If, like us, you have been personally victimised by CapCuts’ latest update (permanent watermarks for free users), you’re probably looking for for CapCut alternatives, and a new go-to (and free) editing app.  

 

Although this update doesn’t seem to be affecting everyone just yet (my desktop version has been affected, but not my mobile version), it’s a very real future for most CapCut users. I even tried deleting and then installing the app again to see if I could reset it, but alas, I could not. As an avid CapCut user for a good few years now, the idea of moving from CapCut to another platform makes me a little sad, however, I will also not be paying almost £10 a month or £89.99 a year for CapCut. So, if you feel the same, read on and enjoy!

 

Alternatives to CapCut:

 

Edits – Free

Although there is currently no desktop version of Edits, its mobile app interface is eerily similar to CapCut. As Edits is owned by Meta it allows for direct export to Instagram. You can also export straight to your mobile too. Edits has all the features that CapCut does, but doesn’t have a watermark and allows you to use Instagram audios in-app. 

For a direct Edits vs CapCut review, visit our Edits vs CapCut article here!

 

iMovie – Free 

iMovie is Apple’s video editing software. Basic and free, iMovie is great for beginners and is available for both mobile and desktop. iMovie is probably the most basic of the apps listed in this article, however, it’s great for small businesses or creators who want to quickly put a video together without all the frills or additional extras that come with apps like Premiere Pro.  

 

Key features:

 

• Quick export
• Basic Colour grading
• Music import
• Subtitles and Titles
• Video stabilisation
• Drag and drop interface
• No watermark

 

Canva – Free, with Paid options

Canva is probably the most ‘unique’ of the video editing tools in this list. Best for editing social assets or presentations, Canva has a very social first interface. It is very different to your traditional editing app. if you are looking for a way to edit social videos quickly and use templates, Canva has templates coming out of its (metaphorical) ears. 

 

Key Features:

 

• Pro features for paid members
• Templates
• Audio Tools
• Titles and subtitles, a wide range of fonts
• Access to free and paid stock photos and videos
• Drag and drop interface
• No watermark

 

Premiere Pro – from £21.98 a month

Premiere Pro is the most sophisticated of all these platforms. An Adobe program, Premiere Pro is a great and professional-grade editing software. Premiere Pro is arguably more expensive and complicated than the other apps in this list. However, it is worth a mention as it is a great tool.  I’ve used Premiere Pro for almost 5 years now,  and have grown to love it over the years. If you need a tool that can do almost everything, and will be editing lots of video content its 100% worth the investment. 

 

Key Features:

 

• Industry standard (used by Netflix, BBC, YouTubers, etc.)
• Presets for TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and more
• Seamless Integrations with Photoshop, After Effects, Audition, and Media Encoder
• Lumetri Colour Panel for cinematic looks
• Key Frames
• Drag and drop interface
• No watermark

 

InShot

InShot is a user-friendly editing software with a Mobile app and a desktop version too. Halfway between Edits and Premiere Pro, the software is simple and easy to use. Great for beginners who just want to quickly edit a video and publish it. Unlike Edits or CapCut, it has no direct app export, and does have a watermark; however, you can watch an ad to get rid of it. Personally, I found the desktop version quite clunky and difficult to use, especially when I had grown used to platforms like CapCut and Premiere Pro.  

Key Features:

 

• Motion adjustment (speed up, slow mo)
• Filters and video effects
• Colour grading
• Text overlays
• Resize for social channels

 

Which will I be using? 

 

As much as I love Premiere Pro, I can’t justify spending £20+  a month for software I use fairly infrequently. When I first wrote this article, I would’ve said that I was going to make the switch to InShot for desktop. However, after trying to use it a few times to edit simple videos, I ended up using a mixture of iMovie and Canva. Whilst Inshot seems most similar to CapCut, I found their desktop app too clunky and laggy, as it works almost like a scaled-up version of their mobile version.   

 

Whilst iMovie is incredibly basic, it does everything I need at this moment in time, and if I need something a bit more complex, I’ll finish editing in Canva. I did this recently editing a video for one of our clients and it worked great. I wish I could give you an all in one alternative to CapCut, but unfortunately, until Edits creates a desktop version (and then inevitably creates a pro version of that) or adobe does a cheaper version (I very much miss student prices right now!) I think i’ll be using a mix of tools for the foreseeable future. 

 

CapCut, if you’re reading this, please give me back my un-watermarked exports!