At a glance
- Tools compared: 10, covering editors, a clipper, AI video generators, an avatar tool and an AI voice tool.
- Free: CapCut, YouTube Create, DaVinci Resolve, Descript, OpusClip, HeyGen and ElevenLabs have free plans. Runway gives one-time credits, and Pika’s free plan has no monthly credits.
- Cheapest paid plan: from $6 a month (ElevenLabs Starter) to $30 a month (Luma Plus), in US dollars. DaVinci Resolve Studio is a one-time $295.
- Checked: October 27, 2026, on each vendor’s own pricing page.
AI video tools for Shorts: free plans and prices
Prices below are US dollars per month when billed monthly, with the yearly-billing rate in brackets where the vendor lists one. Prices exclude tax and change often, so confirm at checkout. We did not test these tools; “best for” comes from each vendor’s own description.
| Tool | Job | Free plan | Cheapest paid plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CapCut | Editor with AI | Free templates, basic editing tools | Pro $19.99 ($179.99 a year); Standard $9.99 on iOS | Phone and desktop edits with templates and captions |
| YouTube Create | Editor | Free, no ads | None | Quick phone edits for Shorts |
| DaVinci Resolve | Desktop editor | Free version | Studio, one-time $295 listed, $236 shown | Color and finishing on a computer |
| Descript | Text-based editor | 60 media minutes a month, 720p export | Hobbyist $24 ($16 billed yearly) | Talking-head clips edited from a transcript |
| OpusClip | Clipper | 60 credits a month, up to 1080p | Starter $15 | Turning long videos into Shorts |
| Runway | AI video generator | 125 one-time credits | Standard $15 ($12 billed yearly) | Generating short AI clips |
| Pika | AI video generator | $0, no monthly credits (packs only) | Starter $10 ($8 billed yearly) | Generating clips from 900 monthly credits |
| Luma | AI video generator | None listed | Plus $30 ($300 a year) | Generation with Luma and third-party models |
| HeyGen | AI avatar video | 3 watermarked videos a month, 1 minute each | Creator $29 ($24 billed yearly) | Presenter-style videos without filming |
| ElevenLabs | AI voice | 10,000 credits a month | Starter $6 | Voiceovers for faceless Shorts |
CapCut is the only tool here with a full guide on this site so far. Read the CapCut Pro review or the CapCut pricing breakdown. For clippers and prompt-to-video tools, see our AI shorts generators roundup.
Which AI video tool do you need?
- You have footage. Use an editor. CapCut, YouTube Create and DaVinci Resolve have free versions, and Descript edits by transcript.
- You have a long video. Use a clipper such as OpusClip, which turns one upload into several vertical clips.
- You have no footage. Combine a generator (Runway, Pika or Luma), an avatar tool (HeyGen) and a voice tool (ElevenLabs). This is the costliest route, as the next section shows.
The workflow from idea to published clip is in our guide to making an AI video.
Why do AI video tool prices mislead?
Editors charge a flat subscription. AI generators sell credits, and a credit buys seconds of footage, not finished videos. Runway’s pricing page says Standard’s 625 monthly credits equal 52 seconds of Gen-4.5 video or 104 seconds of Gen-4 Turbo. CapCut’s Pro card says you can generate up to 240 seconds at 720p with Seedance 2.0 Mini.
Posting a 30-second Short every day takes about 900 seconds of footage a month. If every second were generated, that is roughly 17 times Runway Standard’s Gen-4.5 allowance (our arithmetic). Most creators mix generated clips with their own footage or stock, which cuts the cost.
Free plans differ in kind. Runway’s 125 credits are one-time, not monthly. Pika’s free plan lists zero monthly credits. HeyGen’s free videos carry a watermark, and Descript’s free plan exports at 720p. Check the watermark and export lines before you build a workflow on a free tier. Our AI video ideas and workflows show where each kind of tool fits in a full production run.
What should you check before subscribing?
- Commercial use. Pika’s free plan does not include a commercial license, and its Starter plan does. ElevenLabs lists a commercial license from Starter up, and Luma lists commercial use on Plus. CapCut’s help center says Pro includes commercial-use assets.
- Credit expiry. CapCut’s subscription credits last one subscription month. HeyGen says Creator credits roll over for one month. Size the plan to what you will spend.
- Billing period. Yearly billing lowers the monthly rate by 20% at Runway and Pika, and by up to 35% at Descript, but the vendor bills you annually.
- Device limits. YouTube Create runs on Android phones and on iPhone XR or newer with iOS 17. DaVinci Resolve’s page lists Mac, Windows and Linux.
How were these prices checked?
Each price comes from the vendor’s own pricing page, or from its App Store listing for CapCut’s Standard plan, on October 27, 2026. We kept tools whose pages showed prices we could read. Canva, Adobe and VEED are missing because their pricing pages did not load usable prices for our check. Our research method explains the rules.
Vendors change credits and plan names often. Where a page showed a promotion, we list the regular price and say so. DaVinci Resolve Studio’s page showed $236 against a $295 list price. ElevenLabs showed a $1 first month for Starter against $6 regular.
AI video tool guides
Our tool guides are listed below. Each states its prices and check date.
CapCut is the free editor most Shorts creators start with. See what each plan costs before you pay.
See CapCut pricesFAQ
What are the best AI video tools for YouTube Shorts?
It depends on your input. Editors such as CapCut, YouTube Create and DaVinci Resolve suit your own footage, OpusClip suits long videos, and Runway, Pika and Luma generate clips. We did not test them, so this reflects vendor descriptions and prices.
Are there free AI video tools for Shorts?
Yes. YouTube Create is free without ads, DaVinci Resolve and CapCut have free plans, and OpusClip gives 60 credits a month. AI generators are more limited: Runway’s 125 credits are one-time, and Pika’s free plan has no monthly credits.
How much do AI video tools cost per month?
In this table, the cheapest monthly plans run from $6 (ElevenLabs Starter) to $30 (Luma Plus), checked October 27, 2026. DaVinci Resolve Studio is a one-time purchase. Generator plans sell credits, so the real cost depends on how many seconds of video you make.
Do AI video tools add watermarks on free plans?
Some do. HeyGen’s free videos are watermarked, and Descript’s free plan has no watermark-free export. OpusClip’s Starter plan lists watermark removal. CapCut says watermarks usually come from template ending clips. Check each tool’s export screen.
Is CapCut Pro worth paying for?
It is worth it if you generate AI video with credits or use Pro-marked templates every week. If you cut and caption your own footage, the Free plan may be enough. Our CapCut Pro review explains the details and the sources.
Sources
- CapCut: Pricing, checked October 27, 2026
- CapCut Help: Template Watermark, checked October 27, 2026
- Apple App Store: CapCut, US, checked October 27, 2026
- YouTube Help: Learn more about YouTube Create, checked October 27, 2026
- Blackmagic Design: DaVinci Resolve, checked October 27, 2026
- Descript: Pricing, checked October 27, 2026
- OpusClip: Pricing, checked October 27, 2026
- Runway: Pricing, checked October 27, 2026
- Pika: Pricing, checked October 27, 2026
- Luma: Plans and pricing, checked October 27, 2026
- HeyGen: Pricing, checked October 27, 2026
- ElevenLabs: Pricing, checked October 27, 2026