Kapwing vs Clipchamp
Kapwing and Clipchamp side by side, as of September 2026: what each one costs, what it's made for, and when smooth.video, a free animation tool that runs in your browser with no account, does the job instead.
- Free
- No signup
- No watermark
Kapwing vs Clipchamp at a glance
| Kapwing | Clipchamp | smooth.video | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan, then Pro from US$16 a month billed yearly | Free, with Premium or Microsoft 365 for extras | Free, no paid plan |
| Account | Required to save a project | Microsoft account required | Not needed |
| Watermark | On free plan exports | Never | Never |
| Export resolution | 720p on the free plan, 1080p and 4K on Pro | 1080p free, 4K with Premium or Microsoft 365 | Any size, 4K included |
- Price
- KapwingFree plan, then Pro from US$16 a month billed yearly
- ClipchampFree, with Premium or Microsoft 365 for extras
- smooth.videoFree, no paid plan
- Account
- KapwingRequired to save a project
- ClipchampMicrosoft account required
- smooth.videoNot needed
- Watermark
- KapwingOn free plan exports
- ClipchampNever
- smooth.videoNever
- Export resolution
- Kapwing720p on the free plan, 1080p and 4K on Pro
- Clipchamp1080p free, 4K with Premium or Microsoft 365
- smooth.videoAny size, 4K included
As of September 2026. Plans change, so check those of Kapwing and Clipchamp before you decide.
Kapwing
- Projects
- Deleted after 3 days on the free plan
- Where your files live
- In Kapwing's cloud
- AI subtitles, translation, dubbing
- Yes
- Real-time collaboration
- Yes
When Kapwing fits better
You edit talking videos and need subtitles, translations or dubbing in many languages, or several people edit and comment in the same project. smooth.video has no subtitle generator and no shared workspace.
Kapwing vs smooth.videoClipchamp
- Formats
- MP4, GIF under 15 seconds, M4A audio
- Transparent video
- No
- Built for
- Editing videos: trimming, transitions, stock footage
- Screen recorder, AI voiceover, subtitles
- Yes
When Clipchamp fits better
You're putting a video together from clips: trimming, arranging, adding transitions, stock footage, an AI voiceover or subtitles, and you already use Windows or Microsoft 365. smooth.video isn't a video editor.
Clipchamp vs smooth.videoWhen smooth.video fits better
You're making the animated pieces of a video, like titles, lower thirds, logo stings or animated stats, want them at full quality without a watermark, and don't need a team workspace.
You want the text or the logo to move exactly the way you picture it, need a transparent overlay or a 4K export, or you'd rather not sign in to make a ten-second animation.
Open the editor- Free, full stop
- No plan, no trial, no credits, no export limit.
- No account
- Open the page and the editor is already there.
- Nothing is uploaded
- Your files are read and rendered by your own browser.
- No watermark
- Every export is clean, at any size, 4K included.
Start from a template
See all 203 templatesOpen one, change the words, export. Every element stays editable.
Questions
Does smooth.video generate subtitles?
No. You can type captions as text elements and time them on the timeline, but nothing is transcribed automatically.
How long are my projects kept?
As long as you keep the files. The editor autosaves the project you're working on in your browser; save it as a .smooth file to keep it on your computer and reopen it later, on any machine.
Is there a watermark?
No, never.
Can I use a smooth.video animation in Clipchamp?
Yes. Export an MP4 and add it to your Clipchamp project like any other clip.
Does it work on Mac, Linux and Chromebook?
Yes. It runs in a recent browser, whatever the computer.
Is it free?
Yes, completely: 4K, transparent WebM and GIF included, with no account.
Or skip the decision.
smooth.video is free, opens in a tab and exports without a watermark. Try it while you compare.
Open the editor- Free
- No signup
- No watermark