TikTok has taken the world by storm, with over 1 billion monthly active users and 200 million+ downloads in Q1 2020 alone (SensorTower). As the platform continues to grow, so does the importance of creating high-quality, engaging content that stands out in users‘ feeds. One key aspect of TikTok success is editing – using the right tools and techniques to grab attention, tell compelling stories, and showcase your unique style.
Fortunately, there are a variety of powerful editing apps available to help creators of all skill levels produce professional-looking TikTok videos. In this guide, we‘ll reveal the top 10 TikTok editing apps, diving deep into their features, pros and cons, and use cases. Whether you‘re a beginner looking to dip your toes into TikTok or a seasoned pro seeking to level up your content, these apps can help you unlock your creative potential and grow your presence on the platform.
1. TikTok‘s Built-In Editor
Before exploring third-party apps, it‘s worth familiarizing yourself with TikTok‘s own built-in editing tools. While not as robust as some dedicated apps, TikTok‘s editor still packs a punch with features like:
- Visual effects: Choose from a variety of filters, animations, and AR effects to enhance your videos
- Text: Add captions, titles, and speech bubbles with multiple fonts and colors
- Green screen: Transport yourself to different backgrounds or overlay images/videos
- Voice effects: Transform your voice with pitches, echoes, and more
- Duet and Stitch: Create collaborative videos by reacting to or combining your video with other users‘ clips
TikTok‘s editor is best suited for beginners or those who want to make simple, quick edits without leaving the app. However, it does have some limitations compared to more advanced editing apps, such as a lack of timeline editing and limited customization options.
2. Canva
Canva, the popular graphic design platform, recently expanded into video editing – and it‘s a game-changer for TikTok creators. With a massive library of customizable templates, stock media, and easy-to-use design tools, Canva makes it simple to create professional-grade TikTok videos in minutes.
One of Canva‘s biggest advantages is its multi-platform capabilities. You can easily repurpose your TikTok videos for other social media channels like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, all while maintaining a consistent visual brand across platforms. Canva‘s Brand Kit feature allows you to save your brand fonts, colors, and logos for quick access, ensuring your TikToks align with your overall aesthetic.
Canva is an ideal choice for marketers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners who want to create engaging TikTok content efficiently. Its "Magic Resize" tool is especially handy, automatically reformatting your videos for different platforms and aspect ratios.
3. Filmora
Filmora is a powerful desktop editing software that offers a wide range of features for TikTok creators looking to take their videos to the next level. With an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and extensive effects library, Filmora strikes a balance between ease of use and advanced functionality.
Some of Filmora‘s standout features include:
- Motion tracking: Automatically track and blur out moving objects like faces or logos
- Keyframing: Create custom animations by adjusting properties like position and scale over time
- Color correction: Fine-tune your videos‘ colors and contrast for a polished, professional look
- Instant Mode and templates: Choose from a variety of pre-made templates or use the A.I.-powered Instant Mode to create videos with just a few clicks
Filmora is best suited for creators who want to invest time in learning more advanced editing techniques to take their TikTok game to the next level. Its powerful features do come with a bit of a learning curve, but the payoff in terms of video quality and creativity is well worth it.
4. Zoomerang
Zoomerang is a relative newcomer to the editing app scene, but it‘s quickly making a name for itself as a top choice for TikTok creators. Founded by former musical.ly (now TikTok) employees, Zoomerang was designed specifically with short-form video creation in mind.
One of Zoomerang‘s unique selling points is its exclusive effects and filters, created in partnership with some of TikTok‘s top creators. These one-of-a-kind effects help users tap into trending aesthetics and stand out on the platform. Zoomerang also offers built-in challenges and a community feed for inspiration, making it easy to jump on the latest trends and engage with other creators.
While Zoomerang may not have quite as many features as some other apps on this list, its tailored approach to TikTok makes it a top choice for users who want to focus on creating fun, engaging videos without getting bogged down in complex editing.
5. CapCut
Developed by ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, CapCut has quickly become one of the most popular editing apps for the platform. With over 200 million downloads and counting, CapCut offers a powerful suite of tools designed specifically for creating high-quality TikTok videos.
CapCut‘s intuitive timeline interface makes it easy to trim, split, and rearrange your clips, while its extensive library of filters, effects, and music tracks allows for plenty of creative experimentation. One standout feature is the ability to search for editing templates using popular TikTok hashtags – a game-changer for users looking to quickly jump on trending formats and challenges.
As ByteDance continues to invest in building out a creator ecosystem around TikTok and CapCut, the app is poised to become an even more essential tool for serious TikTokers. Its active user community and detailed tutorial videos make it a great choice for intermediate-level creators looking to up their editing game.
6. Adobe Premiere Rush
Adobe Premiere Rush is a streamlined version of the company‘s industry-standard Premiere Pro editing software, optimized for creating and sharing social media videos. As part of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, Premiere Rush offers seamless integration with other Adobe apps like Photoshop and After Effects, making it a powerful choice for creators who want to incorporate advanced graphics and animations into their TikToks.
While Premiere Rush‘s interface may be more minimalist compared to its desktop counterpart, it still offers an impressive array of features, including:
- Multi-track timeline editing
- Customizable motion graphics templates
- Advanced color correction and grading tools
- Auto-ducking for music and voiceovers
One exciting development for Premiere Rush is its recent integration with LumaFusion, a popular mobile editing app for iOS. This partnership allows for even more advanced editing capabilities on iPad, positioning Premiere Rush as a key player in Adobe‘s mobile video strategy.
Premiere Rush is best suited for creators who are already familiar with Adobe‘s ecosystem and want a mobile editing solution that integrates seamlessly with their existing workflow.
7. Funimate
Funimate is a sleek, powerful editing app that offers a wide range of eye-catching effects and filters for TikTok. Created by a VFX artist, Funimate‘s mission is to make professional-grade video editing accessible to creators of all skill levels.
One of Funimate‘s standout features is its AR filters, which allow users to add interactive, dynamic effects to their videos in real-time. The app also offers exclusive effect packs and brand partnerships, giving creators even more ways to enhance their unique style and stand out on TikTok.
Funimate‘s intuitive interface and detailed tutorials make it easy to dive into creating stunning, effects-driven videos. Some notable examples of Funimate creations include fake "cloning" videos using the Doppelganger effect, and surreal, mind-bending transitions that play with perspective and depth.
While Funimate does have a bit of a learning curve compared to more basic editing apps, it‘s a top choice for creators who want to push the boundaries of what‘s possible with TikTok editing and create truly mesmerizing videos.
8. InShot
InShot is a versatile, user-friendly editing app that offers a range of features for creating polished TikTok videos. With a clean, intuitive interface and a variety of filters, effects, and music options, InShot is a solid choice for casual TikTok users who want to create great-looking videos without spending hours in the editing bay.
Some of InShot‘s notable features include:
- Fit Video: Easily crop and resize your videos for different platforms and aspect ratios
- Blending: Create double-exposure effects by layering videos and images
- Scene detection: Automatically split your footage into separate shots for easy editing
- Keyframe animation: Add custom animations to your videos by adjusting properties over time
InShot also offers brand partnerships and exclusive effect packs, allowing creators to access unique assets and styles for their videos. While the app does have some limitations compared to more advanced editing tools, its ease of use and quick export options make it a great choice for users who want to create simple, stylish TikToks on the go.
9. iMovie
For iOS users, Apple‘s own iMovie app is a powerful, free option for editing TikTok videos. With a simple drag-and-drop interface, intuitive controls, and a variety of themes and templates, iMovie makes it easy to create professional-looking videos right on your iPhone or iPad.
Some of iMovie‘s key features include:
- Multi-track editing: Combine video, audio, and images on multiple tracks for more complex edits
- Green screen: Easily remove backgrounds and superimpose your footage onto different scenes
- Slow motion and fast forward: Adjust the speed of your clips for dramatic or comedic effect
- Picture-in-picture: Overlay video or images for news-style or reaction videos
As Apple continues to update iMovie with new features in each version of iOS and iPadOS, the app is becoming an increasingly powerful tool for mobile video editing. Its seamless integration with iCloud and other Apple apps like Photos and GarageBand make it a top choice for creators invested in the Apple ecosystem.
While iMovie may not have quite as many flashy effects or templates as some third-party apps, its robust editing capabilities and ease of use make it a great starting point for aspiring TikTok creators. Plus, with a growing number of professional YouTubers and filmmakers using iMovie in their workflows, it‘s a testament to the app‘s versatility and potential.
10. Vizmato
Vizmato is a unique editing app that offers a range of eye-catching effects and filters for TikTok videos. With a focus on music and artistic expression, Vizmato has gained a niche following among musicians, dancers, and other creative types looking to make visually striking videos.
Some of Vizmato‘s standout features include:
- Musicam: An AI-powered tool that automatically syncs your clips to the beat of your chosen song
- Sketches: Hand-drawn filters and animations that give your videos a whimsical, artistic feel
- Glitch effects: Futuristic, distorted visual effects for a bold, edgy look
- Collaborations: Easily combine your clips with other users‘ videos for creative duets and remixes
Vizmato has also garnered attention for its venture funding and plans to incorporate even more AI-assisted editing tools in future updates. While the app may have a bit of a learning curve compared to more basic editors, its unique effects and creative community make it a compelling choice for outside-the-box thinkers and artistic TikTokers.
Conclusion
As TikTok continues to evolve and shape the landscape of short-form video, editing apps play an increasingly crucial role in helping creators produce high-quality, engaging content. Whether you‘re a beginner looking for an easy way to polish your videos or a seasoned pro seeking advanced effects and features, there‘s an app on this list to suit your needs and style.
But staying ahead of the curve in the fast-paced world of TikTok requires more than just having the right editing tools – it also means keeping an eye on emerging trends and technologies. As AI-assisted editing becomes more prevalent and accessible, we can expect to see even more creators leveraging these tools to produce stunning videos with less time and effort.
Ultimately, the key to success on TikTok is to experiment, have fun, and stay true to your unique creative voice. With these top 10 editing apps in your toolkit, you‘ll be well-equipped to do just that. So dive in, get creative, and start making some TikTok magic!
