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CapCut, alongside TikTok, got banned and then unbanned all in the span of twelve hours, and its future remains uncertain. Instagram saw this as the perfect chance to drop Edits,a blatant CapCut copycat. So, how does it stack up against CapCut?
Edits is Expected to Be Entirely Free
I don’t mind paying for a service, but that doesn’t mean I’ll pass up the chance to use a similar tool for free—even if it’s not as good as the paid one. Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, recently announced their brand-new editing app, Edits,via Instagram, but the app isn’t out just yet. It’s currently up for pre-order on theApple App Store, with an Android version said to be coming soon.
According to the app’s description and thePricesection on its App Store listing, Edits is a completely free video editor. While there’s no telling if it’ll stay that way once it launches (which, according to Adam, should be in February), it’s still a relief to hear.
Sure,CapCut’s free tier offers plenty of features, but many of the essentials (especially for creators or anyone posting to an audience) are locked behind a paywall, like exporting a video without a watermark. The worst part is that CapCut keeps pushing more and more free features behind that paywall.
For instance, I used to rely on CapCut’s auto-captioning feature all the time, until it got locked behind a paywall, even when I was using one of CapCut’s free templates. Luckily for me, this feature seems to be coming to Edits for free.
At the time of writing, CapCut offers two individual plans:StandardandPro, along with a collaborativeTeamsplan. The Standard plan costs $9.99 monthly or $89.99 yearly, while the Pro plan will set you back $19.99 monthly or $179.99 yearly.
Why would I pay that much when there are other free editing apps out there, and Edits promises to offer similar features for free?
Edits is Aimed at, Well…Instagram Creators
This probably isn’t a surprise, but the Edits app is clearly aimed at Instagram creators. For example, its App Store listing specifically mentions you can easily share videos to Instagram in 1080p. Isn’t it a little odd that it highlights Instagram here, especially when Adam Mosseri claims that Edits targets “not only Instagram but other platforms out there?”
What’s even more telling is the dedicated live insights dashboard the app plans to include. If you share a video created with Edits as an Instagram Reel, you’ll be able to track its performance, see what affects whether your reel gets recommended, get a breakdown of engagement for followers and non-followers, and even plan future content based on what’s doing well.
Edits Has Advanced Features, But That Isn’t Necessarily a Good Thing
I’m not a content creator or an influencer by any means, which makes it safe to say my editing skills are…well, subpar at best. And I know I’m not the only person like this.
The last thing someone like me wants is to spend hours trying to figure out how to edit a simple thirty-second clip for an Instagram Story. That’s exactly why I’vestuck with creating short-form videos using CapCut. Its interface is ridiculously straightforward and easy to use.
Now, it’s too soon to say for sure whether Edits will be as easy to navigate as CapCut, but I have a feeling it won’t be. The reason why I say that is because it’s packed with way more advanced features and aims to be a “full suite of creative tools,” according to Adam Mosseri.
According to Adam, Edits will have dedicated tabs for inspiration, idea tracking, a camera, and a live insights dashboard. Meanwhile, CapCut has three tabs:Edit,Templates, andMe.
As per Edit’s App Store listing, the app will feature advanced camera settings, like framerate and dynamic range control. In comparison, CapCut’s camera lacks advanced settings, which I find perfect for a dedicated editing tool.
We’ll only know how user-friendly Edits really is once it launches, but given Meta’s track record of turning simple apps into cluttered nightmares (looking at you, Instagram), I can’t help but feel like Edits will go down the same road.
Edits Wants to Do More Than Just Compete With CapCut
As discussed above, Edits aims to be a “full suite of creative tools” that goes beyond just video editing. The app seems to be on its way to becoming an all-in-one platform for content creators and influencers, with features like live insights dashboards.
On the other hand, CapCut has always focused on providing a straightforward editing process, and is used by both creators and casual users alike.
All in all, I’m definitely excited to see how Edits will turn out. While I’d like to believe it might end up surpassing CapCut, I really hope the app pulls it off while keeping things user-friendly.
