Growing an audience
Running the business
Both cover video editing. Here is what separates them on price, billing, what you can take with you, and coverage.
| CapCut | Descript | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $9.99 | From $19 |
| Pricing model | Free plan, paid tiers | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | Not stated | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial | Not stated | None |
| API | Not stated | Not stated |
| Data export | Not stated | Not stated |
| Their cut | Not stated | Not stated |
| Runs on | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android | Web, macOS, Windows |
| Covers | Short-Form & Clipping, Video Editing | Video Editing, AI Content Tools, Audio & Podcasting |
| Works with | YouTube, TikTok, Instagram | YouTube, Podcast |
| Founded | Not listed | Not listed |
| Reader rating | No reviews yet | No reviews yet |
| Live deals | None right now | 1 |
Free vertical video editor from the makers of TikTok
CapCut is free, runs on a phone or desktop, and every trending template lands here first. Auto captions are quick and accurate. Read the licence terms before using it for client work.
Our note
The best free video editor there is, with a caveat that has nothing to do with the software: it is owned by ByteDance, and the terms you agree to about your footage are worth ten minutes of reading before a client project goes through it.
Only on this side
Edit video and podcasts by editing the transcript
Descript turns a recording into a document and lets you cut it like text, which is much faster than a timeline for anything talking-head or interview based. Filler word removal and studio sound are the features people stay for. It struggles with long multi-camera projects.
Our note
Buy it if your work is people talking. The hour it saves on a weekly episode pays the subscription many times over. Try the free tier on a real episode first, because the workflow either clicks immediately or not at all.
Only on this side
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.