Descript vs Shortwave

Descript and Shortwave sit in the same category. The verdict below is calculated for each role from the tasks, the role fit and the price.

Short answer

Shortwave wins for 11 of 20 roles in our data. Descript starts at $12/mo; Shortwave publishes no fixed price.

Verdict by role

Role	Better choice	Why
Accountant	Shortwave	covers 2 of this role's tasks against 0; built for this role; works for free
Lawyer	Shortwave	covers 2 of this role's tasks against 0; works for free
HR manager	Descript	built for this role
Finance manager	Shortwave	covers 2 of this role's tasks against 0; built for this role; works for free
Manager	Descript	higher total score on tasks and fit
Marketer	Either one	even on tasks, Shortwave is cheaper to start
Sales manager	Either one	even on tasks, Shortwave is cheaper to start
Data analyst	Shortwave	covers 2 of this role's tasks against 0; built for this role; works for free
Teacher	Shortwave	works for free
Executive assistant	Either one	even on tasks, Shortwave is cheaper to start
Logistics manager	Shortwave	works for free
Procurement manager	Shortwave	covers 2 of this role's tasks against 0; built for this role; works for free
Secretary	Shortwave	works for free
Recruiter	Descript	built for this role
HR administrator	Either one	even on tasks, Shortwave is cheaper to start
Tax consultant	Shortwave	covers 2 of this role's tasks against 0; built for this role; works for free
Auditor	Shortwave	covers 2 of this role's tasks against 0; built for this role; works for free
Economist	Shortwave	covers 2 of this role's tasks against 0; built for this role; works for free
Project manager	Descript	higher total score on tasks and fit
Social media manager	Either one	even on tasks, Shortwave is cheaper to start

Side by side

	Descript	Shortwave
Vendor	Descript	Shortwave
Category	Other tools	Other tools
Free plan	Yes: One hour of transcription a month, export with a watermark and limited quality	Yes: A free plan with a shorter AI search history
Cheapest paid plan	Hobbyist, $12/mo	price on request
Top plan	Creator, $24/mo	price on request
Tasks covered	2	2

Descript: Edit video and audio by editing the transcript: delete a sentence in the text and it is cut from the video.

Shortwave: Email client for Gmail with an AI assistant that searches and answers across all your mail.

Only Descript covers

Only Shortwave covers

Pitfalls to watch at work

Descript

A cloned voice can "say" things the person never said: agree voice edits with the person on the recording
A client meeting recording is uploaded to the service's cloud: for confidential negotiations use a corporate plan or local editing
Transcription in less common languages has errors, so test such recordings on five minutes first

Shortwave

It works only with Gmail and Google Workspace; Outlook mail cannot be connected
The assistant indexes emails on the service's servers: for mailboxes with HR and banking mail, clear this with the company
Check a date or amount from the assistant in the email it cites

FAQ

Is Descript or Shortwave better for work?

In our data Shortwave is the better choice for 11 of 20 roles. The table above shows the reason for each role.

Which is cheaper, Descript or Shortwave?

Descript starts at $12/mo; Shortwave publishes no fixed price.

Do Descript and Shortwave have free plans?

Descript: Yes. One hour of transcription a month, export with a watermark and limited quality. Shortwave: Yes. A free plan with a shorter AI search history.

Compare Descript with

Compare Shortwave with

Alternatives to Descript · Alternatives to Shortwave · Descript pricing · Shortwave pricing