The short answer
Pick Descript if you want captions from an editable transcript.
Pick YouTube automatic captions if you only need captions for a video on YouTube.
At a glance
| Compare | Descript | YouTube automatic captions |
|---|---|---|
| Use case | Captions come from the transcript you edit | Generated after upload; review and fix them in YouTube Studio → Subtitles |
| Free plan | 60 media min/mo, 720p export | Free, if the video lives on YouTube |
| Price + verification date | Free plan (60 media min/mo, 720p export). Hobbyist is $16/mo billed annually ($24 monthly): 10 media hours, 1080p, watermark-free. Verified | Free Verified |
| Learning time | ~15 min (upload, check the transcript, add a caption layout) (our estimate) | Not listed. |
| Review method | Tested by our team | Researched by our team |
Check the official site for current pricing and plan details.
Already using another tool?
Already on CapCut? Keep it if you pay for Pro. On the free plan, try YouTube's free captions or Descript.