The best AI video editor for most people is Descript: you edit your recording by editing its transcript, and it removes filler words, cleans up audio and cuts clips for you (free plan, paid from $16 a month billed yearly). CapCut is the best free option for TikTok, Reels and Shorts, OpusClip is best for turning long videos into short clips ($15 a month), Kapwing is best for teams that caption and translate in the browser, and Runway is best for changing what is inside a shot without a reshoot.
Best AI video editors in 2026
Descript
Edit video by deleting words in the transcript, with filler-word removal, Studio Sound, clip creation and the Underlord AI co-editor. Free plan (60 media minutes, 720p, watermark); Hobbyist $16 a month billed yearly ($24 monthly).
CapCut
Auto-captions, auto-reframe and trend templates on phone, desktop and web; free to start, Pro $19.99 a month for the AI credits.
OpusClip
Finds the best moments, reframes to vertical, adds animated captions and posts them. Starter $15 a month for 150 minutes of source video; Pro $29, or $14.50 billed yearly.
Kapwing
Collaborative editor with AI subtitles, translation into 60+ languages and dubbing. Pro $16 per member a month billed yearly ($24 monthly) with 1,000 credits.
Runway
Aleph 2.0 swaps objects, relights scenes and removes things in clips up to 30 seconds. Standard $15 a month ($12 billed yearly) for 625 credits; an edit costs 140 credits per 5 seconds.
Questions buyers ask
What is the best AI video editor?
Descript for most people, because it edits a recording through its transcript and handles filler words, audio cleanup and clips. Pick CapCut for free short-form editing, OpusClip to cut a long video into shorts automatically, Kapwing for team captioning and translation in the browser, and Runway to change what is inside a shot.
What is the best free AI video editor?
CapCut has the most generous free editor with auto-captions, though many AI features use paid credits. Descript's free plan gives 60 media minutes a month at 720p with a watermark, OpusClip's free clips are watermarked and expire after 3 days, and Kapwing's free exports are 720p, watermarked and up to 4 minutes.
Which AI tool turns long videos into short clips?
OpusClip is built for it: upload a podcast or webinar and it returns vertical clips with captions and a Virality Score. One credit is one minute of source video, so Starter ($15 a month, 150 credits) covers about two and a half hours. Descript and Kapwing can also cut clips, with more manual control.
Is Descript or CapCut better?
Descript is better for talking-head videos, podcasts and tutorials, because you edit the words rather than a timeline. CapCut is better for fast, visual short-form edits with effects, templates and trending sounds, and it is free to start.
What about VEED?
VEED is a browser editor much like Kapwing, with subtitles, translation and AI avatars, priced per seat with AI credits that reset each period. Its plans changed several times in 2026, so check veed.io/pricing before you buy.
Can AI edit a whole video for me?
Partly. Descript's Underlord and OpusClip's clipping can produce a usable first cut from a recording, but you still review the result. For full creative control, pair an AI editor with a timeline editor like DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro.
To generate new video from a prompt instead, see the best AI video tools.
Need a full manual timeline with color and audio mixing? See the best video editing software.