Whether you’re editing Reels for Instagram, crafting YouTube Shorts, or putting together a quick WhatsApp status video, the app you edit on makes a real difference to both the quality of your output and how long it takes you to get there. The mobile video editing market is crowded — but InShot has consistently been one of the most downloaded and highest-rated editors on both Android and iOS for good reason.

In this review, we’ll break down what InShot actually does, what’s changed with its AI features, how the free and Pro tiers compare, and whether it’s still worth using in 2025 — especially with CapCut now a dominant competitor.

What is InShot?

InShot is a free mobile video editing app available for both Android and iOS. It’s designed for content creators who need a capable, fast, and intuitive editor that doesn’t require any prior video editing knowledge. Beyond video, it also handles photo editing and photo collage creation — making it a genuinely all-in-one mobile media tool.

As of 2025, InShot has over 23.5 million reviews on the Google Play Store with a rating of 4.8 out of 5 — one of the highest ratings in its category. On the App Store, it holds a similarly strong 4.8–4.9 rating. It’s been around long enough to build a genuinely loyal user base while continuing to add meaningful new features, including a full AI toolkit introduced in recent updates.

InShot Key Features (2025)

Core Editing Tools

InShot’s editing toolkit covers everything a mobile content creator needs for day-to-day video production:

• Trim, cut, and split: Precisely cut your clips — remove unwanted sections, split one video into multiple parts, or delete a middle section cleanly.
• Merge and combine: Join multiple clips into a single video without quality loss.
• Speed control: Slow down or speed up footage — useful for slow-motion effects or time-lapses.
• Canvas and aspect ratio: Instantly resize your video to fit any platform — square (1:1) for Instagram feed, vertical (9:16) for Reels and TikTok, horizontal (16:9) for YouTube. No cropping required.
• Background: Change or blur the background of your video.
• Keyframe animations: Add motion to stickers, text, and overlays — a feature previously only found in desktop editors.

Audio Tools

• Background music: Add music from InShot’s built-in library or import from your own device. Set music to play for the entire video or a specific segment.
• Voiceover recording: Record directly in the app while reviewing footage.
• Volume control and fade: Adjust music and original audio levels independently; add fade-in/fade-out effects.
• Sound effects: Access InShot’s library of sound effects for quick additions.

Note for creators: Some music tracks in InShot’s library may trigger copyright flags on platforms like YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels for videos longer than 60 seconds. Always check track licensing before publishing to social media.

Visual Effects and Overlays

• Filters: A wide range of colour grading filters — some free, some locked behind InShot Pro.
• Stickers and emojis: Multiple sticker packs available, with flexibility to set duration (full video or a specific time range).
• Text placement: Add styled text anywhere in the video for any duration. Multiple font options and animations available.
• Transitions: A library of transition effects between clips, including the new Geometric pack added in late 2025.
• Picture-in-Picture (PiP): Overlay a second video on top of your main footage.
• Chroma key (Green screen): Remove a solid-colour background from footage — a professional feature available on mobile.

AI-Powered Features (New in 2025)

InShot has significantly expanded its AI toolkit in recent updates, making it a meaningfully more capable app than it was even a year ago:

• Auto Captions: AI-powered speech-to-text generates subtitles automatically — now with bilingual support. A huge time-saver for creators who add captions to every video.
• Auto Remove Background: Remove the background from photos and videos with a single tap, no manual masking required.
• Smart Tracking: Attach stickers or text to a moving object in the video — InShot’s AI tracks the object and keeps your overlay in sync throughout the clip.
• AI Effects: One-tap presets that apply stylised AI effects to images and video.
• Smooth Slow-Mo: AI-enhanced slow-motion that generates intermediate frames for buttery smooth results even from standard footage.
• Auto Adjust: One-tap colour and exposure enhancement for photos and videos.

Export Quality

InShot supports export up to 4K resolution at 60fps — professional-grade output from a mobile app. This is available on the Pro plan; the free version exports at lower resolutions.

InShot Free vs Pro — What’s the Difference?

Understanding exactly what the free version limits is key to deciding whether InShot Pro is worth it for your use case:

Free version includes: All core editing tools, access to some filters and stickers, basic AI features. Videos export with an InShot watermark — though you can remove it by watching a short ad each time you export.

InShot Pro unlocks: All filters and sticker packs, full AI feature access, watermark-free exports by default, 4K export, no ads, all transition effects.

InShot Pro pricing:

• Monthly: $4.99/month
• Annual: $19.99/year (the better value — works out to $1.67/month)
• Lifetime: $34.99–$49.99 one-time (varies by platform and region)

For most casual creators, the free version with ad-removal is enough. For regular content creators publishing multiple videos per week, the annual Pro plan at $19.99 is excellent value given the watermark removal and 4K export alone.

How to Use InShot — Getting Started

1. Download InShot from the Google Play Store (Android) or Apple App Store (iOS).
2. Open the app. You’ll see three options on the home screen: Video, Photo, and Collage. Select based on what you want to create.
3. Grant storage permission when prompted — InShot needs this to access your media files and save your edited output.
4. Select the video or photo you want to edit from your gallery.
5. Use the bottom toolbar to access editing features — trim, music, text, stickers, filters, effects, and more are all one tap away.
6. Preview your edit using the play button at any time.
7. When done, tap the export button (top-right), choose your resolution and frame rate, and save to your gallery or share directly to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp, or Facebook.

Pro tip: Use the Canvas feature early — set your aspect ratio to match your target platform before you start editing. Reels and TikTok need 9:16, YouTube needs 16:9, and Instagram feed posts work best at 1:1 or 4:5. Getting this right from the start prevents cropping surprises at the end.

InShot vs CapCut — Which Should You Use?

CapCut has become InShot’s most significant competitor, particularly among TikTok and Reels creators. Here’s how they compare honestly:

InShot is better for: Simplicity and speed. If you want to trim, add music, slap on a filter, and export in under five minutes, InShot’s workflow is faster. It’s also better for creators on older or budget Android phones — InShot runs well on lower-spec devices where CapCut can struggle.

CapCut is better for: Advanced editing and template-driven content. CapCut has a significantly larger template library, better audio tools (including equalizer and ducking), multi-track editing, and deeper TikTok integration. If you’re producing trend-based content that relies heavily on templates and effects, CapCut has the edge. It also exports without watermarks on the free plan.

The honest verdict: Many creators use both — InShot for quick edits and polished standalone content, CapCut when they need more complex production or are following a trending template format. Neither is objectively “better”; they serve slightly different workflows.

InShot App Ratings

InShot’s store ratings speak for themselves: 4.8 out of 5 on both Google Play (23.5M+ reviews) and the App Store. It holds the Editor’s Choice badge on Google Play — a distinction Google reserves for apps that demonstrate exceptional quality, design, and user experience.

Common praise from users: ease of use, quality of AI Auto Captions, the flexible text and sticker timing controls, and export speed. The most common criticism: ads becoming more intrusive in early 2026 on the free version, and some music tracks triggering copyright issues on longer social media posts.

Frequently Asked Questions About InShot

Q: Is InShot completely free?
A: The core features are free, but the free version adds a watermark to exports and includes ads. You can remove the watermark on individual exports by watching a short ad. InShot Pro (from $4.99/month or $19.99/year) removes ads and watermarks permanently and unlocks all premium filters, stickers, and 4K export.

Q: Does InShot add a watermark?
A: Yes, by default on the free plan. You can remove it by watching a short ad before each export, or by subscribing to InShot Pro which removes it permanently.

Q: Can InShot export in 4K?
A: Yes — InShot supports 4K export at up to 60fps, but this feature is exclusive to InShot Pro subscribers.

Q: Is InShot good for YouTube videos?
A: Yes, particularly for short-form content like YouTube Shorts. For longer, more complex YouTube videos with multi-track editing and advanced colour grading, a desktop editor or CapCut might serve you better — but InShot handles most standard YouTube content creation well.

Q: Is InShot better than CapCut?
A: Depends on your workflow. InShot is simpler, faster for quick edits, and runs better on older devices. CapCut has more advanced features, a larger template library, and exports without watermarks on the free plan. Many creators use both for different types of content.

Q: Does InShot work on iPhone?
A: Yes — InShot is available on iOS and works on iPhone and iPad. It requires iOS 15.0 or later.

Q: What are InShot’s new AI features?
A: InShot’s AI toolkit (added and expanded through 2024–2025) includes Auto Captions (speech-to-text with bilingual support), Auto Remove Background, Smart Tracking (for attaching stickers to moving objects), AI Effects, Smooth Slow-Mo, and Auto Adjust for one-tap photo/video enhancement.

Conclusion

InShot remains one of the best free video editing apps for Android and iOS in 2025 — particularly for creators who prioritise speed, simplicity, and a clean workflow over maximum feature depth. The addition of a genuine AI toolkit (Auto Captions, Smart Tracking, Background Removal) has made it meaningfully more capable than earlier versions, closing the gap with CapCut on features that matter most to everyday creators.

If you’re just getting started with mobile video editing — for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or WhatsApp — InShot is an excellent first app. The free version gives you more than enough to learn the ropes, and the Pro tier is genuinely affordable if you’re creating content regularly.

Questions about a specific InShot feature or use case? Drop them in the comments — happy to help.