Systems8 of 10
Price and licence8 of 30
Output7 of 16
Editing tools13 of 44
video editor · ByteDance
CapCut
Free desktop video editor for Windows and Mac with captions, motion tracking and a paid Pro tier.
In short
- The desktop editor downloads free for Windows 7 or later (Windows 10 recommended) and macOS 10.14 or later1.
- Pro prices vary by country, device and promotion, and CapCut shows them after you sign in, not on its help pages4,10.
- Membership features on PC need a Pro subscription; the cheaper Standard plan is aimed at the mobile app5.
- A CapCut page lists 8K resolution among the export settings you can choose8.
- Automatic captions are listed on the desktop page1, and a CapCut page describes motion tracking12.
CapCut suits people making short videos who want a free desktop editor with captions, motion tracking and chroma key1,12,7. A CapCut page says its desktop background removal exports without a watermark6. The catch: CapCut's help pages show no Pro price, so the cost of the paid tier is unknown until you sign in, and PC membership features need Pro4,5.
Best for: People who edit short social videos and want a free desktop editor.
Where the points come from
Systems 8 of 10 points
Price and licence 8 of 30 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Free version | YesDesktop download buttons read "Download for free"; a CapCut page says desktop background removal exports with no watermark1,6. | 8 / 8 |
| One-time licence | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's pricing help pages; they describe only Pro subscription pricing4,10. | 0 / 6 |
| Cheapest paid plan | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's help pages; the Pro price appears after sign-in4,10. | 0 / 12 |
| Open-source apps | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's desktop page1. | 0 / 4 |
Output 7 of 16 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 4K export | YesA CapCut page lists 8K resolution among export settings, which is above 4K8. | 4 / 4 |
| 8K export | YesA CapCut page says to customize export settings "like 8K resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and codec"8. | 3 / 3 |
| 10-bit and HDR | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's desktop page or help pages1,8. | 0 / 4 |
| GPU-accelerated export | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's desktop page or install help pages1,3. | 0 / 5 |
Editing tools 13 of 44 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-camera editing | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's desktop page1. | 0 / 6 |
| Colour grading with scopes | Not publishedNot published; the desktop page mentions a color wheel and auto-adjust, not scopes1. | 0 / 6 |
| Automatic captions | YesDesktop page heading: automatically generate captions from video and audio. The online caption page calls it free1,9. | 5 / 5 |
| Motion tracking | YesCapCut's motion tracking page says it automates object tracking so text or effects follow a subject12. | 4 / 4 |
| Multitrack audio and noise reduction | Not publishedNot published; the desktop page links noise-removal tools but gives no audio track count1. | 0 / 4 |
| Proxy editing | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's desktop page1. | 0 / 4 |
| Third-party plug-ins | Not publishedNot published on the desktop page1. | 0 / 4 |
| Shared projects | Not publishedNot published; the Space lets one account open projects on several devices1. | 0 / 3 |
| Green-screen keying | YesHelp article describes enabling Chroma Key on CapCut desktop and adjusting strength, shadow and edge feathering7. | 4 / 4 |
| Video stabilisation | Not publishedNot published for the desktop editor; the page only links a video stabilization tool1. | 0 / 4 |
The rule behind each line: how we score video editors.
Plans and prices
As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.
| Plan | Price as listed | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free1 person | Free1 | $0 | Desktop download for Windows and macOS |
| CapCut Pro1 person | Shown after sign-in4,5 | Quote | Needed for membership features on PC; prices vary by region |
CapCut says Pro prices vary by region, device and promotions, and the final price appears on the payment page after sign-in4,10.
Strengths
Limits
- Pro prices are not shown on CapCut's help pages and vary by region, platform and taxes4,10.
- Membership features on PC require a Pro subscription; Standard does not cover PC5.
- The pages do not describe multicam, proxy editing or video scopes for the desktop editor1.
- A proposed class action filed in 2023 alleges CapCut collected biometric and other personal data without consent11.
Concerns on record
- In July 2023 users filed a proposed class action in an Illinois federal court alleging CapCut collected facial scans and other personal data without notice or consent. The suit is a set of allegations, as reported by The Record on August 1, 202311.
Other video editors
- 1DaVinci ResolvePeople who want one editor for cutting, colour grading and sound without a subscription87/100$8.19/mocheapest paid plan
- 2
ShotcutPeople who want a free editor with no paid tier79/100$0cheapest paid plan - 3
Wondershare FilmoraHome creators who want a one-time purchase with colour scopes, proxies and plug-in support75/100$2.22/mocheapest paid plan - 4
KdenlivePeople who want free multicam and proxy editing on Windows, macOS or Linux73/100$0cheapest paid plan
Sources
- CapCut Desktop video editor, CapCut. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- CapCut, CapCut. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Download and install, CapCut Help. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- How Much Does CapCut Pro Cost?, CapCut Help. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Why Is the Standard Subscription Not Applicable to CapCut App and PC?, CapCut Help. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Remove video background, CapCut. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- How Can I Fix the Chroma Key Feature Not Working in CapCut?, CapCut Help. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- AI video enhancer, CapCut. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Auto caption generator, CapCut. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- What Is the Price After the Adjustment?, CapCut Help. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Lawsuit: ByteDance's CapCut app secretly reaps massive amounts of user data, The Record. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Motion tracking, CapCut. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Website: www.capcut.com · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with ByteDance.