What you'll have
A batch of vertical clips cut from a podcast or webinar, each with captions and a hook, reviewed by you and scheduled to the client's social accounts.
Who pays for it: Podcasters, coaches and companies that record long videos but have no time to cut them. Sold as a monthly package per episode.
The stack and what it costs
| Tool | Month 1 | Ongoing (per month) | Notes and source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opus Clip Clipping, captions, publishing | Free (watermark) $0 | Pro $29 | Or $14.50/month billed yearly · Pricing page, read 17 October 2026 |
| Descript Optional cleanup of the full episode | Free $0 | Free $0 | Pricing page, read 17 October 2026 |
| Total | $0 | $29/mo Estimate | Sum of the rows. Excludes tax, per-sale fees and anything marked "–" (not verified or usage-based). |
Plan prices are list prices in USD from each tool's pricing page; plan choices for month 1 and ongoing are our estimate for one person doing this part time.
Step by step
6 of 6 steps are checked against official docs. Menu names are quoted from the linked docs as of the date shown; apps change, so follow the doc if what you see differs.
Set up a brand template and connect socials
OpusClip recommends logging in, setting up your brand template and connecting social accounts before the first clips.
Source: OpusClip Help: Introduction, read 20 October 2026
Import the long video
Submit a YouTube, Google Drive, Vimeo, Rumble, Zoom, StreamYard, Facebook or X link, or upload a local file.
Source: OpusClip Help: Introduction, read 20 October 2026
Tell the AI what to look for
Give the AI instructions for the clips. For videos with little talking, OpusClip recommends ClipAnything, where you type a prompt such as "find the moments most likely to go viral on social media".
Source: OpusClip Help: How to use ClipAnything, read 20 October 2026
Pick a caption style
Choose a caption style from Quick Presets, or No Caption if captions are already burned in.
Source: OpusClip Help: How to use ClipAnything, read 20 October 2026
Review and fix every clip
Trim or extend clips, remove filler words and add B-roll in the in-browser editor. Don't send unreviewed clips to a client.
Source: OpusClip Help: Introduction, read 20 October 2026
Publish or export
Publish clips to social platforms, download HD copies, or export XML to finish in Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve.
Source: OpusClip Help: Introduction, read 20 October 2026
Common mistakes
- Delivering from the free plan: it watermarks, keeps clips exportable for only 3 days, and its output is non-commercial (see the rights matrix).
- Posting every clip the AI suggests. Pick the best 5–10.
- Slow openings. Rewrite the hook text if a clip takes more than a couple of seconds to get going.
Rights and terms check
OpusClip's free plan isn't for commercial use, per the clause in our rights matrix. Use a paid plan for client work, and get the show owner's permission to clip it.
A summary of public terms, not legal advice. Commercial-rights matrix
Alternatives and when to pick them
| Tool | When to choose it | Free plan | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vizard | Pick it if you want a second clipper to compare output. | Yes | Free plan + paid plans |
| Submagic | Pick it if captions and styling matter more than automatic clip selection. | Trial only | Paid plans only |
| Descript | Pick it if you also edit the full episode and want one tool. | Yes | $0 · then $24/mo, or $16/mo billed yearly |
Prices for tools without an in-depth profile aren't verified by us; we show the pricing model only.
Still choosing? What's the best long video to shorts tool? · All long video to shorts tools compared
How to get your first customer
- Clip one episode of a podcast you like and send the 3 best clips to the host.
- Offer a fixed monthly price per episode with a set number of clips.
- List the service on Fiverr with before-and-after samples.
Our suggestions, not guarantees. Earnings vary.
FAQ
Is OpusClip free?
There's a free plan with 60 credits a month, a watermark and 3-day exports. Starter is $15/month; Pro is $29/month or $14.50/month billed yearly (pricing page read 17 Oct 2026).
Can I use the free plan for clients?
No. Free-plan output is limited to non-commercial use.
Sources
- OpusClip Help: How to use ClipAnything (read 20 October 2026)
- OpusClip Help: Introduction (read 20 October 2026)
- Opus Clip pricing (read 17 October 2026)
- Descript pricing (read 17 October 2026)
Steps checked 20 October 2026; prices checked 17 October 2026. Corrections: hello@agenthustles.com.