Free · Video · 9 of 10 tools · updated Oct 17, 2026
Free AI tools for AI video editing
Runway is the strongest tool for AI video editing you can use without paying, at 31/100. What you get for nothing: from $12/mo. 9 of the 10 tools tracked for this job have a free tier, an open-source licence, or are free outright. It is also the top-ranked tool for this job overall, free or not.
Same evidence score as the ranking — GitHub stars, Hacker News mentions, release activity, free access — recomputed nightly, never sold. See all 10 tools for AI video editing.
Top 3
evidence / 100
+ Aleph lets you edit existing footage with text instructions, which few competitors offer.
− Credits burn fast and clips are limited to roughly 10 seconds per generation.
+ Eye-contact correction and lip-synced dubbing work well on phone-shot talking-head video.
− The subscription is expensive relative to CapCut and many effects feel gimmicky.
+ Strong team collaboration and brand kit features for a browser editor.
− Exports are watermarked and capped at 720p on the free plan.
All 9, side by side
| Tool | Score | Pricing | What you get free | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runway | 31 | Free tier | from $12/mo | web, ios, api |
| Captions | 26 | Free tier | no limits published | ios, android, web, mac |
| Kapwing | 18 | Free tier | from $16/mo | web |
 CapCut | 17 | Free tier | Pro from $7.99/mo | web, windows, mac, ios, android |
 Descript | 10 | Free tier | Hobbyist from $12/mo billed annually | web, mac, windows |
 InVideo AI | 10 | Free tier | from $28/mo | web, ios, android |
 Sora | 10 | Free tier | free with limits; more via ChatGPT Plus/Pro | web, ios, android |
 LTX Studio | 8 | Free tier | no limits published | web |
 VEED | 8 | Free tier | from $12/mo | web |
A free tier counts, and so does an open-source licence you can self-host — both are in the table, so a tool that is only free for a trial is not here.
Head to head: Runway vs Captions Runway vs Kapwing Captions vs Kapwing