Captions vs Descript — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Both Captions and Descript use custom pricing — request quotes from each to compare.
AI video creation app for creators — script-to-video with AI avatars, captions, and effects. Pricing: Free (limited daily), Pro $10/mo, Scale $30/mo, Business $70/mo. Popular with mobile-first creators making TikTok/Reels/Shorts with AI narration and captions.
AI-native audio and video editor — edit video by editing the transcript (delete words = delete video). Pricing: Free (limited), Hobbyist $16/mo, Creator $30/mo, Business $50/mo. Popular with podcasters, video creators, and marketing teams that produce video content at scale.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Captions monthly | Captions annual | Descript monthly | Descript annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Pro / Hobbyist | $10 | $8 | $16 | $12 |
| Pro / power | Scale / Creator | $30 | $24 | $30 | $24 |
| Teams | Business | $70 | $56 | $50 | $40 |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Captions is worth it if… mobile-first creators who make talking-head TikTok/Reels/Shorts and want AI to handle narration + captions + editing. Pro ($10) suits casual; Scale ($30) suits regular; Business ($70) suits agencies.
Descript is worth it if… content creators (podcasts, YouTube, marketing videos) who want transcript-based editing that's 10x faster than timeline editing. Hobbyist ($16) suits casual creators; Creator ($30) suits regulars; Business ($50) suits agencies + teams.
Bottom line: Choose based on how you want to pay — Captions is tiered, Descript is per seat.
Choose Captions over Descript if…
Choose Captions if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (tiered, custom pricing).
- You match the profile Captions is built for: mobile-first creators who make talking-head TikTok/Reels/Shorts and want AI to handle narration + captions + editing.
- You need a general-purpose design & creative option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Descript if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, custom pricing).
- You match the profile Descript is built for: content creators (podcasts, YouTube, marketing videos) who want transcript-based editing that's 10x faster than timeline editing.
- You need a general-purpose design & creative option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Captions | Descript | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | Custom | Custom |
| Enterprise available | No | No |
| Pricing model | Tiered | Per Seat |
| Last verified | — | — |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
