- This is our 2022 Roundup
of the best free video editing apps
for iPhone and Android.
After trying and testing out all the leading options
in this video, I'm gonna share my short list,
as well as my number one pick when it comes
to free video editor apps right now.
And while you're watching, let me know your thoughts
on the different options down in the comments.
And if you are already editing
on your smartphone using a free app
what's your current app of choice?
So if you've checked the App Store
or the Google Play Store, you'll know
that there are a ton of free video editing apps out there.
But the question is, are they any good?
Which ones will actually let you edit your videos
down without watermarks or too many restricted features.
So we've gone ahead and we've narrowed down a short list
of the be best free apps that are completely usable,
without any watermarks or export restrictions.
So from the massive amount of apps out there
we've narrowed this short list down to three apps.
InShot, CapCut and VN Video Editor.
Now, before we get to our top pick, let's take a look
at each one of these in a little more detail.
Now I just wanna say up front that all three
of these will work on both iOS and Android.
They'll also all support, at least two layers
of video and all of them make it super easy
to switch between the different formats.
So if you wanna start out making a wide screen video
for YouTube and switch it to a portrait version
for Instagram stories or reels,
then you can easily do that in any one of these apps.
Okay, so app number one, InShot.
This is a really, really popular option.
It's a really simple app.
It's really easy to edit in, and it's really intuitive.
Out of the three apps on the short list,
this one is the most basic, but that doesn't mean
that it's not good.
It's got a lot of cool built-in effects and transitions,
and the overall editing experience is
really smooth and fluid.
There are some different features though,
that you'll get on iOS versus what you get on Android,
Background Cut Out being one of them.
It's a really cool feature on iOS
but the Android devices we tested didn't have that feature.
And also the overall experience when you're trimming
and cutting your footage,
it's not quite as straightforward
as the other apps that I'm gonna mention
but it is still super simple
and is something that you can get quick at
to edit your footage down fast.
But it's also a slightly different approach
to most other apps.
Now InShot does have ads throughout
but they are positioned kind of out of the way.
So they're not gonna annoy you too much
while you're editing.
Now, by default on your video,
there is a watermark that appears
down the bottom right-hand corner.
But it can be removed just by watching an ad.
So removed for free.
Now, this is something I would suggest
that you're just saving until the end.
So do all of your editing and everything first,
then go and press the little X next to the watermark.
And it will pop up asking you to watch an ad
to remove it, or you can upgrade to the paid version
of InShot.
So the paid version is obviously gonna remove all
of your ads, it's also gonna give you access
to more transitions, effects, and stickers.
And if this is something that you're going to
be using a lot, the overall price is really
cheap considering what you're getting access to.
But know that this is still a solid video editing app,
100% for free as well.
The next app, app number two, is CapCut.
Now this one is also a really popular option
and it's actually made by the company Bike Dance,
that also makes TikTok.
So this app is also really popular
with a lot of TikTok creators.
Now, once again, it's got a really logical,
intuitive interface, so it's quick to get
up to speed and editing in here.
CapCut is definitely a step up from InShot.
It has a ton of built in effects
and presets and filters and things that you can use
to really get creative with your editing.
The way that it approaches video editing is more
your traditional style.
It's much faster to be able to trim
down your clips and split them and pick them
up and move them around than it is in the InShot.
And the overall interface really just allows
for more creativity and more control over your edits.
Now, I already mentioned the effects, but one
of the standout ones in there is the ability
to add AI captions to your videos,
meaning that you can just press a button,
it's going to automatically transcribe what's been said
in your videos and add those captions in automatically.
To have that feature built into the app,
if you're creating videos where you want the text
on screen is awesome, saving you, going
and using other apps or other services like Rev,
you can do it all within CapCut.
Now, one thing that's not a deal breaker
but something you should be aware of,
is that whenever you create a new editing project
in CapCut, it does automatically create an end cut
or an end screen, a title that says CapCut at the end.
This is something that I would imagine
that most people don't wanna have at the end of their video.
So you wanna make sure that you remember
to remove that every time you create a new project.
And the only other major thing you need
to be aware of is that there is a 15-minute video limit
in CapCut, meaning you can't make or edit videos
that are longer than 15 minutes.
But there's also no ads whatsoever.
So no annoying popups or things that you need
to wait for before you export your video.
It is totally ad free.
And the third app is VN Video Editor.
And this one is very similar to CapCut.
The overall editor, the overall experience
in editing is very, very similar.
There's a lot of effects in here as well.
Not as many as CapCut, but it does have
more pro level features and control.
The overall editing experience is super fast
and I'm a big fan of the level of control
that you get over things like calibrating.
You also have the most amount of control
in VN Video Editor over things like your export settings.
So not only can you control the resolution
and the frame rate that you wanna save your video as,
you can also control the bitrate
or the actual quality as well.
One of the things I love about VN Video Editor is
that it also works on Mac as well.
There is also a work-around to get it working on Windows,
but it's not a native integration yet.
But the Mac app is amazing.
And if you're using VN Video Editor on an iPhone
and a Mac, you can actually move your projects
between the two.
Meaning that if you're editing on the go in VN
on your iPhone you can airdrop your project
to your Mac and finish your edit there.
And just the same as CapCut, when you are creating a
brand new editing project there is a title
that is automatically created at the end of your video
that says directed by, Input Title.
So it's there to prompt you to create an end screen,
but I would imagine a lot of videos people are creating,
they don't need to have that.
So you wanna remember to remove it,
so that it's not there stuck at the end of your video.
Again, not a deal breaker,
just something to be aware of.
But overall it's fast, it's powerful,
it's really easy to use, and the only real distractions
or ads and things that pop up are
from the VN team themselves that I've seen.
Advertising that they have a Mac version of available,
new templates and those kinds of things.
So nowhere near as bad as having actual ads pop up.
So those are my top three picks right now.
InShot, CapCut and VN Video Editor.
Now, as for which one is best for who,
if you're an absolute beginner,
and you only want to do really simple edits,
the reality is you could probably use any one
of these and not have a problem.
But the simplest one, InShot, this is a really,
really popular option.
If you're someone who's looking to make really
creative videos with lots of effects and transitions
and stuff then CapCut is probably going
to be the one for you.
Or if you're someone who's looking for a great all-rounder,
then VN Video Editor is probably going to be your pick.
It's still really easy to use,
it's gotta lot of the effects
and creative stuff in there as well,
but it's also got a lot more
of the advanced features and controls, too.
So for me, my number one pick from these three
and the mobile video editing app that I use on
iOS and Android is VN Video Editor.
I really do think it's the best all-rounder right now.
And I'm also a massive fan of their Mac app as well.
Now, if you wanna see how these free apps stack up
against the paid alternatives that are out there,
then check out the videos that are linked on screen,
where we take you through the best video editing
apps right now on iOS and Android,
including free and paid, so you know that
you're using the best one for you.
I'll see you in there.