What it's for
Editing by text is the fastest way to cut talking-head video and podcasts, which is why our editing and course hustles use it.
- Podcast editing by editing the transcript
- Removing filler words
- Course and tutorial edits
- Captions and clips
Plans and prices
| Plan | Price (USD unless shown) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Record, edit and mix audio and video; try the AI tools |
| Hobbyist | $24/mo, or $16/mo billed yearly | 10 media hours, 400 AI credits, 1080p watermark-free export |
| Creator | $35/mo, or $24/mo billed yearly | 30 media hours, 800 AI credits, 4K export, royalty-free stock |
| Business | $65/mo, or $50/mo billed yearly | 40 media hours, 1,500 AI credits, translation and dubbing |
Read on the official pricing page on . Prices change; check before you buy.
Free plan in real output
The free plan can record, edit and mix, but 1080p watermark-free export starts on Hobbyist. Exact free quotas aren't shown on the pricing page.
- Hobbyist: 10 media hours a month, enough to transcribe and edit about ten 1-hour podcast episodes.
- Creator: 30 media hours, about 30 one-hour sources a month for a clipping or editing service.
Cost at your stage
| Plan | Monthly cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Month 1 (testing, low volume) | Hobbyist | $16 |
| Month 12 (working volume) | Creator | $24 |
Break-even: Creator at $24/mo (yearly) is covered by one podcast-editing client paying $25 or more a month.
Month-12 plan is our estimate of what a solo seller at steady weekly output needs, based on the plan limits above. Costs exclude tax.
Commercial use and output rights
You own or may use output commercially
“As between you and Descript, you own all right, title, and interest in and to any Input and Output, to the extent protectable under applicable law.”
Your data and AI training: Descript may use content 'to train, improve, and develop its models and technologies (unless you have opted out of such use)' (Terms).
This is a summary of public terms, not legal advice. Terms change; re-read the clause before client work.
First-hour setup
- Install Descript and import one episode.
- Let it transcribe, then fix speaker labels.
- Delete filler words and long pauses in bulk, then review every cut.
- Use Studio Sound on poor audio.
- Export at 1080p (Hobbyist or higher for watermark-free).
Competitors compared
| Tool | Pricing model | Free plan | Starting price | Difficulty | Output rights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descript | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | $0 · then $24/mo, or $16/mo billed yearly | 2/5 | You own or may use output commercially | Podcasts and talking-head videos edited like a doc |
| CapCut | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | $0 · then USD 19.99/mo | 1/5 | Depends on each asset's license | Short-form social video |
| DaVinci Resolve | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | Free · then $295 one-time | 4/5 | Not a content generator | Pro-grade editing for free |
| Riverside | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | $0 · then $35/mo monthly or $24/mo yearly | 2/5 | Not a content generator | Recording remote podcast and video interviews |
| Audacity | Free, open source | Yes | Free, open source | 2/5 | Not a content generator | Free audio editing and cleanup |
| Adobe Premiere Pro | Paid plans only | Trial only | See official site | 4/5 | – | Client work in Adobe-based teams |
| Final Cut Pro | One-time purchase | Trial only | See official site | 3/5 | – | Mac editors who prefer no subscription |
Head to head: Descript vs CapCut
Learning difficulty
2/5: Text editing is intuitive, but scenes, layouts and AI tools take a few sessions to learn.
When not to use it
Not for color grading or heavy effects; use DaVinci Resolve. For audio-only cleanup at no cost, use Audacity plus Adobe Podcast Enhance.
Cheaper or free alternatives:
- CapCut: Short-form social video (yes free plan)
- DaVinci Resolve: Pro-grade editing for free (yes free plan)
- Riverside: Recording remote podcast and video interviews (yes free plan)
- Audacity: Free audio editing and cleanup (yes free plan)
Which of our hustles use it
- AI transcription & captioning: Editing transcripts and burning in captions
- AI video translation & dubbing: Fixing timing and subtitles
- Online course with AI-produced media: Editing recorded lessons
- Short-form AI video editing service: Text-based editing of the source
- YouTube automation for others: Editing from the transcript; captions
Price history
Each monthly check adds rows here. Older rows are never edited, so you can see when prices changed.
Sources
- Descript pricing (read 17 October 2026)
- Descript Terms (read 17 October 2026)
Last verified . Anything we couldn't confirm on an official page is marked "not published", "not shown" or "not verified".