CapCut
Free, mobile-first video editor with automatic captions, templates, and Shorts/Reels-ready export presets.
Pros
- + Genuinely capable free tier — most creators never need to pay
- + Fast auto-captions with decent accuracy out of the box
- + Templates make trend-following edits (transitions, text animations) quick to replicate
- + Exports directly in vertical formats for Shorts, Reels, and TikTok
Cons
- − Desktop app is less mature than mobile for advanced editing
- − Heavy template use across many creators can make edits look generic if you don't customize
CapCut is the default answer to “what should I edit Shorts in” for a reason — it’s free, mobile-native, and built specifically around the vertical, caption-heavy format that YouTube Shorts, Reels, and TikTok all reward.
How it works
Import clips, drop them on a timeline, add auto-captions, apply a transition or text template, export in the correct aspect ratio for your platform. The mobile app is the primary product; desktop exists but trails it in maturity.
Who it’s for
Anyone producing Shorts or Reels who wants a fast, free, mobile-first editing workflow rather than a full desktop NLE. Pair it with an AI voice tool like ElevenLabs or Gemini TTS for narrated Shorts.