Diffcut
Get early access
EditingTrims, keyframes, transitions, export.CaptionsTranscribed on your Mac, word by word.Voiceover28 voices, with pauses where you write them.AI musicMusic and effects from a prompt.CaptureA built-in browser for shots and recordings.Ask ClaudeYour own Claude proposes edits you review.ShortsVertical clips from a long video.Demo videosA first cut from a browser recording.All features

Diffcut and Descript, side by side.

Descript edits video by editing its transcript, with collaboration and recording built in. Diffcut is a timeline editor for the Mac, open source, that transcribes and makes voices and music on your machine.

Get early accessSide by side
Diffcut is in early development: the first Mac build isn’t out yet. Descript details are general, from public information as of October 2026; check www.descript.com for current plans and features.
TopicDiffcutDescript
EditingA frame-exact timeline: ripple, roll, slip and slide, keyframes, transitionsEdit the video by editing the transcript, like a document
PlatformsMac with Apple siliconDesktop and web apps
StatusEarly development; no public build yetReleased and widely used
PriceFreeA free plan and paid plans
Source codeOpen source, MIT licenceClosed source
TranscriptionOn the Mac’s Neural Engine, 25 European languagesAutomatic transcription in many languages
AI voices28 English voices on the Mac, watermarkedStock AI voices, more on paid plans
MusicMade from a prompt on the Mac (ACE-Step 1.5)Stock media library
RecordingBrowser tab recording in CaptureScreen and remote recording
CollaborationNone; one person, one MacComments and live collaboration

Pick Diffcut if…

  • You want your media on your MacTranscription, voices and music run on device, with no account.
  • You cut on a timelineFrame-exact trims, an inspector, keyframes and verified export.
  • You want open sourceRead, change or build Diffcut yourself; it’s MIT licensed.

Pick Descript if…

  • You think in transcriptsDescript is built around editing a video as text.
  • You edit with a teamDescript has comments and live collaboration; Diffcut has neither.
  • You need it today, or on WindowsDiffcut is Mac-only and not out yet.

Descript is a trademark of its owner. Diffcut is an independent open-source project and isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by it.

Questions

Can Diffcut edit video by editing text?

Not the way Descript does. Diffcut transcribes every word on your Mac for captions, and your own Claude can find pauses and fillers and propose cuts for you to review, but editing happens on the timeline.

Does Diffcut need an internet connection?

Not to edit, transcribe, make voices or music, or export. Asking Claude uses your own Claude Code, which does.

Can I clone my own voice in Diffcut?

No. Diffcut has 28 stock English voices, and every take carries a watermark.

What Diffcut does

Make the cut.

Diffcut is free, open source and early: the first Mac build isn’t out yet. Leave your email and we’ll write once, when it’s ready.