Descript
Descript is an AI tool designed to facilitate and revolutionize audio and video transcription, making it nearly instantaneous with industry-leading accuracy. It...
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What is Descript?
Descript’s transcription tool turns audio and video into editable text so you can work with your media like a document. It is built for fast transcription, text-based editing, and transcript-driven workflows, letting you cut, move, and refine content directly from the transcript.
The tool is aimed at creators, podcasters, video editors, marketers, and teams who need accurate transcripts for editing, captions, accessibility, searchability, and reuse. Descript positions transcription as part of a broader creation workflow rather than a standalone transcript generator, so the transcript is meant to become the starting point for editing and publishing.
It supports automatic transcription from uploaded files, files added to a script, and sequences that transcribe on import. It also supports automatic transcription during recording, which helps users get a transcript immediately after capture.
Descript supports 25 transcription languages, offers speaker labeling, captions, transcript export, and timecode-based output. On current plans, transcription is not tracked or metered, while legacy and sunset plans still track transcription hours.
Descript pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Descript offers a Free plan at $0 per person per month with 1 media hour per month, 100 AI credits per month, 720p watermark-free exports, limited use of Underlord and AI tools, and a limited trial of AI Speech. The Hobbyist plan is $24 per person per month, or $16 per person per month billed annually, and includes 10 media hours per month, 400 AI credits per month, 1080p watermark-free exports, access to Underlord, and AI tools such as Studio Sound and Remove Filler Words. The Creator plan is $35 per person per month, or $24 per person per month billed annually, includes 30 media hours per month plus 5 bonus hours, 800 AI credits per month plus 500 bonus credits, 4K watermark-free exports, full access to Underlord and 20+ AI tools, AI video generation, stock media access, and top-ups for hours and credits. The website also says transcription is not tracked or metered on current plans, though legacy and sunset plans still track transcription hours.
Descript pros
- Turns speech into editable text
- Supports text-based editing
- Auto-transcribes uploaded files
- Auto-transcribes files added to a sequence
- Can transcribe during recording
- Supports 25 languages
- Supports Romanian transcription
- Supports speaker labeling
- Creates time-synced captions
- Makes content searchable
- Improves accessibility
- Allows transcript export
- Exports to DOCX
- Exports to TXT
- Exports to HTML
- Can include timestamps in exports
- Can include speaker labels in exports
- Supports re-transcription if the wrong language was chosen
- Offers up to 95% accuracy with clear audio
- Handles multi-step workflow for editing and publishing
Descript cons
- Files longer than 15 hours fail to auto-transcribe
- Accuracy drops with noise, accents, or poor mic placement
- Transcription works in only one language per file
- Multi-language speech in one file is not supported
- Some AI/editing tools are English-only
- Greek and Hindi are still beta languages
- Large files can upload slowly or delay projects
- Wordless media and scene boundaries do not appear in text exports
- Legacy and sunset plans still meter transcription hours
- Transcription quality depends on internet connection
- Different transcription styles may require choosing the best provider
Frequently asked questions about Descript
What is Descript’s AI transcription?
Descript’s AI transcription automatically converts audio or video into editable text in seconds. The transcript is designed for transcript-first workflows, so you can edit the underlying media by editing words in the transcript.
How do I transcribe a file in Descript?
You can transcribe a file by dragging it into the Script editor, adding it from the Project panel, or importing it into a sequence. Descript will also transcribe files automatically when they are added to a sequence.
Can Descript transcribe while I record?
Yes. Descript can automatically transcribe recordings so the transcript is ready as soon as you stop recording. You can enable transcription for microphone audio, computer audio, or both from the recording settings.
How accurate is Descript transcription?
Descript says its transcription can reach up to 95% accuracy with clear audio. Accuracy can be lower when recordings have background noise, accents, weak microphone placement, or other audio issues.
Which languages does Descript support?
Descript supports transcription in 25 languages, including English, Romanian, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Polish, Swedish, Turkish, and Brazilian Portuguese. Greek and Hindi are available in beta.
Can Descript handle more than one language in a file?
No. Descript supports only one language per file for transcription, and multi-language speech within the same file is not currently supported. If you need another language, you can re-transcribe the file in the correct language or use translation tools afterward.
Can I export my transcript from Descript?
Yes. You can export transcripts from the Export menu in formats including HTML, Markdown, DOCX, TXT, and RTF. Export options also let you control timecode behavior, paragraph breaks, speaker labels, markers, and other transcript details.
Does Descript support captions from transcripts?
Yes. Descript automatically generates time-synced captions from the transcript. You can edit the transcript text, and the captions stay aligned with the media.
What happens if I choose the wrong transcription language?
You can re-transcribe the file after selecting the correct language from the file actions menu in the Project panel. Descript makes this possible so you can fix language selection without starting the project over.
Is transcription metered on Descript plans?
On current plans, transcription is not tracked or metered. Descript notes that legacy and sunset plans are different and still track transcription hours.