Meta has launched Edits, a new short-form video editing application built to rival ByteDance’s widely popular CapCut. Meta initially announced development on Edits in January, prompted by the temporary removal of CapCut from app stores in the U.S. amid the TikTok ban scare. Although CapCut has since returned, uncertainties about TikTok’s future in the United States provided Meta with an opportunity to position Edits as an attractive alternative for creators who rely heavily on video editing tools.
Edits is now available for download on both Android and iOS platforms, requiring users to log in using their existing Instagram accounts. The app’s interface is structured around five primary tabs: Ideas, Inspiration, Projects, Record, and Insights. Creators can use the Ideas tab to brainstorm, organize concepts, and save captivating Instagram reels. The Inspiration tab helps users discover trending audio tracks and popular videos, serving as a creative springboard.
The Projects tab acts as a centralized workspace where users can manage ongoing video creations, easily pulling from their phone’s camera roll to upload existing content. For newly created videos, the Record tab provides a simple and integrated filming experience. Lastly, users can keep track of their content’s performance through the Insights tab, which surfaces key metrics including view counts, reach, and follower trend data.
A host of valuable features enhance the app’s ease-of-use and production quality. Edits includes powerful features such as a one-tap green screen tool, automated captioning in various languages, and a robust selection of Instagram-integrated music tracks. Additionally, users can isolate objects with precision in their clips via “Cutouts,” animate static images using AI-driven tools, apply uniform edits across entire video projects, and precisely control frame rates and alignment. To assist creators even further, the app provides auto-generated beat markers for synchronized editing against music, more than 30 distinct filter and transition options, an intuitive teleprompter feature for guided filming, AI-driven style upgrades through “Restyle,” and fine-grain control of video elements using keyframes.
Despite Meta’s ambitious launch, there are noticeable differences between Edits and CapCut. CapCut currently leads the category with more advanced and AI-powered editing capabilities, a significant music selection advantage, and a premium subscription tier unlocking additional robust tools. Edits currently offers all features completely free—without any subscription model—though Instagram’s chief, Adam Mosseri, indicated that paid features might be introduced down the line.
Moreover, unlike CapCut, which has a dedicated web-based editor, Edits has initially launched as a mobile-only product. This may evolve, as Meta regularly updates the application, potentially expanding its capabilities onto other platforms. Given Meta’s extensive resources and its ongoing push to enhance Edits, users can anticipate a continuing rollout of new features aimed at closing this competitive gap with CapCut in the coming months and years.
