Pick Wondershare Filmora if…
you edit on a computer with a classic timeline, prefer paying once a year, and want future version upgrades included.
Filmora is a classic desktop timeline editor from Wondershare, sold on annual plans with optional credit-based AI tools. CapCut is ByteDance's mobile-first editor with TikTok-native templates and an AI toolkit, priced per month at rates that vary by region and device. Both can make the same YouTube or social video; they differ in billing, free-plan watermarks and where you edit.
Pick Filmora ($4.17/mo on Basic, billed yearly) if you want a traditional desktop editor at a low annual cost and don't mind AI being optional. Pick CapCut if you edit short-form on a phone: its free plan exports 1080p without a watermark on your own edits, and Pro is $19.99/mo.
| App | Free tier | Paid from | Top plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wondershare Filmora | Yes | $4.17/mo | $8.33/mo | Hobbyists and YouTubers who want a classic timeline editor with optional generative AI on a cheap annual plan |
| CapCut | Yes | $19.99/mo | $79/mo | Short-form creators making TikTok, Reels, and Shorts who want trending templates and fast mobile editing |
Monthly prices in US dollars before tax, from each vendor's official pricing (US list price; weekly-billed plans converted to a monthly figure). Updated November 2, 2026
| Wondershare Filmora | CapCut | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Annual or perpetual only; no monthly option | US web price per month; varies by region and device |
| Free tier | Full editor, but exports are watermarked | 1080p, no watermark on your own edits |
| AI credits | None on Basic; 1,000/mo on Advanced, 2,000 on Premium | 1,200/mo on Pro, 8,645 on Ultra |
| Storage | 1 GB on Basic, up to 100 GB on Premium | 1TB on Pro and Ultra |
| Platforms | Desktop editor | Mobile-first; Pro lists desktop and mobile access |
you edit on a computer with a classic timeline, prefer paying once a year, and want future version upgrades included.
you make TikToks, Reels and Shorts, want trending templates, and want a free plan that doesn't watermark your own edits.
Filmora Basic removes the watermark but includes no monthly AI credits, so its text-to-video, AI music and voice cloning tools need the credits that come with Advanced and above. Unused Filmora credits are reclaimed every 30 days. CapCut also has a catch: on its free plan, Pro-locked templates and AI effects still add a watermark.
Per month, yes: Filmora Advanced works out to $5/mo on its annual plan, with 1,000 AI credits a month, against $19.99/mo for CapCut Pro. But Filmora requires paying for the year up front.
Not for individual plans, which are annual or perpetual only.
Filmora's free plan watermarks every export. CapCut's free plan exports your own edits at 1080p without a watermark, though Pro-locked templates and effects add one.
How we choose: prices come from each vendor's official pricing page and are re-checked every week. We take no affiliate fees, so rankings aren't for sale.