CapCut vs LumaFusion (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, CapCut and LumaFusion share a 2.8 GPA, and only CapCut has a free plan.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
CapCut grades higher on the free plan. LumaFusion grades higher on value for money and ease of use. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
CapCut
Video and photo editor with effects, auto captions and AI tools
LumaFusion
Multitrack video editor for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android
Which one is for you
Pick CapCut if
- Fits if you make short videos for TikTok, Instagram or YouTube
- Works for editing on your phone, with a desktop app for the longer projects
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if a moving paywall winds you up, as reviewers say effects they used for free are now in Pro
- Tight if you caption a lot on the free desktop app, which allows 1 auto caption a month in the US
- Pricey if all you're missing is keyframes or chroma key, since those sit in Pro at $19.99 a month on the US App Store
- Watch out: the store listings never say what Standard at $9.99 a month adds, or how long the trial runs
- Not for you if you want to edit in a browser or through an API, as the listing shows neither
Pick LumaFusion if
- Fits if you edit on an iPad and want a track-based timeline
- Works for Final Cut Pro users who need to hand off a timeline, with the paid FCPXML add-on
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to try before you pay, as there is no free version or trial
- Skip it if you edit on Windows or Linux, since no build is listed
- Pricey if you need multicam, speed ramping and FCPXML, at $19.99 each or $9.99 a month for the pass
- Watch out: Android and ChromeOS get 6 video tracks against 12 on iOS, and need 3GB of RAM
How we grade them
| 2.8GPACapCutGood | 2.8GPALumaFusionGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CStandard is $9.99 a month as a US App Store in-app purchase, which is exactly the middle for video tools here, with Pro at $19.99 and a year at $89.99. And the store listings never say what Standard adds to the free version, so you're paying on trust. | A$29.99 once on the US App Store, less than three months of a typical $14 video subscription. The add-on packs at $19.99 each are extra. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree to download, and one person could genuinely live on it: multi-track editing, effects, filters, background removal and a music library. The walls are real though. On the desktop app in the US, auto captions get 1 free use a month, and the Windows listing marks keyframes, chroma key and stabilization as Pro only. | FNo free version or trial on record. The editor is a paid download. |
| Features | BA multi-track timeline, speed from 0.1x to 100x, keyframes, chroma key, stabilization, auto captions, text-to-speech, background removal, hundreds of effects and 4K 60fps export. The short-video job is covered, as Filmora and Clipchamp cover it. | BMagnetic and track-based timeline, keyframes, color tools, LUTs, audio EQ and ducking, titles. Multicam, speed ramping and FCPXML export are paid add-ons, and the Android version has fewer tracks. |
| Ease of use | B4.61 from about 1.1 million App Store ratings, just shy of our top mark. People say it's far quicker to get going with than the professional editors, and the ready-made templates do a lot of the work. | A4.7 on the App Store from about 25,000 ratings. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiPhone, iPad, Android, Mac and Windows, so phone and computer both, and it shares straight to TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. The listing shows no web version and no API. | BiPhone, iPad, Apple Silicon Mac, Android and ChromeOS, with Final Cut Pro, Frame.io and Storyblocks links. No web or Windows version. |
| Best for | short videos edited on your phone | multitrack video editing on an iPad or phone |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: CapCut and LumaFusion. How we grade
Where they differ
- LumaFusion can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| CapCut | LumaFusion | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | $9.99 per month for Standard, as a US App Store in-app purchase | $29.99 one-time |
| Free plan | Free to download with a range of free tools. On the desktop app, auto captions get 1 free use a month in the US, audio extraction gets 9, and the advanced editing set is marked Pro only. | None |
| Free trial | Free trial of premium features before subscribing; the store listings do not state its length | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Bytedance Pte. Ltd. | Luma Touch |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
CapCut
- Prices shown are US App Store in-app purchases; what CapCut charges on the web or in the desktop app may differ.
- The US App Store also lists a yearly subscription at $89.99 and monthly subscriptions at $7.99 and $19.99 without naming their plan.
- On Windows, free auto captions are capped at 1 use a month in the US, UK, France, Germany and China, and up to 6 a month elsewhere.
- The Windows listing marks keyframe animation, optical-flow slow motion, chroma key and stabilization as Pro only.
LumaFusion
- Speed Ramping, Multicam Studio and FCPXML Export are separate $19.99 purchases or part of Creator Pass, and the vendor lists some of them as iOS only.
- The Android and ChromeOS version lists 6 video and 6 audio tracks, and requires 3GB of RAM and Android 10 or above.
- On Mac it runs on Apple Silicon Macs; the App Store listing shows an iOS app designed for iPad.
- No Windows or Linux version is listed.
Key features
CapCut
- Multi-track timeline editing
- Trim, split and merge clips on a multi-track timeline, change speed from 0.1x to 100x with speed curves, and freeze a frame.
- Keyframes, chroma key and stabilization
- Keyframe animation, optical-flow slow motion, chroma key and stabilization. The Windows listing marks this set as available in the Pro version only.
- Auto captions and text-to-speech
- Speech recognition turns dialogue into subtitles, and text-to-speech reads text in multiple languages and voices.
- Background removal and AI video
- Removes backgrounds automatically. The App Store listing also describes an AI video feature that turns text or images into video.
- Effects, filters and music
- Hundreds of effects such as Glitch, Blur and 3D, filters that are updated weekly, and a library of music clips and sound effects.
- Export and sharing
- Choose the export resolution, with 4K 60fps and smart HDR supported, then share the video to social media platforms.
LumaFusion
- Magnetic and track-based timeline
- Blends a track-based timeline with a magnetic one; the iOS app lists 12 video or graphic tracks and 12 additional audio tracks.
- Effects and color
- Layered effects, green screen and luma and chroma keys, video stabilization, color correction, LUT import and unlimited keyframes.
- Audio tools
- Graphic and parametric EQ, voice isolation, keyframed levels and panning, and auto-ducking of music under dialogue.
- Titles
- Multilayer titles combining text, shapes and images, with imported fonts, borders, shadows and shareable presets.
- Multicam Studio and FCPXML export
- On iOS, optional add-ons sync up to 6 camera angles and export a timeline to Final Cut Pro.
Plans
CapCut
Free$0
Basic editing, effects, filters and background removal. Auto captions and audio extraction have monthly free-use caps on the desktop app.
Standard$9.99
per month, as a US App Store in-app purchase
Sold in the app as "Standard Monthly Subscription". The store listings do not say what it adds to the free version.
Pro$19.99
per month, as a US App Store in-app purchase
Sold in the app as "Pro Monthly Subscription". The Windows listing marks its advanced editing features as available in the Pro version only.
LumaFusion
LumaFusion$29.99
one-time purchase
The editor itself, listed at $29.99 on the US App Store and on Google Play.
Enhanced feature packs$19.99
one-time purchase each
Multicam Studio, Speed Ramping and Enhanced Keyframing, and FCPXML Export are $19.99 each as in-app purchases on iOS.
Creator Pass$9.99
per month, or $69.99 per year
Storyblocks media library plus all enhanced features in one subscription, per the App Store listing.
Ways to pay less
CapCut
No public discounts listed.
LumaFusion
- Education
Education Edition at $4.99 per student
LumaFusion Education Edition costs $4.99 per student per year, for a minimum of 10 students, with volume discounts on larger orders.
- Annual discount
Creator Pass yearly plan
The App Store lists Creator Pass at $69.99 a year against $9.99 a month.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, CapCut or LumaFusion?
As of Nov 13, 2026, CapCut starts at $9.99 per month for Standard, as a US App Store in-app purchase, and LumaFusion starts at $29.99 one-time.
Which has a free plan, CapCut or LumaFusion?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only CapCut has a free plan. LumaFusion does not.
Which platforms do CapCut and LumaFusion run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only CapCut lists a Windows app. Both list macOS, iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.