5 free video editing apps to help nail your Instagram Reel game

As the world moves towards consuming more audio-visual content over textual content, one format of the former which seems to have taken it by storm, is Instagram Reels. 

Whether you’re an aspiring content creator looking to become the coolest kid on the block, a young entrepreneur looking to build your brand, an educator looking to convey information in a fun, interactive manner with your peers, amongst other things, Reels can just about do it all.  

ALSO READ: Top Instagram Reels tips and tricks you need to know

Now, more often than not, it so happens that the pictures and videos we shoot for our Reels may require a little editing and stitching. In this case, one may wonder which apps are the quickest and easiest to go about the same with, and of course, as probably many college students who have little to no income do, wonder which ones are free.  

Top five free video editing apps for Instagram Reels

1. InShot 

If you’re new to making Reels, here’s a little heads up. Videos and pictures shot in portrait mode are best suited to Reels. Landscape photos or videos on the other hand, on Reels, may look morphed. This is where InShot comes in. The app allows for one to add bars on the top of horizontal pictures and videos and helps turn them vertical, with the tap of a button. Additionally, it can also trim videos, add captions and transitions, as well as stitch together multiple pictures and videos.

2. Canva 

Face it, we’ve all used Canva to make endless presentations and reports in college a little more presentable, at some point or the other. However, little is it known, that Canva can be used to do the same with videos as well. Whether it is templates for your videos, or images and illustrations to plug in, Canva has it all. Furthermore, Canva also has a social media calendar feature wherein one can schedule automatic posts of their videos and pictures as well. The fact that it supports everything from TikTok to YouTube videos, Instagram stories as well as Reels, further adds to its versatility. 

3. KineMaster 

KineMaster offers you a number of tools that you may need to create professional-grade Reels. The fact that it is free further adds to its appeal. This app offers one pre-recorded sound effects as we as the ability to record voice-overs with their videos, a feature even Instagram’s in-built Reels editor still lacks. Furthermore, one can also use KineMaster to trim clips from pre-recorded videos or create animations with photos using the drag & drop interface. The app also offers like shape masks to add different shapes and logos, as well as text overlays, transitions, and motion graphics. 

4. Clips 

Do you want to create Reels where whatever one speaks appear as captions? Well, check out this offering from the house of Cupertino-based Apple Inc. Clips is the perfect app for you if producing your Reels involves transcriptions in any form. Furthermore, these captions are customisable, and one can choose the size, colour as well as font of the same. Clips, additionally, is also great for creating intro and outro messages for your Reel, should you want one. 

ALSO READ: How to edit Instagram Reels on a laptop or smartphone? 

5. WeVideo 

WeVideo features 4K resolution support and also a green screen effect to help the video’s production quality. The full-screen preview for Reels and timeline for editing one’s footage further adds to its utility, combined with the bank of royalty-free music, sound effects and stock video clips it offers. What’s more, it also has a cloud service, which makes it possible for one to access their work from anywhere, anytime, on any device.