AI Video Editor Showdown (Long-Form Test): TimeBolt vs Descript vs Gling
Sep 17, 2025
Last Update: Sept 16, 2025
This is Part Two of our AI Video Editor Showdown series. In PART ONE we tested short-form accuracy (93 seconds) and showed why even a few seconds of filler can ruin watchability. Now we test a 60-minute Zoom recording and add Gling to the mix.
For Context, Here are the Players:
-
Descript has raised around $100 million from investors that include OpenAI Startup Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, Redpoint, and Spark Capital.
-
Gling is a newer AI editor built for long-form creators, focusing on podcasts and YouTube videos with automated silence and filler removal.
-
TimeBolt is bootstrapped since 2019, no outside funding.
The Waste Files: What Was Missed
For podcasters, YouTubers, and webinar hosts, even a few extra minutes of filler can mean higher bounce rates and more manual editing. In short-form, wasted seconds matter. In long-form, wasted minutes add up to hours.
Instead of starting with final outputs, we compiled only what each tool failed to remove. The dead air, um's, ah's, and repeats left behind after automatic editing.
- Descript left 6 minutes, 30 seconds of unnecessary content.
- Gling left 4 minutes of unnecessary content.
- TimeBolt has no waste file, because nothing was left behind.
Watching these clips back-to-back shows why accuracy matters. If you can't sit through 4–6 minutes of filler stitched together, what happens if it's hidden throughout your final cut?
Descript Waste Video
Gling Waste Video
Why it Matters
In long-form editing, missed filler is not just a few minutes. When you compound accuracy across hours it’s the difference between watchable and unwatchable.
- Descript’s 6:30 of waste is 15% overhead — equivalent to an extra 15 minutes per 60-minute video.
- Gling’s 4 minutes of waste is about 7% overhead, and its 'Bad Takes' mode cuts real content.
- TimeBolt’s 0 waste shows no filler left for the audience, no filler left for the editor.
Methodology
Baseline Establishment (via Umcheck)
- Tool: TimeBolt Umcheck (v7.0.4)
- Settings: Silence detection at 0.5s, “Look for Repeats” enabled
This is Umcheck, TimeBolt's ala carte AI transcription service. The only software you can add any unique word tic or phrase.
Process
1. Add file with Silence Detection Settings
2. Run Umcheck
3. Click “Look for Repeats”
4. Click “Turn Off Selected Words”
5. Export JSON and SRT
Baseline Results
- Dead air (≥0.5s): 10:07
- Filler words: 605
- Repeated words: 343
- Total flagged words: 948
Software Versions
- TimeBolt: v7.0.4
- Descript: latest release (Sept 16, 2025)
- Gling: latest release (Sept 16, 2025)
Downloads:
- Raw 60-minute Zoom video (59:58 total duration)
- Raw 60-minute Zoom SRT transcript
TimeBolt Results
Settings
- Remove silence longer than 0.5s
- Ignore detections shorter than 0.75s
- Left padding 0.01s, right padding 0.15s
Performance
- Dead air removed: 10:07 (100%)
- Filler/repeats removed: 948 (100%)
- Final duration: 42:43
- Waste file: none
Bonus: With TurboMode (1.125x), final duration = 38:09
(With TurboMode increase your rate of speech and speak more words per minute without sounding like a chipmunk.)
Downloads:
Download TimeBolt Output with Turbo
Descript Results
Settings
- Remove all filler words
- 'Avoid Harsh Cuts' turned off
- Remove gaps > 0.5s, shorten to 0.5s
Silence Detection
Filler Word Detection
Performance
- Dead air removed: 7:26 (of 10:07 baseline, ~73%)
- Filler/repeats removed: 623 (of 948 baseline, ~66%)
- Final duration: 47:54
- Waste file: 6:30
Downloads:
Gling Results
Settings
- Silence detection at 0.5s
Gling Silence Detection
Test 1: Dead air + filler + 'Bad Takes' enabled
- Final duration: 40:50
- Waste file: 4:10
Test 2: Dead air + filler only (Bad Takes disabled)
- Final duration: 46:18
- Waste file: 4:17
Interpretation
'Bad Takes' removal cut actual content, not just filler. For unscripted video, this risks losing meaningful material. Both with and without 'Bad Takes' turned on, Gling left 4+ minutes of filler and silence.
Downloads:
Results Summary (TurboMode as Baseline)
With Turbo enabled by default, TimeBolt sets the real-world benchmark at 38:09. Compared to this, Descript and Gling add back 20–25% more runtime. The equivalent of 10–15 minutes of extra filler in every hour of content.
Note: Gling’s 'Bad Takes' mode produced a shorter video than TimeBolt, but only by removing meaningful content. Both with and without Bad Takes on, Gling left more than 4 minutes of filler and silence.
Reproducibility
All files used in this study are available for download. Anyone can repeat the test and verify the results.
Conclusion
This long-form test confirms what the short-form showdown revealed: accuracy matters.
- TimeBolt removes all silence and filler, producing a clean cut every time.
- Descript improves efficiency but is 6 minutes longer than it needs to be.
- Gling risks cutting content with Bad Takes, and still leaves filler behind.
For creators editing long recordings (podcasts, webinars, lectures, YouTube videos) those minutes matter. TimeBolt remains the only tool that reliably leaves nothing on the cutting-room floor.
Disclaimer: The results of this study are based on tests conducted and verified as of September 16, 2025. Software performance may change with future updates.
