Lift Blog: Social Media Tips and Updates

The Best Reel Editing App 2024 Overview | Lift

Written by Princess Angolluan | Jan 8, 2024 4:00:00 PM

If there's one thing that the biggest social media platforms have in common, it's their inclination toward short-form videos. This type of online content is now all the rage, especially since TikTok gained so much popularity during the pandemic.

This revolution has had a significant impact, leading other social media platforms like Instagram to introduce the option of creating and sharing reels. Creating Instagram Reels not only serves as a fantastic creative outlet but can also be a powerful means to enhance your popularity on the platform.

While Instagram provides a decent set of editing tools for creating reels, let’s be honest—it doesn’t have enough features to get those creative juices flowing. Luckily for you, there are other reel editing apps you can download that offer a wider array of creative possibilities.

We've curated a list of the best apps for making IG reels that you can download to help you create captivating content with greater freedom.

Here’s what you can learn from this guide. The best apps to create reels in 2024:

Best Reel Editing Apps in 2024

1. Lift: Reels & Story Maker - Best Reel Editing App Overall

Pros

  • Free to download
  • Intuitive user interface
  • Reel templates available
  • Add a reminder to your Calendar

Cons

  • More templates are only available to pro users
  • Only available to iOS users

Best Features

  • Remove photo background easily
  • Fun and unique AI avatars
  • Ability to Add royalty-free music to your reels
  • Reel templates are customizable

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Lift: Reels & Stories Maker is a free editing app exclusively available for iOS users. It provides a wide range of templates for creating reels, as well as other types of social media content like IG Stories and collages. 

With that considered, this is easily one of the most convenient editing tools you can download.

Whether you focus on e-commerce, fashion, travel blogs, or personal content, this app proves to be a valuable companion. It simplifies the process of transforming your photos and clips into captivating reels. You can easily add text in attractive fonts and animate it according to your preferences.

If words alone aren't enough to convey your message in a single reel, Lift: Reels & Story Maker offers a diverse library of royalty-free music. You can also incorporate your own audio or music files into your reel.

In addition to video editing, this app enables you to create a link in bio, making it effortless for your followers on various social media platforms to access all your online work.

2. InShot - Best App For Creating Reels in 4K

Pros

  • User-friendly editing tools
  • Direct sharing of reels to social media platforms
  • Has an in-app music library
  • Ability to add voiceovers to your reels

Cons

  • Limited transition effects in the free version
  • Annoying ads in the free version

Best Features

  • Supports high video output resolution up to 4K and 60 FPS
  • Picture-in-Picture feature that allows the use of chroma key
  • Offers a wide range of unique cinematic filters for pro users

InShot is an excellent companion for content creators, social media enthusiasts, and anyone seeking to unleash their creativity through videos and photos.

You can effortlessly merge videos and photos using smooth transition effects when creating a reel. Moreover, InShot provides a green screen feature, enabling you to get creative with the background of your clips.

The app includes a music library where you can discover numerous fun sound effects and music tracks that perfectly match the mood of your reels. Alternatively, if you prefer to add a voiceover, InShot offers a seamless way to incorporate it into your reel.

What sets InShot apart is its ability to save videos in 4K resolution at 60 FPS. If you prioritize high-resolution content when posting on your social media accounts, then this app is the perfect choice for you.

3. Vimeo - Best App For Making Reels Where You Can Also Showcase Your Content

Pros

  • Ability to produce high-quality videos
  • Team permissions for collaborative editing
  • Platform to showcase your content
  • Discover videos or reels from other creators

Cons

  • Relatively expensive compared to other platforms
  • Limited free storage for basic users

Best Features

  • Teleprompter feature for adding scripts while recording videos
  • Manage team permissions for project access
  • Get inspiration from other creators based on your interests

Vimeo is best suited for professional videographers, filmmakers, businesses, and content creators who value high-quality video playback and customization options. It also serves as a remarkable app for collaboration within teams.

Aside from being a great editing app, it’s also a platform where you can showcase your edits. That said, it could also be your go-to if you’re looking for some inspiration before you create a fresh reel to upload.

Now, if you’re new to video editing, Vimeo may be a bit advanced for you. Otherwise, you’ll appreciate how technical this app can be. For instance, you can conveniently record videos directly within the app and utilize the teleprompter feature so it would be easier to remember what you want to say.

4. Veed -  Best App For Instagram Reels with Captions or Subtitles 

Pros

  • Quick editing tool for adding captions to videos
  • Easy editing of generated captions
  • Capable of generating captions in 50+ languages
  • Convenient aspect ratio adjustment for videos

Cons

  • Only available to iOS users
  • Limited customization options for text and graphics

Best Features

  • Captions are automatically generated
  • Import or record your own video using the app
  • Live collaboration feature for team projects

Veed is best suited for individuals, content creators, small businesses, and teams looking for a user-friendly and cost-effective video editing solution. But it’s also worth pointing out that this is mainly known for its exceptional subtitling feature.

So, if your content usually includes subtitles, Veed is the perfect solution to avoid the hassle of manually editing them into your reels.

Veed will automatically generate your reel captions, and what’s even better is that it can transcribe over 50 languages. If you encounter any wrong words, don’t worry; the app lets you edit the generated words with just a few clicks or taps on your mobile phone.

In addition, the app allows customization of the caption's appearance, offering various styles to choose from.

5. CapCut - Best Free Reels Editing App

Pros

  • A comprehensive mix of free basic and advanced editing tools
  • Extensive collection of filters and transition effects
  • Offers its own cloud space for storage
  • Easily find your favorite templates and editing materials

Cons

  • Reports of occasional app glitches and issues
  • Lack of landscape mode on smartphones

Best Features

  • Has the chroma key feature to remove specific colors on reels
  • Stabilizing feature to make video clips steady
  • Text-to-speech feature available in multiple languages and voices

If you've spent a considerable amount of time browsing through Instagram stories and reels, or even TikToks, chances are you've come across many videos with a CapCut watermark.

CapCut is one of the most popular editing apps available, primarily due to its exceptional combination of free basic and advanced editing tools. The basic features include precise trimming, merging of videos, and a variety of transition options.

For advanced editing, you can use the chroma key feature and keyframe video animation. If you’re still shooting videos with a device without stabilization, you’ll love that this app has a feature that could fix that.

Overall, CapCut is an excellent editing app for online content creators and personal use alike.

How To Choose the Best Reel Editing App

Choosing the right app for making reels can be challenging with the wide array of options available, each offering different features to cater to various needs.

To help you out, here are a few things you may want to keep in mind when shopping for the best reel editing app:

    • Device Compatibility: Make sure that the app is compatible with your device. Some editing apps, such as Lift: Reels & Stories Maker and Veed, are exclusively available for iOS users. 
    • Ease of Use: Look for an app that is user-friendly and intuitive. It should be easy to understand and navigate, allowing you to edit your reels without confusion. Consider apps that provide helpful guides or instructions to assist you step-by-step in creating visually appealing reels.
  • Tools and Features Available: Examine the editing tools and effects the app offers. It should encompass basic functions like trimming, cropping, and adding text. If you possess editing experience, you may explore apps with more advanced features for enhanced creativity and customization.
  • Sharing Options: See how you can share your reels when you're done. Will it let you share easily on different social media platforms? Better yet, will it allow you to schedule when you can post the reel instead for better posting planning?

Wrap Up

Editing apps such as Lift: Reels & Stories Maker offer the convenience of creating captivating content with just a few clicks, thanks to their impressive selection of templates. Other editing apps like InShot and Vimeo are also great options if you’re looking for advanced editing features.

Without a doubt, maintaining consistency in posting high-quality Instagram Reels can significantly contribute to growing your following and boosting account engagement. With the help of these editing apps, you don't even need to be a professional editor to produce compelling reels.

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