Comparison
Filmora vs CapCut: CapCut to start free on any device, Filmora to pay once on a computer
Filmoravs
CapCutCapCut is the better choice if you want to start free and edit on your phone, your computer or in the browser. Filmora is the better choice if you edit mostly on a Windows or Mac computer and would rather buy the editor once.
In short
- CapCut is a free editor for phone, computer and browser. Filmora is a Windows and Mac editor you can buy once.
- Choose CapCut if you want to start free, edit on your phone, or build short social videos from templates.
- Choose Filmora if you edit mostly on a Windows or Mac computer and would rather pay once.
- CapCut Pro costs $19.99 a month. Filmora costs $49.99 a year, or $79.99 once.
- Both have a free version. Filmora's free exports carry a watermark. CapCut's do not, unless you use some premium templates or effects.
- CapCut's free editor, with export up to 8K
- $0
- CapCut Pro a month, or $179.99 a year
- $19.99
- Filmora's one-time Perpetual licence
- $79.99
Filmora vs CapCut at a glance
Here is what each tool is, what it costs and who it suits. Cutroom is added for anyone who needs video ads.
Filmora vs CapCut at a glance
Prices and plans read from each vendor's own pricing page on 21 September 2026.
| Tool | Best for | Editing approach | Platform | Pricing from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filmora | Easy timeline editing with effects on a computer | Desktop timeline with AI tools | Windows and Mac; separate iOS and Android app | Free with watermark; Basic $49.99/year; Perpetual $79.99 once |
| CapCut | Free timeline editing on your phone | Manual timeline with templates and AI tools | iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, web | Free; Pro $19.99/month or $179.99/year |
| Cutroom | Turning one filmed clip into a finished 9:16 ad | Edits your clip for you: cuts, captions, b-roll, hook | Web | First video free; Lite $19.99/month |
- Filmora
- Best for
- Easy timeline editing with effects on a computer
- Approach
- Desktop timeline with AI tools
- Platform
- Windows and Mac; separate iOS and Android app
- Pricing from
- Free with watermark; Basic $49.99/year; Perpetual $79.99 once
- CapCut
- Best for
- Free timeline editing on your phone
- Approach
- Manual timeline with templates and AI tools
- Platform
- iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, web
- Pricing from
- Free; Pro $19.99/month or $179.99/year
Cutroom
- Best for
- Turning one filmed clip into a finished 9:16 ad
- Approach
- Edits your clip for you: cuts, captions, b-roll, hook
- Platform
- Web
- Pricing from
- First video free; Lite $19.99/month
What is the difference between Filmora and CapCut?
Both are timeline editors with AI tools. CapCut runs on your phone, your computer and in the browser, and is built around templates for social videos.
Filmora is mainly a desktop editor for Windows and Mac. It also has a separate phone app, but the pay-once licence is for the desktop editor.
- CapCut's standard editor is free, with the whole timeline and export up to 8K. Auto captions and background removal come with Pro.
- CapCut has a large library of templates, effects, filters and stickers made for short social videos.
- Filmora's free version puts a watermark on exports, so you pay to publish without it. CapCut's free exports carry no watermark, unless you use certain premium templates, effects or stock clips.
- Filmora is built around a desktop timeline with AI tools: auto captions, text to video, image to video, and AI music and sound effects.
- Filmora is the only one of the two you can buy once, for $79.99.
CapCut and Filmora side by side
CapCut is free and runs in more places. Filmora is the one you can buy once.
What it is
- CapCut
- A free editor for short social videos
- Filmora
- Mainly a desktop video editor
Runs on
- CapCut
- Phone, computer and browser
- Filmora
- Windows and Mac, plus a separate phone app
Free version
- CapCut
- Yes, export up to 8K, no watermark on free features
- Filmora
- Yes, with a watermark
Built around
- CapCut
- Templates, effects and stickers
- Filmora
- A desktop timeline with AI tools
Pay once
- CapCut
- No
- Filmora
- Yes, $79.99
| CapCut | Filmora | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A free editor for short social videos | Mainly a desktop video editor |
| Runs on | Phone, computer and browser | Windows and Mac, plus a separate phone app |
| Free version | Yes, export up to 8K, no watermark on free features | Yes, with a watermark |
| Built around | Templates, effects and stickers | A desktop timeline with AI tools |
| Pay once | No | Yes, $79.99 |
This is the whole editor
Highlight a phrase and a clip lands on those exact words. No timeline, no keyframes, no layers.
Filmora vs CapCut pricing
Both have a free version. Filmora is the only one you can buy once.
- CapCut Pro costs $19.99 a month or $179.99 a year. CapCut says the price varies by region, device and promotions.
- CapCut Pro adds auto captions, background removal, noise reduction and AI video and music tools.
- Filmora Basic costs $49.99 a year, and you pay for AI tools as you use them. Advanced is $59.99 a year with 1,000 AI credits a month.
- Filmora Perpetual costs $79.99 once, for Windows or Mac. You get free updates until Filmora's next major version.
Filmora and CapCut plans
As each company publishes them, read 21 September 2026. CapCut says Pro prices vary by region, device and promotions.
| Plan | Filmora | CapCut |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Yes, exports carry a watermark | Yes, standard editor, export up to 8K |
| First paid plan | Basic: $49.99/year, AI pay per use | Pro: $19.99/month or $179.99/year |
| Next plan | Advanced: $59.99/year, 1,000 AI credits a month | Team: from around $24.99/month |
| Pay once | Perpetual: $79.99, 1,000 AI credits once | Not listed |
Plan: Free
- Filmora
- Yes, exports carry a watermark
- CapCut
- Yes, standard editor, export up to 8K
Plan: First paid plan
- Filmora
- Basic: $49.99/year, AI pay per use
- CapCut
- Pro: $19.99/month or $179.99/year
Plan: Next plan
- Filmora
- Advanced: $59.99/year, 1,000 AI credits a month
- CapCut
- Team: from around $24.99/month
Plan: Pay once
- Filmora
- Perpetual: $79.99, 1,000 AI credits once
- CapCut
- Not listed
When to choose CapCut
CapCut makes more sense if you post short videos every week, often straight from your phone.
- You want to start free. The free editor has the whole timeline and exports up to 8K.
- You want free exports without a watermark. CapCut adds none, unless you use certain premium templates, effects or stock clips.
- You edit on more than one device. CapCut runs on your phone, your computer and in the browser.
- You like templates. CapCut has a large library of templates, effects, filters and stickers.
- You want auto captions, background removal and noise reduction. Those come with Pro.
- Keep in mind that CapCut sets the Pro price in the app, and it varies by region, device and promotions.
When to choose Filmora
Filmora makes more sense if you edit mostly on a Windows or Mac computer and would rather pay once.
- You would rather own it. The Perpetual licence is $79.99, paid once, for Windows or Mac.
- You want a cheaper paid plan. Filmora Basic is $49.99 a year and Advanced $59.99 a year. CapCut Pro is $179.99 a year.
- You want AI tools in a desktop editor. Filmora has auto captions, text to video, image to video, and AI music and sound effects.
- Keep in mind that free exports carry a watermark. Filmora's AI tools also cost credits: you pay per use on Basic, and Advanced includes 1,000 a month.
Where Cutroom fits
With CapCut and Filmora, you still do the editing yourself. Cutroom does it for you: you film one clip of yourself talking and get a finished vertical ad back.
- You upload one clip of yourself talking, up to 3 minutes long.
- Cutroom cuts it, adds captions timed to your voice, puts b-roll on the words you pick and adds a hook and music.
- Stock clips never cover more than about half the video, so your face stays on screen.
- Lite costs $19.99 a month and covers about 10 videos. A 30-second ad uses 110 of its 1,250 credits.
- Your first video is free, with no card, and you have 7 days to make it. It carries a Cutroom mark, which Lite removes.
CapCut and Cutroom compared
CapCut is free and edits any video you have. Cutroom makes the finished ad for you from one short clip.
Free to use
CapCut: The standard editor is freeCutroom: First video free, then from $19.99 a monthLong videos, like tutorials
CapCut: A full timeline editorCutroom: Your clip, up to 3 minutesCuts made for you
CapCut: You make every cutCutroom: A first edit as soon as you uploadB-roll found and placed for you
CapCut: You search and dragCutroom: Free stock clips, at most about half the videoCaptions timed to your voice
CapCut: Auto captions on Pro, you style themCutroom: 40 caption styles, burnt inSeveral sizes from one video
CapCut: Any aspect ratioCutroom: 9:16 only
| CapCut | Cutroom | |
|---|---|---|
| Free to use | The standard editor is free | First video free, then from $19.99 a month |
| Long videos, like tutorials | A full timeline editor | Your clip, up to 3 minutes |
| Cuts made for you | You make every cut | A first edit as soon as you upload |
| B-roll found and placed for you | You search and drag | Free stock clips, at most about half the video |
| Captions timed to your voice | Auto captions on Pro, you style them | 40 caption styles, burnt in |
| Several sizes from one video | Any aspect ratio | 9:16 only |
Which one should you choose?
It comes down to where you edit and how you want to pay.
Which one should you choose
Choose CapCut if you want to start free, edit on your phone or in the browser, and build short social videos from templates.
Choose Filmora if you edit mostly on a Windows or Mac computer and would rather pay once, $79.99 for the Perpetual licence.
Choose Cutroom if you make a talking-head ad every week and want each one finished from one clip. Your first video is free.
Questions people ask
- Is Filmora or CapCut better?
- CapCut is better if you want to start free and edit on your phone, your computer or in the browser, with a big template library. Filmora is better if you edit mostly on a Windows or Mac computer and would rather pay once, with the $79.99 Perpetual licence.
- Is CapCut free?
- Yes. CapCut's standard editor is free, with cutting, filters, effects, text and export up to 8K. Pro is $19.99 a month or $179.99 a year and adds auto captions, background removal and AI tools. Prices vary by region.
- How much does Filmora cost?
- Filmora Basic is $49.99 a year, Advanced is $59.99 a year with 1,000 AI credits a month, and Perpetual is $79.99 once. The free version puts a watermark on exports.
- Do Filmora and CapCut add a watermark?
- Filmora does, on every free export. CapCut's free editor does not, unless you use certain premium templates, effects or stock clips. CapCut sometimes adds a short ending clip with its logo, which you can delete before you export.
- Which is easier to learn?
- CapCut is quicker to start with, because you can begin from a template and swap in your own clips. Both use a timeline, so cutting and trimming work much the same way in each.
- Can I move projects between Filmora and CapCut?
- No. A project made in one editor cannot be opened in the other, so it has to be rebuilt. The exported video file plays anywhere.
- Is there an editor that makes the video ad for you?
- Yes. Cutroom turns one filmed clip into a finished 9:16 ad with cuts, captions and b-roll. A 30-second ad costs 110 credits, and your first video is free.
Need a video ad rather than an editor? Film one clip and get the finished ad back. Your first video is free.