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Honest comparison · Updated May 23, 2026
FreeTTS vs Descript: TTS Tool or Podcast Editor?
Descript is a podcast and video editing platform — its Overdub feature lets you fix spoken mistakes by retyping. FreeTTS is pure text-to-speech with 400+ neural voices, a public API, and no editor attached. If you want to generate narration from a script with multiple voice options, you want FreeTTS. If you want to edit recorded audio, fix filler words, and collaborate on a podcast team, Descript is the right call.
Last updated · FreeTTS editorial team · Methodology at bottom
400+
Pre-built voices vs Descript limited stock
75
Languages vs Descript English-focused
$5
Cheaper per month (PRO $19 vs Creator $24)
API
FreeTTS public REST API; Descript has none
The 30-second answer
Pick the one that fits your workflow
Pick Descript if
You record yourself speaking and need to fix mistakes by retyping (Overdub)
You need word-level video editing from a transcript
You want to remove filler words (um, uh, you know) automatically
You run a podcast team and need shared workspace, comments, and version history
You want screen recording, a full video editor, and TTS all in one desktop app
Your primary workflow is editing recorded audio, not generating synthetic narration
Pick FreeTTS if
You want narration from a script with 400+ voice options (no recording required)
You already use CapCut, DaVinci, or Premiere for editing — Descript duplicates that
You need 75+ languages with native-accent neural voices
You want a public API to generate TTS programmatically (Descript has no public TTS API)
You want SSML support (break tags, emphasis, phoneme) — Descript has none
You want a lifetime price option ($199 one-time) — Descript has no lifetime
Side-by-side
Feature comparison
Feature
FreeTTS
Descript
Pricing
Free tier
Yes (no signup, watermark)
Hobbyist (limited transcription, no Overdub)
Entry paid
PRO $19/mo
Creator $24/mo
Mid tier
Creator $39/mo
Business $40/mo
Lifetime option
$199 PRO / $349 Creator
No
Commercial license
PRO+
Creator+
TTS / Voice
Pre-built neural voices
400+
Limited stock voices
Languages
75+
English-focused (limited)
Voice cloning
Creator plan
Creator plan (Overdub — your voice only)
Clone third-party voices
No
No
SSML support
PRO+ (full W3C)
No
Speed control
0.5x-2.0x
Via timeline editor
Output
MP3 download
Yes
Yes
WAV export
No
Yes
Video muxing (TTS into video)
Creator (AI Voiceover)
Yes (editor timeline)
Editing Features
Audio/video timeline editor
No
Yes
Word-level editing from transcript
No
Yes
Remove filler words (um, uh)
No
Yes
Screen recording
No
Yes
Collaboration / team workspace
No
Business tier
API & Developer
Public REST API
Free (15/min) + PRO (200/min)
No
No key required for free API
Yes
No
Streaming endpoint
No
No
Platform
Browser-based
Yes
Yes
Desktop app
No
Mac + Windows
Mobile app
No
iOS
Chrome extension
Yes
No
Pricing math
Who should pay for what?
Use case
Winner
FreeTTS cost
Descript cost
Content creator needing voiceover only
FreeTTS PRO
PRO $19
Creator $24 (editor unused)
Podcaster editing + fixing mistakes via retyping
Descript Creator
PRO $19 (separate editor needed)
Creator $24
YouTube creator using CapCut/DaVinci already
FreeTTS PRO
PRO $19
Creator $24 (duplicates editor)
Multilingual content creator (10+ languages)
FreeTTS PRO
PRO $19 (75+ languages)
Creator $24 (English-focused)
High-volume narration (500K chars/mo)
FreeTTS PRO
PRO $19 (no char limit)
Creator $24 (no public TTS API)
Podcast studio with multiple hosts
Descript Business
Creator $39
Business $40 (team workspace)
Honest assessment
Where Descript genuinely wins
Podcast editing
Descript is the best tool available for editing podcast audio by editing the transcript. Fix a spoken mistake by retyping the word. Delete an entire paragraph visually. Remove silence, filler words, and background noise — all from a text view. FreeTTS doesn't touch recorded audio at all.
Word-level video editing
Descript's transcript-driven video editing is genuinely unique. Delete a sentence in the transcript and it cuts that segment from the video. For interview-style videos, tutorials, and documentary cuts, this is faster than frame-level editing in Premiere or Final Cut.
Overdub for fixing recordings
If you record yourself speaking and mispronounce a word, Overdub lets you retype the correct version and it generates audio in your cloned voice, seamlessly inserted into the recording. For podcasters who script loosely and fix mistakes in post, this is genuinely useful — no re-recording needed.
All-in-one desktop app
Screen recording, video editing, transcription, team collaboration, and audio correction — all in a single Mac/Windows app with real-time sync. FreeTTS is browser-only and does only TTS. If you want one tool to do everything, Descript covers more ground.
Honest assessment
Where FreeTTS genuinely wins
400+ pre-built neural voices
Descript's Overdub clones your voice — but you have to record yourself first and the result is your voice only. FreeTTS gives you 400+ pre-built neural voices across 75+ languages, ready immediately without any recording session. For creators who want variety or don't want to use their own voice, FreeTTS wins clearly.
75+ languages with native accents
Descript Overdub is English-optimized. Multilingual support is limited. FreeTTS covers 75+ languages with native-accent neural voices — fr-FR vs fr-CA, de-DE vs de-AT, 18+ Arabic regional variants. For non-English content production, there's no comparison.
Public REST API with no key required
FreeTTS has a public API (GET https://freetts.org/api/voices, POST /api/tts) with 15 requests/minute on the free tier and 200/minute on PRO. Descript has no public TTS API. For developers building TTS pipelines, automation workflows, or apps, FreeTTS is the only option here.
SSML support
FreeTTS PRO and Creator support full W3C SSML — break tags for pauses, emphasis, prosody for speed/pitch, and phoneme tags for pronunciation fixes. Descript has no SSML support. For precise narration control (technical content, audiobooks, eLearning), SSML matters.
FAQ
FreeTTS vs Descript — common questions
Does Descript have standard text-to-speech for narration?▼
Descript's TTS feature (Overdub) works differently from standard TTS. You record your own voice first, Descript clones it, and then you type to generate audio in your cloned voice. It's designed for fixing mistakes in podcast/video recordings, not for generating narration from scratch with multiple voice options. If you need 400+ neural voices without recording yourself, FreeTTS is the right tool.
Can I use Descript as a TTS tool without recording my own voice?▼
Descript has a limited set of stock AI voices available on Creator and Business plans, but the main TTS workflow (Overdub) requires your own voice clone. FreeTTS gives you 400+ pre-built neural voices without any voice recording — ready to use instantly.
Is FreeTTS cheaper than Descript?▼
For pure TTS use cases, FreeTTS PRO ($19/mo) is $5/month cheaper than Descript Creator ($24/mo). But the comparison is more about fit than price — Descript bundles a full video/podcast editor, which FreeTTS doesn't have. If you already use CapCut or DaVinci for editing, you're paying $24 for Descript features you don't need.
Does Descript have a free tier?▼
Yes, Descript has a Hobbyist tier (free) with limited transcription hours and basic editing. The Overdub voice cloning feature requires Creator plan ($24/mo) or above. FreeTTS has a free tier with no signup and no time limit — just an audio watermark on downloaded files.
Which is better for podcasters — Descript or FreeTTS?▼
They solve different problems. Descript is the better choice if you need to edit recorded audio, fix spoken mistakes by retyping, or collaborate with a podcast team. FreeTTS is better if you want AI-generated narration from scratch with multiple voice options — for example, a scripted educational podcast you never record yourself.
Does FreeTTS work for podcast editing?▼
FreeTTS is not a podcast editor. It generates audio from text, which you then import into your editor (Audacity, Adobe Audition, GarageBand, etc.). If you need to edit spoken audio, remove filler words, or clean recordings, Descript does that and FreeTTS doesn't.
Does Descript support multilingual TTS?▼
Descript's Overdub voice cloning is primarily optimized for English. It has limited multilingual TTS support compared to FreeTTS, which covers 75+ languages with native neural voices. For non-English content, FreeTTS is the clear choice.
Can I use Descript's voice clone on other platforms?▼
Your Descript Overdub voice clone is locked to the Descript platform — you can't export the model or use it in other tools. FreeTTS voice clones (Creator plan) generate MP3 files you can use anywhere, in any editor, for any platform.
Does FreeTTS have video editing features like Descript?▼
FreeTTS has an AI Voiceover Generator (Creator plan) that muxes audio into video — upload video + script, download finished video with audio. But it's not a full video editor. For removing filler words from recordings, word-level video editing, or screen recordings, Descript is purpose-built for that; FreeTTS is not.
Which has better API access — FreeTTS or Descript?▼
FreeTTS has a public REST API with no key required on the free tier (15 req/min free, 200/min on PRO). Descript does not have a public TTS API for programmatic audio generation. For developers building TTS pipelines, FreeTTS is far ahead.
Can I use Descript to narrate YouTube videos?▼
Yes, using Descript stock voices or your Overdub clone. But Descript Creator ($24/mo) costs more than FreeTTS PRO ($19/mo) and offers fewer voice choices for narration. If you're already editing in CapCut or Premiere, you'd pay extra for Descript's editing features you don't use.
What happens to Descript Overdub if I cancel my subscription?▼
If you cancel Descript Creator and drop to free Hobbyist, you lose access to Overdub and can no longer generate new audio from your clone. Existing projects stay accessible but you can't produce new Overdub content. FreeTTS voice clones (Creator plan) generate MP3 files you download and keep regardless of subscription status.
Does Descript have SSML support?▼
No. Descript's Overdub doesn't support W3C SSML markup. You control pacing through the timeline editor and by inserting pauses manually. FreeTTS PRO and Creator plans support full SSML — break tags, emphasis, prosody, and phoneme tags — for precise audio control without a GUI editor.
Is Descript worth it for content creators who don't need podcast editing?▼
Probably not. Descript charges $24/mo primarily for its podcast and video editing features. If you don't use those, you're paying a premium for a TTS feature you could get cheaper ($19/mo via FreeTTS) with more voice variety and language coverage. FreeTTS is a better fit for pure TTS/narration workflows.
Can I get both podcast editing and TTS for under $50/month?▼
Yes. Use FreeTTS PRO ($19/mo) for TTS narration and a free editor like DaVinci Resolve ($0) or Audacity ($0) for audio editing. Total: $19/mo. Or FreeTTS PRO + Descript Hobbyist (free) for basic editing. You don't have to pay $24/mo for editing if your editing needs are light.
Sources
Methodology & Sources
Descript pricing
All Descript prices verified May 23, 2026 from descript.com/pricing. Hobbyist free, Creator $24/mo, Business $40/mo.
FreeTTS pricing
FreeTTS PRO $19/mo, Creator $39/mo, Lifetime PRO $199, Lifetime Creator $349. Verified May 23, 2026 from freetts.org/pricing.
Voice count
FreeTTS 400+ voice count includes Azure Neural TTS voices with expressive styles. Descript stock voice count from Descript documentation, May 2026.
Descript Overdub limitations
Language support and clone restrictions from Descript support documentation and their public feature comparison pages, verified May 2026.