CapCut captions aren't free anymore. Here's a better option.

CapCut recently shifted its auto-captioning feature from the free tier to its paid Pro subscription, leaving many short-form creators looking for a new home for their subtitles. This change impacts the high-volume workflow of TikTok and Reel editors who rely on fast, automated text overlays to maintain engagement. Descript offers a different approach by integrating transcription into the core editing process, making captions a byproduct of the edit rather than an add-on.

What's new

While CapCut now requires a monthly fee to access its auto-captions, Descript maintains a free tier that includes transcription and captioning capabilities. The tool uses a transcript-centric interface where editing the text automatically edits the video. For creators moving away from mobile-first apps, this provides a more granular level of control over how words appear on screen.

Key features for captioning include:

• Automatic transcription with high accuracy across multiple languages.
• Dynamic captions that sync perfectly with the audio timeline.
• Custom templates for "karaoke-style" highlighting and specific font branding.
• The ability to remove filler words like "um" and "uh" from both the transcript and the video in one click (see the provider's announcement).\n

How it fits your workflow

For filmmakers and social media managers, switching to Descript changes the order of operations. In traditional editors like Premiere Pro or CapCut, you often finish the visual cut and then generate captions as a final step. In Descript, you start by correcting the transcript. Once the text is accurate, you can apply "Captions" as a layer. This is particularly useful for creators who need to repurpose long-form interviews into short clips; you can simply highlight the best sentences in the text and export them as captioned clips for social media.

This tool replaces the manual labor of timing subtitles and the unpredictability of mobile app pricing. While CapCut is built for quick, filter-heavy mobile edits, Descript is a desktop-class tool that favors precision. It competes directly with tools like Submagic or Veed.io, but offers a deeper set of features for actual video assembly. If you are an editor who finds yourself spending too much time fixing errors in auto-generated text, the text-based interface here will likely speed up your delivery times.

What it costs / how to try it

Descript offers a free tier that includes one hour of transcription per month, which is often enough for creators focused on short-form content. Paid tiers increase the transcription hours and remove watermarks on high-resolution exports. You can get started by downloading the app at Descript.com.