Are AskEditor's AI tools really free?

Yes. Upload a file, run a tool, download the output. No card up front. You only need a free account when you want to save the result to your library, or when you start generating at volume the casual-use free tier doesn't cover. Heavy users on paid plans get more credits and longer video allowances; that's where the actual revenue comes from.

Do I need to sign up to use these tools?

Subtitle Generator and Background Remover let you go pretty far before they ask. The five tools that lean on AI credits behind the scenes (upscale, face swap, motion control, image to video, relight) gate at the moment you click the final Generate button. Sign-up is the standard 10-second Google flow. Honestly, if you're going to use a tool more than once you'll want the account anyway.

Which tool should I use for what?

Quick map. Got a photo and want it to move? Image to Video. Got a video and need captions? Subtitle Generator. Want a character in your photo to dance the same way as a reference clip? Motion Control. The four image tools are easier to disambiguate by output: Upscaler gives you a bigger, sharper version of the same image; Background Remover gives you a transparent PNG cutout; Face Swap drops one face onto a different photo; Relight keeps the photo but changes the lighting setup.

Can I use the output commercially?

Whatever rights you held on the inputs, you keep on the output. AskEditor doesn't claim ownership of either side. There are content guidelines (no CSAM, no non-consensual deepfakes, no copyrighted audio or footage you don't have a license for), but those are the obvious ones. Print it for clients, sell it, license it, post it. We've worked with users who use this stuff in actual paid campaigns and the licensing has never been the friction point.

What's the difference between Image Upscaler and Background Remover?

Different problems. Upscaler makes the image bigger and sharper without distorting it; the AI reconstructs detail that wasn't readable at the original size, which is what makes a 1080×720 phone photo printable at A2. Background Remover keeps the image at its original dimensions and just deletes the backdrop behind the subject, leaving you with a transparent PNG you can drop onto a different background. The tools combine well when you have a small product photo for an Etsy listing: upscale first, then remove the background.

How fast and accurate are these tools?

Most finish in under 30 seconds. Background Remover is the fastest at 4 to 6 seconds. Upscaler and Relight land in the 18 to 30 second range. Face Swap takes 40 to 60 seconds because it returns three candidates, not one. Image to Video and Motion Control are the slow ones, 60 to 180 seconds, because generating fresh video from scratch is genuinely expensive compute. Accuracy is mostly a function of input quality. Clean source, clear subject, decent lighting and the output usually surprises people. Bad lighting or a blurry source and you'll spend a few retries getting something usable.

Do I need to install anything?

No. AskEditor runs entirely in your browser. Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox on desktop are all supported. There's nothing to download or install — just open /tools/video-editor and start editing.

What file formats can I upload?

Video: MP4, MOV, WebM. Audio: MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC. Images: PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF. Files stay on your device while you're editing — they're only uploaded to the cloud if you sign in to save the project or hit Export.

Where does my work get saved while I'm logged out?

Locally, in your browser. The full timeline state and every uploaded file persist across page refreshes via IndexedDB and OPFS (Origin Private File System). When you sign in for the first time, your in-progress edit is automatically migrated to your workspace with all media synced to the cloud.

Can I keep editing on a different device?

Anonymous edits live in the browser you started in. To pick up on a different device or browser, sign in first — once you're signed in, your projects sync via the cloud. We're working on shared anonymous projects across devices for a future release.

Does this work on mobile?

The full editor is desktop-only for now — timeline editing benefits from a real keyboard, large display, and a precise pointer. On mobile we'll show you the marketing page and ask you to come back from a desktop browser. Mobile playback and review of saved projects is on the roadmap.

How do animations and effects work?

Right-click any element on the timeline to open Animations. We ship with motion presets (fade, slide, zoom, bounce), kinetic typography, and visual effect lenses (VHS retro, RGB split, glitch, light sweep, film grain, zoom pulse). Effects are applied as their own timeline pills so you can drag, trim, and stack them.

What aspect ratios and resolutions can I export?

9:16 (Reels/Shorts/TikTok), 16:9 (YouTube), 1:1 (Instagram feed), and custom dimensions. Exports render at 1080p with optional 60fps for high-motion content like screen recordings or LTX-2 generated clips.

What about AI features — subtitles, voice clone, image generation?

AI features all run on our paid backend, so they require sign-in and use credits. We offer a free tier with monthly credit allotments and paid plans for heavier use. The editor itself — timeline, effects, animations, manual subtitles, manual export — is fully free to use anonymously.

Is the editor open source?

The editor is a proprietary product, but we publish a steady stream of architecture documentation and engineering blog posts on /blog. If you're researching how to build a browser-based video editor, you'll find detailed write-ups of our timeline physics, OPFS storage layer, frame-by-frame export pipeline, and more.

Free Online Video Editor

Trim, layer, animate, and export — right in your browser. No sign-up required to start. Sign in only when you're ready to save or render.

Editor ready · No sign-up to start

Studio Canvas

Plan, collaborate, and create production-ready videos with visual storyboarding.

Start editing free

No sign-up required

1080p export, no watermark

Edits saved to your browser

Edit and export your video in 3 steps

Step 1. Drop in your media

Drag video, audio, or image files straight onto the timeline — or paste a YouTube link to import a clip. Files stay on your device until you choose to export.

Step 2. Edit on the timeline

Trim, split, layer, and animate. Add text, captions, transitions, motion effects, and stock B-roll. Use the canvas to position elements visually, just like a desktop editor.

Step 3. Export or sign in to save

Hit Export to render a 1080p MP4. The first export prompts you to sign in — your work syncs to your workspace automatically with everything intact.

Drop in your media

Drag video, audio, or image files straight onto the timeline — or paste a YouTube link to import a clip. Files stay on your device until you choose to export.

Edit on the timeline

Trim, split, layer, and animate. Add text, captions, transitions, motion effects, and stock B-roll. Use the canvas to position elements visually, just like a desktop editor.

Export or sign in to save

Hit Export to render a 1080p MP4. The first export prompts you to sign in — your work syncs to your workspace automatically with everything intact.

Everything you need, nothing you don't

Built by creators for creators. The same editor agencies and studios use behind login — now public, free, and instant.

Multi-track timeline

Stack videos, audio, images, and text across unlimited tracks. Drag clips to retime, split with the playhead, or group-select with shift-drag.

Motion and effects

Built-in animations like zoomPulse, VHS retro, RGB split, light sweep, glitch, and film grain. Add a polished cinematic feel without aftereffects training.

Auto subtitles + kinetic captions

Generate accurate subtitles in 100+ languages, then style them like TikTok, Instagram, or your own brand kit. Word-by-word highlight, custom emoji, and animated reveals.

AI voice clone and dubbing

Clone any voice from a 30-second sample, then narrate scenes in 30+ languages. Or generate sound effects and ambient music from a text prompt.

Scenes and storytelling

Break long edits into scenes with placeholder previews, AI image regeneration, and per-scene voice. Designed for narrative UGC and ad creatives.

AI scene reviewer

An AI reviewer flags character mismatches, framing issues, missing dialogue, and broken structure — with a one-click Fix Now that re-renders the offending clip.

Edit now, save later

Your work persists in your browser without an account. Sign in when you're ready and we sync the canvas + every uploaded file to your workspace automatically.

1080p / 60fps export

Frame-perfect H.264 export at 30 or 60 fps with synced audio and captions. No watermark, no length limit, no upsell.

Built for every kind of creator

Whether you're shipping a UGC ad, a tutorial, or a Shorts series — the editor adapts to your workflow.

Performance marketers

Cut UGC ads with kinetic captions, B-roll cutaways, and motion graphics in minutes. Iterate creatives faster than your media buying cycle.

YouTubers and content creators

Long-form edits with chapter scenes, animated titles, and word-perfect captions. Export at 1080p60 for crisp Shorts and Reels.

Agencies and studios

Spin up client edits without a desktop install. Hand off projects via shared workspaces — every revision is versioned in the cloud.

Course creators and educators

Turn lecture recordings into polished modules. Add multilingual subtitles, B-roll, and animated callouts to keep students engaged.

Solo founders and indie hackers

Make demo videos, launch reels, and product walkthroughs without hiring an editor. Voice clone yourself once and narrate every product update.

Social media managers

Repurpose long-form into TikTok, Reels, and Shorts in one session. Re-export at any aspect ratio without re-editing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. You can open the editor, upload files, edit on the timeline, and preview your work without an account. Sign-in is only required to export your final video, generate AI subtitles or voice clones, and save your project to the cloud. There's no trial, no credit card, and no watermark on free exports.

Related tools

Subtitle Generator

Auto-generate accurate subtitles in 120+ languages. Edit on a timeline, export as SRT, VTT, or burned-in.

Image to Video

Turn any static image into a 4-15 second AI motion clip. Multiple models including Kling and LTX-2.

Motion Control

Transfer the motion from a reference video onto a character image. Powered by Kling V3.

Open the editor — your timeline is one click away

No sign-up. No watermark. Every feature unlocked anonymously except export and AI tools.