Start with the deliverable
A short tutorial and a long interview may need different outputs even when both begin with spoken video. Write down the destination, frame shape, and whether viewers need captions that remain visible or a separate subtitle track they can switch on.
Descript is a candidate for a transcript-led editing workflow. This is a documentation-based guide with a suggested evaluation process, not a report of an editing test or an accuracy benchmark.
Choose the right caption format
Descript’s documentation describes exporting subtitle files in SRT or VTT format, with controls for speaker labels and text layout. It distinguishes those files from captions that stay on the video itself. Source: export subtitles.
| Output | Use it when | Check before delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Separate SRT or VTT file | Your destination accepts a subtitle track. | Upload support, language selection, and synchronization. |
| Captions rendered into the video | The words must remain visible in the exported video. | Readable size, safe placement, and contrast on a phone. |
Keep an editable project as well as the final export. A name correction should not require reconstructing the entire edit.
A five-step trial for one short clip
- Choose a representative input. Use a clip you may upload, with the same language, background noise, and speaking style as your regular work.
- Check the words against the audio. Give extra attention to names, numbers, negations, and product terms. A missing “not” can reverse the meaning.
- Finish the intended edit. Listen through cuts and sentence transitions. Do not judge the output from the transcript alone.
- Check captions at phone size. Watch once without sound. Split awkward phrases and confirm that the words do not hide the information being demonstrated.
- Inspect the exported file. Play the beginning, a cut in the middle, and the ending. Confirm that the subtitle file or visible captions match the final edit.
Compare the limits that affect your work
Descript lists a $0 Free plan. Its paid-plan descriptions separate media hours from AI credits, and list watermark-free 1080p export for Hobbyist and 4K export for Creator. These are different allowances; a media-hour balance does not mean every AI action is unlimited. Pricing also varies by billing interval and seats. Check the current pricing table before subscribing.
Record input duration, words corrected, editing time, export format, resolution, watermark status, and remaining allowances. These fields turn “easy to use” into a decision you can explain.
Decide whether to add a tool
Consider Descript when editing through a transcript fits your material and the trial produces a usable export. If your current editor already handles your captions reliably, compare the extra subscription with the specific work it would remove. Once the file is ready, use the content handoff guide to plan how it moves to the next step.