Descript Cost: Complete Pricing Breakdown

Descript is one of the most interesting video editing tools out there. It lets you edit video like you're editing a Word doc - delete text, and the video cuts. It's genuinely clever. But the pricing? It's gotten complicated.

In September, Descript overhauled their pricing structure, replacing the old transcription-hours system with "media minutes" and "AI credits." If you're looking at Descript for your podcast, YouTube channel, or video production, here's exactly what you'll pay.

Descript Pricing Plans at a Glance

Descript offers five tiers: Free, Hobbyist, Creator, Business, and Enterprise. Paid plans start at $16/month with annual billing.

PlanMonthly (billed annually)Monthly (billed monthly)Media HoursAI Credits
Free$0$01 hour/month100 (one-time)
Hobbyist$16$2410 hours/month400/month
Creator$24$3530 hours/month800/month
Business$55~$7040 hours/month1,200/month
EnterpriseCustomCustomCustomCustom

If you're a student, educator, or nonprofit, Descript offers a special plan at just $5/month with Creator-level features but limited to 4 hours of transcription monthly.

What the Free Plan Actually Gets You

Descript's free plan is more of a demo than a working tool. You get 1 hour of media minutes per month, 720p export resolution, 5GB of cloud storage, and only 1 watermark-free export monthly. The 100 AI credits are a one-time grant - once they're gone, they're gone.

The brutal reality: you'll burn through that 1 hour just playing around and learning the interface. If you're evaluating Descript, expect to hit the paywall within a single session.

That said, the free plan does include basic editing, transcription in 25 languages, and access to templates and stock media. It's enough to see if you like how Descript works before committing. However, the watermarked exports mean this isn't suitable for professional use or ongoing production work.

Many users report frustration with the free tier's limitations. One user mentioned burning through their entire monthly allocation within 20 minutes of testing the platform. The one watermark-free export per month is also restrictive if you need to test different export settings or publish multiple pieces of content.

Hobbyist Plan ($16/month) - For Occasional Creators

The Hobbyist tier is designed for solo creators who edit occasionally - maybe one or two projects per month. Here's what you get:

The Hobbyist plan runs $16/month on annual billing or $24/month if you pay monthly. That's a 33% premium for monthly flexibility.

This tier works for hobbyist podcasters putting out 1-2 episodes monthly, or YouTubers doing occasional video content. If you're producing more frequently, you'll run into the 10-hour limit fast.

One significant limitation: the Hobbyist plan doesn't allow access to top-ups. If you exceed your media minutes or AI credits mid-month, you have no option to purchase additional resources. You'll need to wait until the next billing cycle or upgrade to Creator to access top-up purchases.

Creator Plan ($24/month) - The Sweet Spot for Weekly Content

The Creator plan is where most serious content creators land. It's built for people publishing about once a week. What you get:

At $24/month annual ($35/month billed monthly), this is the plan most YouTubers and podcasters should consider. The jump from 10 to 30 hours is significant, and 4K export unlocks proper quality for YouTube.

The Creator plan also includes bonus resources when you pay annually: 5 bonus media hours and 500 bonus AI credits. These bonuses make the annual commitment more attractive and help cushion against months when you need slightly more resources.

According to Descript's own usage data, the Creator plan is designed to accommodate weekly creators who use a handful of AI tools regularly. Most users on this tier won't need to purchase top-ups if they maintain consistent weekly publishing schedules.

Business Plan ($55/month) - For Teams and Heavy Users

The Business plan is designed for people or teams producing content multiple times per week or as their primary job. Key features:

At $55/month (annual), this tier makes sense for agencies, production companies, or high-volume creators. The 40 hours gives you headroom for multiple daily recordings, and the collaboration tools let teams work together on projects.

Annual subscribers to the Business plan also receive bonus resources similar to the Creator tier, helping absorb production spikes without requiring immediate top-up purchases.

The priority support included in this tier can be crucial for professional operations. Standard support on lower tiers has been criticized for slow response times, with some users reporting wait times of several days for non-critical issues. Business plan users get faster response times and dedicated account support.

Enterprise Plan - Custom Pricing for Large Organizations

The Enterprise tier isn't publicly priced - you need to contact Descript's sales team for a quote. This plan includes everything in the Business tier plus:

The Enterprise plan is designed for teams of 10 or more, large organizations with security requirements, or production companies with high-volume needs. Pricing varies based on your specific requirements, team size, and usage patterns.

SOC 2 Type II compliance is included across all paid plans, ensuring your content and project data remain secure and confidential.

Understanding Media Minutes and AI Credits

Here's where Descript's pricing gets tricky. The new system uses two separate resource pools:

Media Minutes: These tick down whenever you upload or record audio/video in Descript. Still images count as 1 second each. Unused minutes don't roll over month-to-month.

What counts toward media minutes:

Important note: If you upload multiple files for the same project - like separate audio tracks or multiple camera angles - each file counts individually toward your media minutes. This can be a significant issue for creators using multi-track workflows or those who record with multiple cameras.

For example, a 1-hour podcast recorded with separate tracks for each speaker counts as multiple hours of media minutes, not just one. If you have three speakers on separate tracks, that's 3 hours of your monthly allocation consumed for a single episode.

AI Credits: These get consumed when you use AI features. Some examples of credit costs:

The credit system replaces the old model where each AI feature had its own limit. Now you get a flexible pool to spend however you want. That's good. But tracking your usage across two separate pools adds mental overhead.

Neither media minutes nor AI credits roll over. Use them or lose them each month. If you need more resources mid-month, Creator and Business plans can purchase top-ups.

Top-Ups: Buying Extra Resources Mid-Month

One of the most significant recent additions to Descript's pricing model is the ability to purchase top-ups - additional media minutes or AI credits when you exceed your monthly allocation.

Here's how top-ups work:

Top-ups are designed for temporary production spikes - when you need more resources this month but don't want to permanently upgrade your entire plan. For example, if you're normally a weekly creator but have a busy month with extra projects, purchasing a one-time top-up can be more cost-effective than upgrading to the next tier.

However, if you find yourself regularly purchasing top-ups month after month, Descript recommends upgrading to a higher plan tier for better value.

The lack of top-up availability on the Hobbyist plan is a significant limitation. If you're on Hobbyist and exceed your 10 hours, your only option is to wait until next month or upgrade to Creator - there's no middle ground.

What Underlord Actually Costs You

Underlord is Descript's AI co-editor, launched in August and significantly enhanced in recent updates. It's marketed as an "agentic" AI that can execute entire editing workflows from simple prompts. But using it consumes AI credits in ways that aren't always transparent.

How Underlord uses credits:

To minimize credit consumption, you can select the Haiku 4.5 model within Underlord's settings. As of October, it's the most cost-efficient option, though not the smartest. Descript allows you to choose which AI model powers Underlord, giving you control over the quality-vs-cost tradeoff.

Some users report that Underlord can be overly enthusiastic, applying more edits than requested and consuming credits in the process. The tool is still learning and sometimes gets things wrong, which means you might burn credits on edits you need to undo.

That said, when Underlord works well, it's genuinely impressive. Users report saving 20-30 minutes per video by letting Underlord handle tedious tasks like removing filler words, applying Studio Sound, adding captions, and suggesting social media clips.

The Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About

A few things to watch for:

Learning curve cost: Descript works differently than traditional editors. Expect to waste some media minutes just figuring out the interface. One new user reported using their entire free-tier allocation within 20 minutes of exploration before they'd even started a real project.

Multi-track workflow penalty: If you record with multiple cameras or use separate audio tracks, you'll consume media minutes much faster than the marketing materials suggest. A single 1-hour interview with 3 camera angles uses 3 hours of your allocation, not one.

AI credit unpredictability: While some tools have fixed costs, generative features can vary wildly based on length and model selection. Without careful tracking, you might burn through your monthly credits faster than expected.

Overage risk: With no rollover and credits that reset monthly, heavy users in some months eat into budgets. The fact that Hobbyist users can't buy top-ups means they're locked out if they miscalculate their needs.

Export reliability issues: Some users report buggy exports that require re-rendering projects. When you're paying per-minute and per-credit, having to redo work hurts more. A few reviews mention export times up to 12x slower than traditional editors like Premiere Pro, which impacts your effective hourly cost.

No mobile app: Descript is desktop-only (Mac and Windows). If you need to edit on the go or work from an iPad, you're out of luck. This limits flexibility compared to some competitors.

Limited traditional editing tools: Descript doesn't support third-party audio plugins like Fab Filter, Waves, or iZotope. If your workflow relies on specific audio processing tools, you'll need to use another app in your pipeline.

Customer support gaps: Unless you're paying for priority support on the Business plan, response times can be slow. Some users report waiting several days for assistance with technical issues. The lack of robust support can diminish the overall value, especially when you're on a deadline.

How Descript Compares to Alternative Tools

Understanding Descript's cost requires context. How does it stack up against other editing platforms?

Adobe Premiere Pro: Runs $22.99/month with Creative Cloud (or $59.99/month for the full Creative Cloud suite). You get professional-grade video editing with motion graphics, multi-camera editing, and automated audio cleanup. However, there's no text-based editing, and the learning curve is steep. Premiere also doesn't include AI transcription - you'd need to add Adobe Podcast or another service.

DaVinci Resolve: Free version includes complete features with advanced color grading tools. The Studio version costs $295 as a one-time payment (no subscription). Includes 8K support, neural engine, and Fairlight audio tools. However, it's overkill for simple podcast editing and has a professional-level learning curve. No text-based editing workflow.

CapCut: Popular online video editor with a free tier and paid plans starting at $24/month. Provides real-time collaboration, auto-subtitles, and screen recording. The Business plan runs $70/month. More traditional timeline-based editing without Descript's text-based approach.

Adobe Audition: Part of Creative Cloud at $59.99/month or bundled with Premiere. Professional audio editing but no video capabilities and no transcript-based editing. Better for pure audio work if you don't need video integration.

Riverside.fm: Strong remote recording platform with improving editing tools. Starts lower than Descript but lacks the comprehensive AI editing features. Better if your primary need is recording quality rather than editing speed.

MeetGeek, Otter.ai, and other transcription-focused tools: These offer superior transcription accuracy and often better value if your primary need is transcription rather than editing. MeetGeek includes watermark-free exports even on free plans, unlike Descript.

Descript sits in a unique middle ground: it's not the cheapest option, and it's not trying to be a professional film editor. It's solving a specific problem - making video editing accessible to people who aren't video editors through text-based workflows and AI assistance.

Real-World Pricing Scenarios

Let's look at what Descript actually costs for common use cases:

Solo podcaster (weekly episode): If you record a 1-hour podcast weekly with a single track, that's 4 hours of media minutes per month. Add basic Studio Sound application (40 credits), filler word removal, and one social clip per episode. The Hobbyist plan at $16/month should cover this, though you'll be close to limits. Creator at $24/month gives you more breathing room.

YouTube creator (2 videos per week): Recording 15-minute videos twice weekly with some b-roll uploads. That's about 2.5-3 hours of media per month, well within even Hobbyist limits. However, if you use Underlord heavily for editing, Eye Contact, Green Screen, and generate multiple clip variations, you'll burn through 400 AI credits quickly. Creator plan at $24/month is the safer bet.

Interview show with multiple cameras: This is where costs escalate. A 1-hour interview with 3 camera angles uses 3 hours of media minutes per episode. Four episodes per month = 12 hours minimum, putting you squarely in Creator territory ($24/month). If you record backup tracks or use pre-edited audio, you could easily need Business ($55/month).

Agency or production company: Managing multiple client projects with team members sharing resources. You'll need Business ($55/month minimum) for collaboration features and priority support. Large agencies with 10+ team members should inquire about Enterprise pricing for better per-seat costs and custom resource allocations.

Student or educator: The special $5/month educational plan is an excellent deal, offering Creator-level features with 4 hours of transcription. Perfect for course content creation or student projects. You'll need to verify your educational status to qualify.

Is Descript Worth the Cost?

Descript excels at a specific workflow: editing talking-head videos and podcasts by manipulating the transcript. The text-based editing, automatic filler word removal, and Studio Sound enhancement genuinely save hours for the right type of content.

For video podcasters and YouTubers who record themselves talking to camera, the $24/month Creator plan offers real value. Being able to delete an "um" by deleting text is legitimately faster than scrubbing through a timeline. One user reported cutting their editing time from 45 minutes to 11 minutes for a 15-minute video.

The AI features - when they work - are genuinely impressive. Studio Sound can transform poor-quality audio into professional-sounding recordings in one click. Eye Contact subtly adjusts your gaze to appear camera-focused even when reading from notes. Green Screen removes backgrounds without a physical green screen. These features alone can justify the cost if you use them regularly.

However, there are clear scenarios where Descript isn't worth the investment:

If you need advanced color grading, multi-layer compositions, or detailed motion graphics, Descript isn't trying to compete with Premiere or DaVinci Resolve. It's a different tool for a different job.

If you're working with complex multi-track productions or heavily edited content with lots of separate files, the media minute accounting can make Descript expensive relative to alternatives. The fact that each file counts separately penalizes professional workflows.

If you rarely use AI features and primarily need transcription, dedicated transcription services offer better value. You're paying for AI capabilities you won't use.

If you need mobile editing or offline work capabilities, Descript won't work for your situation.

Who should use Descript:

Who should look elsewhere:

How to Maximize Value from Your Descript Subscription

If you decide Descript is right for you, here's how to get the most from your subscription:

Start with annual billing: The 33% discount for annual payment adds up. On the Creator plan, that's saving $132 per year. Plus annual subscribers get bonus media hours and AI credits.

Monitor your usage carefully: Check the Usage tab in your app settings regularly to understand which features consume the most credits. This helps you make informed decisions about model selection and feature use.

Use Haiku 4.5 for Underlord: When you don't need the smartest AI, the more efficient model saves credits without dramatically impacting results for simple tasks.

Consolidate files before upload: If possible, merge audio tracks or video files before importing to Descript to minimize media minute consumption. Each separate file counts toward your limit.

Leverage templates and workflows: Descript offers professionally designed templates. Using these saves time and credits compared to having Underlord generate everything from scratch.

Download wisely: Some users report that exports can fail or require re-rendering. Double-check your export settings before processing to avoid wasting resources on incorrect renders.

Plan for busy months: If you know you'll have a high-production month, consider purchasing top-ups in advance or temporarily upgrading your plan rather than hitting limits mid-project.

Use education discounts: If you qualify for the $5/month student or educator plan, take advantage of it. That's 80% off Creator pricing.

Evaluate quarterly: Every three months, review your actual usage against your plan. You might find you can downgrade in slower seasons or need to upgrade for better value than constantly buying top-ups.

The Migration from Legacy Plans

If you're an existing Descript user on a Legacy or Sunset plan, you were automatically migrated to the new pricing structure. The migration happened on billing dates after November 17.

Key points about the migration:

Descript's rationale for the changes centers on cost alignment. Storing, processing, and running AI features on video files is expensive, and the company needed a pricing model that reflects actual resource consumption rather than just transcription time.

For users who primarily worked with audio and light transcription, this change often resulted in higher effective costs. For users who heavily leverage AI features, the new flexible credit system can actually provide better value since you're not locked into separate limits for each individual feature.

Descript vs. Alternatives - Final Verdict

How does Descript compare on price? Adobe Premiere Pro runs $22.99/month with Creative Cloud. DaVinci Resolve is free for most features, with the Studio version at $295 one-time. ScreenStudio (for screen recording specifically) starts lower.

Descript isn't the cheapest option, but it's solving a specific problem - making video editing accessible to people who aren't video editors. If that's you, it might be worth the premium.

The $24/month Creator plan represents the sweet spot for most content creators. It's comparable to other professional creative tools while offering unique text-based editing that can dramatically speed up workflows for dialogue-heavy content.

For more on video editing tools, check out our guides to best video editing software and free video editing software. We've also covered free screen recording software and best screen recording software if that's part of your workflow.

You might also want to read our full Descript review and Descript pricing breakdown for more details on features and value.

Frequently Asked Questions About Descript Pricing

Does Descript offer refunds? Descript offers refunds within 48 hours of purchase with a valid account email. After that window, refunds are typically not available. Top-up purchases are explicitly non-refundable once added to your account.

Can I change plans mid-cycle? Yes. Upgrades take effect immediately, while downgrades activate at the start of your next billing cycle. Any remaining time on your current subscription gets applied as a credit to your account.

What payment methods does Descript accept? Descript accepts major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover) and debit cards with international payment capabilities. PayPal integration is "under consideration" based on user requests. Enterprise customers can request ACH transfers and custom invoicing.

Do media minutes and AI credits roll over? No. Both media minutes and AI credits reset at the start of each billing cycle and do not carry over. However, top-up purchases do roll over for up to 12 months from the purchase date.

Can I purchase additional resources mid-month? Yes, but only on Creator and Business plans. You can purchase top-ups for both media minutes and AI credits. These top-ups are shared across your Drive and available for one-time use without changing your subscription plan.

How does Descript count Rooms recordings? Rooms sessions count toward your media minutes based on the session length, not the number of participants. A 1-hour session with 5 participants uses 60 media minutes, not 300.

What happens if I exceed my limits? If you exceed your media minutes, you won't be able to upload or record new content until your next billing cycle (unless you purchase top-ups on Creator or Business plans). If you exceed AI credits, AI-powered features become unavailable until reset or top-up purchase.

Is there a discount for annual billing? Yes. Annual billing offers approximately 33% savings compared to monthly billing across all paid tiers. Annual subscribers also receive bonus media hours and AI credits.

How many team members can I add? The number of seats depends on your plan. Each plan includes a set number of seats, and you can upgrade to add more teammates as your needs grow. Additional seats are billed at the same per-seat rate as your primary subscription.

The Bottom Line on Descript Cost

Descript's pricing is fair for what you get, but the new credit-based system requires you to actually track your usage. The Creator plan at $24/month hits the sweet spot for most content creators - enough hours to produce weekly content without constantly worrying about limits.

Skip the free plan unless you literally just want to click around for 20 minutes. The Hobbyist tier works for light users who don't mind waiting until next month if they hit limits. And if you're running a content operation or working with a team, the Business plan's collaboration features and priority support may justify the cost.

The real question isn't whether Descript is expensive - it's whether the time savings justify the cost for your specific workflow. If you're creating talking-head videos, podcasts, or interview content, the text-based editing and AI features can genuinely save 20-40 minutes per project. That time savings can easily justify $24-55/month.

However, if you're working with complex multi-file projects, the media minute accounting works against you. And if you rarely use AI features, you're paying for capabilities you won't leverage.

Just go in knowing what you're signing up for: a subscription that resets monthly, no rollover on standard allocations, and a learning curve that'll eat some of your initial hours. But if the text-based editing workflow clicks for you, it can genuinely transform how you approach video production.

The migration from transcription hours to media minutes and AI credits represents a fundamental shift in how Descript prices its service. It's more aligned with the company's actual costs, but it's also more complex to understand and optimize. Track your usage carefully, choose the right plan for your workflow, and don't be afraid to adjust as your needs evolve.

For most creators producing dialogue-driven content weekly, Descript at $24/month delivers solid value. For teams and agencies doing this professionally, $55/month for Business features and priority support is reasonable. Just make sure the text-based editing paradigm actually works for your content type before committing.

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