Instagram launches CapCut clone, Edits

Instagram launches CapCut clone, Edits

Instagram has launched Edits, a video editing app aimed at competing with TikTok-affiliated CapCut. First announced in January, Edits is available for free on iOS and Android from today.

Edits is described as a “video creation app designed for creators”, and includes tools for project management, tracking notes and ideas, and data on video performance. There are also advanced editing tools not found in the regular Instagram app, such as AI animations created from still images, green screen replacements, and subject cutouts.

The editing features are remarkably similar to those in CapCut, a standalone video editing tool from TikTok owner ByteDance. Edits was first announced when both TikTok and CapCut were not available on the US App Store for some time, further reinforcing the notion that Instagram owner Meta considers CapCut a direct competitor.

When Edits was first teased, Instagram head Adam Mosseri acknowledged the similarities between the two apps, but claimed on threads that Edits would be "more for creators than general video makers." In another reply, he told The Verge's Chris Welch that it would be "very different from CapCut," with "a much broader range of creative tools and likely a smaller addressable audience." Instagram is already teasing future features coming to Edits, including keyframes, more AI editing features, and the ability to collaborate on videos with other users.