Meta just dropped a bomb for the creator economy. The Instagram Edits app — a standalone video editor packed with AI tools and designed for Reels and short-form content — is now available for free on iOS and Android. And yes, it’s Meta’s most obvious CapCut competitor to date.
If you’re a content creator in 2025, you know the routine: film on your phone, edit on CapCut, publish on TikTok, maybe repurpose for Instagram if the algorithm’s feeling generous. But Meta clearly wants to change that equation — and it’s doing it by building a serious creative toolkit right into its own ecosystem.
The Instagram Edits app comes loaded with mobile-first video editing features: timeline trimming, green screen effects, subject cutouts, overlays, AI animations, and text editing tools — all polished and designed to work fast on mobile. It’s giving CapCut vibes, but also clearly aiming for a more “serious creator” niche. Think TikTok youth vs. Instagram influencer.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, didn’t pretend otherwise. In a Threads post, he openly admitted the similarities to CapCut but said the Instagram Edits app will eventually diverge — not just as a TikTok clone, but as a deeper, more intentional tool for creators who want flexibility and data, not just filters and templates.
And while TikTok and CapCut continue to dominate, it’s worth noting that Meta is playing a long game here. With growing scrutiny on TikTok in the US and EU — and frequent calls for platform bans or forced divestitures — Meta might just be building the life raft creators didn’t know they’d need.
Future features will include multi-track editing, keyframing, and deeper integration with Meta’s analytics and monetisation tools. Basically: this is Meta betting that creators will stick around — if you give them real tools and treat them like professionals.
For now, the Instagram Edits app is a savvy, strategic move. It’s not just an editing tool. It’s an attempt to keep creators close, keep them editing inside Meta’s walls, and maybe — just maybe — make Instagram cool again.