Nova vs Descript

A Descript alternative built for
clips, not documents

Descript edits video like a doc — great for full episodes, heavy for short-form. Nova is the opposite: paste a link, the AI finds the clip-worthy moments, reframes them vertical, and captions them. Get a batch of post-ready clips without editing a transcript.

Try Nova free See how it works

Free tier included — no credit card required

See it yourself — no signup

Paste a video. See the moments Descript would charge you to find.

Nova vs Descript

Compared on the things creators ask us about most.

Feature	Nova	Descript
Free tier	60 min/mo free — no card	Limited free plan
Pricing	Pro $29 · Premium $99	Varies by plan
AI moment detection	GPT-grade virality ranking	Manual selection
Animated captions	Word-by-word + emoji, 10 styles	Yes
Languages	99+ (Whisper auto-detect)	Multiple
Source support	Paste any URL — 1,800+ sites	Uploads + recordings
Vertical reframe	Auto 9:16 + active-speaker tracking	Manual / templates
Facecam + gameplay layout	Facecam + gameplay stacked (auto)	Not offered
Pro editor export (EDL/FCPXML)	EDL + FCPXML to Premiere/Final Cut/Resolve	Project export

Competitor details are general and may change — check their site for current specifics. Nova details verified 2026.

Why creators switch to Nova

Moments found for you

No scrubbing a transcript to pick clips — Nova scores every segment for virality and surfaces the strongest, ready to post.

Vertical and captioned by default

Auto 9:16 reframe with active-speaker tracking and word-by-word captions — the native short-form look, with no template wrangling.

One paste, any source

Links from 1,800+ sites plus uploads, so you start from a URL instead of importing and aligning a full project.

Questions? Answers.

Is Nova a good Descript alternative?

For making short clips, yes — Nova automates moment-finding, reframing, and captioning, where Descript expects you to select clips from a transcript-style editor. Descript is excellent for full-episode editing; Nova is purpose-built to spin long videos into vertical clips fast, with a real free tier.

Do I have to edit a transcript to make clips?

No — Nova's AI picks the moments automatically. You can still fine-tune after the cut: adjust clip times, fix or restyle captions, and rewrite the on-screen text, all previewed live before a one-click re-render.

Is there a free plan?

Yes — 60 minutes/month with no credit card. Paid plans are $29 (Pro) and $99 (Premium).