ChatGPT vs Descript vs Gemini vs Google Veo 3
A side-by-side look at ChatGPT, Descript, Gemini and Google Veo 3 for filmmakers: what each one can do, what it costs, and where they actually differ.
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General AI assistant with Images 2.5 stills, an agent for multi-step work, and a Word sidebar
- Price
- Free (ads, US) / Go $8/mo / Plus $20/mo / Pro $100 or $200/mo; Business about $20-25 per user/mo; Enterprise custom
- Learning
- Easy
- Best for
- Writing shot lists, treatments, pitch decks and scripts with file output
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Edit video and podcasts by editing the transcript, with an AI co-editor built in
- Price
- Free (1 hr/mo, 720p, watermarked) · Hobbyist $16/mo annual ($24 monthly) · Creator $24/mo annual ($35 monthly) · Business $50/mo annual ($65 monthly, per person)
- Learning
- Easy
- Best for
- Podcast and interview editing from the transcript
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Google's multimodal assistant, now with Omni video generation and Flow for filmmakers
- Price
- Free; Google AI Plus from €4.99/mo; AI Pro €21.99/mo; AI Ultra from €99.99/mo (EUR)
- Learning
- Easy
- Best for
- Previs and fast B-roll drafts from a script line
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Google's Veo 3.1 video model: up to 4K clips with native audio via Gemini API and Flow
- Price
- Gemini API: $0.05 to $0.60 per generated second depending on tier and resolution. Consumer access via Google AI Plus from EUR 4.99/mo (200 Flow credits).
- Learning
- Easy
- Best for
- Previs and animatics for narrative scenes where audio matters from the first pass
The short version
Where they differ
- ChatGPT is the only one without text to video.
- Only Descript offers third-party models.
- Google Veo 3 is the only one without free tier.
All 4 offer: public API.
Feature by feature
ChatGPT vs Descript vs Gemini vs Google Veo 3: capabilities
| ChatGPT | Descript | Gemini | Google Veo 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (ads, US) / Go $8/mo / Plus $20/mo / Pro $100 or $200/mo; Business about $20-25 per user/mo; Enterprise custom | Free (1 hr/mo, 720p, watermarked) · Hobbyist $16/mo annual ($24 monthly) · Creator $24/mo annual ($35 monthly) · Business $50/mo annual ($65 monthly, per person) | Free; Google AI Plus from €4.99/mo; AI Pro €21.99/mo; AI Ultra from €99.99/mo (EUR) | Gemini API: $0.05 to $0.60 per generated second depending on tier and resolution. Consumer access via Google AI Plus from EUR 4.99/mo (200 Flow credits). |
| Infinite canvas | No | No | Yes | Not confirmed |
| AI agent | Yes | Yes | Partial | Not confirmed |
| Chat assistant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Team collaboration | Yes | Yes | Partial | Not confirmed |
| Text to image | Yes | Partial | Yes | No |
| Image editing | Yes | Partial | Yes | No |
| Text to video | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Image to video | No | Not confirmed | Yes | Yes |
| Video to video | No | Not confirmed | Yes | Partial |
| Native audio in video | No | Not confirmed | Yes | Yes |
| Voice / TTS | Partial | Yes | Not confirmed | No |
| Music & SFX | No | Yes | Not confirmed | No |
| Upscaling | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Character consistency | Partial | Not confirmed | Partial | Partial |
| Camera control | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Partial | Partial |
| Custom training | No | Partial | No | No |
| Third-party models | No | Yes | No | No |
| Public API | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Partial | Yes | Partial | Not confirmed |
| Mobile app | Yes | Not confirmed | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Desktop / local | Partial | Not confirmed | No | No |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Commercial use | Yes | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
Each column comes from that tool's own researched page. "Not confirmed" means the vendor doesn't say.
Plans
Pricing compared
ChatGPT
| Free | $0monthly |
|---|---|
| Go | $8monthly |
| Plus | $20monthly |
| Pro (Pro Lite) | $100monthly |
| Pro | $200monthly |
| Business | $20 per user (annual) / $25 (monthly)per seat |
| Enterprise | Customannual |
Descript
| Free | $0monthly |
|---|---|
| Hobbyist | $16 annual / $24 monthlyper person |
| Creator | $24 annual / $35 monthlyper person |
| Business | $50 annual / $65 monthlyper person |
| Enterprise | Customcustom |
Gemini
| Free | €0monthly |
|---|---|
| Google AI Plus | €4.99monthly |
| Google AI Pro | €21.99monthly |
| Google AI Ultra | from €99.99monthly |
Google Veo 3
| Gemini API Veo 3.1 Lite | $0.05/s (720p), $0.08/s (1080p)usage |
|---|---|
| Gemini API Veo 3.1 Fast | $0.10/s (720p), $0.12/s (1080p), $0.30/s (4K)usage |
| Gemini API Veo 3.1 Standard | $0.40/s (720p and 1080p), $0.60/s (4K)usage |
| Google AI Plus | EUR 4.99monthly |
| Google AI Pro | EUR 21.99monthly |
| Google AI Ultra | EUR 99.99 (5x limits) or EUR 219.99 (20x limits)monthly |
The verdict
Which one should you pick?
ChatGPT
Pick it for
- Writing shot lists, treatments, pitch decks and scripts with file output
- Generating look-development stills and poster or title-card mockups with readable text
- Analysing budget, schedule or audience spreadsheets with the Data plugin
Stands out
- Stills with reasoning: the Images 2.x line plans the composition and checks object counts and prompt constraints before drawing, and renders legible text, which helps with posters, title cards and storyboard labels.
- Agent that produces files: ChatGPT Work outputs real .docx, spreadsheet, slide and small web app deliverables from connected apps, not just chat answers.
Watch out
- No video generation after the Sora shutdown; shot generation needs another tool
- Plan limits are dynamic and hard to predict, especially for agent runs
Descript
Pick it for
- Podcast and interview editing from the transcript
- Talking-head YouTube videos: filler word removal, retakes, captions
- Webinar and course repurposing into clips with captions and translation
Stands out
- Text-first editing: cut, reorder and remove filler words by editing the transcript, which is faster than frame-by-frame cutting for talking-head and interview footage.
- Recording and editing in one place: Rooms records each participant locally (up to 4K on paid plans) and the files open directly in the editor, with SquadCast now part of the product.
Watch out
- Underlord is still labelled beta and its per-prompt credit cost varies between runs of the same prompt
- Free plan is limited to 1 hour per month, 720p, with a watermark, and one seat
Gemini
Pick it for
- Previs and fast B-roll drafts from a script line
- Extending a good 10-second shot into a longer continuous take
- Research and treatment writing with Deep Research before a shoot
Stands out
- Video with synced audio from the same chat box that does research and image editing, no separate tool to switch into
- Omni can use a short existing clip (up to 3 s) as a reference to keep a character or look consistent, and extend a scene from its last 10 seconds
Watch out
- Clips are short; scene extension is needed for anything over 10 seconds
- Video is metered by Flow credits, so heavy iteration runs out fast on Plus
Google Veo 3
Pick it for
- Previs and animatics for narrative scenes where audio matters from the first pass
- Short commercial or music-video B-roll at 4K on 8-second shots
- Exploring shot options cheaply with Veo 3.1 Lite before paying for Standard
Stands out
- Native audio is generated with the picture (dialogue, SFX, ambience) and is included in the listed per-second price, not a separate charge.
- 4K output on 8-second clips, where most competitors top out at 1080p in the same price band (Veo's own 4K tier costs $0.60 per second).
Watch out
- 8-second maximum per generation; longer shots need extensions or stitching
- Extension only works at 720p and only on Veo-generated footage
Each column comes from that tool's own researched page, checked against vendor pricing and changelog pages (oldest check: ). Sources are listed on each tool's page.
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