DaVinci Resolve vs. Descript

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
DaVinci Resolve
Score 9.0 out of 10
N/A
Australian company Blackmagic Design offers their video editing application DaVinci Resolve for a wide range of high quality ultra HD effects, render queue, and video uploading options among other features.
$0
Free
Descript
Score 8.4 out of 10
N/A
Descript is a collaborative audio/video editor, from the company of the same name in San Francisco, that works like a doc. It includes transcription, a screen recorder, publishing, full multitrack editing, and AI tools.
$0
Pricing
DaVinci ResolveDescript
Editions & Modules
DaVinci Resolve 17
$0.00
Free
DaVinci Resolve Studio 17
$295.00
perpetual license
Free
$0
Annual billing - Hobbyist
$12
per month per user
Monthly Billing - Hobbyist
$19
per month per user
Annual billing - Creator
$24
per month per user
Monthly Billing - Creator
$35
per month per user
Annual billing - Business
$40
per month per user
Monthly Billing - Business
$50
per month per user
Enterprise
Custom
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
DaVinci ResolveDescript
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
DaVinci ResolveDescript
Considered Both Products
DaVinci Resolve
Chose DaVinci Resolve
I learned so much from this instructional exercise, and I appreciated how the educator is an expert all-day colorist. The section on sound reduction was particularly instructive. I noticed a few inconsistencies between certain methodologies in this instructional exercise and …
Chose DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci has been our preferred tool versus Adobe Premiere. One reason is that its cleaner interface helps make learning easier. Secondly, it handles work on audio components absolutely way better than Adobe does. Thirdly, the features that come with the free version of DaVinci …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
We attempted to give Resolve a chance. Never again
Chose DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve has a comparable learning curve to the other video editing platforms that I have used. I like the DaVinci Resolve allows me to export videos for free and without a watermark, and still has just as many features as Adobe Premiere. It definitely renders faster …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
I am selecting this for cool transitions, effects, and titles. I can export my files to any of the formats such as mp4, mov, mpeg, etc. DaVinci Resolve workspace is very easy to use. I can edit the video in very easy steps with sound, effect, color touch-up, and HDR Grading.
Chose DaVinci Resolve
It is very easy to use rather than the other professional tools. Can handle with an easy layout of each tool.
Chose DaVinci Resolve
It has a free version that is very complete. It lets everyone on the team use a lot of very good tools for video editing that would be very expensive while using other solutions that are equally excellent but not as generous. The cost is a very good reason but not the only one, …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
I believe DaVinci Resolve is doing a great job facing Premiere Pro.
First it's free but still really complete and lets you do a LOT of [different] things.
It's also have many good options or effects.
Chose DaVinci Resolve
Davinci Resolve is MUCH cheaper than Adobe's video tools, but is harder to learn and lacks the rest of Adobe's image editing and design tools. Pricing is comparable to Final Cut Pro X, but Final Cut is Mac-only, and you have to purchase motion graphics and compression tools …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
Adobe Premiere Pro is now a subscription-based software. The yearly cost is fairly high and keeps increasing. There is no option to pay once, you keep paying as long as you want to use it. I have been able to do everything I want/need to do in DaVinci Resolve, with no cost for …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
Whereas Cubase and Ableton are great for writing music (my primary job), Resolve is perfect for recording dialogue and editing together an entire timeline for a show. The post tools that are included are top-notch, and if you've ever used a DAW before, DaVinci Resolve will feel …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere Pro are similar, but in leagues of their own. We often use both products interchangeably as they can certainly complement one another. Overall, because of the more intuitive workflow for finalizing and coloring a video in DaVinci Resolve, we …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
Adobe Premier Pro is a great software suit that provides a comprehensive suit of complementing video production features. Whilst it is one of the stand-out products world wide, it comes with a steep price tag, whereas Da Vinci Resolve is priced more favorably.

Final Cut Pro X is …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
For a small business, DaVinci's price point (free / $300) makes it a strong competitor to Adobe Premiere. FCP costs roughly the same, but then DaVinci's color correction is better. If you do not need all the color correction options, then even the free version could be an option.
Chose DaVinci Resolve
I've also used Adobe Speedgrade and the built-in color correction capabilities within Adobe Premiere. Neither one of those are as robust or perform to the caliber that DaVinci Resolve does. It is on the next level in terms of color correction and creating a high-quality look …
Chose DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve is a fantastic free option. For a while, we utilized DaVinci Resolve as our primary video editing software as it allowed us to produce high-quality videos for our marketing and services with low start-up cost. However, as our needs progressed, we eventually made …
Descript
Chose Descript
Feature rich - always innovating - I love the fact that Descript rolls out innovations on a recurring basis.
Export options are amazing and can't really be matched out in the marketplace
Quite simply others are trying to catch up to Descript - so that's a good position for them …
Chose Descript
It works as well as Otter transcribing and with similar accuracy, but has a much better free tier, and has workspace management features that are more robust.
Chose Descript
I've used Rev and liked them, but I find Descript to be more flexible and, overall, more useful. We're also experimenting with Searchie.io, but it's early days yet, so I can't comment.
Chose Descript
Before the script I use screenflow do script is significantly faster and easier to edit with
Chose Descript
Descript compares favorably to any audio editor where you can't see the transcription. It's so helpful to be able to see what someone said, select only that, and within 30 seconds, the file is exported and you can put it into your project.
Chose Descript
I didn't edit the shows previously because it was so time consuming. I had to use one tool for a transcript, another if I edited, another for creating clips. None had the audiograms. I went with Descript because I liked the idea of editing the audio via the script. And I save …
Chose Descript
Not only does Camtasia have a steep learning curve; everything that Camtasia takes 1 hour to do, but Descript would also do it in less than a minute.
Chose Descript
Descript is by far superior to the other editing software you can get on Apple computers. It's able to do a lot more and really save us tons of time. Other Adobe apps are great, but take a while to learn. Descript is very user-friendly, making it easy to start from day one with …
Chose Descript
I used the most simple editing tools because I don't need anything fancier. Descript does video and text in parallel and I could choose - exactly in a word -- what I wanted to include. Having text and audio/video in parallel is its greatest strength.
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User Ratings
DaVinci ResolveDescript
Likelihood to Recommend
9.0
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.9
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
1.4
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
DaVinci ResolveDescript
Likelihood to Recommend
DaVinci Resolve is perfect for any video editing needs. It provides a lot of tools to control images, logos, text, transitions, as well as any other imported media that has been dragged to the timeline. It lets you create deliverables of very good quality and control every single detail from setup to final video export. It might not be the best option for a quick, simple video edit if the user does not how to use it because it will take a while to get on board on how to use it, even for simple edits.
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  • Transcription of internal presentations and web conferences. It's great for capturing and transcribing the audio from presentations, demos, etc. which can then be used to develop training materials, blog posts, etc.
  • Podcasts. Makes it really easy to record, edit, and publish video or audio podcasts.
  • Promotional videos. Streamlines and accelerates the process for developing videos.
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Pros
  • Resolve isn't extremely difficult to learn, at least from a UI perspective. I've found learning the node system isn't a steep learning curve. Users who can visualize how they want a grade or match to look can find their way around the software and use simple tools to get close to their result. People can do this without a lot of experience with the software.
  • Resolve provides extremely complex color grading opportunities, depending on how deeply you wish to use the software. One can fine tune an image, or use a plethora of masks, camera tracking, effects, and small tweaks to get images precisely where they want. It's a versatile software with so many options for every color grading scenario.
  • Resolve is free to use. I'm not too familiar with the NLE function of the program, but as a free software, one can accomplish a lot of work without needing to pay. Noise reduction can be a critical element of Resolve, so in that case, you'll need to purchase the full version to utilize the software to its fullest.
  • Resolve is popular enough that the internet provides many resources, forums, and tutorial videos to better learn the software. This is a big deal for helping to navigate Resolve's capabilities.
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  • I like the sidebar - breaking my scripts up into different "chapters" makes it easier to create quickly.
  • I like that it auto-corrects punctuation, capitalization, etc. as I polish the scripts.
  • It's easy for my team and my collaborators to read/listen, remark, and create useable transcripts.
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Cons
  • Working with multiple audio plugins can get a bit clustered with new windows for each. A simpler and more integrated functionality might be better.
  • Some of the keyboard shortcuts for executing commonly used functions can be confusing and takes time to get used to.
  • Maybe they could look into creating a more basic version that does not require so much CPU capacity to operate.
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  • When editing a transcript it can get a little cumbersome, as a double click doesn't always do what you think it will
  • Some features aren't that intuitive (what is resize word gap) for beginners
  • A tutorial/wizard as soon as you sign up would be very useful
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Usability
Da Vinci Resolve is up there amongst the big, professional video editing packages like Apple's FinalCutPro and Adobe Premier Pro. To just be included in this league, the package needs to have a plethora of features that the common man does not need. In essence, this overwhelming amount of features makes the product tricky to learn, but once you have the hang of it, it is a dream.
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No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Not only do they have classes available in Los Angeles, but they'll also allow you to work from home with the manual and demo materials, and then let you test out to get a certification. They get back to you quickly when you email, and they've got a "family" approach to customer service, they make you feel like you're important to them.
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No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
I learned so much from this instructional exercise, and I appreciated how the educator is an expert all-day colorist. The section on sound reduction was particularly instructive. I noticed a few inconsistencies between certain methodologies in this instructional exercise and approaches suggested in the Advanced Color Grading in Resolve 15 instructional exercise (e.g., where to place sound reduction in the hub tree), but this is to be expected given that there is no one right way to do any of this. I also learned a lot about Resolve's "Restoration" modules for working with authentic film. This instructional exercise will come up again and again in my work.
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Descript is by far superior to the other editing software you can get on Apple computers. It's able to do a lot more and really save us tons of time. Other Adobe apps are great, but take a while to learn. Descript is very user-friendly, making it easy to start from day one with very little training.
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Return on Investment
  • Davinci Resolve allows us to make quick edits and improve the sound on our company webinars and demo videos. This adds a lot of polish, and since we can do it in-house, it's cheaper and allows us to post and share those videos quickly.
  • We've used the software for some flashier marketing videos, and that does drive some positive attention and business our way. Most of that higher-level work is handled by outside agencies, but the fact that we can do some of it in-house saved us money.
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  • I can get video completed much more quickly and cheaply
  • We can produce more video content because of the speed with which we can have a finished product
  • We can have shorter timelines for example I record on Monday and we publish on Tuesday which wouldn't be otherwise possible with other methods I've used
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ScreenShots