Free alternatives to Descript
Descript's free plan can record, transcribe, and edit, with a 1-hour media limit. If you only need the guest recording, Riverside is the closer listing. If you need to cut a clip in the browser or on a phone, Kapwing and CapCut are the editors here. None of them is a full copy of transcript editing. The order follows that split.
The tool itself
Descript
- What it does
- Edits video and podcasts by editing the transcript. It also removes filler words and can generate speech.
- Who it is for
- People recording talks, lessons, or interviews who are comfortable editing text.
- Free plan
- The free plan can record, transcribe, and edit, with a 1-hour media limit and tighter AI and export limits. No card is required to start.
- Price we checked
- Free plan at $0, with 1 media hour a month. Hobbyist is $24 per person per month, or $16 on annual billing. Creator is $35, or $24 annually. Business is $65, or $50 annually. The page says annual billing saves up to 35%, which is how the lower number was read.
- The catch
- Media hours and AI credits are separate limits. Voice cloning and avatars are on paid plans. Generated speech can sound like a real person, so say when a voice is synthetic.
1 · Free tier
Riverside
- What it does
- Records remote interviews in the browser, with separate tracks, and includes some AI editing on paid plans.
- Who it is for
- People recording conversations with a guest who needs a stable recording more than a live stream.
- Free plan
- You can record on the free plan. Paid plans add the higher production limits.
- Price we checked
- Free is $0 per month. Pro + Live Studio is $29 per month, or $24 per month when $288 is billed annually. Grow + Live Studio is $39 per month, or $34 per month when $408 is billed annually.
- The catch
- Paid plans offer a 14-day trial. A webinar plan was also on the page, but its monthly and yearly figures did not line up in the text we saved, so that price is not listed here.
2 · Free tier
Kapwing
- What it does
- A browser video editor for trimming, subtitles, resizing, and simple AI voice or dubbing tasks.
- Who it is for
- Beginners making short social clips who would rather not learn a desktop editor.
- Free plan
- You can edit and export on the free plan. Exports carry a watermark and stop at 4 minutes.
- Price we checked
- Free plan at $0 with 10 credits, a watermark, and exports up to 4 minutes at 720p. Pro is listed at $16 with 1,000 credits a month. Business is listed at $50 with 4,000 credits a month. The cards tie those prices to monthly credit allowances, and the FAQ says paid plans are a recurring payment.
- The catch
- The free export is watermarked and short. Subtitles and dubbing spend credits. The page did not print the words 'per month' beside $16 and $50, so read the checkout line.
3 · Free tier
CapCut
- What it does
- A video editor for phones and the desktop, with templates, captions, and AI effects.
- Who it is for
- Beginners cutting short videos on a phone.
- Free plan
- You can start without paying. Pro is the paid editor plan.
- Price we checked
- A free plan is listed at USD 0. Pro is listed at USD 19.99 and Ultra at USD 79 on CapCut's pricing page. A Ukraine page labeled Pro as USD 19.99 per month and Ultra as USD 79 per month, and Teams at USD 12.49 per month per seat. CapCut says the displayed price is a reference and the final price appears after you sign in.
- The catch
- The public price is a reference. Tax, store fees, and regional offers change the charge. CapCut's help page says there is no single global price. AI tools also draw from a monthly credit pool.
Questions
- Which alternative edits by transcript?
- None of these three listings says it edits by rewriting the transcript. That is Descript's job in this directory. The others record or edit the picture.
- Do they have free plans?
- Yes. The limit is different on each listing. Read the free-plan note instead of assuming they match Descript's hour cap.
- Are these affiliate links?
- No.
- Will a different editor get an audience?
- No.