Descript

AI-powered video and audio editing as easy as editing a document

Runway

AI-powered creative tools for next-generation video generation

Descript

Moderate

12/25

Runway

Moderate

14/25

Score Breakdown

DimensionDescriptRunway

Data Residency

Where is your data stored and processed?

Descript: Descript primarily hosts data in the United States. No EU-specific data residency option is currently available.

Runway: Infrastructure hosted in multiple US data centers; no specific EU data residency option advertised for non-enterprise customers.

2/5

Descript primarily hosts data in the United States. No EU-specific data residency option is currently available.

2/5

Infrastructure hosted in multiple US data centers; no specific EU data residency option advertised for non-enterprise customers.

Legal Jurisdiction

Which laws govern the company and your data?

Descript: Incorporated in Delaware, US. Subject to US laws including the CLOUD Act. Offers GDPR compliance with Data Processing Agreements for European customers.

Runway: US-incorporated under Delaware law; subject to US legal jurisdiction and CLOUD Act provisions.

2/5

Incorporated in Delaware, US. Subject to US laws including the CLOUD Act. Offers GDPR compliance with Data Processing Agreements for European customers.

3/5

US-incorporated under Delaware law; subject to US legal jurisdiction and CLOUD Act provisions.

Data Retention & Training

Is your data used for model training?

Descript: Media and project data is retained while the account is active. Users can delete individual projects and media at any time. Account data is deleted upon account closure after a grace period.

Runway: Standard data retention policies apply; Enterprise customers can negotiate custom retention terms.

3/5

Media and project data is retained while the account is active. Users can delete individual projects and media at any time. Account data is deleted upon account closure after a grace period.

3/5

Standard data retention policies apply; Enterprise customers can negotiate custom retention terms.

Certifications

ISO 27001, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, etc.

Descript: Holds SOC 2 Type II certification with regular audits. Does not currently hold ISO 27001 certification independently.

Runway: Holds SOC 2 Type II certification. GDPR and CCPA alignment documented but no ISO 27001.

3/5

Holds SOC 2 Type II certification with regular audits. Does not currently hold ISO 27001 certification independently.

3/5

Holds SOC 2 Type II certification. GDPR and CCPA alignment documented but no ISO 27001.

Regulatory Fit

Suitability for regulated industries and professional services

Descript: Suitable for general business and creative use cases. GDPR and CCPA compliant. Not designed for highly regulated industries such as healthcare or financial services.

Runway: Suitable for most creative and commercial workloads; regulated industries should review Enterprise data controls.

2/5

Suitable for general business and creative use cases. GDPR and CCPA compliant. Not designed for highly regulated industries such as healthcare or financial services.

3/5

Suitable for most creative and commercial workloads; regulated industries should review Enterprise data controls.

Total Score

12/25

14/25

Best For

Descript

Best for teams that prioritise data retention & training (scores 3/5) and need a bronze-tier tool.

Runway

Best for teams on a tight budget.

Detailed Comparison

Descript vs Runway: Trust & Compliance Comparison

Descript (Descript, US) scores 12/25 overall with a Bronze (Moderate) trust badge. AI-powered video and audio editing as easy as editing a document. Runway (Runway AI, Inc., US) scores 14/25 with a Bronze (Moderate) trust badge. AI-powered creative tools for next-generation video generation.

Dimension-by-Dimension Breakdown

#### Data Residency

Both score equally at 2/5.

●Descript (2/5): Descript primarily hosts data in the United States. No EU-specific data residency option is currently available.

●Runway (2/5): Infrastructure hosted in multiple US data centers; no specific EU data residency option advertised for non-enterprise customers.

#### Legal Jurisdiction

Runway leads with 3/5 vs 2/5.

●Descript (2/5): Incorporated in Delaware, US. Subject to US laws including the CLOUD Act. Offers GDPR compliance with Data Processing Agreements for European customers.

●Runway (3/5): US-incorporated under Delaware law; subject to US legal jurisdiction and CLOUD Act provisions.

#### Data Retention & Training

Both score equally at 3/5.

●Descript (3/5): Media and project data is retained while the account is active. Users can delete individual projects and media at any time. Account data is deleted upon account closure after a grace period.

●Runway (3/5): Standard data retention policies apply; Enterprise customers can negotiate custom retention terms.

#### Certifications

Both score equally at 3/5.

●Descript (3/5): Holds SOC 2 Type II certification with regular audits. Does not currently hold ISO 27001 certification independently.

●Runway (3/5): Holds SOC 2 Type II certification. GDPR and CCPA alignment documented but no ISO 27001.

#### Regulatory Fit

Runway leads with 3/5 vs 2/5.

●Descript (2/5): Suitable for general business and creative use cases. GDPR and CCPA compliant. Not designed for highly regulated industries such as healthcare or financial services.

●Runway (3/5): Suitable for most creative and commercial workloads; regulated industries should review Enterprise data controls.

Certifications at a Glance

Certification	Descript	Runway
SOC 2 Type II	Yes	Yes

Overall Verdict

Runway has a clear trust advantage, scoring 14/25 compared to Descript's 12/25. Runway particularly excels in legal jurisdiction, regulatory fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for EU compliance, Descript or Runway?

Descript has a TrustKit score of 12/25 while Runway scores 14/25. Runway currently rates higher across data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention, certifications, and regulatory fit.

How do Descript and Runway compare on data residency?

Descript scores 2/5 for data residency (Descript primarily hosts data in the United States. No EU-specific data residency option is currently available.), while Runway scores 2/5 (Infrastructure hosted in multiple US data centers; no specific EU data residency option advertised for non-enterprise customers.).

Are Descript and Runway GDPR compliant?

Both tools are assessed across five compliance dimensions. Descript has a regulatory fit score of 2/5 and Runway scores 3/5. Check the full comparison above for a detailed breakdown.

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