Looking for the best video editing app for Android or iPhone WITHOUT the price tag? If you’ve checked the Play Store or App Store for a free editing app, you’ll know there are a ton of options out there.
But you’re probably wondering if those free video editor apps are any good…
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So we put all the leading options to the test! Turns out, there are some incredible free apps that will help you create high quality videos for YouTube and other platforms or projects.
We’ve narrowed it down to a shortlist of the best free video editing apps for Android and iOS (iPhone & iPad) right now. You’ll have all the details you need to help you decide which is the best free video editor app for you!
Before we get into the details of each of the apps, there are a few things they all have in common. All of these apps:
- Work on iOS and Android
- Support at least two layers of video
- Make it super easy to switch between formats so you can repurpose content for different platforms
- Are actually free – with no watermarks or restrictions on important features
So, here’s our shortlist:
Make sure you stick around to find out what we think is the BEST free video editing app for iPhone and Android.
Let’s dive in.
InShot Review
This is a really popular option. It’s a simple app that’s easy to edit with and super intuitive.
What’s Good About This Free Video Editing App?
Out of all the apps on this shortlist, InShot is the most basic option. But that doesn’t mean it’s not good!
It’s got lots of cool built-in effects and transitions that make it an awesome option. Plus, the overall editing experience is really smooth and fluid.
In terms of the editing experience, InShot takes a slightly different approach to trimming and editing your footage.
It’s not as straightforward as it is on other apps, but it is still super simple and you’ll be able to get the hang of it really quickly.
Things You Should Know About InShot
There are some differences between the iOS and Android versions.
When we tested InShot on an Android device we found that it didn’t have the Background Cut Out feature that we loved on iOS.
InShot also has ads throughout the app but they’re positioned out of the way so they won’t annoy you too much while you’re editing.
By default there is a watermark that appears in the bottom right corner of your video. The good news is, it can be removed for free by watching an ad.
This is something we’d recommend saving until you’ve finished editing your entire video. Just hit the X in the top right corner of the watermark and a pop up will appear. Press Free Remove and watch the ad.
You also have the option to upgrade to the paid version of InShot Pro to remove all watermarks, ads and gain access to more transitions, effects and stickers.
But the free version is still a solid video editing app – you definitely don’t need to get the paid version.
Now let’s check out the next shortlisted option.
CapCut Review
This is another super popular option right now. CapCut was made by ByteDance – the same company that created TikTok, so it’s really popular with a lot of TikTok creators.
What’s Good About This Free Video Editing App?
It has a logical and intuitive interface which means it’s really quick to get up to speed with how to use it. It has a ton of built-in effects, presets and filters that you can use to get really creative with your editing.
CapCut is definitely a step up from InShot. It has a much more traditional approach to video editing.
This makes it much faster to trim down clips, split them, pick them up and move them around than it is in InShot.
The overall interface allows for more creativity and control over your edits.
We already mentioned the awesome effects but another standout feature is the ability to add AI captions. You can press one button and it will automatically transcribe everything that’s said in your video and then add those captions in.
So this is an incredible feature if you’re creating videos where you want the text on screen. It saves you from having to go to other services and apps like Rev.
Things You Should Know About CapCut
Whenever you create a new editing project in CapCut, it automatically adds an end card or end screen to your project. The card is promoting CapCut so it’s something most people won’t want in their project.
But this definitely isn’t a dealbreaker – you just need to remember to go in and delete that card whenever you create a new project.
The other thing you need to be aware of is that there’s a 15 minute video limit in CapCut. This just means you can’t create videos that are longer than 15 minutes.
On the plus side, there are no ads whatsoever! So no pop ups or advertisements you need to watch – it’s completely ad-free.
Now let’s take a look at the third option on our shortlist of best free video editor apps.
VN Video Editor Review
This video editing app is fast, powerful and easy to use. It’s very similar to CapCut in terms of the overall interface and editing experience.
What’s Good About This Free Editing App?
VN Video Editor has a lot of effects as well – not quite as many as CapCut. But it does have more pro-level features.
The editing experience is super fast and you get an awesome level of control over things like color grading.
You also get a massive amount of control over the export settings. Not only can you set the resolution and frame rate that you want to save your video, but also the bitrate or the actual quality.
One of our favorite VN Video Editor features is that it works on Mac as well. The Mac app is amazing.
If you’re using VN on an iPhone and Mac, you can move your projects between the two really easily.
Let’s say you’re editing on the go using your iPhone and want to finish up on your Mac, all you need to do is AirDrop the project over.
There is a work around to get it working on Windows but it’s not a native integration yet.
Things You Should Know About VN Video Editor
Just like in CapCut, there’s an automatically generated end card that’s added to any new video editing projects.
Again, this isn’t a dealbreaker. It’s just something you need to remember to go in and delete.
The only distractions or things that pop up are messages from the VN Video Editor team alerting you that there are new templates available or something like that.
So nowhere near as bad as having actual ads pop up.
Now that we’ve covered all the apps on the shortlist, let’s take a look at which one we think is the best free video editing app for Android & iPhone in 2022.
Best Free Video Editor App for iPhone & Android
So those are our top three free editing apps right now. But you’re probably wondering which one is right for you.
If you’re an absolute beginner and just want to do simple edits, you’d be fine to use any one of these apps! But the simplest to use is InShot.
If you want to make really creative videos with lots of effects and transitions, CapCut is probably the best option for you.
If you’re looking for the best all-rounder, VN Video Editor would be your best choice. It’s got a lot of those creative effects in there but it also has more advanced features and controls.
So, our number one pick for best free video editor for Android & iOS is VN Video Editor. It’s what we use here at Primal Video whenever we’re editing on smartphone.
If you want to see how these free apps stack up against the paid alternatives, check out our complete guides on the Best Video Editing App on iPhone or the Best Video Editing App for Android in 2022!
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The Best Free Editing Apps for Android & iPhone:
Recommended Gear & Resources
Check out an up-to-date list of all the gear, software & tools we use and recommend right now at Primal Video on our resources page here!
