Descript vs Synthesia
We give Descript and Synthesia 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
Synthesia
AI video platform that turns scripts into avatar-presented videos
How we grade them
| 3.2GPADescriptVery good | 3.2GPASynthesiaVery 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. | BStarter is $18 a month billed yearly, or $29 monthly. That's around what video tools here charge. But it's metered: video costs about 100 credits a minute, so Starter's 1,250 credits add roughly 12 minutes a month on top of the free 10. Pro is $64. |
| 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. | BBasic is free and renews every month: 10 minutes of video creation or dubbing, 3 survey responses and 500 credits, with 9 AI avatars. Enough to see what it does. But videos carry a Synthesia watermark, and downloading them starts on Starter. |
| 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. | AAvatar-presented videos from a prompt, link, file or PowerPoint deck, dubbing into 70+ languages that keeps the speaker's voice, a personal avatar from a single photo, interactive videos with quizzes and branching on Pro, avatar roleplay practice, and an API. That's the whole no-camera video 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. You hand the AI Video Assistant a prompt, a link or a file and it gives you an editable video. No filming and no microphone needed. |
| 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 plus a Chrome extension for screen recordings, with an API and ties to PowerPoint, HubSpot, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Notion, Workday and Moodle. No phone or desktop app is listed. |
| Best for | editing podcasts and videos by editing the words | training videos with no 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 Synthesia. How we grade
Where they differ
- Descript starts at $16 per person / month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly). Synthesia starts at $18 per month, billed yearly ($29 billed monthly).
- Only Descript lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only Synthesia lists a browser extension.
- Descript also covers transcription, noise cancellation and video editing.
- Synthesia also covers templates.
At a glance
| Descript | Synthesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $16 per person / month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly) | $18 per month, billed yearly ($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. | Basic plan: each month 10 minutes of video creation or dubbing, 3 survey responses and 500 credits, with 1 editor and 9 AI avatars. Videos carry a Synthesia watermark. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Descript | Synthesia Limited |
| Price read from | descript.com | synthesia.io |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 5, 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
Synthesia
- Training and L&D teams producing videos without filming
- Localizing existing videos into many languages
- Turning slide decks and documents into narrated videos
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.
Synthesia
- Basic videos carry a Synthesia watermark; downloading videos and removing the logo start on the Starter plan.
- Usage is metered in credits: video costs about 100 credits a minute, so Starter's 1,250 monthly credits add roughly 12 minutes.
- Self-serve plans include 1 editor; Starter adds 3 guests and Pro 5, and guests are invited to comment on videos.
- SAML/SSO, live team collaboration, SCORM export and 1-click translation are listed under the Enterprise plan.
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.
Synthesia
- AI avatars
- Videos are presented by stock AI avatars, from 9 on Basic to 240+ on Enterprise, or by a personal avatar created from a single photo.
- Script, file or slides to video
- The AI Video Assistant turns a prompt, link or file into an editable video, and PowerPoint decks can be imported and narrated.
- AI dubbing and translation
- Dub an uploaded video or YouTube link into 70+ languages, 140+ on Enterprise, keeping the speaker's voice. Lip-sync uses twice the credits.
- Interactive videos
- Add clickable calls to action, branching paths and quizzes that show viewers a final score. Interactive videos are listed from the Pro plan.
- Roleplay and Survey Sessions
- Avatar-led roleplay practice and conversational surveys. Roleplay learner seats can be added to any plan at $29 per learner a month, or $25 a month on yearly billing.
- AI Screen Recorder and API
- A Chrome extension makes editable screen recordings, and the Synthesia API creates and dubs videos programmatically.
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.
Synthesia
Basic$0
10 minutes of video or dubbing, 3 survey responses and 500 credits a month, with 1 editor and 9 AI avatars. Videos carry a watermark.
Starter$18
per month, billed yearly; $29 billed monthly
1,250 credits a month on top of the free allowance, video downloads, no Synthesia logo, 3 guests and 125+ AI avatars.
Pro$64
per month, billed yearly; $89 billed monthly
6,000 credits a month, 5 personal avatars, interactive videos, branded video pages, 5 guests and 180+ AI avatars.
EnterpriseCustom
Unlimited video minutes, 240+ avatars, 1-click translation, SAML/SSO, live team collaboration, brand kits and SCORM export.
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.
Synthesia
- Annual discount
Save up to 4 months with yearly billing
Starter is $18 a month billed yearly against $29 billed monthly, and Pro is $64 against $89. Synthesia describes this as saving up to 4 months.
