Comparison
Captions vs CapCut: AI edits, credits and price
Captions is built around AI edits that spend credits, from $24.99 a month for 500. CapCut is a broader editor at $9.99 or $19.99 a month with a free tier. Choose Captions for AI trims and generated edits, and CapCut for a general timeline editor that costs less.
Captions and CapCut, row by row
Where a fact could not be confirmed on a first-party page, the cell says so.
| Captions | CapCut | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | AI edits of talking-head video, captions and effects | General timeline editing with templates and effects |
| Price, September 2026 | Free. Max $24.99 a month for 500 credits. Frontier $69.99 to $279.99 | Free. Standard $9.99 a month, Pro $19.99 (App Store) |
| How AI is charged | Credits, about 20 for each dollar of plan price | Credits on Pro, 1,200 per third-party guides |
| Cuts pauses and filler words | Yes, AI Trim per its help pages | Reviews mention auto cut, not confirmed on a CapCut page |
| Teleprompter | Reads from your script, voice following not confirmed | Manual speed slider, no voice following per third-party comparisons |
| Runs on | iPhone, Android and web | iPhone, Android and desktop |
| App Store rating | 4.75 from 38,132 ratings | 4.61 from 1,122,338 ratings |
| Account | You need an account for paid features | Not confirmed for basic use |
Checked 29 September 2026 from Captions' pricing and help pages, and the App Store listings of both apps.
The cost side
CapCut's list prices are lower, and the $19.99 Pro price is still under Captions' $24.99 entry plan. But price alone hides how each one charges. Captions' credits are spent by AI edits, and its pricing page doesn't say how many a specific edit costs. One reviewer wrote in September 2026 that $25 bought 2.5 minutes of video.
So the cheap plan isn't the whole bill on either side. If you plan to use the AI features a lot, read the credit limit in the app, then run one real clip through it before you subscribe.
The pick for talking-head video
If you talk to camera and want pauses and filler words gone, Captions documents that job under AI Trim, so it's the more direct fit of the two. If you also cut B-roll, music and effects by hand, CapCut's timeline gives you more control for less.
Ratings tell a different story from the features. CapCut has about 1.1 million ratings and Captions 38,132, so CapCut is the bigger, more tested app. Bigger doesn't mean better at one narrow job, but it does mean more people have found the rough edges.
A third option for one job
If the job is only reading a script and cutting retakes, both of these do more than you need. CutKit records with a teleprompter that follows your voice and cuts on the phone, without credits or an account. It has no timeline, effects or B-roll. If you want those, stay with one of those two. The [CutKit vs Captions](/blog/cutkit-vs-captions) and [CutKit vs CapCut](/blog/cutkit-vs-capcut) posts go through the trade.
Frequently asked questions
Is Captions better than CapCut?
For AI trims of talking-head video, Captions documents the job more directly. For a general editor with more control at a lower price, CapCut is the better fit.
Which is cheaper, Captions or CapCut?
CapCut is cheaper on list price. Standard is $9.99 a month and Pro is $19.99 on the App Store, against $24.99 a month for Captions Max.
Do Captions and CapCut use credits?
Yes, both charge for AI features in credits. Captions Max includes 500 a month, and one guide lists 1,200 for CapCut Pro.
Does either app follow my voice in the teleprompter?
I couldn't confirm voice following for either one. CapCut's teleprompter has a manual speed slider according to third-party comparisons, and Captions' listing says it reads from your script.
Sources
Read on 29 September 2026. Prices change, so treat them as a snapshot and confirm on the seller's own page before you pay.