Descript vs CapCut
Descript is video and audio editor that works by editing a text transcript. CapCut is video and photo editor with AI tools, on web, desktop and mobile. Here is how they compare on price, free plan, platforms and the jobs each does best, from each vendor's own pages.
| Descript | CapCut | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Video and audio editor that works by editing a text transcript | Video and photo editor with AI tools, on web, desktop and mobile |
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | $16/mo billed annually (Hobbyist) | Not published |
| Free trial | None stated | None stated |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Integrations (vendor's figure) | Not stated | Not stated |
| Open source | No | No |
| Made by | Descript | Bytedance Pte. Ltd. |
Choose Descript if…
- The job is editing podcasts and interviews by deleting words from the transcript.
- The job is cleaning up audio and removing filler words.
Choose CapCut if…
- You want a mobile app (iOS and Android).
- The job is editing short videos for TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
- The job is adding captions and text-to-speech voiceovers.
Still weighing it up?
If neither is quite right, see how other AI video and voice tools compare: Synthesia vs HeyGen.
What Descript does
- Text-based editing: edit video by editing a document
- Underlord, an AI video co-editor
- Studio Sound, Remove Filler Words and Create Clips
- AI Speech with custom voice clones
- Translation and dubbing in 30+ languages on Business
- Screen recording and remote recording (Rooms)
Watch out for
- Free plan: 1 media hour per month, 100 one-time AI credits and 720p export
- Hobbyist exports up to 1080p; 4K export starts on Creator
- Desktop app requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or Windows 11 or newer
What CapCut does
- Video editor on web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android
- Auto captions and text to speech
- AI image and video generators
- Background removal for images and video
- Voice enhancement and noise reduction
- AI Design for automatic layouts
Watch out for
- No fixed public price; CapCut says pricing depends on region, device and promotions
- Auto captions and other advanced AI tools are listed as Pro-only on capcut.com
- Teams subscriptions can only be bought and managed through CapCut Online
Questions
Do Descript and CapCut have free plans?
Both do. Descript: 60 media minutes (1 hour) per month; 100 AI credits (one-time); 720p local export. CapCut: Core editing (cutting, trimming, merging, transitions, filters, effects, subtitles, basic audio editing); limited access to premium templates, effects, fonts and music; advanced AI tools such as auto captions and motion tracking are Pro-only.