descript vs opus-clip
Descript vs Opus Clip — features, pricing, and which to choose for your video editing workflow in 2026.
Quick Verdict
Descript and Opus Clip serve different stages of video content creation, though both use to simplify video editing. Descript is a comprehensive editing platform built around text-based editing and AI transcription, while Opus Clip focuses specifically on extracting short-form clips from long-form content.
The key difference comes down to scope: Descript handles full video production workflows with features like AI voice cloning, multitrack editing, and screen recording, while Opus Clip specializes in one thing — turning your long videos into viral-worthy shorts with minimal effort.
Feature Comparison
Descript offers a complete video editing suite with text-based editing as its standout feature. You can edit videos by editing the transcript, automatically removing filler words, and using AI voices to fix mistakes without re-recording. It includes screen recording, multitrack audio editing, AI eye contact correction, and automatic chapter creation. The platform also handles podcast production with advanced audio cleanup and publishing tools. Opus Clip takes a laser-focused approach to short-form content creation. It analyzes long-form videos to identify the most engaging segments, automatically creates vertical clips optimized for TikTok and YouTube Shorts, and adds animated captions and trending keywords. The AI scores each clip for viral potential and can generate dozens of clips from a single long video. However, it lacks full editing capabilities — you can't create original content from scratch or perform complex edits.
Pricing Comparison
Opus Clip starts at $15/month for the Pro plan with 150 processing minutes and removes watermarks. Their free tier includes 60 minutes monthly with watermarked clips. The pricing scales based on processing minutes rather than features. Descript's Creator plan costs $24/month and includes 10 hours of transcription, AI voice generation, and full editing capabilities. Their free tier offers 1 hour of transcription monthly. While more expensive per month, Descript provides significantly more functionality for the price difference.
Best For
Choose Descript when you need a complete video editing solution, produce podcasts alongside video content, or want advanced features like AI voice cloning and text-based editing. It's ideal for content creators who handle the entire production process from recording to final edit. Choose Opus Clip when your primary goal is repurposing long-form content into short clips for social media. It's perfect for YouTubers, podcasters, and marketers who have existing long-form content and need to maximize its reach across TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts without spending hours on manual editing.
The Verdict
For most content creators, these tools complement rather than compete with each other. However, if you must choose one, Descript offers better value for creators who need full editing capabilities, while Opus Clip wins for anyone focused specifically on short-form content repurposing. Opus Clip's specialized AI and lower price point make it the clear winner for social media managers and content teams looking to scale their short-form output.