Best App to Make Reels on iPhone in 2026: 7 Apps Compared
Which Is the Best App to Make Reels on iPhone?
The best app to make Reels is the one that matches where your footage comes from. A dance trend filmed on the phone, a product demo with text on screen, and a one-minute moment pulled out of an hour-long podcast need three different tools.
All seven apps below run on iPhone and export vertical 9:16 video. Prices are US App Store listings checked on October 8, 2026.
| App | Price | Watermark on free exports | Requires | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edits by Instagram | Free | ✓ No watermark | iOS 16.3+ | Reels filmed on the phone |
| Instagram app editor | Free | ✓ No watermark | Instagram app | Quick Reels with trending audio |
| CapCut | Free; Standard $9.99/mo, Pro $19.99/mo | ● Check at export | iOS 15+ | Templates and effects |
| VN | Free; VN Pro $7.99 or $69.99 | ✓ No watermark | iOS 16+ | Free multi-track editing |
| InShot | Free; Pro $4.99/mo, $19.99/yr, $49.99 lifetime | ✗ Yes, Pro removes it | iOS 15+ | Simple edits on a budget |
| Videoleap | Free; subscription up to $69.99/yr | ✗ Yes, subscription removes it | iOS 17+ | AI effects and green screen |
| Bitcut | Free; Pro $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr | ✗ Yes, Pro removes it | iOS 18+, iPhone & iPad | Reels cut from long videos, word-by-word captions |
7 Apps for Making Reels, App by App
1. Edits by Instagram
Meta's Edits is free, has no in-app purchases in the US App Store, records clips up to 10 minutes and exports in 4K with no watermark.
Weak spot: it has no workflow for pulling many clips out of one long recording.
2. Instagram's Built-In Editor
The editor inside the Instagram app is the fastest route for a Reel shot a minute ago: trim, add trending audio, text and stickers, post. Instagram's creator FAQ advises keeping Reels to 3 minutes or less if you want them shown to people who don't follow you yet.
Weak spot: limited timeline control, and the finished video lives inside Instagram, which makes cross-posting to TikTok or Shorts harder.
3. CapCut
CapCut still has the largest template and effects library on the phone, which matters for trend-based Reels. The US App Store lists Standard at $9.99 a month, Pro at $19.99 a month and a yearly plan at $89.99, and CapCut says prices vary by region. CapCut was off US app stores from January 18 to February 13, 2025; the full story is in our CapCut alternative guide.
Weak spot: more features move behind the subscription each year, and content license terms are broad.
4. VN Video Editor
VN is free with no watermark and gives a real multi-track timeline, keyframes, auto captions and 4K 60fps export. VN Pro ($7.99 or $69.99 in the App Store) and AI credits are optional.
Weak spot: fewer ready-made trend templates than CapCut.
5. InShot
InShot keeps editing simple: trim, auto captions, music, transitions and 4K 60fps export. Pro is $4.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $49.99 once.
Weak spot: free exports carry an InShot watermark.
6. Videoleap
Videoleap from Lightricks focuses on AI effects, green screen and motion tracking, with templates that sync clips to the music.
Weak spot: free exports are watermarked, and most features sit behind the subscription.
7. Bitcut
Bitcut makes Reels out of long videos. Generate Shorts transcribes a podcast, webinar or lecture, finds moments that make sense without context and returns them as ranked 9:16 clips. Captions are word by word in 18 looks with karaoke highlighting, cuts can snap to the beat of your music, and face tracking on Pro keeps the speaker centered when a 16:9 recording becomes vertical.
The free plan includes the full editor and 30 AI minutes a month, with a watermark. Pro ($9.99 a month or $99.99 a year) adds 300 AI minutes, face tracking and clean exports. If the long video is on YouTube, the free YouTube to Instagram Reels tool finds Reel-ready moments in the browser.
Weak spot: iPhone and iPad only, and no trend templates or green screen.
Reels Export Settings That Work on Any App
- Aspect ratio: 9:16, 1080×1920 pixels. Wider video gets letterboxed or cropped.
- Length: 3 minutes or less to reach non-followers, per Instagram's creator FAQ.
- Captions: many viewers watch with the sound off, so burn captions in. See how to add subtitles to Reels automatically.
- Safe zone: keep text away from the bottom fifth of the frame, where the caption and buttons sit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Edits by Instagram: free, no in-app purchases in the US App Store, no watermark, 4K export. VN is the free alternative with more timeline control.
Most use Instagram's own tools (the in-app editor or Edits) or CapCut for templates. Creators who repurpose podcasts and long videos use clipping apps such as Bitcut, which cuts and captions Reels from one recording.
Edits, the Instagram editor and VN export without a watermark for free. InShot, Videoleap and Bitcut add one on free exports and remove it with a paid plan.
Use a clipping app. In Bitcut, import the video and run Generate Shorts: it transcribes the audio and returns ranked 9:16 clips with captions. Our guide to turning long videos into Shorts covers the steps; the same clips work as Reels.
The Bottom Line
Our Recommendation
Start with Edits if you film Reels on the phone: it is free and leaves no watermark. Move to CapCut or Videoleap for templates and effects, or VN for timeline control. If your Reels come out of podcasts, webinars or streams, Bitcut finds the moments and captions them. For other AI options, see the best AI video editors for iPhone.
