Descript vs HeyGen
We give Descript a 3.2 GPA and HeyGen a 3.0, out of 4.0. Descript grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Descript
Audio and video editor that works by editing the transcript
HeyGen
AI video generator with realistic avatars and video translation
How we grade them
| 3.2GPADescriptVery good | 3.0GPAHeyGenVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BHobbyist is $16 per person a month billed annually, or $24 monthly, for 10 media hours, 400 AI credits and 1080p export with no watermark. That's about typical for video tools here. 4K needs Creator at $24. And every plan is metered, so heavy months can run dry. | CCreator is $24 a month on yearly billing for 600 credits. HeyGen's help page puts its newest avatar at 48 credits a minute, so that's about 12 minutes of video. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe free plan needs no credit card and gives 60 media minutes a month. But exports are 720p with a watermark, and the 100 AI credits are a one-time grant. Good for a proper try, tight for real work. | BThree videos a month, a minute each, no card needed. Enough to see your own avatar talk. But the watermark stays until you pay. |
| Features | AEdit the transcript and the audio or video follows. Studio Sound removes background noise, filler words get cut, and Underlord carries out editing tasks for you. It records your screen, records remote guests in Rooms, makes short clips, and adds captions and translation. The whole job, in depth. | AStock and custom avatars, voice cloning, lip-synced translation into 175+ languages, and a Video Agent that builds a whole video from one prompt. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. If you can edit a document you can make a cut, which beats learning a timeline. Keeping an eye on media hours and AI credits is the fiddly part. | B4.8 from more than 26,000 App Store ratings. One reviewer who leans on their teenager for anything technical got videos made alone. The confusing bit is what things cost in credits. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, Mac and Windows, with an API and hooks into Zapier, Zoom, YouTube and podcast hosts like Buzzsprout and Transistor. But there are no mobile apps: phones, iPads and Chromebooks aren't officially supported. The desktop app needs macOS 14 or Windows 11. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, plus an API and an MCP server. Canva and Adobe Express plug straight in. Zapier, Make and HubSpot are listed under Business, though. |
| Best for | editing podcasts and videos by editing the words | presenter videos without a camera |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Descript and HeyGen. How we grade
Where they differ
- Descript starts at $16 per person / month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly). HeyGen starts at $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- Only Descript lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only HeyGen lists iOS and Android apps.
- Descript also covers transcription, noise cancellation, screen recording and video editing.
- HeyGen also covers templates.
At a glance
| Descript | HeyGen | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $16 per person / month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly) | $24 per month, billed annually ($29 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | 60 media minutes per month, a one-time 100 AI credits and 720p export with a watermark. No credit card required. | Up to 3 videos a month of up to 1 minute each (1 to 3 depending on region), with 500+ stock video avatars, 1 custom video avatar, 1 voice clone and 30+ languages. No credit card required. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Descript | HeyGen Technology Inc. |
| Price read from | descript.com | heygen.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Descript
- Podcasters and video creators who prefer editing a transcript to a timeline
- Cleaning up interview and talking-head recordings with AI tools
- Turning long recordings into short captioned clips
HeyGen
- Marketers and creators making presenter videos without a camera
- Translating existing videos for audiences in other languages
- Teams producing training content with SCORM export on the Business plan
Worth knowing
Descript
- The Free plan is limited to 60 media minutes a month, a one-time 100 AI credits and watermarked 720p exports.
- Paid plans cap monthly usage too: 10 media hours and 400 AI credits on Hobbyist, 30 and 800 on Creator, 40 and 1,500 on Business.
- Hobbyist covers 1 person; Creator scales to a team of 3 and Business to 5, each person billed separately.
- There are no mobile apps: phones, iPads and Chromebooks are not officially supported, and the desktop app needs macOS 14 or Windows 11.
HeyGen
- The Free plan allows up to 3 videos a month of 1 minute each, and the help centre says the quota is 1 to 3 depending on region. Watermark removal and 1080p export start on Creator.
- Paid plans are metered in credits, and the number a video uses varies with the AI model, its duration and its complexity.
- SAML/SSO, SCORM export, LMS integrations and workspace collaboration are listed from Business at $149 a month, plus $20 per extra seat.
- Unused credits roll over for one month on monthly billing and are lost when a subscription is cancelled.
Key features
Descript
- Text-based editing
- Recordings are transcribed automatically, and deleting or rearranging words in the transcript makes the same cut in the audio or video.
- Underlord AI co-editor
- An AI assistant that carries out editing tasks on a project. Its use draws on the plan's AI credits.
- Studio Sound and filler-word removal
- Studio Sound uses AI to remove background noise, and filler words can be detected and cut from a recording.
- Screen recording and Rooms
- Record your screen inside Descript, or use Rooms to record remote guests.
- Clips, captions and translation
- Turn long recordings into short clips, add captions and subtitles, and translate content into dozens of languages.
- AI voices and Eye Contact
- Create a clone of your voice or use stock AI voices, and correct gaze with Eye Contact. These AI features consume AI credits.
HeyGen
- AI avatars
- Scripts are delivered by stock video avatars or a custom avatar of yourself, with lip-sync across more than 175 languages and dialects.
- Video Agent
- Type an idea and get a finished video with presenter footage, motion graphics and B-roll. Every element stays editable afterwards in AI Studio.
- AI Studio editor
- A text-based editor that directs words, gestures and emotion from the script, with Brand Kit, auto captions and comments for teams.
- Video translation
- Upload a file or paste a YouTube link to translate a video with cloned voice and lip-sync. Pro adds editing and proofreading of the translated script.
- Voice cloning
- Clone your voice so avatar and translated videos keep your tone and delivery. Voice cloning is listed from the Creator plan.
- API and integrations
- Developer APIs for video generation, translation and lip-sync, an MCP server, and direct integrations with tools such as Canva and Adobe Express.
Plans
Descript
Free$0
60 media minutes per month, 100 one-time AI credits and 720p export with a watermark.
Hobbyist$16
per person / month, billed annually ($24 monthly)
1 person, 10 media hours and 400 AI credits per month, and 1080p export without a watermark.
Creator$24
per person / month, billed annually ($35 monthly)
Up to 3 people, 30 media hours and 800 AI credits per month, and 4K export without a watermark.
Business$50
per person / month, billed annually ($65 monthly)
Up to 5 people, 40 media hours and 1,500 AI credits per month, and 4K export.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom pricing with single sign-on, SCIM provisioning and dedicated support.
HeyGen
Free$0
Up to 3 videos a month (1 to 3 depending on region) of up to 1 minute each, 500+ stock video avatars, 1 custom video avatar, 1 voice clone and 30+ languages.
Creator$24
per month, billed annually ($288); $29 billed monthly
600 credits a month, videos up to 30 minutes, 1080p export, watermark removal, voice cloning and 175+ languages and dialects.
Pro$41
per month, billed annually ($488); $49 billed monthly
From 1,000 credits a month, with larger credit tiers at higher prices, 4K export and access to all advanced AI models.
Business$119
per month, billed annually ($1,428); $149 billed monthly
1,500 credits, videos up to 60 minutes, 5 or 10 custom video avatars depending on the account, SAML/SSO, SCORM export and collaboration. Extra seats are $20 a month each.
EnterpriseCustom
No maximum video duration, multi-workspace management, SCIM provisioning, invoice billing and a dedicated customer success manager.
Ways to pay less
Descript
- Annual discount
Save up to 35% with annual billing
Descript's pricing page says annual plans save up to 35% over monthly. Hobbyist is $16 per person per month billed annually versus $24 billed monthly.
- Education
Education plan from $8 per editor / month
Students, educators and administrators at accredited institutions can apply for Hobbyist features at $8 per editor per month paid annually, or $12 paid monthly.
- Nonprofit
Nonprofit plan from $8 per editor / month
Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) or equivalent charitable status can apply for the same rate: Hobbyist features at $8 per editor per month paid annually, or $12 paid monthly.
HeyGen
- Annual discount
Save about 16% to 20% with annual billing
Creator is $24 a month billed annually ($288) against $29 billed monthly. Pro is $41 against $49, and Business is $119 against $149.
