Criterion Descript ElevenLabs
CategoryAI Video GeneratorsAI Voice & Audio Tools
In one sentenceEdit video and audio by editing the transcript, with an AI co-editor called Underlord.Text-to-speech, voice cloning, transcription, music and voice agents from one platform and API.
Problem it solvesTraditional timeline editing is slow and technical; Descript makes editing as easy as editing text.Recording professional voiceovers and translating audio is slow and expensive; ElevenLabs generates high-quality speech and transcripts on demand.
Free planYesYes
Developer APIYes — docsYes — docs
Open sourceNoNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, WebWeb, iOS, Android, API
Pricing (summary)Free plan with 1 media hour and 100 one-time AI credits. Hobbyist $24/month ($16 annual), Creator $35 ($24 annual) and Business $65 ($50 annual) per person add media hours, monthly AI credits and higher export quality. Enterprise is custom.
Checked 2026-10-19
Free plan with 10,000 credits per month, then Starter $6, Creator $22, Pro $99, Scale $299 and Business $990 per month, with roughly 17% off annual billing. Credits map to about one minute of TTS per 1,000 credits. Enterprise is custom.
Checked 2026-10-19
Strengths
  • Very easy editing model
  • Strong audio clean-up
  • API included at no extra cost for paid users
  • Wide product range from one account
  • Fast new model releases
  • Low entry price ($6/mo Starter)
  • Transparent API rates
Limitations
  • Free exports are 720p with a watermark
  • Media hours and AI credits cap usage
  • API still in beta; some endpoints need Creator or higher
  • Free plan lacks a commercial licence
  • Credits can run out quickly on long-form content
  • Voice cloning raises consent obligations