CaptionMate
CaptionMate provides a free mobile and web application that uses automated speech recognition to deliver real-time, two-sided captioning of phone calls for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the United States. The service is funded by an FCC-administered program and operates as an FCC-certified IP CTS provider.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersChattanooga, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What CaptionMate does
CaptionMate is a US-based mobile and web application that provides real-time, two-sided captioning of phone calls for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. The product uses automated speech recognition (ASR) combined with AI to transcribe both sides of a phone conversation as it happens, with additional features including transcript saving and review, voicemail captioning, call forwarding to retain an existing phone number, a personal word library for improving accuracy on custom terminology, and customizable caption display. CaptionMate is one of the first two providers certified by the FCC to use fully automated speech recognition in lieu of human captioning assistants, and operates as an FCC-certified Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) provider. The service is available on iOS, Android, and web, supports over 150 languages for captioning, and offers the full app interface in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Simplified Chinese.
CaptionMate was founded in 2019, originating as an internal project at Clarity Products LLC (a company with 50 years of experience manufacturing products for people with hearing loss) before being spun out as CaptionMate LLC, a Tennessee-domiciled LLC headquartered in Hixson (Chattanooga area). The company operates with a small core team (originally four people) and a product-led, self-serve go-to-market model: users self-certify hearing loss eligibility and download the app independently from the Apple App Store or Google Play, with marketing driven through app store listings, organic social media, and word-of-mouth testimonials. The service is offered free of charge to eligible US users with hearing loss, with revenue generated on a per-minute basis from an FCC-administered fund rather than from end users.
In November 2024, CaptionMate became part of the InnoCaption family; the CaptionMate service continues to operate independently, but the parent relationship provides shared engineering resources and customer support infrastructure. The leadership team includes Jon Gray (Business Manager, with over 18 years of experience developing products for people with hearing loss, previously at Plantronics, Clarity Products, and Bellman & Symfon) and Beryl Bucher (Founder and CEO). No venture capital funding rounds, institutional investors, or disclosed revenue figures are present in the available source material.
CaptionMate firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CaptionMate
- Legal name
- CaptionMate LLC
- Website
- https://captionmate.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CaptionMate provides a free mobile and web application that uses automated speech recognition to deliver real-time, two-sided captioning of phone calls for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the United States. The service is funded by an FCC-administered program and operates as an FCC-certified IP CTS provider.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CaptionMate industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Assistive Technology / Accessibility Software
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Assistive Hearing & Communication Access (Captioning, Hearing Support, Transcription) (EDAFAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Contact Center Speech AI (agent assist, IVR automation) (HDAAAFAL)
Keywords
Where CaptionMate is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chattanooga
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CaptionMate business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- FCC-Funded Service (IP CTS): CaptionMate is entirely free to registered users with hearing loss in the United States. The service is funded by a federally administered fund managed by the FCC. There is a cost per minute of captions generated, paid from this federally administered fund rather than by end users. CaptionMate operates as an FCC-certified IP CTS (Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service) provider.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Free IP CTS service for eligible users with hearing loss |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
CaptionMate product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CaptionMate is a free mobile and web application that provides real-time, two-sided call captioning for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. It uses automated speech recognition combined with AI to instantly transcribe phone conversations across Android, iOS, and web platforms, supporting more than 150 languages. The service is provided at no cost to eligible users in the United States and is funded through an FCC-administered Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) program, with CaptionMate reimbursed per minute of captions generated.
Product overview
CaptionMate is a unified mobile application providing real-time call captioning services for individuals with hearing loss. The core product is the CaptionMate app, which utilizes automated speech recognition (ASR) technology combined with AI to transcribe both sides of phone conversations in real time. The service is available across Android, iOS, and web platforms, supports over 150 languages, and is provided free of charge to eligible users with hearing loss in the United States through FCC funding. Key features include call forwarding to keep existing phone numbers, transcript saving and review, voicemail captioning, customizable interface language, personal word libraries, and adjustable font settings. In November 2024, CaptionMate joined the InnoCaption family while maintaining independent operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CaptionMate Mobile and Web App Real-time call captioning application for individuals with hearing loss. Uses automated speech recognition and AI to transcribe both sides of phone calls instantly on Android, iOS, and web, with support for over 150 languages, transcript saving and sharing, voicemail captioning, call forwarding to keep existing numbers, personal word library, and customizable display. Free to eligible users in the US via FCC-administered IP CTS funding.
Quantifiable outcome
- CaptionMate is described by users as faster than any other captioning app with high accuracy
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CaptionMate
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
CaptionMate technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature10 records
CaptionMate partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- InnoCaptioncoreIn November 2024, CaptionMate joined the InnoCaption family. While CaptionMate's service continues to operate independently, the companies share engineering resources and customer support infrastructure. InnoCaption's world-class engineering and customer service are expected to enhance the CaptionMate user experience. InnoCaption is also referenced as the presenting/sponsor entity of CaptionMate on the website.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
CaptionMate competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- InnoCaption: Direct competitor in IP CTS call captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing users, now CaptionMate's parent company following the November 2024 combination. Operates the same FCC-funded IP CTS service model and shares engineering and customer support infrastructure with CaptionMate.
- ClearCaptions: FCC-certified IP CTS provider offering call captioning services to deaf and hard-of-hearing users in the United States. Competes for the same federally reimbursed minutes and serves an overlapping population of hearing-loss users.
- CaptionCall: Long-standing IP CTS and captioned telephone provider serving deaf and hard-of-hearing users in the US. Competes for the same FCC-administered reimbursements and overlapping hearing-loss customer base.
- Hamilton Relay: FCC-certified IP CTS and relay services provider serving deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind users in the US. Competes directly for IP CTS reimbursements with overlapping service offerings.
- Convo Relay: Video relay and IP CTS service provider for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, competing for FCC-funded minutes and the same US hearing-loss user population.
Broad incumbents
- Sorenson Communications: Largest US provider of relay and IP CTS services, including video relay and call captioning. Operates broadly in the same federally funded accessibility communications space as CaptionMate with a much larger installed base and broader service portfolio.
- Google Live Transcribe: Free Android accessibility feature providing real-time speech-to-text transcription for deaf and hard-of-hearing users. While not a phone-call IP CTS solution, it represents a free platform-level substitute that overlaps with CaptionMate's user base and could constrain addressable adoption.
Emerging players
- Ava: AI-powered live captioning app focused on accessibility and conversation transcription for deaf and hard-of-hearing users in group and one-on-one settings. Overlaps with CaptionMate on real-time speech-to-text for hearing accessibility, but emphasizes in-person/video rather than phone calls.
- Otter.ai: AI meeting transcription platform with live captioning across video conferencing and in-person conversations. While not specifically focused on phone-call accessibility, it shares core ASR technology and increasingly competes for live-transcription mind-share among hearing-loss users.
- RogerVoice: Mobile app providing real-time phone call transcription and captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing users, with international footprint. Directly comparable product to CaptionMate but operates outside the US FCC IP CTS framework.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CaptionMate social profiles
Digital presenceCaptionMate financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CaptionMate leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
CaptionMate funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CaptionMate M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CaptionMate
What does CaptionMate do?
CaptionMate is a free mobile and web application that provides real-time, two-sided call captioning for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. It uses automated speech recognition combined with AI to instantly transcribe phone conversations across Android, iOS, and web platforms, supporting more than 150 languages. The service is provided at no cost to eligible users in the United States and is funded through an FCC-administered Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) program, with CaptionMate reimbursed per minute of captions generated.
Is CaptionMate a public or private company?
CaptionMate is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was CaptionMate founded?
CaptionMate was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CaptionMate based?
CaptionMate is headquartered in Chattanooga, United States, in the North America region.
How does CaptionMate make money?
One revenue line is on record: FCC-Funded Service (IP CTS).
Who are CaptionMate's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are InnoCaption, ClearCaptions, CaptionCall, Hamilton Relay and Convo Relay. Broad incumbents are Sorenson Communications and Google Live Transcribe. Emerging players are Ava, Otter.ai and RogerVoice.
Does CaptionMate have an API?
No public API is recorded for CaptionMate.
What industry is CaptionMate in?
CaptionMate's product category is Assistive Technology / Accessibility Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAKAC, Assistive Hearing & Communication Access (Captioning, Hearing Support, Transcription), with a secondary code of HDAAAFAL, Contact Center Speech AI (agent assist, IVR automation). Its SIC code is 7372.