Descript meters its free plan. REQO edits without a meter.
Descript popularised editing video by transcript, and its free plan meters it at 60 media minutes a month. REQO does the same text-based editing in a browser tab, with no minute meter, and the transcript editing itself is free.
- No credit card
- Nothing to install
- Transcript editing is free
Same idea, free in a tab
Edit by Transcript, Free
Delete words in the auto-generated transcript and the footage is cut to match. Descript pioneered this workflow. In REQO, the transcript editing itself is free.
Nothing to Install
Descript offers desktop apps alongside its web editor. REQO is only ever a browser tab: open it and start editing, on any machine, with nothing to download.
Recorder + Full Editor
Record your screen or camera, then trim, cut, merge, reorder clips, add music, and burn in captions on a real timeline. All in the same tab.
Auto Captions
Generate accurate captions automatically and burn them into the export. Free on every plan, no per-minute transcription meter to watch.
REQO and Descript, plan by plan
Edit by Transcript
Captions
Export resolution
Media limit
AI Cleanup (silence/filler)
Brand Watermark
Price
| Feature | REQO FreeBest | REQO Pro | Descript Free | Descript Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edit by Transcript | Included | Included | Within 60 media minutes a month | Included |
| Captions | Auto + burn-in | Auto + burn-in | Included | Included |
| Export resolution | Up to 1080p, 30fps | Up to 4K, 60fps | 720p | 1080p to 4K by plan |
| Media limit | No per-minute meter | No per-minute meter | 60 media minutes a month | Larger monthly allowance |
| AI Cleanup (silence/filler) | - | Included | Limited | Included |
| Brand Watermark | Small badge | None | On export | None |
| Price | $0 | $19/mo | $0 | From $16/person/mo (annual) |
| Start free |
Descript figures are from the published plans as of September 2026, and can change.
When Descript is the better pick
Descript is a deeper, all-in-one studio and it earned its reputation. If your work leans heavily on advanced AI audio, it is likely the stronger tool. REQO is the better pick when you want the core text-based editing without a minute meter and without paying to start.
Runs as
Edit by transcript
Learning curve
AI audio (voice clone, studio sound)
AI cleanup (silences, filler words)
Watermark-free export
Paid plan
| Feature | Descript | BestREQO |
|---|---|---|
| Runs as | Web editor plus desktop apps | Browser app, nothing to install |
| Edit by transcript | Yes, the original text-based editor | Yes, and the editing is free |
| Learning curve | Deep toolset, takes time to learn | Focused on the core text-edit workflow |
| AI audio (voice clone, studio sound) | Advanced (Overdub, studio sound) | Not the focus; AI cleanup on Pro |
| AI cleanup (silences, filler words) | Yes (filler-word removal) | Yes, on Pro |
| Watermark-free export | On paid plans | On Pro (free adds a small badge) |
| Paid plan | From $16/person/mo (annual) | $19/mo |
| Start free |
The verdict: choose Descript for a powerful studio with advanced AI voice and audio tools, and choose REQO if you want to edit by transcript in your browser with nothing to install, free to start, with a small export badge you can remove on Pro. Both editors cut your footage by editing the words. The difference is how much you can edit before you pay.
Descript vs REQO, answered
What is a free, browser-based alternative to Descript?
Descript popularised editing video by transcript, and its free plan meters it: 60 media minutes a month, exported at 720p. REQO does the same text-based editing in a browser tab, with no minute meter, and the transcript editing itself is free.
Is transcript editing free in REQO?
Yes. Delete words in the auto-generated transcript and the footage is cut to match. In REQO, the transcript editing itself is free, and captions are auto-generated on every plan with no per-minute transcription meter to watch.
When is Descript the better pick than REQO?
Descript is a deeper, all-in-one studio and it earned its reputation. If your work leans heavily on advanced AI audio, it is likely the stronger tool. REQO is the better pick when you want the core text-based editing without a minute meter and without paying to start.
How much do Descript and REQO cost?
Descript paid plans start at $16/person/mo billed annually ($24 monthly). REQO has a free plan at $0 and REQO Pro at $19/mo, which removes the small badge from free exports.
Edit by transcript, no meter.
Open a tab, cut your video by the words, free in your browser.