CapCut: The AI-powered editing assistant
CapCut is already a wildly popular video editor, but its free AI tools are what make it a must-try. This platform offers a suite of AI features, including auto-captions, background removal, text-to-speech, and even AI-generated scripts. It is the perfect tool for anyone with existing footage—from phone clips to screen recordings—who wants to quickly polish their video using smart, automated tools. The free plan gives you access to an extensive library of these AI features, and while some exported videos may have a watermark, the powerful editing capabilities are completely free to use within the editor.
Descript: Edit video like a document
Descript is a game-changer, especially for anyone who works with dialogue-heavy content. It transcribes your video or audio, then lets you edit the footage by simply editing the text transcript. Want to remove an “um” or rearrange a sentence? Just delete or move the text, and the video follows suit. The free plan provides an hour of transcription and editing per month, which is a generous amount to get a feel for this revolutionary workflow. It’s an intuitive and powerful way to edit for podcasters, interviewers, and YouTubers.
Runway ML (Gen-2): The experimental creator’s sandbox
For the truly creative and experimental, Runway ML is the place to be. It provides access to some of the most advanced generative AI models, like its text-to-video (Gen-2) and image-to-video tools. Runway is known for its artistic and often surreal results, making it a favorite among digital artists and filmmakers. The free plan gives you a certain number of seconds of video generation per month, allowing you to explore the bleeding edge of AI video and create unique visuals, animations, or conceptual pieces. Just be aware that outputs are watermarked, and there’s a steeper learning curve for its more advanced features.
Before you hit ‘generate’: Key free plan realities
When you use any of these free tools, keep in mind that you’ll almost always encounter watermarks, limited credits (a set number of seconds or minutes per month), and restricted access to some of the more premium features. However, these limitations are a small price to pay for the ability to explore and create with some of the most powerful AI video technology available today.