For the second quarter of this year, CapCut and InShot have rocketed to the top of the Android market for video editing apps. Their incredible trajectory has put competitors such as YouTube Create in the dust. CapCut surpassed 66 million downloads, and InShot gained 21 million downloads in the same time frame. This data further illustrates the global trend of users honing in on these platforms as a destination for mobile video creation.
CapCut reportedly reached 194 million monthly active users in Q2, far outpacing InShot’s 25 million by a large margin. Furthermore, CapCut’s user engagement remains high, with users opening the app an average of 23 times per month, compared to InShot’s 11 times. Users spend a staggering average of 70 minutes daily on CapCut. On average, they spend nearly an hour and a half per month just editing their videos. By comparison, YouTube Create users average only 38 minutes a month on their platform.
The retention rates for these apps crystallize their user loyalty. In comparison, CapCut has the benefit of a 90-day retention rate of 7%, while InShot is at 4%. YouTube Create’s retention rate was just 1% in Q1. YouTube Create has proven to be an effective tool for audience expansion. It fails to hold users’ attention over the long haul as deeply as its rivals.
India has been another key market for YouTube Create this quarter. India represents 51% of the platform’s total monthly active users, Indonesia a distant second at 21%. This demographic data further emphasizes the potential of Asian markets within the video editing app age.
Take a look at how YouTube Create stacks up against the competition, according to digital media analyst Abe Yousef.
“While boasting solid user growth on a year-over-year basis, YouTube Create has struggled to keep up with some of its larger, more established peers such as CapCut, with the latter having more than 10x the number of monthly active users.” – Abe Yousef
The competition for being the go-to mobile video editing app is getting fierce. Further release on iOS for YouTube Create would trigger massive growth.
“CapCut coming out many years ago, coupled with the fact that it’s seamlessly integrated with its sister app, TikTok, likely plays into this material size difference with YouTube Create.” – Abe Yousef
Though there are many hurdles to clear, YouTube Create is still looking for ways to expand. Being able to offer an iOS version would bring a whole new wave of users and increase its competitive edge. It will face serious hurdles as it competes with established titans such as CapCut and InShot. These challengers have settled into their roles, having become more than just a fly in the ointment.
“An iOS release of YouTube Create could absolutely help the platform grow its market share, though fierce competition in the space both from other social media-backed video editing platforms and native video editors will persist.” – Abe Yousef
Despite its challenges, YouTube Create continues to explore avenues for growth. The introduction of an iOS version may attract new users and enhance its competitive standing. However, it will face significant hurdles as it competes with established players like CapCut and InShot, both of which have solidified their positions in the market.