Descript Review: The Best AI Transcription & Editing Tool for Creators?

In this Descript review, we break down everything you need to know before signing up.

This up-to-date review covers:

• What Descript is
• Who Descript is for
• Its main features
• The pros and cons
• Pricing
• And much more.

Keep reading to find out if this video and podcast editor is right for you.

In a rush? You can check out Descript here!

Descript Review: What is Descript and Is it Any Good?

Descript is an all-in-one editing tool that lets you edit videos and podcasts as if they were a text document.

In addition, Descript uses AI to speed up editing tasks, transcribe audio, correct speech errors, utilize AI voices, and so much more.

Overall, Descript is a highly sophisticated piece of software perfect for creators who want an easier and better editing experience.

Who is Descript For?

Descript was initially marketed as an audio transcription tool that quickly became popular for podcast creation (learn all about audio marketing here).

It has since evolved into an all-in-one video and podcast editing suite for content creators and influencers.

With the ability to transcribe audio, edit videos and podcasts, and more, it's the ideal solution for podcasters, YouTubers, and digital marketers.

Descript Features Reviewed: 7 Impressive Things You Can Do With Descript

Here are just SOME of the cool things you can do with Descript!

1. Descript Transcription

At the heart of Descript is automatic transcriptions, which transcribe audio and video files with high accuracy and speed.

Whether you need to transcribe podcast episodes and YouTube videos, or create subtitles, this feature has you covered.

Moreover, you can transcribe in up to 22 languages, from English and Spanish to Polish and Norwegian.

But what makes Descript transcriptions unique is the text-based editing of podcasts and videos.

It works by uploading your audio or video files to Descript, and transcriptions start automatically.

Then, you edit podcast audio or video files using the text editor. It's as easy as editing a Word document.

Furthermore, you can export transcriptions to pdf, srt, rev, and other editable files.

Lastly, the AI-powered speaker detection automatically assigns speaker labels to transcriptions. This is super helpful when there are multiple voices in your recording.

(You might want to check out our article on Otter AI alternatives for info on even more transcription tools.)

2. Descript for Video Editing

Unlike other video editing software that edits on a timeline, Descript edits are done by making changes to the text or by scene.

With automatic transcriptions, all video content gets transformed into a text-based format. This enables you to edit footage by editing the script as if it were a document.

In addition, you can correct errors like "ums" and "uhs" without needing to watch the entire clip. Just find hesitant language by scanning the text, delete it, and you're done.

You can also use scenes to make edits, which is a similar experience to editing PowerPoint slides.

Other features allow you to add smooth transitions, shapes, animated captions, and other impressive visual effects.

Overall, Descript's video editing feature makes editing easier and more fun and can save you hours over using traditional tools.

3. Descript for Podcasting

Imagine recording a podcast episode that transcribes the audio at the same time, right in front of your eyes.

Then, imagine being able to edit any part of the audio track by simply editing the transcribed text.

That's exactly what Descript has built and seeing it in action is impressive enough.

Using it is another story, and the AI tools built-in make the whole thing even more mind-blowing.

For example, Studio Sound can fix background noise, and Filler Word Removal lets you erase hesitant language like "ums" in seconds.

In addition, you can add entire sentences of text that might have been left out in the audio.

Once you've recorded and edited a podcast, you can publish it to the most popular platforms in one click. Some of the platforms available include Podcast.co, Castos, Buzzsprout, Captivate, and Hello Audio.

4. Descript Overdub

Overdub is the Descript voice cloning feature that can be used to correct audio and video editing errors.

Additionally, Overdub can be used to create entire podcast episodes and even audiobooks. It's like text-to-speech but in your own voice.

Several AI stock voices are available if you don't want to train your own voice, but they can still sound a little robotic.

Overdub is powered by Lyrebird AI, an AI voice creation tool, which was acquired by Descript in 2019.

The technology makes Descript one of the most human-like voice cloning tools on the market. However, training your voice can take some time to get the best results.

Training is done by recording a series of phrases, so the more you record, the more impressive and accurate your cloned voice will be.

5. Descript Screen Recording

Another main feature of Descript is Screen Recording. This is perfect for creators who need to share their screens within their content.

Whether you're reviewing software, walking your audience through a process, or presenting a slideshow, Descript makes it easy.

Additionally, you can include your webcam and microphone, making it ideal for creating tutorials or webinars.

Once your screen recording is done, it automatically gets imported into your projects, ready for editing.

You can then edit like you would an imported video by editing the script. Furthermore, you can use all the other features like Overdub, Studio Sound, and a Virtual Green Screen.

6. Descript Studio Sound

Studio Sound removes background noise, echoes, and other unwanted sounds with one click.

The result is high-quality sounding audio, no matter what's happening in your environment.

Powered by AI, it balances audio levels, ensuring consistency throughout your recordings.

Moreover, this feature will save you time on post-production and eliminate the need for expensive audio equipment.

However, the better the audio equipment you have, the better Studio Sound works.

So, whether you're recording podcasts, interviews, or video tutorials, your audio will sound as though it was recorded in a professional studio.

7. Filler Word Removal

For many creators, it's inevitable to hesitate with unnecessary filler words. But these can be easily removed with Descript's Filler Word Removal feature.

This feature enhances overall quality and professionalism and cancels out words like 'um', 'like', and 'you know'.

Furthermore, you won't be tasked with manually editing these filler words yourself. Instead, you simply highlight what needs correcting, and this AI-powered feature does the work for you.

Overall, it's a time-saving feature that removes manual effort and makes your content more professional.

Other Noteworthy Features

There are lots of other cool features that Descript has to offer. These are the ones that stand out the most.

Regenerate: This feature uses AI audio technology to recreate voices that don't match the surrounding audio.

This is helpful when you've edited a sentence or removed specific words that cause audio inconsistencies.

All you have to do is highlight the text you want to improve and click the regenerate option.

Descript then analyzes the surrounding audio and recreates the parts that don't sound right.

This will save you time from needing to re-record parts of a podcast or video you're producing.

Green Screen: Need to remove the background in a video but don't have a green screen? No problem!

This AI effect acts as a virtual green screen that can be replaced with the Descript media library or your own external media.

How to Use Descript

Here's a quick Descript tutorial on how to use the Overdub feature.

As mentioned above, Overdub lets you turn text into an AI-generated voice that sounds like a human.

Moreover, there is a selection of AI stock voices to use, or you can train your own voice.

Here's how to use the Overdub feature in Descript.

1. First, you need to create a new project and give it a title. Then select Start Writing.
2. Second, write out your script that you want to be turned into an AI voice.
3. Third, assign a speaker to your text. If you haven't yet trained your own voice, you can choose from one of the stock voices available. But, to use your own voice in Overdub, you'll need to go through the voice training process.
4. The last step is to highlight the text you want turned into an AI voice and select Overdub. You can either choose specific words or the entire text in your project.

Training your own voice involves recording at least 10 minutes of your voice and submitting it for training.

However, the more you record, the more realistic your AI voice will sound.

They recommend 30 to 180 minutes.

After several hours, you'll have an ultra-realistic clone of your voice that can be used for any of your Descript projects.

Descript Pricing

So, how much does Descript cost?

The pricing for Descript is very reasonable, and they also have a free plan.

With the free plan, you can use almost all of the features. However, you only get a limited amount of time per month to use them.

For example, 1 hour per month of transcription hours, 10 minutes of AI Green screen, and 10 minutes of studio sound.

The Creator plan costs $15 per month, giving you 10 hours of transcription and more time with other features.

Or you can choose the Pro plan for $30, which gives you 30 hours of transcription and unlimited use of most of the features.

Furthermore, you get a 20% discount when paying annually, and you can add transcription hours to any paid plan at $2 per hour.

This makes a paid subscription with Descript very flexible.

Descript Pros and Cons

Descript indeed has some impressive features, but no tool is 100% perfect or offers everything for everyone.

Here are the pros and cons of Descript:

Descript Alternatives

If you're looking for Descript alternatives, then you might want to consider checking out these options for ai tools.

Riverside.fm

Riverside.fm is a podcast recording and video editing tool that's a good Descript alternative.

Firstly, Riverside boasts a ton of impressive features for producing high-quality podcasts, videos, and more.

Moreover, Riverside provides AI transcriptions with 99% accuracy and supports up to 100 languages.

Lastly, Riverside.fm integrates with Descript, providing users with the best of both worlds.

Piktochart

Piktochart is another alternative to Descript with similar features. For example, its video-to-text converter automatically transcribes in over 60 languages.

This enables you to add subtitles to videos or turn videos into blog posts.

In addition, you can edit videos like a text document, which is similar to Descript.

Piktochart has a lot more to offer too, including screen recording and creating infographics, visual reports, and presentations.

ScreenPal

ScreenPal, (formally Screencast-o-matic), is a powerful screen recording tool with impressive editing features.

It doesn't transcribe like Descript does, but there is a feature that detects captions, and you can add in any text that it misses.

Essentially, ScreenPal is a dedicated screencasting tool that can be used for podcasts and recording presentations or tutorials.

The editor isn't text-based, yet it has plenty of features like a green screen and transitions to make professional edits.

Conclusion: Descript Review

That concludes this in-depth Descript review, and I hope you found it useful.

Overall, Descript is a highly versatile and impressive podcast and video editing tool ideal for all types of content creators.

What sets it apart from similar tools is its fast transcriptions and simplicity to edit a media file as a text document. This saves you a lot of time needing to learn complex editing software, as editing text is so much easier.

Check out some more of the best podcast software options, or take a look at our article on AI video maker tools to help grow your audience.

Related Posts

ChatGPT vs Jasper: Clash of the Artificial Intelligence Titans

Image Processing Tools: Your Best Options for Enhancing Visuals Today

The Ultimate Artificial Intelligence For Fashion Hack

Artificial Intelligence in Sales: The Power of Smart Selling Strategies

5 Excellent Price Intelligence Tools to Help Energize Your Business Growth Today