Free-to-start video editor from ByteDance, popular for short-form social video.
- Starting price
- $19.99/month (Pro)
- Pricing model
- Freemium
- User rating
- 4.6 / 5
- Best for
- Fast social video editing on mobile and desktop
CapCut is ByteDance’s video editor. It is free, runs on mobile, desktop and web, and is built around the short-form vertical formats that dominate social.
Who CapCut is for
Creators making TikTok, Reels and Shorts. Auto captions, trend templates and one-tap effects make it far quicker than a traditional editor for that specific job.
The free version is unusually capable. Cutting, trimming, transitions, effects, text and basic audio work all cost nothing, which is why it became the default for social video.
What CapCut Pro costs
Pro is $19.99 a month for individuals, or $179.99 a year. It adds the advanced AI tools, premium template and asset libraries, around 1TB of cloud storage and team collaboration.
CapCut notes that prices vary by region, platform and promotion, so what you see on mobile may differ from the web price.
The honest answer for most people is that the free tier is enough. Pro earns its money when you need auto captions at volume, background removal or motion tracking every day.
CapCut pricing and plans
Free
$0
per month
Unusually capable for a free editor.
- Cut, trim, merge and split
- Free filters, transitions and effects
- Text and stickers
- Basic audio editing and voice effects
- Limited cloud storage
Pro
$19.99
per month
$179.99 a year, cheaper than monthly.
- Advanced AI tools including auto captions
- Background removal and motion tracking
- Premium templates, fonts and stickers
- Premium stock music and effects
- Around 1 TB cloud storage
- Team collaboration
Pricing checked against the official CapCut pricing page on 5 September 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm before you buy.
What CapCut actually does
- Mobile, desktop and web editors that share projects
- Auto captions and subtitle translation
- Background removal without a green screen
- Motion tracking
- Large template library tied to current trends
- Text to speech and voice effects
- Direct export to TikTok and other platforms
- Cloud storage and project sync
Pros and cons
What works well
- Free tier is genuinely capable, not crippled
- Same projects across mobile, desktop and web
- Auto captions are fast and accurate
- Huge template library tied to current trends
- Yearly billing cuts the cost substantially
What to watch out for
- Pro at $19.99 a month is steep next to the free tier
- Owned by ByteDance, which raises data questions for some
- Prices vary by region and platform
- Commercial licensing of premium assets has conditions
- Not suited to long-form or colour-critical work
CapCut FAQs
Is CapCut free?
Yes, and generously so. Cutting, transitions, effects, text and basic audio editing all work on the free tier with no watermark on standard exports.
How much is CapCut Pro?
$19.99 a month for individuals, or $179.99 a year. CapCut notes that prices vary by region, platform and promotion.
What does Pro actually add?
Advanced AI tools such as auto captions, background removal and motion tracking, premium template and asset libraries, around 1 TB of storage and team collaboration.
Is Pro worth it?
For most casual creators, no. It pays off if you need auto captions at volume, background removal or motion tracking as part of a daily workflow.
Does CapCut work on desktop?
Yes. There are mobile, desktop and web versions, and projects sync between them on a Pro plan.
Can I use CapCut commercially?
Personal and most creator use is fine, but commercial licensing of premium assets has conditions. Check the current terms before using template music in an ad.
Is it owned by ByteDance?
Yes. CapCut is made by ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, which is worth knowing if data residency matters to your organisation.
How does it compare with Premiere Pro?
CapCut is far faster for short-form social. Premiere Pro is the better tool for long-form, multi-camera and colour-critical work.
Weighing up other options? Read the 5 best CapCut alternatives.
Ready to try CapCut?
Go to CapCut