Free alternative to Descript
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The closest free alternative to Descript is Audapolis, a free and open-source (AGPL-3.0) editor for spoken-word media. It transcribes your recording on your own computer with Vosk speech models, and you edit the audio or video by editing the text, the same idea as Descript's text-based editing, with no cloud and no monthly media-hour cap. Descript's Hobbyist plan is $16 a month billed annually or $24 month to month. The catch: Audapolis does only the core edit-by-text job. There's no AI voice cloning, no Studio Sound, no Remove Filler Words and no Underlord, and it's a small project whose latest release (0.3.1) came out in November 2025.
| Descript | Audapolis | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free plan; Hobbyist $16/mo annual or $24 monthly (Descript pricing page) | $0, AGPL-3.0 |
| Media limit | 60 minutes a month on Free; 10 to 40 hours on paid plans | None; it runs on your computer |
| Transcription | 25 languages, speaker detection | Vosk models on your computer; 38 language entries in its model list |
| Edit by text | Yes, edit video like a doc | Yes, word-processor style for audio and video |
| AI extras | Studio Sound, Remove Filler Words, AI voices and clones, Underlord, avatars | None |
| Export | Up to 720p on Free, 1080p on Hobbyist, 4K on Creator; web links | Audio, video, text, WebVTT or SRT subtitles, Kdenlive, Final Cut Pro and Avid AAF timelines |
| Where it runs | Media is processed in Descript and counts toward media hours | Your computer: Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Linux (AppImage, deb, rpm) |
Get started free in 5 steps
- Download Audapolis 0.3.1 for Windows, macOS or Linux from Audapolis releases.
- Open it and download a transcription model for your language. Smaller models are faster and bigger ones are more accurate.
- Import your podcast, interview or screen recording and let it transcribe.
- Cut by deleting words, moving sentences or removing retakes in the text. The media follows the edit.
- Export the audio or video, a subtitle file or a Kdenlive or Final Cut timeline to finish the edit there.
The catches
- Core editing only: no AI voices, voice clones, filler-word removal, eye contact, green screen or AI co-editor.
- Small and slow-moving: the latest release is 0.3.1 from November 2025, which mostly removed punctuation reconstruction because it didn't work well. Expect rough edges and report bugs on GitHub.
- No auto punctuation: since that removal, transcripts come back without restored punctuation.
- No recording studio: there's nothing like Descript Rooms for remote guests, so record elsewhere first.
- Cleanup is a separate tool: use Audacity or DeepFilterNet for noise, and check plugin compatibility with your Audacity version.
When Descript is still worth paying for
If you publish weekly podcasts or talking-head videos and lean on Studio Sound, filler-word removal, remote recording and AI voice fixes, $16 to $24 a month buys a polished all-in-one. Audapolis wins when you want the edit-by-text workflow for interviews or voiceovers, keep files on your own computer and pay nothing.
Related: Free Adobe Podcast Enhance alternative · Whisper vs Otter · Free Premiere Pro alternative · All free voice and audio tools
Sources: Audapolis README and GitHub license (AGPL-3.0), Audapolis releases (0.3.1, November 26, 2025), Audapolis server dependencies (Vosk), Audapolis language model list, Audapolis export formats, Descript pricing page (plans and feature table), Audacity downloads (4.0.1), OpenVINO AI Plugins for Audacity README and OpenVINO plugin releases (v3.7.1-R4.2, December 2024) (all checked 2026-10-30). We have no affiliate link with any of them.
FAQ
How much does Descript cost?
Descript's pricing page (checked 2026-10-30) lists Hobbyist at $16 per person a month on annual billing ($24 month to month) with 10 media hours and 400 AI credits a month and 1080p watermark-free export. Creator is $24 a month annually ($35 monthly) with 30 media hours and 800 AI credits, and Business is $50 annually ($65 monthly). Enterprise is custom.
Is there a free Descript plan?
Yes. The Free plan is $0 with 60 media minutes a month, 100 AI credits one time (not monthly), limited access to the AI tools, 720p export and a two-hour remote recording allowance.
Is Audapolis really free?
Yes. Its README says it is free and keeps your data in your hands with no cloud at all, and the code is licensed AGPL-3.0. There's no paid tier and no account.
Which languages can Audapolis transcribe?
It uses Vosk speech models that you download inside the app. Its model list (checked 2026-10-30) covers 38 language entries, including English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Arabic and Ukrainian. Accuracy depends on the model size you pick.
Can I move an Audapolis edit into a video editor?
Yes. Besides audio, video, text and subtitle (WebVTT or SRT) export, it exports timelines through OpenTimelineIO to Final Cut Pro XML, Final Cut Pro X, Avid AAF, Pitivi and Kdenlive. That lets you rough-cut by text, then finish in a full editor.
How do I clean up noisy audio for free?
Audapolis doesn't have a Studio Sound equivalent. Intel's free OpenVINO AI Plugins for Audacity (GPL-3.0) add local noise suppression, Whisper transcription and music separation, but the latest plugin release (December 2024) is built for the Audacity 3.7 line, while Audacity's current version is 4.0.1. Our DeepFilterNet guide covers another free option.