CapCut
Video and photo editor with effects, auto captions and AI tools
What is CapCut?
CapCut is a video and photo editor from ByteDance for phones, tablets and desktop computers. It pairs a multi-track timeline with effects, filters, a music library and automated tools such as auto captions, text-to-speech and background removal. The apps are free to download, and Standard and Pro subscriptions are sold as in-app purchases.
CapCut has a free plan. Paid plans start at $9.99 per month for Standard, as a US App Store in-app purchase. See every plan
Good for
- Short-form video for TikTok, Instagram and YouTube
- Editing on a phone or tablet, with desktop apps for longer projects
- Adding captions, effects and music without separate tools
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
CapCut pricing
- Starts at
- $9.99 per month for Standard, as a US App Store in-app purchase
- 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.
- Free trial
- Free trial of premium features before subscribing; the store listings do not state its length
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Basic editing, effects, filters and background removal. Auto captions and audio extraction have monthly free-use caps on the desktop app. |
| Standard | $9.99per 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 | $19.99per 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. |
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 5, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with CapCut before you buy.
What people say about CapCut
4.6
out of 5 for the iPhone and iPad app
- 5 stars84%
- 4 stars6%
- 3 stars3%
- 2 stars2%
- 1 star6%
1,123,118 ratings on the App Store in the United States, read Oct 7, 2026. It rates the app, not everything the product does. See the listing
Often praised
- Ready-made templates and a wide choice of effects and filters are what reviewers keep coming back to when they say why they use it. App Store reviews · Hacker News
- Commenters describe it as an editor with a low barrier to entry, easier to get going with than the professional video tools. Hacker News 1, 2, 3
- Reviewers and a commenter praise how much of the editor can be used without paying. App Store reviews · Hacker News
Often criticised
- Reviewers who rate it highly still complain that effects and transitions they used for free have been moved into the paid Pro plan. App Store reviews
- Several reviewers report glitches, such as a storage warning that would not clear, blank thumbnails in the media picker or the reverse tool picking the wrong clip. App Store reviews
Based on 10 App Store reviews, all of four or five stars, from October 2023 to February 2026, and about 15 Hacker News comments from May 2025 to February 2026, read Oct 7, 2026. These are themes summarised in our words, not our own verdict. Follow the links to read what was said.
Discussions worth reading
- OpenCut: The open-source CapCut alternativeHacker News · Jul 13, 2025
Works with
CapCut alternatives
- CapCut vs Clipchamp
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
- CapCut vs Wondershare Filmora
Free plan · from $49.99/yr
- CapCut vs VEED
Free plan · from $25/mo
- CapCut vs Kapwing
Free plan · from $16/mo
- CapCut vs iMovie
Free
Common questions
Is CapCut free?
CapCut has a 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. Paid plans start at $9.99 per month for Standard, as a US App Store in-app purchase.
How much does CapCut cost?
CapCut lists 3 plans. Free: $0. Standard: $9.99 per month, as a US App Store in-app purchase. Pro: $19.99 per month, as a US App Store in-app purchase. Prices were read from apps.apple.com on Oct 5, 2026.
What platforms does CapCut work on?
CapCut is available on iOS, Android, macOS and Windows.
How is CapCut rated?
CapCut's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1,123,118 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 7, 2026. That is the store's rating of the app, not a score from us.
Is CapCut any good?
We have not tested CapCut, so this is what reviewers say. Often praised: Ready-made templates and a wide choice of effects and filters are what reviewers keep coming back to when they say why they use it. Often criticised: Reviewers who rate it highly still complain that effects and transitions they used for free have been moved into the paid Pro plan. The reviews page has every theme with its sources.
Does CapCut have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. CapCut is listed for iOS, Android, macOS and Windows.
Is CapCut open source?
CapCut is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
What does CapCut integrate with?
CapCut's listing names TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does CapCut have a free trial?
Yes. Free trial of premium features before subscribing; the store listings do not state its length.
Who makes CapCut?
CapCut is made by Bytedance Pte. Ltd.
What are the alternatives to CapCut?
The closest alternatives to CapCut in our directory are Clipchamp, Wondershare Filmora, VEED, Kapwing and iMovie. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with CapCut.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 5, 2026. What people say is linked where it appears.