |
Sources: Zoom's official knowledge base articles on translated captions, caption languages, automated captions, language interpretation, and voice translator.
Which Zoom plan do you need for translated captions?
Per the official prerequisites, you need a Business Plus / Enterprise Essentials / Enterprise Plus / Enterprise Premier account, or the Zoom Translated Captions add-on ($5/user/month) attached to any paid plan. With current Zoom pricing (monthly billing, per user):
| Path | Monthly cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free / Basic | — | Automated captions only, no translation option |
| Pro + add-on | $16.99 + $5 ≈ $22 | Cheapest translated-captions path |
| Business + add-on | $21.99 + $5 ≈ $27 | |
| Business Plus | $29 (≈$24.50 on annual) | Translated captions included |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | Included |
Two things worth stating plainly, because third-party blogs frequently get them wrong:
- AI Companion does not include translated captions. Zoom's AI Companion language documentation covers meeting summaries and questions — caption translation is gated purely by plan tier or the $5 add-on.
- Automated (same-language) captions must be enabled first — translated captions are built on top of them.
How to turn on Zoom translated captions
Admin, once per account (web portal):
- Account Management → Account Settings → Meeting tab.
- Under In Meeting (Advanced), enable Automated captions, then enable Translated captions.
- Optionally restrict which languages are offered (pencil icon).
In the meeting (desktop or web app):
- Click Show Captions.
- Click the up arrow (^) next to the captions button → Captions and translation.
- Enable Translation, pick your language, save.
A genuinely good design decision on Zoom's part: participants choose their caption language independently — no host action needed, and different attendees can read different languages simultaneously.
Which languages can Zoom translate?
The official list has 35 fully supported languages that can be both spoken and read — including English, Spanish, French (France and Canada), German, Portuguese, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (Simplified and Traditional), Cantonese, Arabic, Russian, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Malay, and Tagalog — plus 3 target-only languages (Greek, Norwegian, Welsh) that captions can be translated into but not spoken in.
Caveats from the same page: dialect-to-dialect pairs aren't supported (no French (France) → French (Canada)), and Zoom's own disclaimer is blunt: "Translated captions may not be accurate." If you've seen Zoom marketing mention "46 languages," that's the transcription language count — not the translation list.
Limits to know before you rely on it
- Desktop and web first. The viewing documentation covers Windows, macOS, and the web app; on mobile, self-serve translation settings are limited.
- Meetings and webinars are supported; some regulated verticals (healthcare, higher education) have the feature restricted.
- One language per viewer at a time — fine for participants, limiting when you're presenting to a mixed room.
Human interpreters in Zoom: language interpretation
Separate from captions, Zoom's language interpretation feature gives professional human interpreters their own audio channels (available on Pro plans and up — you bring the interpreters). The host assigns up to 20 interpreters; attendees pick a channel and hear the interpreter over the original audio at reduced volume. Nine languages are predefined and custom ones can be added (5 per meeting by default).
Notable restrictions: no breakout rooms, no Personal Meeting IDs, can't be started from mobile, and it's audio-only — no text output. For what human interpreters cost and when they're worth it, see our multilingual meeting guide.
The new one: Zoom's voice translator (beta)
Announced at Enterprise Connect in March 2026, Zoom's voice translator speaks an AI translation of what you say in near real time. As of July 2026 it's a limited beta: 5 languages (English, Chinese, French, Japanese, Spanish), US-hosted accounts only, desktop app 7.0+, capped at 5 hours per 30 days, free for 60 days and then "expected to be generally available for purchase as an add-on" at a price Zoom hasn't announced. Promising — but not something to build an event around yet.
When Zoom's built-in translation isn't enough
The recurring gaps, in practice:
- You don't control the account. The admin toggle and the $5 add-on live in the host organization's portal — as a guest, or in a company that won't buy add-ons, you have no lever to pull.
- Your language is missing. 38 target languages is respectable, but plenty of languages aren't on the list.
- The audience isn't on Zoom — hybrid rooms, in-person events, or content beyond meetings.
- Technical vocabulary comes out wrong, and there's no custom glossary for captions.
A browser-based overlay sidesteps all four. Newey captures your Zoom tab's audio directly in Chrome/Edge — no add-on, no admin approval, works even when you're just an attendee — and floats live translated captions over the meeting in 60 languages, up to 3 at once. For rooms and events, attendees scan a QR code and read captions on their own phones, and a custom glossary keeps names and jargon straight. Free during beta.
FAQ
Are translated captions free on Zoom?
No. Automated same-language captions are free on all plans, but translation requires Business Plus/Enterprise or the $5 per user/month Translated Captions add-on on a paid plan.
Does Zoom AI Companion include translated captions?
No — this is a common mix-up. Translated captions are gated by plan tier or the dedicated add-on, independent of AI Companion.
How many languages does Zoom translate?
35 languages can be both spoken and translated; 3 more (Greek, Norwegian, Welsh) are available as caption targets only — 38 total. Same-language automated captions support 49 languages/variants.
Can each participant pick a different caption language?
Yes. Once the feature is enabled on the account, each participant selects their translation language independently, without host involvement.
Do translated captions work in Zoom webinars?
Yes — Zoom's documentation covers "speech in a meeting or webinar" translated in real time. Zoom Events sessions support them as well.
Does Zoom have voice translation, not just captions?
In beta only: a 5-language voice translator for US accounts with capped hours, expected to become a paid add-on. For production use today, captions are the reliable option.
Related reading: Google Meet translated captions · Microsoft Teams live translated captions · How to run a multilingual meeting