Questions and concerns we’ve heard from the customer community

We've been listening to your feedback about the new subscription plans. We know any pricing change is a big deal, so we're addressing the most common questions and concerns we've heard from the community.

Plans & pricing

Usage limits

Descript's product & AI

Plans & pricing

Will my price go up once I’m on a new plan?

Most customers won't see a price increase. If you subscribed years ago on a Legacy plan, your price will increase to match what other customers have been paying for over a year.

Descript today does more than it did when Legacy plans were created. We've added AI-powered editing, Rooms, generative media, and layout packs. Our costs (and the value we deliver) have gone up, and the old prices no longer match what it takes to build and support the product.

We know no one likes a price change, but this step keeps Descript sustainable for the long run.

Do I need top ups every month if I use Underlord?

We want all subscribers to be able to co-edit with Underlord. Here's how the plans are designed:

  • Hobbyist: Edit one to two compositions each month with Underlord.
  • Creator: Weekly editing and repurposing.
  • Business: More customization and credits for complex projects.

If you're running low on credits, you have options: Adjust your Underlord model selection, purchase top ups for one-off busy months, or upgrade to the next tier if your workflow has changed and you need more every month. Learn more about top ups.

Help us improve Underlord: If Underlord burns through credits without giving you the results you wanted, please report it to our team. As an agentic co-editor, Underlord can make mistakes—and your feedback helps us improve. This makes the product better for everyone.

Why does my multitrack workflow cost more now?

We know this change affects multitrack workflows. Each file you upload or record counts toward your media minutes, so uploading video and audio separately uses more than a single file would.

Processing each audio and video file has a cost. The new plans align usage with what you pay, and offer flexibility for anyone looking to top up their media minutes or AI credits. Based on usage estimates we've looked at, less than 2% of customers will run out of media minutes.

If you're concerned about your specific workflow, contact support and they can help you estimate your needs.

Can I still demo the product on the Free plan?

The Free plan is designed to let you explore what's possible with Descript—but it isn’t capable enough to handle ongoing production like a podcast or video series.

If you're editing regularly, a Hobbyist plan gives you the capacity you need at the lowest cost. The Creator plan adds flexibility with top ups, so you can add extra media minutes or AI credits in busier months without upgrading permanently.

That said, if you've been experimenting on the Free plan and accidentally burned through your credits, reach out to support to help navigate next steps.

Usage limits

Will I run out of AI credits?

Most likely, you won’t run out of AI credits on the new plans. We've designed these plans so that 95%+ of customers will never need to top up their AI credits if their workflows stay the same.

AI tools were unlimited before—why do they have limits now?

The new plans set limits on AI tools, but most users shouldn’t hit them. If you use AI tools heavily and need more credits, you can purchase top ups instead of upgrading your entire plan.

Underlord gave me unsatisfactory results and used up all my credits.

This can happen—and we know it's frustrating. Here are some prompting tips to help you get better results with fewer attempts.

If Underlord uses a lot of credits without delivering what you need, please report it to our team. Your feedback helps us improve Underlord, and our support team can help navigate next steps.

How can I be efficient with my credits?

For the credit-conscious: Use Haiku 4.5 if you want to save on Underlord credits. As of October 2025, it's the most efficient model from a cost perspective. It's not the smartest, but when good enough is good enough, use Haiku 4.5.

Learn how to choose your Underlord model here.

Why am I charged for uploads I don't transcribe?

Uploading, processing, and storing media has real costs. When Descript was primarily an audio editor, measuring transcribed minutes made sense. Now that we support video workflows, multitrack editing, and media-heavy projects, we need to account for all uploads—not just what gets transcribed.

We built these plans based on real usage data. The vast majority of customers will stay well within their plan's media minutes. If your workflow involves uploading large amounts of raw footage—like long interviews, events, or multiple takes—you might need a higher-tier plan or occasional top ups in busier months.

If you're concerned about your specific workflow, contact support. They can help you estimate your typical monthly usage and find the right fit.

Descript's product & AI

Does Descript still care about podcasters and audio-only creators?

We're building Descript to be the all-in-one editing solution for everyone. That includes being the best place to edit the audio of your conversation, the video trailer for the season, and the promo clips for your social media.

While plenty of people use Descript exclusively for audio projects, there's an even larger group who make many types of projects in Descript. And a lot of those people call themselves podcasters.

We're living through a creative renaissance right now. Our ambition is to build the best-in-class AI-native video and audio editor—one that lets anyone (making any type of media project) share their voice, build their audience, and make content they're proud of.

It's a lofty ambition that'll keep us busy for a long time. If there are features we're missing, let us know.

What about bugs and reliability issues?

We take reliability and quality problems seriously. Work on AI doesn't replace that. Please report bugs and performance issues to our Support team.

Can I get a plan without AI?

All plans include AI credits. We don’t currently offer a plan without AI.

Enterprise plans offer flexibility with regard to blocking AI features. If you’re interested in learning more about Enterprise plans, reach out to our sales team.

I don’t use AI. Why do I have to pay for it?

Most users rely on at least a few of Descript’s AI tools (Studio Sound, Eye Contact, Edit for Clarity, and Green Screen, etc). These features have real processing costs, so we include AI credits in all paid plans to keep them accessible.

Others use generative AI—text to speech, voice clones, avatars, generative video, Underlord, and whatever tomorrow’s new superpower turns out to be.

Not every AI feature is useful to every creator. That’s why we give everyone a budget of credits to spend however they want, instead of having 17 different feature-specific limits. Find the way you want to work with AI, and use your credits there.