Compare/Head to head

Descript vs Loom

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

Descript

$16/mo Free tier

Descript is the easiest way for a non-editor to turn real footage, such as employee interviews, recruiter videos and webinars, into polished employer brand videos and captioned social clips by editing a transcript. Plans start free, with Hobbyist at $16 a month billed annually and Creator at $24 for 4K and AI video.

Where Descript fits

  • Employer brand videos from employee interviews
  • Captioned social clips for job ads
  • Cutting webinars and recruiter talks into highlights
  • Non-editors on talent teams

Loom

$18/user/mo Free tier 14 day free trial

Loom is the simplest way for a recruiter to record a quick screen or camera video and send it as a link: candidate intros, role walkthroughs, interview prep and async updates for hiring managers. The free plan covers light use, and Business at $18 per user removes the 5-minute and 25-video limits.

Where Loom fits

  • Personal video intros to candidates
  • Walkthroughs of a role or offer for candidates
  • Async updates to hiring managers
  • Interview prep notes

At a glance

DetailDescriptLoom
Starting price$16/mo$18/user/mo
Free tier✓Yes✓Yes
Free trialNot on record14 day free trial
MCP server✓Yes–No
Public API–No–No
Listed underAI videoAI video

Where they pull apart

Descript

Stands out: Editing video like a document, plus the Underlord AI co-editor and clean-up tools such as Studio Sound and filler word removal. It works on authentic footage of your people rather than avatars, and it offers a video editing MCP server.

Watch out: Media hours and AI credits cap monthly use, top-ups start on Creator, and dubbing with proofreading, avatars and team branding need the $50 Business plan. It is an editor, so you still need to film the footage.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams with no footage who need avatars only
  • Bulk personalized outreach video
  • Training courses with SCORM

Loom

Stands out: Fast to record and easy to watch, with no viewer account needed and insight into who watched. Business + AI adds automatic titles, summaries, chapters and meeting notes, and Loom is now part of Atlassian.

Watch out: The free plan caps videos at 5 minutes and 25 per person, and AI features need the $24 Business + AI plan. Loom has no recruiting or ATS integrations of its own.

Not the right fit for

  • Polished employer brand productions
  • AI avatar or translated videos
  • Bulk personalized video outreach

Pros and cons

Descript

  • Edit video like a document
  • Works on real employee footage
  • Free plan and low entry price
  • Monthly media hour and credit caps
  • Dubbing and avatars on Business
  • You still have to film footage

Loom

  • Free plan for light use
  • Very fast to record and share
  • AI summaries and meeting notes
  • 5-minute cap on free videos
  • AI needs the $24 plan
  • No ATS integrations

What each one costs

Descript

$16/mo

Descript's Free plan includes 1 media hour a month, 100 one-time AI credits, limited AI tools and 720p export with a watermark. Hobbyist is $16 per person a month billed annually, or $24 monthly, with 10 media hours, 400 AI credits a month and watermark-free 1080p export. Creator is $24 billed annually, or $35 monthly, with 30 media hours, 800 AI credits, 4K export, full Underlord access, AI video generation and unlimited stock media, for up to 3 people. Business is $50 billed annually, or $65 monthly, with 40 media hours, 1,500 AI credits, Brand Studio, translation and dubbing in 30+ languages with proofreading, custom avatars and priority support, for up to 5 people. Enterprise is priced by quote with SSO, SCIM and audit logs. Annual billing saves up to 35%. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 26 Oct 2026

Loom

$18/user/mo

Loom's Starter plan is free for up to 50 members, with 25 videos per person, 5-minute screen recordings, 720p, transcriptions in 50+ languages and unlimited meeting recording length. Business is $18 per user a month with unlimited videos and recording time, up to 4K, trimming and stitching, uploads and downloads, and Loom branding removed. Business + AI is $24 per user a month and adds AI titles, summaries, chapters, tasks, calls to action, filler word and silence removal, edit by transcript, AI workflows and auto meeting notes and recaps. Annual billing saves up to 17%, and Business + AI has a 14-day free trial. Enterprise is priced by quote with SSO, SCIM, Salesforce integration and a 99.95% uptime SLA. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 26 Oct 2026

Common questions

Is Descript cheaper than Loom?
Descript starts lower, at $16/mo against $18/user/mo for Loom. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try Descript or Loom for free?
Descript and Loom carry a free tier on our listing. Loom offers a 14 day free trial.
Does Descript or Loom have an MCP server?
Descript ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 26 Oct 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?