TikTok has exploded in popularity in recent years. As of January 2024, TikTok has over 1.1 billion monthly active users globally, making it one of the most widely used social media platforms (Source 1, Source 2). The app allows users to create and share short 15 to 60 second videos, often set to music or with popular meme audio clips. Its addictive, entertainment-focused interface has appealed strongly to younger demographics, with around 65% of the platform’s U.S. users being between the ages of 10 and 29 (Source 1). The app has spawned numerous viral trends and launched the careers of many popular creators. Given TikTok’s immense reach and cultural influence, it’s no surprise that many users are eager to jump on the bandwagon and start creating videos themselves.
TikTok App
The main TikTok app has a robust set of built-in features for creating and editing videos. Some key capabilities include:
– Video editing: TikTok’s in-app editor allows you to trim, splice, and rearrange clips, add transitions, insert text overlays, use green screen effects, adjust speed/duration, and more. Various filters and AR effects are also available (Creator tools on TikTok).
– Music and sounds: An extensive music library is available to add tracks and sounds to videos. You can also record voiceovers or use sound effects (Product Feature Updates | Creator Portal).
– Duets and reactions: Duet another user’s video side-by-side or react to it in a video. These interactive features help content spread further on TikTok.
– Analytics: Creators can access data and insights on their videos’ performance through the app’s analytics dashboard. This helps guide content strategy (Six Best TikTok Features To Engage Your Audience).
While the native TikTok app provides many core features for making creative short videos, some users turn to third-party apps for additional advanced capabilities.
Top 3rd Party TikTok Apps
There are several excellent third party apps that can enhance the TikTok experience and provide additional editing tools beyond what the main TikTok app offers. Three of the most popular and highly-rated options are CapCut, Inshot, and VivaVideo.
CapCut is an easy-to-use yet powerful video editing app made specifically for creating TikTok videos 1. It has become a go-to choice for many TikTok creators thanks to its user-friendly interface and array of specialized editing features like trimming, filters, effects, text overlays, transitions, and more. CapCut makes it simple to edit videos to fit TikTok’s format.
Inshot is a free multipurpose video editor with a huge range of tools for cropping, adjusting speed, adding stickers, inserting music, and applying filters 1. While not TikTok-specific, it contains many of the features needed to create high-quality TikTok videos. Inshot is praised for its precision editing capabilities.
VivaVideo is another full-featured editing app tailored for TikTok-style videos 1. It makes TikTok content creation accessible through its Beginner Mode while also providing more advanced customization options. VivaVideo offers an array of effects, texts, filters, transitions and more. The app’s built-in library also provides copyright-free music and video clips.
CapCut
CapCut is one of the most popular apps for creating and editing short videos for TikTok and other social media platforms. CapCut is available for free on iOS and Android devices. The app provides users with professional editing tools to trim, splice, and adjust videos. Some key features of CapCut include:
– Over 20 visual effects and filters to stylize videos
– Ability to add background music from an integrated library or personal files
– Tools to adjust speed/direction, add subtitles, stickers, and effects
– Multi-layer timeline editor to easily rearrange clips
– Draw and add text using a variety of fonts, colors, and styles
CapCut enables easy editing of high-quality videos optimized for social media. Its intuitive interface makes creative editing accessible for beginners while still providing advanced functionality for power users. Reviews praise CapCut for its comprehensive features compared to other free video editing apps. CapCut is frequently noted as one of the best apps for creative TikTok videos.
Inshot
Inshot is a popular video editing app for iOS and Android that makes it easy to edit videos for platforms like TikTok (Source: https://www.mobileappdaily.com/product-review/inshot-video-editor). The app provides a range of video editing tools and effects within an intuitive interface. Some key features of Inshot for TikTok include:
- Trim and cut video clips
- Add music and adjust audio
- Apply filters, stickers, text, and emoji
- Control speed and add slow motion effects
- Crop, rotate, and resize videos
- Create picture-in-picture and green screen effects
Inshot makes it easy to customize videos for TikTok in just a few taps. Its library of effects and editing tools allows creators to enhance their videos with unique styles tailored for the TikTok platform. While the free version includes watermarks, the premium version is affordably priced and removes limitations. Overall, Inshot provides a comprehensive set of features to take TikTok videos to the next level.
VivaVideo
VivaVideo is another top app for creating great TikTok videos. The free version of VivaVideo provides a full set of video editing tools including special effects, filters, transitions and text/sticker overlays. Some key features of VivaVideo include:
Video editing tools like trimming, merging, cutting and duplicating clips. You can easily arrange clips in the storyboard style timeline. Cool special effects like slo-mo, blur, audio speed adjustment are available. There are many creative filters, overlays and transitions to spice up your videos.
VivaVideo has an extensive music library with free songs and the ability to import your own music. Adding text and stickers is easy with many animated options.
The app allows saving videos to camera roll in high resolution up to 4K. You can also share directly to TikTok and other social platforms.
According to reviews, VivaVideo is highly rated for its intuitive interface, range of editing options and output video quality (see VivaVideo App Review). The free version has ads but the full feature set makes VivaVideo a top choice for creating great TikTok videos.
Comparison
When comparing top TikTok editing apps like CapCut, Inshot, and VivaVideo, there are several factors to consider:
Features
All three apps allow for basic editing like trimming clips, adding text, filters, effects, transitions, and stickers. CapCut has more advanced features like clone, green screen, and multi-layer editing. Inshot offers more filter, effect, and audio options. VivaVideo provides themes, collage and splice editing, and slideshow maker tools.
Capabilities
CapCut enables complex edits like speed adjustment, split screen, and picture-in-picture. Its keyframe animation gives more customization. Inshot focuses on simpler edits but has sky replacement. VivaVideo allows effects like reverse, slow/fast motion, and audio ducking.
Ease of Use
Inshot is praised for its intuitive interface. CapCut has a learning curve but includes helpful video tutorials. VivaVideo can feel cluttered but provides good creative control.
Price
Inshot and VivaVideo have free versions with paid upgrades. CapCut is free with no ads or watermarks.
Overall, CapCut is the best choice for powerful editing capabilities even though it has a steeper learning curve. Inshot excels at easy creative editing. VivaVideo offers the widest variety of effects and themes.
Additional Tools
In addition to the main TikTok editing apps mentioned above, there are other helpful tools and apps that can enhance your TikTok videos. Here are some top picks:
- Adobe Premiere Rush – This robust video editor from Adobe lets you combine video clips, add audio, apply effects and more. Great for complex edits.
- VivaVideo – Offers a range of video effects, filters, transitions and stickers. Easy to use and completely free.
- Zoomerang – Allows you to create engaging fast-motion hyperlapse videos by speeding up long video clips.
- Funimate – packed with effects, stickers, emoji and more for creative TikTok videos.
While the top apps like CapCut, InShot and VivaVideo cover the core editing needs, exploring additional tools can help you stand out on TikTok and produce truly engaging videos. With the right apps, the possibilities for editing and sprucing up your content are virtually endless.
Recommendation for Best TikTok Editing App
Based on the features, ease of use, and capabilities, the top recommendation for the best overall TikTok video editing app is CapCut. CapCut provides a robust set of editing tools while still being intuitive and easy to use, even for beginners. Key advantages of CapCut include:
- Extensive library of filters, effects, transitions, stickers, text options, and more to enhance videos
- Multi-layer timeline for advanced editing capabilities
- Tools to trim, split, duplicate, rearrange clips
- Speed control to adjust playback speed
- Picture-in-picture and green screen features
- Simple interface and guided editing process for beginners
- Completely free to use with no watermarks
While apps like InShot and VivaVideo have excellent features as well, CapCut provides the best balance of powerful tools and ease of use that appeal to both amateurs and professionals. For these reasons, CapCut is highly recommended as the top app for editing high-quality, creative TikTok videos.
Conclusion
With so many great options, it can be tough to choose the best app for making TikTok videos. The TikTok app itself provides a full-featured editing experience right within the app. For those wanting more advanced editing capabilities, third-party apps like CapCut, Inshot and VivaVideo offer additional filters, effects, transitions and tools.
When deciding which TikTok video editor is right for you, consider your editing skills and needs. Casual users will likely be happy with the built-in TikTok tools. For more customization and polish, the third-party apps provide excellent options. CapCut is great for powerful editing tools while Inshot and VivaVideo offer simplicity and ease of use.
The best TikTok video editing app ultimately depends on your personal preferences and editing style. Try out a few options to see which interface and features appeal most to you. With the right editor, you’ll be creating amazing TikTok videos in no time!
