Dub a Video into Arabic: What to Prepare and Cost
Learn dubbing vs subtitles, 3 ways to dub a foreign video into Arabic, what to send before ordering, timing mistakes to avoid, and sample Hylance pricing.
Key takeaways
- Dubbing replaces the foreign speech in your video with Arabic audio, while on-screen subtitles keep the original audio and add written text underneath.
- You have three options: an AI voice, a human voice actor, or recording your own voice and having an audio specialist sync it to the scenes.
- The Arabic script should be reviewed and approved before recording, because Arabic sentences are often longer than English ones and must fit the scene timing.
- On Hylance, dubbing a short video with an AI voice starts at about SAR 70 (about $19), and syncing your own recorded voice starts at about SAR 50 (about $13) at the time of writing.
Dubbing a video into Arabic means replacing the foreign speech in your video with Arabic audio that is synced to the scenes, so your audience can understand it without reading. Before you order, prepare three things: the video in the highest quality you have, an approved Arabic script or approval for whoever will write it, and a clear decision on the voice type: AI, a human voice actor, or your own voice. On Hylance, dubbing a short video starts at about SAR 50 (about $13) to SAR 70 (about $19), depending on the method, at the time of writing.
What’s the difference between dubbing and on-screen subtitles?
The short answer: dubbing changes what people hear, while on-screen subtitles add what they read. With dubbing, the original speech disappears or is lowered under the Arabic voice. With subtitles, the original audio stays as it is and written Arabic appears underneath. Choose dubbing in these cases:
- Your audience is watching while doing something else, like following a practical lesson with their hands busy, so they cannot read.
- The video already has lots of text and graphics on screen, so subtitles would clutter the image.
- The content is aimed at children or at an audience that does not like fast reading.
- You want the video to feel as if it was made for your Arabic-speaking audience from the start, not adapted from something else.
But if the speaker’s face and voice are part of the message, such as an interview with the company founder or a customer testimonial, on-screen subtitles keep the real voice and usually cost less.
Three ways to dub a video and how to choose
The difference between these options is the voice itself and who records it. The table below compares them, and the prices are approximate based on services published on Hylance at the time of writing this guide:
| Method | Best for | What you need to provide | Approximate price on Hylance |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI voice | A product explainer or lesson with one speaker and a calm tone | The video and review of the Arabic script | About SAR 70 (about $19) for a video up to 3 minutes |
| Human voice actor | An ad that depends on energy or emotion | The final Arabic script and tone directions | Varies by length and the voice actor’s experience |
| Your own voice with professional syncing | A business owner who wants people to know their voice | A clear Arabic recording from your phone or microphone | About SAR 50 (about $13) for a video up to 5 minutes |
If this is your first dubbed video, start with an AI voice or your own voice. That lets you see whether your audience responds to the Arabic version before paying for a professional voice actor across a full series.
What should you prepare before ordering video dubbing?
Most dubbing delays happen because of an incomplete file or an unapproved script, not the recording itself. Send the following in the order chat on Hylance:
- The original video in the highest quality you have, not a downloaded copy from a social platform, because compression harms both the audio and the picture.
- A separate audio file if you have one, or the music-only file, which makes it easier to keep the music and remove the speech.
- The foreign script in writing, if available. It saves transcription time and reduces mistakes.
- A list of names and terms that should stay as they are, such as your product name or a technical term your audience already knows in English.
- The type of Arabic you want: simplified Modern Standard Arabic for most audiences, or a specific dialect if your audience is in one country.
- Confirmation that you own the right to publish the video. Do not dub material created by someone else without permission.
Why should the Arabic script be approved before recording?
Because Arabic sentences are often longer than their English equivalents, while the scene length does not change. If you translate literally, the voice will have to rush or it will fall behind the picture, so the speaker may be pointing at something while the audio is still on the previous sentence. That is why the script goes through three steps before recording:
- Transcription: write the foreign speech as it was said, with timing for each sentence.
- Adaptation, not literal translation: write the meaning in a short Arabic sentence that fits the scene length, even if the wording changes.
- Read it aloud: play each scene and read the Arabic sentence with it. If you cannot finish before the scene changes, shorten it.
Changing a word in the script before recording costs nothing, but changing it after recording means recording the sentence again and syncing it again.
Common mistakes that ruin dubbing timing
- Literal translation without shortening: sentences become too long, the voice speeds up, and it becomes tiring to hear.
- Leaving the original speech at almost the same level as the Arabic voice: the viewer hears two languages at once and understands neither.
- Recording your voice in an empty room with echo: the difference between your voice and the clean original video becomes obvious.
- Expecting lip-sync from a service that does not promise it: most short-form dubbing matches the scene, not the lips, so ask before ordering if that matters to you.
- Sending revision notes separately without timing: put them in one message with the time for each note, such as “1:20: the sentence is late compared with the scene.”
How much does it cost to dub a video into Arabic on Hylance?
The following numbers are approximate based on services published on Hylance at the time of writing this guide, and the exact price appears in each service card in your currency. Dubbing a short video from English into Arabic with an AI voice up to 3 minutes is about SAR 70 (about $19), and includes turning the speech into simplified Modern Standard Arabic for you to review before recording. Syncing your own Arabic voice-over, recorded by you, onto a foreign video and matching it to the scenes up to 5 minutes is about SAR 50 (about $13). An Arabic AI voice-over for an ad up to 60 seconds is about SAR 40 (about $11). If you prefer to keep the original audio, on-screen subtitles are a separate service in the video category.
You pay from your Hylance wallet, and the amount stays held by the platform until you confirm delivery. Before delivery, you can cancel the order and the amount returns to your wallet. After delivery, if the work does not match what you agreed, you can open a dispute for the platform team to review. On your first order, you also get a 10% discount.
Dubbing and voice-over services on Hylance
Short video dubbing from English to Arabic with AI voice up to 3 minutes
- Music & Audio
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Arabic voiceover synced to an foreign video up to 5 minutes
- Music & Audio
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Arabic AI Voiceover for your ad up to 60 seconds
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Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between dubbing and on-screen subtitles?
Dubbing replaces the original speech with Arabic audio, so the viewer hears Arabic. On-screen subtitles keep the original audio and add written Arabic text below the picture. Dubbing is better when people are watching without focusing on the screen, while subtitles are usually cheaper and faster.
Is AI voice dubbing good enough for my project?
It works well for an explainer, product video, or lesson with one speaker and a calm tone, and it is the cheapest and fastest option. But for an ad that depends on energy or emotion, or a video with more than one speaker, a human voice actor will usually get you closer to what you want.
How much does it cost to dub a short video into Arabic on Hylance?
At the time of writing, dubbing a video up to 3 minutes with an AI voice starts at about SAR 70 (about $19), syncing your Arabic voice-over onto a foreign video up to 5 minutes starts at about SAR 50 (about $13), and an Arabic AI voice-over for an ad up to 60 seconds starts at about SAR 40 (about $11). The exact price is shown in each service card in your currency.
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