Descript vs Kapwing
We give Descript and Kapwing the same GPA: 3.2 out of 4.0. They get the same grade on all five counts.
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
Kapwing
Online video editor with AI subtitles, dubbing and team workspaces
How we grade them
| 3.2GPADescriptVery good | 3.2GPAKapwingVery 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. | BPro is $16 per member a month billed annually, or $24 monthly. That's about typical for this category. It gets you 1,000 credits a month, no watermark, 4K exports up to 2 hours long and 200 GB of storage. Business jumps to $50. |
| 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. | BThere's a free plan, but it's tight: every export is watermarked and capped at 4 minutes and 720p, with 30 minutes of exports a month and 10 credits. Free workspaces keep project files for 3 days. And there's no trial of the paid plans. |
| 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. | AA drag-and-drop timeline, auto subtitles translated into more than 60 languages, dubbing into 40+, text to speech, AI video generation, a tool that cuts long videos into social clips, and screen recording inside the editor. Teammates can edit a project at the same time. That's the whole job. |
| 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. | BNo rating is on record to go by, so a B. It runs in a browser with nothing to download, and the editor is a drag-and-drop timeline. The AI tools run on credits, so you do have to watch your monthly allowance. |
| 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. | BA web app, with ties to YouTube, TikTok and Unsplash. There's no downloadable app at all: the help center says the Android app is paused and phone users edit in a browser. |
| Best for | editing podcasts and videos by editing the words | teams editing video together in a browser |
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 Kapwing. How we grade
Where they differ
- Descript starts at $16 per person / month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly). Kapwing starts at $16 per member / month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly).
- Only Descript lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Kapwing also covers templates.
At a glance
| Descript | Kapwing | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $16 per person / month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly) | $16 per member / month, billed annually ($24 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. | Unlimited watermarked exports up to 4 minutes long at 720p, 30 minutes of exports a month, 5 GB of cloud storage and 10 credits, enough for 10 minutes of auto-subtitling. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Descript | Kapwing |
| Price read from | descript.com | kapwing.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 6, 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
Kapwing
- Marketing and social teams editing video together in a browser
- Subtitling, translating and dubbing videos for other languages
- Cutting long recordings into short clips for social platforms
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.
Kapwing
- The Free plan watermarks every export and caps videos at 4 minutes, 720p and 30 minutes of exports a month.
- Free workspaces keep project files for 3 days, and free projects are unlisted rather than private.
- There is no free trial of the paid plans, and Kapwing says it does not refund subscriptions.
- There is no downloadable app; the help center says the Android app is paused and phone users edit in a browser.
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.
Kapwing
- Timeline video editor
- Trim and combine clips on a drag-and-drop timeline, add overlays, transitions and stock assets, then export as MP4, GIF, MP3 or an image.
- Subtitles and translation
- Subtitles are generated automatically and can be translated into more than 60 languages or downloaded as SRT or VTT files. Minutes are metered: 10 on Free, 1,000 a month on Pro.
- Dubbing, text to speech and lip sync
- Dubbing translates dialogue into 40+ languages and text to speech turns text layers into voiceovers. Custom voice clones are listed under the Business plan, and lip sync minutes are metered by plan.
- AI video generation and repurposing
- The Video Generator builds a video with voiceover, visuals, subtitles and music from a text prompt, and Repurpose Studio cuts a long video into clips sized for social platforms.
- Screen and camera recording
- Record the screen, a browser tab or a window, with or without the camera and microphone, from inside the editor, then edit the recording in the same project.
- Team workspaces
- Members share a workspace with folders, leave comments on the video and can edit a project at the same time. Brand Kit stores logos, fonts and colors on paid plans.
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.
Kapwing
Free$0
Watermarked 720p exports up to 4 minutes long, a 2 GB upload limit, 5 GB of cloud storage and 10 credits.
Pro$16
per member / month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly)
1,000 credits a month, no watermark, 4K exports up to 2 hours long, 6 GB uploads, Brand Kit, custom fonts and 200 GB of storage.
Business$50
per member / month, billed annually ($64 billed monthly)
4,000 credits a month, custom voice clones, lip sync, the option to buy extra credits and 800 GB of storage.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom credits and storage, SAML single sign-on, custom billing, a dedicated account manager and onboarding.
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.
Kapwing
- Annual discount
Save about 33% on Pro with annual billing
Pro is $16 per member a month billed annually ($192 a year) against $24 billed monthly. Business is $50 billed annually ($600 a year) against $64 monthly, about 22% less.
