Descript

Pricing

Descript Pricing

Quick answer

Descript has a Free plan for testing transcript-based audio and video editing, while the first paid self-serve tier is Hobbyist, listed at $16 per person per month when billed annually or $24 monthly. Paid plans make the most sense once media hours, AI credits, 1080p/4K export needs, stock media, or team collaboration become part of the workflow. The pricing decision is less about whether Descript can edit a clip and more about whether its monthly media-hour and AI-credit limits match your publishing cadence. Before paying, verify the billing toggle, included media hours, AI credits, export quality, team-seat billing, and any top-up rules on the live pricing page.

Verified May 2026 · Always confirm pricing at checkout — plans and prices can change.

Starting price

Free plan available; Hobbyist from $16/person/mo annual

The pricing page says annual billing can save up to 35% over monthly billing.

Free plan

Yes

Free plan with limited monthly media hours, limited AI access, and testing-friendly editing features.

Free trial

No

No trial available

Note: Descript pricing should be evaluated around media hours, AI credits, export quality, team seats, and collaboration needs rather than only the monthly subscription price. The Free plan is useful for testing text-based editing, but it is limited to 60 minutes of media per month and 100 one-time AI credits. Paid plans increase media hours and AI credits per editor, while Creator and Business add stronger export and team features. Buyers should verify current billing mode, bonus hours, bonus credits, top-up availability, taxes, and workspace terms at checkout before paying.

Plans & pricing

Plan details based on publicly available information. Verify current pricing at checkout.

Free

Creators who want to test Descript's text-based editing and basic AI tools before paying.

Best for: Trying transcript-based audio or video editing with a small amount of media.

$0

free

  • · 60 minutes of media per month
  • · 100 one-time AI credits
  • · Unlimited projects
  • · Dynamic captions
  • · Multi-language transcription in 25 languages
  • · Limited access to Underlord and several AI tools
  • – Media processing is limited to 60 minutes per month.
  • – AI credits are listed as 100 one-time credits, not a recurring monthly allowance.
  • – AI tools such as Underlord, Studio Sound, Green Screen, Eye Contact, and Remove Filler Words are limited on Free.
  • – Free is not designed for regular podcast, YouTube, or team production.

Free is the safest starting point for testing the editor. It should not be described as enough for serious content production unless the buyer only edits very small projects.

Hobbyist

Solo creators who want watermark-free exports and more room than the Free plan.

Best for: Light podcast, tutorial, and social video editing where 10 media hours per month is enough.

$16/person/mo annual or $24/person/mo monthly

monthly_or_annual

  • · 1 person included
  • · 10 media hours per month
  • · 400 AI credits per month
  • · Export 1080p, watermark-free
  • · Access to Underlord, Descript's AI video co-editor
  • · AI tools including Studio Sound, Remove Filler Words, Create Clips, and more
  • · AI Speech with custom voice clones and video regenerate
  • – Only 10 media hours per month are included.
  • – Exports are listed at 1080p, not 4K.
  • – It is less suitable for heavier video workflows, stock media needs, or team collaboration.
  • – Buyers should verify whether top-ups, bonus credits, or specific AI features are available in their region and workspace.

Hobbyist is the first paid plan, but it is best for light individual use. If the buyer edits regularly or wants 4K export, Creator is more relevant.

Creator

Solo creators and small teams producing podcasts, YouTube videos, clips, tutorials, and creator content regularly.

Best for: Creators who need more media hours, more AI credits, 4K export, full Underlord access, stock media, and top-ups.

$24/person/mo annual or $35/person/mo monthly

monthly_or_annual

  • · Scale to a team of 3, billed separately
  • · 30 media hours per month
  • · 5 bonus media hours shown on the pricing page
  • · 800 AI credits per month
  • · 500 bonus credits shown on the pricing page
  • · Export 4K, watermark-free
  • · Full access to Underlord and 20+ more AI tools
  • · Generate video with the latest AI models
  • – Additional team members are billed separately.
  • – Media hours and AI credits still matter if the buyer edits high-volume content.
  • – Top-ups can change the real monthly cost.
  • – Teams needing brand controls, translation workflows, avatars, priority support, or SLA should review Business.

Creator is usually the best practical recommendation for serious solo creators because it unlocks the features that make Descript useful as a recurring production tool.

Business

Teams that need collaboration, brand control, translation, custom avatars, and higher credit or media allowances.

Best for: Marketing, education, sales enablement, and team video workflows where several people produce content.

$50/person/mo annual or $65/person/mo monthly

monthly_or_annual

  • · Scale to a team of 5, billed separately
  • · 40 media hours per month
  • · 10 bonus media hours shown on the pricing page
  • · 1,500 AI credits per month
  • · 1,000 bonus credits shown on the pricing page
  • · Team-wide access to Brand Studio
  • · Translate and dub video in 30+ languages with proofread
  • · Generate custom avatars from photo upload or text
  • – Business is meaningfully more expensive than Creator for each person.
  • – Additional team members are billed separately.
  • – Heavier teams may still need Enterprise for SSO, SCIM, custom legal terms, and custom controls.
  • – Translation, avatars, Brand Studio, and support needs should be verified against the live feature table.

Business makes sense when Descript is part of a team content workflow. It is not necessary for most solo creators who only need editing and 4K export.

Enterprise

Large or growing teams that need enterprise-grade security, custom controls, legal terms, and flexible licensing.

Best for: Organizations with procurement, security, brand governance, custom AI controls, and larger production requirements.

Custom pricing

custom

  • · Advanced Security and SSO / SCIM
  • · Granular brand controls
  • · Custom AI credits
  • · Custom media minutes
  • · Custom legal terms
  • · Custom AI Controls
  • · Flexible licensing model
  • · Flexible billing
  • – Pricing is not public and requires contacting sales.
  • – Media minutes, AI credits, legal terms, support scope, licensing, and security requirements must be confirmed directly.
  • – Enterprise should not be described as a fixed public plan.

Enterprise is a governance and procurement path. It matters when a team needs control, security, custom terms, and flexible licensing more than a simple self-serve subscription.

Plan names, features, and pricing are based on publicly available information and may have changed. Always verify on the official pricing page.

Which plan should you choose?

Plan fit by user type — before checking out, verify these match the current plan details.

If you are… Consider
People testing transcript-based editing Free
Solo creators editing light recurring content Hobbyist
Serious individual creators and small creator teams Creator
Marketing, education, or internal video teams Business or Enterprise

Stack cost context

Descript is likely one part of a wider AI stack. The total monthly cost matters more than any single tool.

Descript usually sits in the audio/video editing layer of a creator stack, replacing some transcript editing, cleanup, captions, screen recording, and clip repurposing work. It does not remove the need for script planning, human editorial review, publishing tools, or final creative judgment, so buyers should budget it beside tools like ChatGPT or Claude, Canva, ElevenLabs, YouTube, and podcast hosting rather than in isolation.

What to verify before paying

  • Confirm whether the buyer edits audio, video, podcasts, tutorials, clips, or screen recordings.
  • Estimate monthly imported or recorded media minutes before choosing a plan.
  • Estimate AI credit usage for Underlord, Studio Sound, AI Speech, video generation, clips, translation, and avatars.
  • Check whether 1080p export is enough or whether 4K export is required.
  • Check whether the buyer needs royalty-free stock media access.
  • Confirm whether top-ups are available and how they affect the real monthly cost.
  • For teams, verify how additional people are billed.
  • Check whether Brand Studio, translation, dubbing, custom avatars, and priority support are required.
  • For enterprise use, verify SSO, SCIM, custom legal terms, custom AI controls, flexible licensing, and security review.
  • Do not use old Descript pricing without checking the current annual and monthly pricing toggle.

Pricing FAQ

Does Descript have a free plan?
Yes. Descript lists a Free plan at $0 with 60 minutes of media per month, 100 one-time AI credits, unlimited projects, dynamic captions, transcription, and limited access to several AI tools.
How much does Descript Hobbyist cost?
Descript Hobbyist is currently listed at $16 per person per month when billed annually or $24 per person per month when billed monthly.
How much does Descript Creator cost?
Descript Creator is currently listed at $24 per person per month when billed annually or $35 per person per month when billed monthly.
How much does Descript Business cost?
Descript Business is currently listed at $50 per person per month when billed annually or $65 per person per month when billed monthly.
Does Descript offer annual savings?
Yes. The pricing page states that annual billing can save up to 35% over monthly billing.
Which Descript plan is best for creators?
Creator is usually the first serious plan for recurring creator work because it includes 30 media hours per month, 800 AI credits per month, 4K export, full Underlord access, stock media, and top-ups.
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