5 Best Descript Alternatives in 2024- Free and Paid Options

If you are looking for a Descript alternative, we got you covered. This article is about the best five similar apps we could find.

As you may already know, Descript is a popular cloud-based transcription tool that uses advanced AI algorithms to transcribe audio and video files in real time. It offers a range of features, including automatic punctuation, speaker identification, and the ability to export transcripts in multiple formats.

But Descript excels when it comes to video editing. Unlike traditional video editing software that works around timelines, this platform handles video editing like a word document. So if you want to cut a scene in your video, you delete the text related to it, and Descript erases it.

In terms of pricing, this platform has a limited free plan. To get all the features, you will have to pay $24 per month (on an annual basis)

Now let's check the 5 best free and paid Descript alternatives.

Streamlabs

 

 

Streamlabs (formerly Type Studio)is a good Descript alternative to consider. It offers word-based video editing capabilities and many video tools. This software features speech recognition and multi-language transcription, an invaluable resource for localizing videos for different speaking countries.

Streamlabs key features

• Multi-language transcription.
• Auto-subtitles and subtitle styling.
• Word-based video editing
• Video transcription.
• Video to article and video to text.

Streamlabs pricing

• Free plan: Up to one hour per month, edit one hour long videos, 15 GB storage and watermark.
• EditorPro plan: $12/month with 40 hours of video editing/month, 120 minutes max video length, and 250 GB storage.

Our take

Streamlabs makes video editing straightforward. Suitable for podcasters and for editing videos with many voices and dialogues.

Reduct.video

Reduct.video is one of the best Descript alternatives available. This complete collaborative platform allows users to edit videos as easily as text.

As a distinctive feature, this platform offers human transcription. This is necessary when your video is noisy, or multiple speakers are talking over one another, and the system can't provide an accurate transcription.

Reduct key features

• Computer transcription and human transcription.
• Audio and video with many file formats.
• Auto-captioning and caption styling.
• Easy to use beginner-friendly video editor.
• Team collaboration, including reviews and comments.

Reduct pricing

• Standard plan: $25/month with all features, 20 hours of transcription per month, and unlimited storage.
• Enterprise plan: adds SSO integration, SOC2 pentest reports, and GDPR compliance. Contact sales for pricing.

Our take

Reduct is the way to go if you need professional quality because nothing unsurpasses human transcription. Review and collaboration features make this platform an excellent product for agencies and teams.

Piktochart

Piktochart is another Descript alternative to consider. You can edit videos like text documents; cutting a long video into a shorter clip is only a matter of highlighting a specific part of the transcript and deleting it.

But this is not only a video editing platform. Piktochart is a complete featured platform for creating infographics, presentations, flyers, reports, social media graphics, and more assets.

Piktochart Key Features

• Automatic captions in 60+ languages.
• Generous free plan with all features but including watermark.
• Webcam and screen recorder.
• Plenty of tutorials and "Piktochart Academy" on their website.
• Only integrates with Zoom and Google Drive.

Piktochart pricing

• Free plan: 20 minutes/month of video with unlimited storage, downloads, and watermark.
• Pro plan: $14/month/user with 90 minutes/month of video and all features.

Our take

Since Piktochart video editor offers basic features, this is a good choice if you need to create and edit simple social media videos with no special requirements. It may be your choice if you seek a web-based graphic design platform. Pricing is unbeatable.

Otter

Otter is an excellent and attractive Descript alternative. This platform is focused on real-time transcriptions at affordable pricing, and a Chrome extension does a decent transcription job.

Otter only works in English, which is not the best option if you need another language.

Otter key features

• Live and recorded transcriptions.
• iOS and Android mobile apps.
• Editable text and speakers tags.
• Real-time annotations.
• Speakers identification.

 Otter pricing

• Basic plan: free with 300 monthly transcription minutes (only real-time)and 30 minutes per conversation.
• Pro plan: $8.33/month billed annually with 1200 monthly transcription minutes and 90 minutes per conversation, import pre-recorded meetings.
• Business plan: $20/month billed annually with 6000 monthly transcription minutes and 4 hours per conversation.

Our take

One of the best transcription platforms with a generous free plan and populated with many features. We would like to see a manual transcription service and broader language support. Excellent pricing.

 

Sonix

Sonix is another option, with real-time collaboration and many integrations. This full-featured platform has many admin tools, improved security, full search and content analysis, team collaboration, and automated translations.

Sonix key features

• 35+ languages are available.
• Fully automated subtitles.
• Advanced search transcript.
• Zapier, Zoom, and many integrations.
• Strong security options.

Sonix pricing

• Standard plan: Pay as you go $10/hour.
• Premium plan: $5/hour plus $22/user/month.
• The first 30 minutes are free.

Our take

This is a robust Descript contender, although manual transcription would be an interesting add-on.

 

Conclusion

Only Piktochart, Reduct, and TypeStudio offer word-based video editing when considering a Descript alternative. We include Sonix and Otter because these are top platforms to consider.

Any of the above offer freemium plans, so you can evaluate and test them yourself.