CapCut

Starting at: $9.99/mo
Free trial: Yes
Founded: 2012

About

CapCut is a video editing app owned by ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, which was founded in 2012. CapCut launched internationally in 2020 and quickly became one of the most popular video editors for short-form social content.

Creators and marketers use CapCut to edit TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts videos with templates, effects and music. Its AI tools include automatic captions, background removal, script-to-video, AI avatars, image and video generation, and smart editing features.

As of October 2026, CapCut has a Free plan, Standard at about $9.99 a month and Pro at about $19.99 a month ($179.99 a year), with prices varying by region and app store. Advanced AI features use monthly AI credits.

Features and integrations

Auto Captions: Generate and style subtitles automatically in many languages.
Templates and Effects: Use trending templates, filters, transitions and music.
AI Background Removal: Remove or replace video backgrounds without a green screen.
Script-to-Video and AI Avatars: Turn text into videos and add AI presenters.
AI Image and Video Generation: Create visuals and clips from prompts using AI credits.
Cross-Platform Editing: Edit on mobile, desktop and web with cloud sync.

Pros and cons

Pros

Powerful free version: Many features are available at no cost.
Built for social video: Templates match TikTok, Reels and Shorts trends.
Strong AI toolkit: Captions, avatars and generation in one app.
Works on every device: Mobile, desktop and browser apps.

Cons

Price changes: Plans were restructured and Pro became more expensive in 2026.
Regional differences: Prices vary widely by country and app store.
Privacy considerations: Some organisations review ByteDance-owned apps carefully.