Auto Subtitle Generator vs Descript: captions or transcript editing
Descript is an audio and video editor you drive by editing a transcript, with captions as one feature. Auto Subtitle Generator only captions a video that is already cut. Often the right choice depends on whether you still need to edit.
The short answer
Choose Auto Subtitle Generator when
- The video is finished in another app and only needs captions.
- You want free exports without a watermark and at 1080p.
- You want to caption short vertical clips and check placement against platform overlays.
Choose Descript when
- You cut podcasts or talking videos by deleting words from the transcript.
- You work from audio-only recordings or record inside the editor.
- You need translation or dubbing alongside captions.
Auto Subtitle Generator does not replace an editor. If the video still needs cutting, do that first, in Descript or elsewhere, and caption the result.
Side by side
| Question | Auto Subtitle Generator | Descript |
|---|---|---|
| Free export | No watermark on any plan; 1080p, up to 10 min / 500 MB | Watermarked, 720p |
| Subtitle files | SRT, VTT, TXT on every plan | SRT or VTT as a separate file |
| Caption styles | 15 presets, word-level timing, platform overlays | Caption presets, fonts, colours, active-word and line animation |
| Paid price | $7/month or $60/year | Hobbyist $24 monthly or $16/month yearly; Creator $35 or $24 |
| What else it does | Captions only | Text-based audio and video editor |
Two different workflows
Descript
- Descript edits audio and video by editing a transcript like a document, with recording, AI audio cleanup and clip tools; translation and dubbing are listed on Business.
- Deleting a sentence from the transcript deletes it from the video.
Auto Subtitle Generator
- It is a caption tool: no trimming, music, B-roll, multi-clip timeline or general video editing.
- Correcting a word in the script panel changes the caption, not the footage.
- The product does not translate captions, label or detect speakers, find clips in a longer video, or post to social platforms.
Free exports and files
Auto Subtitle Generator
- No plan adds an Auto Subtitle Generator watermark to exported video, including Free.
- Free includes 3 distinct video projects per calendar month; revising and downloading the same project again that month uses the same slot.
- Free exports up to 1080p from videos up to 10 minutes and 500 MB.
- SRT, VTT and TXT files can be downloaded on every plan after signing in, and do not use a video project slot.
Descript
- Descript's help centre says Free plan exports are limited to 720p and carry a Descript watermark in the bottom-right corner.
- Descript's help says subtitles export as an SRT or VTT file uploaded alongside the video, and that captions which stay on the video are a separate captions feature. The article states no plan restriction.
Every caption style can be previewed; 2 of them, Podcast Lower Third and Documentary, can be exported on Free. Premium styles need Starter to export. Accounts created before 4 October 2026 keep Clean Minimal and Documentary instead. Uploading, generating, editing and styling work without an account; Google or email sign-in is required to download anything.
Styles and pricing
Captions carry word-level timing, so the 15 preset styles can highlight or reveal the word being spoken, and placement can be checked against TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts interface overlays. Descript's captions help describes caption presets built from the script, with font, size, alignment, text and background colours, stroke and outline, active-word styling and word, line or paragraph animation.
Auto Subtitle Generator
- Starter costs $7 billed monthly or $60 billed yearly, with 200 MP4 exports a month, 4K output and videos up to 120 minutes and 5 GB.
- Priced per account and counted in video exports.
Descript
- Descript lists Hobbyist at $24 per person per month billed monthly or $16 billed annually, Creator at $35 or $24, and Business at $65 or $50; Enterprise is custom.
- Descript's paid plans export without a watermark: 1080p on Hobbyist with 10 media hours a month, 4K on Creator with 30 media hours a month.
Frequently asked questions
Can Auto Subtitle Generator edit a video by editing its transcript?+
No. Correcting words changes the captions only. Descript's workflow is built around editing the video through the transcript.
Does Descript add a watermark on its free plan?+
Descript's help centre says Free plan exports are limited to 720p and carry a Descript watermark in the bottom-right corner.
Can I upload an audio-only file?+
Not to Auto Subtitle Generator. The uploader accepts MP4, MOV, WebM and MKV video files from the device, up to 120 minutes on any plan. There is no audio-only upload and no import from a URL.
Which one gives SRT or VTT files?+
Both. SRT, VTT and TXT files can be downloaded on every plan after signing in, and do not use a video project slot. Descript's help says subtitles export as an SRT or VTT file uploaded alongside the video, and that captions which stay on the video are a separate captions feature. The article states no plan restriction.
Which one makes errors easier to catch?+
Descript, if you are editing anyway: cutting by transcript means reading every line, so mistakes surface as you work. On a finished video, Auto Subtitle Generator's script panel puts the transcript beside the playing video for one read-through before export.
Try it on your own clip
Automatic captions are easiest to judge on real footage. Upload a video to generate and preview captions without an account; signing in is only needed to download.
Upload a video to caption