Comparison

Z5 Mobile vs Live Caption

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Z5 Mobile

This app provides a video relay service for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to make and receive videophone calls. It offers features like text chat, contact sharing, call blocking, and video mail.

Highlights
  • Video Relay Service (VRS)
  • Text chat functionality
  • Share contact numbers with interpreters
  • Block unwanted callers
  • Video Mail greeting management
  • Number Lookup with Google Maps
Read full description

Z5 Mobile – The best video call experience, wherever life takes you. With Z5 Mobile, the industry’s premier VRS (Video Relay Service) app, deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals can make and receive videophone calls anywhere using Wi-Fi or a cellular data connection. And now we’ve completely redesigned this app to bring you the top features and experience in the industry. Recent updates now include text chat, the ability to share a follow-up number with an interpreter straight from your contact list, and even the power to block unwanted callers. Our users love our intuitive user interface with a choice of two themes and the sort your contact list by first or last name. You’ll also enjoy the ability to quickly review, record or delete your Video Mail greeting from your phone. Even when you're not using the app, you can now receive full-screen notifications at the moment a call is incoming. Z5 Mobile still has all the great features users have come to expect including Number Lookup, powered by Google Maps, to help you find phone numbers and conduct map searches without having to leave the app. No matter where you go, there’s no better way to keep in touch! Download/upgrade Z5 Mobile today and tell us what you think.

About

Live Caption

This app transcribes spoken words in real-time, displaying them in large text on your device. It facilitates face-to-face conversations and can be used with multiple languages. The app offers an optional subscription for uninterrupted service.

Highlights
  • Real-time speech transcription
  • Adjustable text size and background
  • Multi-language support
  • Bluetooth device compatibility
  • Text editing and copying
  • Screen streaming to TV
Features
Read full description

The spoken text shows large on your iPhone or iPad, so you can read what is being said. - Not for use with phone calls. • Subscribe to get uninterrupted captioning service for only $2.99 per month! • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. • The account will be charged $2.99 for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. • Subscriptions may be managed by user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to Account Settings after purchase. • Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. • You may continue to use Live Caption standard without the purchase of a subscription. Now caption in multiple languages! Go to settings and change the language to caption while speaking in Spanish, French, Japanese, or Sanskrit! Talk with family, friends, colleagues, and strangers with no set-up or hassle. Use voice recognition to connect with the world around you and join in the conversation! Need help understanding the doctor? A clerk at the store? Open Live Caption and they can speak into your phone. Live Caption transcribes what they say in real time. Know someone with hearing loss? Using voice recognition software, your spoken words appear live on your device. Talk to anyone face-to-face with Live Caption. How It Works: • The app is NOT for use with incoming phone calls, but for face-to-face, live conversations. • The app does not store or save captured text unless you intentionally share that text with another app. • To begin, just open the app and it will start listening. Tap the blue button to stop. The red button to start. • Go to settings to increase or decrease the size of text, and change from white text on black background, to black text on a white background. • Live Caption works with connected Bluetooth devices like headsets and standalone microphones for greater distance from the device. • To respond with typed text, tap "Clear All" and all previous messages on the screen will disappear. Type with keyboard and the typed text will appear at the same size. • You may edit any text as you would in any other text editing software. Tap anywhere on the screen and the keyboard will appear to edit your text. • Tap and hold to select text to copy, paste. Tips: • Pair with Bluetooth devices to caption at greater distances. Good for use in a classroom, in church or at the office where the user controls the app. Especially new Live Caption Unlimited! • Stream the app to a Television by connecting an Apple TV for a larger display • Captioning may not be as accurate with strong accents or children's voices. • Live Caption does not record or store voice or text results. Once the "Clear All" button is tapped results cannot be retrieved. Share text with another app to save the captured text. • Live Caption will return results in any language the phone is set to. For example, if the phone is set to Spanish, the app will caption Spanish results. How to enable Speak Selection on iPhone and iPad: • Launch the Settings app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad. • Now tap on General. • Scroll down and towards the bottom, tap on Accessibility. • Tap on the Speak Selection option and turn it to On. Privacy Policy https://app.termly.io/document/privacy-policy-for-mobile-app/cf249f03-cf32-4573-9230-3a03afc439c9 Terms of Service https://app.termly.io/document/terms-of-use-for-saas/148188c7-7d8f-48f7-83ef-cec3f3199fd7

Screenshots

Z5 Mobile4 screens
Live Caption4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Z5 Mobile at 3.7 against Live Caption's 2.5. Z5 Mobile also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (127 vs 39). Live Caption's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Live Caption sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Z5 Mobile asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Z5 Mobile holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 127 and 39 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Z5 Mobile's written reviews are positive against 28% of Live Caption's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Z5 Mobile ships an update every 2 months, Live Caption every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Z5 Mobile versus Live Caption: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZ5 MobileLive Caption
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (127 ratings) — better2.5 (39 ratings)
Positive reviews35.5% of reviews — better28.1% of reviews
Number of ratings127 — better39
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.010.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCSDVRS, LLCLive Caption, Inc.

Customer experience

Z5 Mobile

All ratings127 ratings
Positive61.4%
Neutral8.7%
Negative29.9%
Written reviews76 reviews
Positive35.5%
Neutral11.8%
Negative52.6%

Live Caption

All ratings39 ratings
Positive30.8%
Neutral15.4%
Negative53.8%
Written reviews32 reviews
Positive28.1%
Neutral12.5%
Negative59.4%

In-app purchases

None

Z5 Mobile

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Live Caption

Subscriptions1
  • Live Caption Unlimited$2.991 Month

Questions

Is Z5 Mobile free?
Z5 Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Live Caption free?
Live Caption is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Z5 Mobile or Live Caption?
Z5 Mobile is rated higher. Z5 Mobile averages 3.7 out of 5 from 127 ratings, while Live Caption averages 2.5 from 39 ratings.
Do Z5 Mobile or Live Caption have ads?
Neither Z5 Mobile nor Live Caption shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Z5 Mobile or Live Caption?
Z5 Mobile ships an update every 2 months, and Live Caption every 4 weeks. Most recently, Z5 Mobile was updated on September 30, 2026 and Live Caption on September 19, 2026.

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