Tools
The best apps to create Instagram Reels and TikToks in 2026
By the ManyMotion team · · 9 min read
To post Reels and TikToks regularly, the app you choose changes everything: some give you full control but take time, others do the work for you. Here are the best apps to make Reels in 2026, sorted by what you want: edit yourself, add captions, or get a finished video from an idea.
The quick comparison
| App | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Edits (Instagram) | Editing Reels directly for Instagram | Free |
| CapCut | Full manual editing, effects and trending templates | Free, paid options |
| ManyMotion | A finished Reel from an idea or your footage, without editing | First video $3, then credits from $7 |
| InShot | Quick, simple editing on your phone | Free with watermark, subscription |
| Canva | Reels from templates, on brand | Free, paid plans |
| VEED | Online editing and captions | Limited free version, subscription |
| Captions | Talking-head videos with captions | Limited trial, subscription |
Indicative prices (October 2026): check the website or app store.
If you like editing yourself
Edits: Instagram's editing app
Launched by Instagram, Edits lets you film, edit and export Reels without a watermark, with tools designed for vertical video. If Instagram is your main channel, it's an excellent free starting point.
CapCut: the most complete
CapCut remains the reference for free mobile editing: effects, transitions, trending templates, auto captions. Perfect if you have the time and enjoy editing every video.
InShot: the simplest
InShot is loved for its simplicity: trim, add music and text, crop to 9:16. Ideal for quick edits with no learning curve.
If you want a finished Reel without editing
ManyMotion: from idea to published Reel
With ManyMotion, there's no timeline: you type what you want ("a 15-second Reel for my new collection, chic tone") or drop your videos. The AI creates the scenes or edits your footage, and adds the voice-over, music, word-synced captions and transitions. You adjust by chatting.
- Best for: small businesses, freelancers and marketers who post often and lack time.
- Limit: less frame-by-frame control than a real editing app.
Canva: your brand templates
If you already make your visuals in Canva, its Reels templates keep your branding. You still assemble each video yourself.
If you talk to camera
For talking-head videos, the key is cutting pauses and adding readable captions. Captions and VEED specialize in this. ManyMotion does it too: it cuts silences and filler words, puts your best sentence first and adds zooms, emojis and B-roll.
Our advice by profile
| Your profile | Recommended app |
|---|---|
| You enjoy editing and have time | CapCut or Edits |
| You want simple editing on your phone | InShot |
| You want finished Reels without editing, several times a week | ManyMotion |
| You talk to camera | Captions, VEED or ManyMotion |
| You centralize all your brand visuals | Canva |
Frequently asked questions
What's the best free app to make Reels?
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Edits (Instagram's app) and CapCut are free and very complete, but you edit yourself. To get a finished Reel without editing, ManyMotion's first video costs $3.
Can I make a Reel without filming myself?
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Yes: with ManyMotion, you describe your video and the AI creates the scenes, voice-over and music, or animates your product photos.
What format should a Reel be?
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Vertical 9:16, 1080 × 1920 pixels. Aim for 15 to 30 seconds with a hook in the first second.
Can the same video work on TikTok and Instagram?
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Yes, 9:16 is the same. Just avoid reposting a video with another platform's watermark.