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Video Production · head to head

Descript vs People.ai

Descript logo

Descript

Video Production

AI-powered video and podcast editing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
People.ai logo

People.ai

Sales Enablement

AI Revenue Intelligence

From
$50/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Descript has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Descript the free plan watermarks exports and caps them at 720p; People.ai pricing per user adds up quickly for large sales teams
  • They diverge on capability: Descript covers Auto-transcription, People.ai covers Activity capture.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Descript and People.ai actually diverge.

Attributes where Descript and People.ai differ
AttributeDescriptPeople.ai
Starting priceFree$50/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb
CategoryVideo ProductionSales Enablement
Founded20172016

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Descript

  • Auto-transcription
  • Word-level editing
  • Filler word removal
  • Screen recording
  • YouTube
  • Podcast platforms
  • Cloud storage
  • Desktop support

Only in People.ai

  • Activity capture
  • Contact management
  • Deal intelligence
  • AI coaching
  • Revenue analytics
  • Salesforce
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Descript

  • Editing video and podcasts by editing the transcript rather than a timelinenot People.ai
  • Transcribing recordings and producing clips for publishingnot People.ai

People.ai

  • Customer Successnot Descript
  • Ai Intelligencenot Descript
  • Activity Capturenot Descript

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Descript

  • The free plan watermarks exports and caps them at 720p
  • Media hours are metered monthly, at 60 minutes on free, 10 hours on Hobbyist and 30 on Creator
  • 4K export requires the Creator plan at $24 a month
  • AI features run on a separate monthly credit allowance, from 400 to 1,500 by plan
  • The Business plan at $50 a month includes fewer media hours per dollar than Creator, at 40 hours against 30
  • Priority support carries an SLA only from the Business plan

People.ai

  • Pricing per user adds up quickly for large sales teams
  • Setup requires deep CRM configuration and change management
  • Activity capture can generate noise without proper filtering and customization
  • Forecasting accuracy depends on data quality and proper configuration

Pricing, plan by plan

Descript

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 60 minutes of media per month
    • 100 one-time AI credits
    • Basic editing features
  • Hobbyist$16/month
    • 10 media hours monthly
    • 400 AI credits per month
    • 1080p watermark-free export
  • Creator$24/month
    • 30 media hours monthly
    • 800 AI credits per month
    • 4K watermark-free export
  • Business$50/month
    • 40 media hours monthly
    • 1,500 AI credits per month
    • Brand Studio access

People.ai

$50/month

No published plan breakdown. See the People.ai review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Descript if

  • You need auto-transcription.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want word-level editing.
Descript review

Choose People.ai if

  • You need activity capture.
  • You also want contact management.
People.ai review

Questions people ask

Is Descript or People.ai better?
Neither clearly leads. Descript starts at Free and People.ai at $50/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Descript or People.ai?
Descript has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Descript and $50/month for People.ai.
Does Descript or People.ai run on more platforms?
Descript runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. People.ai runs on Web.
Can I use Descript for free?
Yes. Descript has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. People.ai starts at $50/month.
What is Descript best used for?
Descript is most often used for editing video and podcasts by editing the transcript rather than a timeline, transcribing recordings and producing clips for publishing. Of those, editing video and podcasts by editing the transcript rather than a timeline and transcribing recordings and producing clips for publishing are not what People.ai is typically brought in for.
What can Descript do that People.ai cannot?
Descript covers Auto-transcription, Word-level editing, Filler word removal, Screen recording. People.ai covers Activity capture, Contact management, Deal intelligence, AI coaching. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Descript: How much does Descript cost?

Descript offers a free plan with 60 minutes monthly. Paid plans start at $16/month for Hobbyist, $24/month for Creator, and $50/month for Business, with annual discounts available.

Source
People.ai: What is People.ai's core functionality?

People.ai automates activity capture from emails, calls, and meetings, then uses AI to provide pipeline visibility, forecasting insights, and engagement analytics.

Source
Descript: Is there a free version of Descript?

Yes, Descript's free plan includes 60 minutes of media processing per month, 100 AI credits, and basic editing features with no credit card required.

Source
People.ai: What is the starting price for People.ai?

People.ai pricing starts at 50 USD per user per month, with free PeopleGlass tier available for Salesforce users.

Source
Descript: What team member limits does each Descript plan have?

Free and Hobbyist plans support 1 user. Creator supports up to 3 team members. Business supports up to 5 team members. Enterprise plans accommodate larger organizations.

Source
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