Home / Content Creators / Descript vs CapCut vs Opus Clip
Updated 2026-02-10 🎬 Content Creators

DESCRIPT VS CAPCUT VS OPUS CLIP

Three AI video editing and repurposing tools compared for content creators who need to edit faster and repurpose across platforms.

Claude Opus
GPT-5.2
Gemini 3
👑 AI CONSENSUS WINNER
Descript

Descript

AI-powered video and audio editor that works like a text document

8.6 Score
✓ Strong Consensus
8.5
8.6
8.8
Free + $24/mo
CapCut

CapCut

AI-powered video editor built for social media creators and short-form content

8.5 Score
✓ Strong Consensus
8.4
8.5
8.7
Free + $10/mo
Opus Clip

Opus Clip

AI-powered tool that turns long videos into viral short clips automatically

8.5 Score
~ Moderate Agreement
7.9
8.6
9.1
Free + $19/mo

/// THE_VERDICT

Descript wins the editing battle with an 8.6 consensus score thanks to its revolutionary text-based video editing approach — edit your video by editing a transcript. Its AI features for filler word removal, eye contact correction, and studio sound are game-changers. Opus Clip matches at 8.6 with the best automatic clip extraction from long-form content, making it essential for repurposing. CapCut at 8.4 offers the most accessible editing experience with strong AI effects and is unbeatable on price with its generous free tier.

SCORE BREAKDOWN

Video Quality
8.5
0.0
0.0
Template Variety
7.9
9.6
0.0
Customization
8.4
0.0
0.0
Render Speed
8.3
0.0
0.0
Ease Of Use
9.2
9.5
9.5
Pricing Value
8.5
0.0
0.0
Editing Features
8.9
0.0
0.0
Transcription Accuracy
9.5
0.0
0.0
Ai Audio Tools
9.4
0.0
0.0
Collaboration
9.0
0.0
0.0
Video Editing
8.1
0.0
0.0
Editing Speed
0.0
9.1
0.0
Auto Captions Accuracy
0.0
9.3
0.0
Scene Detection
0.0
8.4
0.0
Audio Enhancement
0.0
8.2
0.0
Transition Effects
0.0
8.7
0.0
Timeline Flexibility
0.0
8.1
0.0
Mobile Experience
0.0
9.4
0.0
Effects Library
0.0
9.2
0.0
Ai Features
0.0
8.5
0.0
Export Quality
0.0
8.8
0.0
Format Conversion
0.0
0.0
8.9
Clip Extraction
0.0
0.0
9.2
Platform Optimization
0.0
0.0
8.7
Batch Processing
0.0
0.0
8.4
Caption Generation
0.0
0.0
8.5
Workflow Efficiency
0.0
0.0
8.6
Clip Curation
0.0
0.0
9.4
Virality Score
0.0
0.0
9.0
Auto Captioning
0.0
0.0
9.2
Layout Customization
0.0
0.0
8.8
Processing Speed
0.0
0.0
8.9

DEEP DIVE

Descript

Descript

AI-powered video and audio editor that works like a text document

8.6 Score

/// JUDGE_SUMMARIES

"Descript's text-based editing paradigm remains genuinely revolutionary, letting creators edit video and audio as naturally as editing a document. The addition of AI eye gaze correction and filler word removal makes it indispensable for podcasters and talking-head creators."

— Claude Opus 8.5

"Descript makes editing video and podcasts feel like editing a document, which is a big productivity boost for creator workflows. The AI cleanup features are genuinely useful, but large projects can feel heavy and some advanced finishing work still benefits from a traditional timeline editor."

— GPT-5.2 8.6

"Descript continues to revolutionize editing with its text-based workflow, making podcast and video editing as easy as editing a doc. Its AI audio tools (Studio Sound, Overdub) are best-in-class, though its video capabilities still lag behind dedicated NLEs for complex visual work."

— Gemini 3 8.8

/// STRENGTHS_WEAKNESSES

✓ Revolutionary text-based editing that makes video and audio editing as intuitive as word processing
✓ AI filler word and silence removal is remarkably effective and saves hours of manual editing
✓ Eye gaze correction feature automatically makes presenters appear to look directly at camera
✓ Competitive pricing with Creator at $15/mo and special $5/mo education and nonprofit rates
✓ Automatic animated caption generation with customizable styling and positioning
✗ All paid plans impose transcription hour caps with additional fees for overages
✗ Not suited for complex visual effects, motion graphics, or cinematic editing
✗ Export options and format flexibility lag behind dedicated professional NLEs
✗ Performance degrades noticeably with very long recordings
/// BEST_FOR

Podcasters and video creators who want the simplest possible editing experience

CapCut

CapCut

AI-powered video editor built for social media creators and short-form content

8.5 Score

/// JUDGE_SUMMARIES

"CapCut remains the default video editor for short-form social creators with best-in-class auto-captions and a massive trending effects library, though the 177% Pro plan price increase from $9.99 to $19.99 has drawn justified creator backlash."

— Claude Opus 8.4

"CapCut is a fast, modern editor geared toward short-form video, with AI tools that speed up captions, cutting, and effects. It’s excellent for day-to-day social workflows, but pro features and cloud tools can be inconsistent across platforms and plans."

— GPT-5.2 8.5

"CapCut dominates the social media video landscape with its massive library of trending templates and incredibly user-friendly mobile and desktop apps. While not a 'generative AI' tool in the same sense as Runway, its AI-powered editing features are indispensable for creators."

— Gemini 3 8.7

/// STRENGTHS_WEAKNESSES

✓ Best-in-class auto-caption generation with 130+ languages and customizable stylized text
✓ Massive library of trending effects, transitions, and templates optimized for social platforms
✓ Mobile and desktop apps with seamless cloud sync across devices
✓ AI features like Camera Tracking, Vocal Isolation, and AI presenters on Pro plan
✓ Free version still provides complete basic editing tools with 1080p export
✗ Pro plan price nearly doubled from $9.99 to $19.99/mo, sparking significant user backlash
✗ Not suited for long-form professional video production or complex projects
✗ Advanced AI features like 4K export and AI captions locked exclusively behind Pro plan
/// BEST_FOR

TikTok, Reels, and Shorts creators who need fast, polished short-form video editing

Opus Clip

Opus Clip

AI-powered tool that turns long videos into viral short clips automatically

8.5 Score

/// JUDGE_SUMMARIES

"Opus Clip's AI-powered clip extraction with virality scoring remains genuinely impressive for repurposing long-form video into platform-optimized short-form content, with automatic reframing and 97%+ caption accuracy providing real workflow value. However, the persistent 2.4/5 Trustpilot rating with widespread complaints about intentionally overcomplicated cancellation processes, unauthorized post-cancellation charges, and effectively non-existent customer support represent serious operational red flags that undermine an otherwise capable product."

— Claude Opus 7.9

"Opus Clip automates turning long videos into short vertical clips by handling selection, reframing, and captions in one flow. It can save hours, but the AI still needs review to catch missed context, awkward cuts, and caption errors."

— GPT-5.2 8.6

"Opus Clip dominates the short-form repurposing market in 2026. Its 'Virality Score' isn't just a gimmick—it actually finds the hooks that work, and the new auto-B-roll features help break up visual monotony for podcasters."

— Gemini 3 9.1

/// STRENGTHS_WEAKNESSES

✓ AI virality scoring accurately identifies the most engaging clip-worthy moments from long-form video with actionable confidence ratings
✓ Automatic reframing from horizontal to vertical format works reliably across content types for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts
✓ Caption generation achieves 97%+ accuracy with customizable styles, positioning, and emoji highlights for accessibility and engagement
✓ Batch processing generates multiple platform-optimized clips from a single source video, significantly reducing manual editing time
✓ Pro plan at $29/mo with 300 credits includes AI B-roll generation and social media scheduler for end-to-end workflow
✗ Trustpilot score of 2.4/5 with numerous reports of intentionally overcomplicated cancellation processes and unauthorized post-cancellation charges
✗ Customer support is effectively non-existent — users report being unable to resolve billing disputes or get meaningful technical assistance
✗ AI clip selection does not always align with creator intent or preserve necessary context, requiring manual review and curation
✗ Desirable features like AI B-roll and social scheduler are locked behind higher-tier plans, pushing users to upgrade prematurely
/// BEST_FOR

YouTubers and podcasters who want to automatically repurpose long content into short-form clips

PRICING COMPARISON

Descript CapCut Opus Clip
Free Tier ✓ Free plan with 1 hour of transcription per month ✓ Generous free plan with most editing features included ✓ Free plan with limited clips per month
Pro Price $24/mo$10/mo$19/mo
Team / Enterprise $33/mo$15/mo per user$39/mo

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/// SYS_INFO Methodology & Disclosure

How we rate: Each AI model receives the same structured prompt asking it to evaluate each tool across profession-specific criteria on a 1-10 scale. Models rate independently — no model sees another's scores. Consensus score = average of all three judges. Agreement level = score spread.

Profession criteria: Tools are evaluated on criteria specific to content creators workflows, including quality, ease of use, pricing value, and domain-specific capabilities.

Affiliate disclosure: Links to tool signup pages may earn us a commission. This never influences AI ratings.