iMovie
The default free editor that stopped evolving.
why this verdict
Keep it for the workflow, not the AI
CapCut and DaVinci Resolve cover the headline feature free, and the workflow around it is why you would still open this.
- A named launch, not a vibe named, unlinked
- CapCut and on-device AI editing. OpenAI, March 1, 2024 — no announcement link recorded yet.
- How much of the job it covers headline only editorial call
- The headline feature, but not the workflow, data or integrations around it.
- Is there a free way to do it? yes
- 3 of 3 listed replacements have a usable free tier: CapCut, DaVinci Resolve and Clipchamp.
- What the call is worth nothing to cancel
- No paid entry tier tracked, so there is no subscription to cancel.
- Threatened by
- OpenAI
- Since
- March 1, 2024
- List price
- free
- Per year
- —
The backstory
iMovie is Apple's free, preinstalled video editor that made basic editing approachable on Macs and iPhones. Its development stalled while CapCut and AI-assisted editors added auto-captions, effects, and on-device AI at a fast pace. That leaves iMovie wounded: it is chosen because it is already there, not because it competes on features. For anything beyond simple cuts, users now reach for tools that kept moving.
Escape hatches
Free editor with modern AI features
capcut.com open_in_newPro-grade editor with a full free version
blackmagicdesign.com open_in_newMicrosoft's free browser-based editor
clipchamp.com open_in_new3 of 3 replacements have a usable free tier.