CapCut vs Descript
CapCut and Descript side by side: what each one is, what it costs to start, and whether you can try it free. Everything below comes from the vendors' own sites and other public sources, not from hands-on testing.
At a glance
| CapCut | Descript | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video & Motion | Video & Motion |
| Starting price | $19.99/mo (checked October 2026) | Free; paid plans from $16/mo (checked October 2026) |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Profile | Read profile | Read profile |
Prices are in US dollars unless shown otherwise. Confirm the current price on the vendor's site before you buy.
Key differences
Both list a free tier, so you can try each before paying.
Descript has the lower starting price ($16/mo against $19.99/mo for CapCut). The cheapest plan rarely has the same limits or features, so compare plans before choosing on price.
Both are in our Video & Motion category.
About each tool
CapCut
ByteDance's video editor for desktop, web and mobile, with AI captions, background removal, templates and AI video generation. Free plan; Pro from $19.99/mo.
Who it is for
Content creators making videos for YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, plus marketers and small businesses using the business templates. CapCut's homepage also names casual users editing vlogs or trip footage.
Strengths
- Free plan available, with no credit card needed to start
- Available on desktop (Windows and macOS), web and mobile (iOS and Android)
- CapCut's caption page describes its AI caption tool as free to use and lists support for 20+ languages
- Export options listed: web up to 4K, desktop 2K and 4K up to 60fps, mobile 720p to 2K or 4K where supported
- Pro and Teams plans list 1 TB of cloud storage; Teams adds a brand kit
Limitations
- Free exports can carry a watermark when some templates, effects or stock elements are used
- AI generation is credit-based: Pro lists 1,200 monthly AI credits, Ultra 8,645 and Teams 1,200 per seat
- On mobile, subscribing goes through App Store or Google Play billing, and the pricing page does not state per-platform price differences
Descript
Audio and video editor that works from a transcript, with AI tools for filler-word removal, audio cleanup and voice. Free plan; paid plans from $16 a month (the page does not say if annual).
Who it is for
Solo creators, small teams and larger organizations that record and edit video or podcasts. The plans range from a one-person Hobbyist tier to Business (up to 5 seats) and Enterprise (SSO, custom terms).
Strengths
- Text-based editing is listed on every plan, including Free
- The Free plan needs no credit card and allows unlimited projects, with 1 hour of media a month
- Paid plans export without a watermark: up to 1080p on Hobbyist and up to 4K on Creator and Business
- AI features listed include Studio Sound, Remove Filler Words, Eye Contact, Green Screen, and AI speech with custom voice clones, avatars and generated video
- Enterprise lists SSO and SCIM, audit logs, SOC 2 Type II, opt-out of AI training and custom retention
Limitations
- Free allows 60 media minutes a month, 100 AI credits once (not monthly), 720p export with a watermark, a 1 GB upload limit and 5 GB of storage
- Media minutes and AI credits reset at each renewal and do not roll over
- AI credits are metered per use (Underlord, Studio Sound, Eye Contact, AI speech and others), Underlord's cost varies by task, and chatting with Underlord also uses credits
- Pricing is per person. Creator scales to 3 seats and Business to 5, each billed separately, and Viewers cannot use credit-based features
- Some features are tiered: Underlord is limited on Hobbyist, 4K and video generation start at Creator, and translation with proofread and Brand Studio start at Business
