Mastering Subtitle Styling: Fonts, Colours, and Layout

When subtitles look good, viewers do not notice them at all. Bad subtitles, on the other hand, are easy to spot. Think tiny white text on a light background, subtitles layered over on-screen graphics, or effects that pull attention away from the content. Good subtitle styling is not about flashy effects. It is about making your subtitles readable, professional, and unobtrusive.

Why styling matters

The right font, colour, and placement can turn subtitles from an afterthought into a seamless part of your video. On Subify's paid plans, you have access to extensive styling options when you download ASS subtitle files. Here is how to use them effectively.

Choosing fonts and size

Subify offers over 150 font choices on paid plans. Whether you want the clean lines of a sans-serif for modern content or the warmth of a serif for interviews, there is a font that matches your style. You can also adjust the font size to suit your video's resolution and the viewing distance of your audience. As a rule of thumb, keep it large enough for readability on mobile devices, where most viewers consume content.

Colour and contrast

The hex colour picker lets you match your brand colours exactly, but readability should always come first. A good approach is to keep your primary text light and add an outline in a contrasting colour. If your video has a dark background, white text with a black outline works well. If the background is light, reverse the scheme. The outline colour can be customised independently, so you are not limited to the standard black and white combination.

Positioning and background

Nine alignment options let you place your subtitles where they work best on the screen. The default bottom-centred position works for most content, but you can shift the text to avoid overlapping with on-screen graphics, lower-thirds, or logos. If your footage is busy, a background box with adjustable opacity can make the text pop. You can fine-tune the opacity to suit your footage.

Shadows and text styles

Subtle shadows add depth and help text stand out against complex backgrounds. You can control both the shadow distance and thickness independently. Bold, italic, and underline styles let you emphasise key words or distinguish between different speakers. Strikethrough is also available for less common but useful use cases.

Karaoke as a layering option

The karaoke display mode adds word-by-word highlighting on top of any styling you have already chosen. You can customise the highlight colour, background, outline, and underline independently of your main text styling. This means a karaoke effect can work on top of a branded font and colour scheme without overriding your design choices.

Seeing it before you download

All of these changes are visible in a live preview, so you can see exactly how your subtitles will look before you commit to a download. There is no guesswork involved. Once you are happy with the result, you download an ASS file that preserves all of your styling choices.

Free vs paid features

SRT files are available on every plan, including Free, but they do not support these styling options. Upgrading to a paid plan unlocks the full range of customisation, from over 150 fonts and hex colours to karaoke effects and all four display modes. If you are not sure which plan is right for you, you can start with the free tier to get familiar with the process and upgrade whenever you are ready.

The Solo plan is a good starting point for occasional creators. The Pro plan suits regular content producers. Both include full styling capabilities on ASS files, as well as format flexibility and karaoke effects. You can compare all plans or start free today.