Descript Review: Features, Pros and Cons, and Alternatives

Yogesh Pant
Feb 27, 2024

Descript_1

Do you find that editing movies takes up too much of your time? We completely understand. Our approach was to film a video and post it unedited on YouTube for years. 

For this reason, we decided to try Descript and worked with both free and paid versions after our friend recommended it to us. 

We are here now to reflect on that choice and tell you about our experience. Was it worth working on the tool?


Video podcasts, usually called vodcasts, are becoming increasingly popular in the podcasting business. They create something unique by fusing audio and visual information and adjusting it for various audiences.  

Vodcasting is expanding quickly in tandem with the podcasting sector.

The following statistics support that:

Roughly 17 percent of podcast broadcasters record their episodes in both video and audio.

The number of video podcasts on the Podcast Index increased to 50,000 in 2023 from around 39,000 the year before.

A Morning Consult survey indicates that 32% of US podcast listeners would rather see videos than just audio.

In this Descript review, we will go over top features, the advantages and disadvantages, a detailed explanation of the costs, why you should upgrade from the free plan to the premium plan, and how to decide whether Descript is the right choice. Now, let's get started!

What Is Descript?

A novel editing method is used in the user-friendly video editing program Descript. Descript keeps things simple by transcribing your films and trying the text to the relevant video parts, in contrast to standard editing programs that use intricate timelines and sophisticated capabilities. It works similarly to changing a document: remove the text you want to change, and presto!

This creative method not only makes the editing process more accessible but also makes mass changes feasible, something that was not achievable with conventional video editing software. Do you recall the days when traditional video editing programs required you to eliminate a word hundreds of times manually? What a hassle! However, you can look up the term using Descript and remove all occurrences at once. How fantastic is that? 

And if that weren't enough. Descript also enables you to eliminate any uncomfortable silences from your films quickly.

How Is Descript Operated?

After registering online using the web application, you must download the desktop version of Descript. 

You may think of your projects in Descript as a well-organized workstation for your films. When you first create a new project, you are presented with the following four alternatives to choose from:

  • Select a File to be Transcribed: If you upload a video, Descript will transcribe it so you may make edits. 
  • Make use of the recorders by recording straight into Descript.
  • Write something down: Record an audio version of a text, such as a blog entry.
  • Start with a template: Different templates are available for different uses.
  • Usually, we would instead transcribe an already-existing video file.
  • You need to submit your video; Descript will take care of the rest. It just takes three to five minutes to transcribe a thirty-minute video.

You may now begin editing.

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Favored Descriptive Features

When using Descript, these are the features we like the most.

Typography-Based Editing

Descript primarily transcribes your videos and tries the text to the relevant video potions. Once the transcription is complete, you can alter the text to make changes to your movie since it is relatively accurate. A more user-friendly editing experience is waiting for you when complicated timelines are gone!

Large-Scale Edits

The ability to perform mass adjustments is one of my favorite aspects of Descript, which really shined out in this assessment of filter word elimination. For example, removing words that are filtered or even specific sentences from your film is simple. 

This drastically cuts down on the length of your video, resulting in shorter, more engaging material for viewers. 

Elimination of Silence

With a single click, you can quickly eliminate annoying silences from your films with Descript. You may soon edit your movie to make it seem more polished and professional by adjusting the duration of the quiet. 

Feature of Overdubbing

The Overdub function in Descript is yet another fantastic tool. Should you ever make a mistake in your movie or need to adjust specific details, Descript lets you swap out the offending audio with a fresh version or even a voice created. You may avoid the headache of having to film and re-edit your whole video by doing this. 

Social Media and Mobile Templates

In my assessment of Descript social clips and templates, we also looked at how Descript keeps up with content developments. Descript provides helpful social clips and templates, particularly relevant given the growing popularity of short-form content on sites such as YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.

With these capabilities, you can adapt your material for various platforms, adding subtitles and formatting it for mobile devices. 

Add Images Easily

To keep your viewers interested, you may include images in your video. With a vast collection of stock footage that you can easily drag and drop into your movie depending on the transcript, Descript makes this simple. 

To sum up, Descript is a powerful and intuitive video editing program that may help you create high-caliber material quickly and with little effort. Try it out; you could discover that it quickly becomes your new go-to editing tool!

Fast Transcription Speeds

The transcribing procedure for Descript is relatively quick. For example, transcription of a third-minute film takes around three minutes. This implies that you won't have to wait hours for your video to be transcribed before you can edit it immediately. 

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Directly Record and Transcribe in Descriptive

Although we generally record a video beforehand and submit it for transcription, Descript allows you to record it from inside the program. This might be helpful if you need to transcribe a live recording quickly or want to produce material on the go. 

Creating Exports for Social Media Sites

Not only does Descript facilitate the creation of material for social media sites, but it also streamlines the process of exporting videos. You can quickly make eye-catching images for your Instagram feed or audiograms for podcasts using the many styles and formats available. 

By helping you get more real followers on Instagram, services like Kicksta can support your organic development while you concentrate on creating content.

Use Stock Footage to Improve Your Video Content

As we just said, Descript has an extensive stock footage collection. This tool performs well when making trip movies, food instructions, or personal productivity material. You can keep your audience interested and improve the overall quality of your material by using visually captivating clips in your video. 

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How to Use Descript?

Launch a Podcast

Recording, editing, mixing, collaborating, and exporting are all possible; it's storage stuff that's made so easy that no prior knowledge is necessary. Go ahead and launch a podcast. 

Take Remote Guest Recordings

Are the host and the visitor at different places? Not an issue. Both of your tracks may be recorded in Descript. Here's how to use Loopback to link a Zoom or Skype call to Descript. (On Windows, try Total Recorded.)

Arrange the Content You Have.

Your modifications are now complete. Instead of manually recording every tape, upload your files to Descript and let us do the transcription for you. You will be able to search through your whole project at once, and each file will become its composition. 

Write Up the Minutes of the Meeting

Don't forget to take notes throughout the meeting; Descript can handle that. You need to share the project so your colleagues can access the audio and notes in a single, conveniently searchable location. You may search for anything, make edits, highlight sections, and add comments. 

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Describe Pros and Cons

Pros

Usability

Descript has a very high degree of usability. We installed, understood, and were up and running with the program in five minutes flat.

Affordability

Compared to employing independent contractors or freelancers for editing work, Descript offers excellent value at $15 monthly for ten transcribing hours. 

Accurate transcripts

Descript's transcriptions are around 95% correct, making creating subtitles for your movies easy. 

Templates and Video Library

Descript provides a range of templates for various kinds of material, including product videos, podcast audiograms, and Instagram Reels. Additionally, you may add interactivity and engagement to your content with the help of their vast video collection. 

Cons

The Loading Speed

Descript is sluggish, mainly when using a MacBook Air. Although this is typical of video editing software, it should be noted that Descript will need some patience to use. 

Limitations of Transcription

The transcription quality is excellent overall, although there is room for improvement, especially regarding names and accents. 

No Mobile App

Descript does not offer a mobile app to edit films while on the move. It would be practical to capture and edit video straight from a smartphone, eliminating the need for a desktop computer. 

Restricted Choices for Templates

Although the current templates are helpful, we wish Descript had a more comprehensive selection of templates. Users would benefit from more alternatives in terms of flexibility and diversity. 

Descript might be the perfect answer if you're sick of spending endless hours on a transcription job or finding it difficult to edit videos. In our Descript review, we'll examine the benefits and drawbacks of this cutting-edge technology that has been causing a stir in the content production sector. 

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What is the Price of Descript?

Descript offers a free plan that enables you to try the product. Anything beyond the restricted features of the free lifetime plan does need a paid membership. Certain premium subscriptions are relatively affordable and designed for infrequent editors. However, you may choose alternative, more robust plans if your manufacturing demands are more professional. 

Free Plan

Try Descript's free plan to test the tool out. It includes one hour of watermark-free video at 720p resolution, one hour of remote recording, and one hour of transcription. 

Creator Plan

Users may access advanced capabilities for $15 per month, including limitless video export without a watermark, 10 hours of remote recording, and 10 hours of 4K quality Descript transcription. 

Pro Plan

The Pro plan may be a fantastic choice for you if you work as a professional video editor. For $30 per month, you can get 30 hours of remote recording, 30 hours of transcription, limitless AI effect use, and complete access to premium stock effects. 

Enterprise Package

This personalized package for groups includes single sign-on (SSO), security review, device service agreement, and dedicated account representative.

Descript offers many price options to accommodate your requirements.

We've compared the various Descript prices and plans in this table. 

 

Parameters

Free

Creator

Pro

Enterprise

Price Range

$0

$15 per month

$30 per month

Custom

Key Features

1 transcription hour;
1 remote recording hour;
1 watermark-free export at 720p.

Unlimited watermark-free export at 4k;
10 transcription hours;
10 remote recording hours;
Automatic removal of filler words (uh and um) and AI voice cloning.

30 transcription hours; 30 remote recording hours;
Automatic removal of 18 filler words;
Unlimited use of AI effects, AI voice cloning, stock voices, and text-to-speech.

Everything in the Pro plan, including:
Dedicated account representative; Security review;
Invoicing;
Device service agreement;
Single sign-on (SSO);
Onboarding and training.

Target Audience

Casual users.

Personal use.

Professional use.

Large teams. 

 

Review of Descriptive Prices 

The way Descript has organized its price structure is among its most outstanding features. With so much available in its free plan, you may investigate the site and give it a good look. Furthermore, the Creator and Pro plans are more than affordable for AI audio and video editing. 

Free-Tier 

You may experiment with audio and video editing for free. A monthly allotment of one transcription hour, 720p video output quality, and a 1,000-word Overdub vocabulary are yours. Up to 10-minute files may be used with Studio Sound, AI Green Screen, and AI Eye Contact. The stock library displays the top five results for each search. You should test out all of its capabilities and decide whether or not you like the new editing method that Descript offers. 

Creator-Tier

This tier, which is designed for independent makers, costs $15 per user each month. Ten hours of remote recording and transcribing are included for each editor each month. Take advantage of limitless 4K video exports without watermarks. "Um" and "Uh" are still covered by filler word removal, and Overdub's vocabulary is still limited to 1000 words. Up to 60-minute files may be used with AI Green Screen and AI Eye Contact, and the stock library only displays the top 12 results of each search. 

Pro Tier

The Pro Tier costs $30 per month for professionals. Each month, it provides 30 hours of remote recording and transcribing for each editor. While repeating words are eliminated and filler words are expanded to 18 words (rather than just um ad uh), all the Creator Tier's characteristics remain. AI Green Screen, AI Eye Contact, and Overdub Vocabulary are all infinite. At this level, you may also access the entire stock collection. 

Enterprise Tier

The Enterprise Tier, priced differently and intended for groups of ten or more people, comes with all the features of the Pro Tier plus a personal account representative, Overdub Enterprise, single sign-on (SSO), security review, billing, and customized onboarding and training. To learn more about the features and prices associated with this tier, you will need to have a conversation with a member of the Descript team. 

Alternatives for Descript 

Option 1: Synthesia

Best AI Video Generator in 2024 - Synthesia

Synthesia, sometimes referred to as the best text-to-video AI generator, is a popular alternative to Descript because of its functionality and simplicity in producing interesting films right out of the box without requiring any special gear, hiring actors, or self-filming. 

Yes, you read it correctly. You can make a video clip from "0" in a matter of minutes using Synthesia.

To begin with, you have the option to create your own or choose from more than 60 video templates. Additionally, you may use one of the more than 140 avatars, 120 languages, and accents to localize your movie. 

Option 2: Screencast-O-Matic. 

Screencast-O-Matic Tutorial - FREE Screen Recording Tool - YouTube

Screencast-O-Matic or ScreenPal is next on this list.

Screencast-O-Matic is a program that does two functions simultaneously: it can capture screen video and edit it as well. 

Are you curious about this Descript substitute's operation? 

Simple as pie...

Initially, you may make your instructional video and record your screen for free. After recording your how-to-video, you may use the advanced tools for a fair payment or the essential functions for free. The last action is to export or download your video. 

Option 3: Adobe Premiere Pro 

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Even though this is your first experience editing a video, you recognize the term Adobe Premiere Pro for some reason. 

Within the Adobe family, which also includes well-known editing programs like Photoshop and Lightroom, comes Adobe Premier Pro. Is there a reason why it sounds so familiar now?

Video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro can handle any job you throw to produce a fantastic video. However, it is preferable for producers with prior video editing expertise since it requires a deeper understanding of editing tools and principles, much like other Adobe products. 

Option #4: Piktochart Animation

piktochart-animation

Another Descript alternative that only speeds up and simplifies the video-making process is the Piktochart Video Editor. 

Allow us to demonstrate some of the features that Piktochart Video offers.

You have a fantastic Webinar video that you need to share on Instagram and TikTok. Do you see the issue? 

It's common knowledge that individuals on social media only view videos for up to sixty seconds. With that knowledge, it is thus advisable to utilize Piktochart Video to trim, edit, and produce a fresh, brief video highlighting the most memorable parts of your webinar. 

Option 5: CapCut

CapCut | All-in-one video editor & graphic design tool driven by AI

Many people prefer to work on their phones rather than computer since they have become an extension of their bodies, akin to a second hand. 

For this reason, we've chosen to introduce CapCut, a fantastic alternative that's perfect for those who use their phones to edit and produce films. 

TikTokers utilize CapCut, a well-liked video editor, to design and produce viral films by using all of its capabilities and templates.

CapCut also comes with an online browser version as an added benefit if you would instead work on a computer. 

Are You a Descriptor?

Anyone who wants to make content creation less complicated and streamline the audio editing process should use Descript. 

We believe Descript can do the job if you're new to podcasting and thinking about making it your primary editing tool!

Use both products to make use of their most excellent capabilities if you're considering utilizing Descript but want to keep access to the professional editing tools that your existing software provides. 

Once your content has been cleaned up and the basic structure of your episode applied, you can use Descript for the first phase of your editing process. When you're ready, export the session (Share à Export) to your preferred editing program to fully access the features of a conventional digital audio workstation.

Additionally, if your existing workflow is working well for you, there's no need to alter it; edit in the way that suits you best.

Conclusion

One of the most significant AI tools for efficiency and creativity is descriptive. It's not simply another video app because it revolutionized video editing with state-of-the-art technology for individuals who want to get into video and podcast editing. Descript offers AI-driven tools, including filler word removal, studio sound, and overdub voice cancellation. Our thorough analysis should provide you the confidence to choose whether or not to use Descript AI. 

 Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is Descript transcription? 

As per Descript, the automated transcription is 95% accurate. While testing Descript, I found accuracy is something where the tool isn't as stellar. It made a decent number of mistakes compared to other AI transcription tools I tested. Thankfully, White Glove human transcription service from Descript is a solution for improving the accuracy and will cost you around $2 per minute. 

Is Descript safe to use? 

Yes, Descript is a safe video editing option. Whenever the data is in transit, it is encrypted on HTTPS — which is the industry standard for secure Internet connection. It's also SOC 2 Type II compliant to encrypt the data at rest. 

Does Descript have a watermark? 

Yes, if you're on the free plan, Descript offers one watermark-free video export every month. And if you want to export more videos, you'll see a watermark. In order to remove the watermark from future video exports, you can upgrade to a paid Creator or Pro plan.

Who Should Use Descript?

If you’re a content creator, podcaster, or filmmaker who values time and quality, Descript is your go-to tool. Its text-based editing system is a game-changer, making it accessible even for those who aren’t so tech-savvy. Medium to large-sized teams will find the pricing reasonable, and the annual billing option is a cherry on top.

What are the benefits of Descript?

Descript offers fast and accurate transcription in multiple languages, allows editing media by editing the text transcript, and supports advanced features like Studio Sound and Filler Word Removal. It also saves hours in workflow time and incorporates essential elements such as accurate auto-transcription and powerful video editing, making it a valuable software tool.

Is Descript's software free?

No, Descript's software is not entirely free, but it offers a free basic account with limited features and 3 hours of transcription included. Upgraded paid plans start at $12 per month.

What is Overdub in Descript?

Overdub in Descript allows you to clone a voice and generate audio content from text using advanced voice synthesis technology. It's a helpful tool for creating engaging audio content.

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