Real-time translation for Webex meetings, without the paid add-on

Yes, as a paid add-on on the host's side. Their admin enables it and assigns the license to the host; then every attendee can pick a caption language from 120+, with up to 15 different languages in one meeting. Without that license, Webex captions, or subtitles, stay in the spoken language. It also does not run in webinar webcast view or in the web app on the Webex Suite platform. SonicMeet gives you translated captions from your own side in any Webex meeting, with none of that.

No. SonicMeet does not read Webex licenses or site settings; it captions the meeting audio on your side. Buying the add-on for yourself would only matter in meetings you host: Webex checks the host's entitlement, not the attendee's.

Yes, and that is where Webex's own translation is most often missing. As a guest on a customer's or vendor's Webex site, their plan, their add-on and their admin decide what you see. SonicMeet works the same in every meeting you can hear: turn it on yourself, read in your language, keep your own transcript.

Yes. Webex's web app runs in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari; the SonicMeet extension runs in Chrome and Edge, so join from one of those and the captions overlay the meeting tab. That matters on Webex in particular: real-time translation is not supported in the web app on the Webex Suite platform, even when the host has the license.

Yes. SonicMeet for Windows and Mac captions the audio of the Webex window, so you keep the Webex App your company installed, including the version IT manages. Nothing changes inside Webex.

Yes, in the Webex App on the desktop: a call is audio in the Webex window, so SonicMeet for Windows and Mac captions and translates it exactly like a meeting. Webex Calling's own captions and call transcription need a Webex Calling Professional license and cover 15 spoken languages; translated call captions exist only on Cisco 9800-series desk phones, in six languages. Cisco has announced a speech-to-speech Translator Agent for Webex Calling for 2026, ten languages at launch, with Meetings to follow.

Webex keeps captions only when the meeting was recorded, and a post-meeting transcript needs recording on together with captions or Webex Assistant. Recording is the host's call and the file lives with the host. SonicMeet builds a transcript on your side in every meeting, and you can tap any caption line during the call to save it as a note.

No. Webex Assistant announces itself to everyone and cannot be hidden, and recording shows an indicator, because those run inside the meeting. SonicMeet is not a Webex app and not a bot: nothing is announced, nothing appears in the participant list and nothing is installed on your Webex site. Captions render on your screen only. Audio is processed by SonicMeet and its speech provider in real time, and we don't keep an audio recording.

No. SonicMeet transcribes the meeting audio itself, so Webex's captions can stay off, or on if you prefer. It does not read or depend on them, which also means it works in meetings where the host's plan gives you no captions at all.

Yes. SonicMeet captions whatever you can hear, so it works as a webinar attendee and in webcast view, where Webex's real-time translation is not available and Webex Assistant is not offered to attendees. The one case it cannot cover is dialing in by phone, because no audio reaches your computer.

Yes. A free Webex account gets 40-minute meetings with captions in five spoken languages and no translation; that limits what Webex shows, not what runs on your computer. SonicMeet gives you the same captions, translation and transcript as on any paid plan.

SonicMeet has two translation modes and you choose per meeting; Webex's translated captions offer a single fixed one. Instant translates as the words arrive with sub-second delay. Accurate waits for the complete sentence and translates it with a stronger model and far more surrounding context, which makes a visible difference on technical terms, product names and natural phrasing, roughly 1 to 5 seconds behind Instant. Switch from Settings in the caption area at any time.

Yes to start. Install SonicMeet, sign in with Google, and the Free plan gives you 20 minutes a month of captions with both translation modes. Paid plans add hours. There is no add-on to buy, for you or for the host.