CapCut vs. iMovie

If you’re a digital creator who posts videos to social media, you’re probably looking for the best video editing software. CapCut and iMovie are two of the most popular all-in-one mobile apps for editing videos on your smartphone. But what makes them popular among budding filmmakers and what differentiates one mobile app from the other?

This article will attempt to settle the debate between CapCut and iMovie once and for all.

Comparison: CapCut vs iMovie

These are the three main aspects that users look for in a video editing application:

1. User interface
2. Features for video editing.
3. Performance

Although both CapCut and iMovie share many great features, such as drag-and-drop editing, green screening, and the ability to download them to iPhones and iPads, we found some important differences between the two.

User interface

Both CapCut and iMovie are beginner-friendly apps, but they have different designs. CapCut has a timeline at the base of the screen that allows users to drag and drop clips onto a timeline. iMovie is more complex, with basic two-timeline previews, split screens, and advanced audio editing.

CapCut User Interface

The CapCut editing app was designed for Tik Tok users who want to quickly edit and upload videos to the platform. However, videos created with the CapCut editing solution can be uploaded to any social media application.

Advantages

• Easy to use for beginners
• Drag and drop the footage clip onto the app’s timeline
• Tap and drag to add a filter
• Tap and drag to add an effect.
• Tap and drag to add a transition
• Built-in music library to add music to videos
• Text overlays add visual interest

Cons

• The edition is limited to a single track.
• The duration of the video is limited to 15 minutes.
• The use of video or laptop is not permitted.

iMovie User Interface

The iMovie user interface was originally a desktop application that now has a mobile phone version. Originally, it was developed for both beginner and professional users.

Advantages

• Professional 3-panel interface
• A side panel on the right shows a library of all your existing videos.
• A left panel shows your project.
• Thumbnail Help Clip Section
• Drag and drop function
• A precision editor expands your view of inpidual frames
• Create movies from photos.
• audio editing
• Tap “T” to add text
• Create split screen videos
• Templates to create movie trailers.
• An orange frame marks the footage already used.
• Lighting and color autocorrection.

Cons

• The edition is limited to two tracks.
• More learning curve required
• Upload speed depends on your data plan
• Free version offers limited storage space

Features for video editing

Bot CapCut and iMovie offer a full set of video editing features that are the same tools and effects offered in professional desktop video editing programs.

CapCut Video Editing

CapCut has a set of features that are almost identical to what the professional desktop version of iMovie has to offer users.

Advantages

• Trimming clips
• Trimming clips
• Brightness and saturation adjustment.
• Filters
• Effects
• Transitions
• Add music
• Add text
• Add file animations
• Import sound effects
• Green screen
• Slow and fast motion
• Picture in picture

Cons

• Only edit videos up to 15 minutes long.
• No motion tracking
• No multi-camera editing
• No 3D editing
• Does not support 360 VR content

iMovie Video Editing

iMovie is a pioneering and established brand when it comes to desktop video editing that offers a variety of standard features.

Advantages

• Trim and trim clips
• Adjust brightness and saturation
• Filters
• Effects
• Transitions
• Add music
• Add text
• Green screen
• Slow and fast motion
• Picture in picture

Cons

• Without multiple camera
• No motion control
• No 360 degree video editing
• Videos cannot be shared on Facebook, only on iTunes, YouTube or Vimeo.
• Does not support labeling

CapCut Performance vs iMovie

Both CapCut are equally rated mobile apps for editing movies. The biggest difference is that CapCut was designed specifically to be a mobile app and that iMovie is a desktop app with a mobile app version. The video editing app you choose may depend on the age of your device’s hardware, the capacity of your data plan, or other software.

Limit cutting performance

CapCut meets the expectations of users who want to quickly edit and upload a shorter video.

Advantages

• Works perfectly with IOS and Android phones
• A single tap takes you to most tools and effects.
• Ideal for short and quick videos
• Quick to load
• Offers 14 topics, including a Newscast format
• You can create HD quality videos
• Shortcut option uses AI to edit Dubsmash-style videos
• Light animations can highlight the action on the screen.
• Automatic subtitle function
• Manually set 4k frame rate to 60 frames
• Uploads to TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp
• No ads in the free version.

Cons

• It works only as a mobile app and is not available on desktop computers.
• CapCut limits your export options
• The free version leaves CapCut branded watermarks on your video.
• No keyword tagging option
• Collects and shares data about users, including personal browser and diagnostic information.

iMovie Performance

iMovie meets the expectations of users who want to upload longer videos with their own audio and excellent production values.

Advantages

• The numerous functions create a professional result.
• Ability to create longer movies.
• Possibility of mixing music with spoken audio.
• Easy Voiceover Recording
• Combination of colors and shades for clips
• Versatile chroma keying tool
• Offers freeze frame
• Offers video fusion
• Dozens of movie templates
• It offers Magic Movie, which is a Storyboard feature for turning photos into movies.
• Export videos in different formats and quality levels.
• iMovie is installed for free on all Mac products by default

Cons

• Works best on Mac desktop
• Doesn’t work as well on older Mac devices
• Does not work on an Android phone
• The entire app appears cluttered on a phone screen
• The app may take a while to load
• Does not support labeling
• Collects and shares personal data, including information about your location, browsing history and health.

Frequent questions

What platforms are compatible with CapCut and iMovie?

Both CapCut and iMovie are compatible with iPhone and iPad. CapCut is compatible with Android and iMovie is compatible with Mac. Neither app is compatible with Windows, Linux, Chromebook, local or web-based editors. iMovie can be downloaded to a desktop Mac, while CapCut is limited to being a smartphone download.

Which movie editing app offers a free version?

Both CapCut and iMovie offer a free trial of their editing program. iMovie does not offer a free version. CapCut offers a free version that can be upgraded to a paid version of the app.

Do any of the movie apps offer training?

There are numerous YouTube videos and online articles created by outsiders on how to use CapCut or iMovie. CapCut does not offer in-app training, but Apple offers learning documents on its website. However, both apps are beginner-friendly.

Which editing app has the best customer support?

There is no 24/7 live support for any of the apps. Both offer online support.

Final thoughts between CapCut and iMovie

Our comparison found that the two apps shared many good aspects, including a free trial and iOS compatibility. The main difference is that iMovie works only on iOS devices, while CapCut works on both iOS and Android. However, CapCut is also the simplest option and is designed specifically to work on mobile devices, while iMovie is the adaptation of a desktop application for use on mobile phones.