Free-plan details checked against each provider's official pricing and help pages on October 8, 2026. This guide is based on that research, not on long-term hands-on testing. Plans change often, so check the linked official page before you rely on a specific limit.
Video is where "free" AI gets the most confusing. Some editors are free with no watermark, others stamp their logo on your export, and most AI video generators only give you a small one-time batch of credits. This guide covers five tools with real free plans, split into AI video editors (to edit footage you already have) and AI video generators (to create clips from a text prompt or an image).
Quick comparison
| Tool | Type | Free export | Watermark on free? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clipchamp | Editor | Up to 1080p | No |
| CapCut | Editor | See CapCut's help pages | Only with templates, premium assets or the ending clip |
| Canva | Editor + image-to-video | Not stated on pricing page | Not stated |
| Descript | Editor (edit by text) | 720p | Yes |
| Runway | Generator | Not stated | Not stated; "no watermarks" is listed as a paid feature |
AI video editors
1. Clipchamp (Microsoft)
Clipchamp has one of the most generous free plans. Microsoft's pricing page says the free plan exports in up to 1080p with no watermarks, and you can "work on and export as many videos as you like."
- AI features on Free: AI video and audio editing tools are included, such as AI subtitles, voiceovers and silence removal.
- What's paid: 4K export, premium stock, premium filters and effects, and a brand kit, through a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription.
- Best for: YouTube videos, school projects and anyone on Windows.
Official page: Clipchamp pricing
2. CapCut
CapCut is hugely popular for short vertical videos for TikTok, Reels and Shorts. Whether your free export has a watermark depends on what you use:
- Watermark-free: CapCut's help center says that if you build the video yourself with your own clips, music, text and effects, you can export without a watermark.
- Watermark risk: templates often add a small CapCut watermark at the end, CapCut automatically adds a short ending clip with its logo (which you can delete), and some premium effects or stock add a watermark in the free version.
- Tip: swap premium stickers, transitions or filters for free ones to avoid the watermark.
Official page: CapCut: exporting without a watermark
3. Canva
Canva Free includes video editing for any platform, and its "turn images into videos" AI tool is available on Free. It uses the shared allowance of up to 20 AI uses per month.
- Not on Free: "Create a video with Canva AI", which is one of Canva's paid "Ultra" AI tools.
- Best for: simple promo videos, animated social posts and slideshow-style clips.
Official page: Canva pricing
4. Descript
Descript lets you edit a video by editing its transcript: delete a sentence from the text and it disappears from the video. That's ideal for podcasts, interviews and talking-head videos.
- Free allowance: 60 minutes of media per month and 100 AI credits (one-time), with transcription in 25 languages.
- Limits: free exports are 720p and include a watermark.
- Paid option: Hobbyist, listed at $16 or $24 per person per month (the lower price appears to be for annual billing).
Official page: Descript pricing
AI video generators
5. Runway
Runway is one of the leading tools for generating video from text or images. Its free plan is best thought of as a test drive.
- Free allowance: 125 one-time credits to explore Runway's AI tools. Runway's FAQ says this free deposit doesn't expire.
- Watermark: Runway lists "no watermarks" as a feature of its paid Standard plan but doesn't say directly whether free exports are watermarked.
- Paid option: Standard at $12/month billed annually ($15 monthly), with 625 credits per month.
Official page: Runway pricing
What about Gemini and Luma?
- Google Gemini: video generation isn't part of the free Gemini plan. Google lists it from the Google AI Plus plan upward ($4.99/month in the US). Gemini subscriptions
- Luma Dream Machine: its pricing page doesn't list a free plan. The cheapest plan, Plus, is $30/month or $25/month billed yearly. Luma pricing
Which one should you use?
- Free HD exports with no watermark: Clipchamp.
- Short videos for social media: CapCut, built manually to avoid watermarks.
- Simple promo or slideshow videos: Canva.
- Podcasts and talking-head videos: Descript, if you can accept a watermark and 720p.
- Trying AI-generated video: Runway's free credits.
Tips for AI video
- Plan your credits. Generators use credits fast. Write and refine your prompt before you click generate.
- Check music rights. Use the tool's licensed library or royalty-free music to avoid copyright claims on YouTube.
- Label AI content. YouTube, TikTok and Instagram ask creators to disclose realistic AI-generated content.
Seen a change in one of these free plans? Tell us through our Contact page and we'll update this guide.
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