InShot – Video Editor App Review
InShot is a popular video editing app available for iOS and Android devices. With over 200 million downloads worldwide, it has become one of the top choices for creating and editing videos on mobile. This comprehensive review will analyze InShot’s main features and tools, supported platforms, pricing and monetization, user interface, and performance.
Overview of InShot
InShot is an all-in-one video editor that allows users to:
- Trim, cut, and merge video clips
- Add filters, effects, stickers, text, and music
- Adjust speed, rotate, crop, flip, reverse, and more
- Create slideshows and video collages
- Share directly to social media
The app provides both basic and advanced editing capabilities for creating professional-looking videos right on your smartphone. Developer: InShot Inc. Initial Release: 2014 Platforms: iOS and Android Pricing: Free with in-app purchases and subscriptions Download Size: Varies by device, approx. 60MB
Key Features and Tools
InShot packs a wide array of features into an easy-to-use interface:
Video Editing
- Trim/Cut/Delete: Precisely trim video length, cut out segments, delete unwanted parts
- Split: Divide a video into multiple clips
- Merge: Combine multiple videos into one
- Adjust Speed: Speed up or slow down video from 0.2x to 100x
- Crop: Zoom in and pan around videos, remove black bars
- Rotate/Flip: Rotate videos, flip horizontally or vertically
Music & Audio
- Music Library: Add free music tracks and your own music
- Voiceover: Record narration directly in the app
- Sound Effects: Choose from a range of built-in sound effects
- Volume Control: Adjust audio levels for each track
Text & Overlays
- Text: Add animated text with custom fonts, colors and motion
- Stickers: Choose from hundreds of animated stickers and emoji
- Shapes: Add customizable shapes and drawings
Filters & Effects
- Filters: Cinematic filters like VHS, Noir, Retro, and more
- Transitions: Fade, wipe, glitch, slice and other transitions
- Chroma Key: Remove and replace backgrounds with a green screen effect
- PIP: Layer videos and images using picture-in-picture
Photo Editing
- Collages: Build photo grids using various layouts
- Filters: Artistic filters and color adjustments
- Stickers/Text: Enhance photos with overlays
Sharing & Exporting
- Resolutions: Export in standard or high resolutions up to 4K
- Aspect Ratios: Landscape, portrait, square, Instagram, etc.
- Direct Sharing: Post videos directly to social apps
Supported Platforms
InShot is available for download on both iOS and Android devices through their respective app stores.
iOS
InShot is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch running iOS 10.0 or later versions. It is optimized for all models including:
- iPhone 14, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, XR, XS, XS Max, X, 8, 8 Plus, 7, 7Plus, SE
- iPad Pro 12.9‐inch (5th generation), 11-inch (3rd generation)
- iPad Air (4th generation), iPad (9th generation)
- iPad Mini (6th generation), iPad Mini (5th generation)
- iPod Touch (7th generation)
Android
On Android, InShot supports devices running Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher. It works on phones and tablets from all major brands including:
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Series, S21 Series, S20 Series, Note 20 Series
- Google Pixel 7, Pixel 6 Series, Pixel 5, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4
- OnePlus 10 Pro, 9 Series, 8 Series, 7 Series
- Xiaomi 12 Series, Mi 11 Series, Redmi Note 11 Series
- Huawei P50 Series, Mate 40 Series, P40 Series
- Oppo Find X5 Series, Reno 7 Series, Reno 6 Series
- Vivo X80 Series, Vivo V23 Series, Vivo V21 Series
InShot is optimized to run smoothly on most modern Android devices. However, lower-end phones with only 1GB RAM may experience performance issues.
Pricing and Monetization
InShot utilizes a freemium model with optional in-app purchases and subscriptions.
Free Version
The free version of InShot provides access to all the core editing features without paying anything. However, it has some limitations:
- Watermark on exported videos
- Limited effects, filters, and stickers
- Ads displayed occasionally
The free version works well for casual users looking to make basic edits and try the app out.
Premium Features
Additional premium features can be unlocked either via one-time in-app purchases or with a subscription:
- Remove watermark – $2.99 one-time purchase
- Access all effects, filters, stickers, music, fonts – $7.99 monthly subscription
The premium features allow more creative freedom when editing videos.
Advertising and Brand Partnerships
InShot displays full-screen video ads when exporting videos in the free version. This helps monetize users who do not purchase the app. Select brand partnerships also allow sponsored stickers, effects, and filters to be included in the app. Overall, InShot strikes a fair balance between providing core features for free while monetizing power users with subscriptions and advertising. The premium features enhance the experience but are not critical for basic editing.
User Interface and Experience
InShot’s interface is designed to be simple, intuitive, and user-friendly. Key aspects include:
Easy Navigation
- Simple bottom toolbar to access all editing features
- Tap icons to expand tools like text, stickers, filters
- Undo/redo buttons for quick fixes
- Preview button to check edits
Timeline Editing
- Horizontal timeline for precise trimming
- Tap and drag clips to move them around
- Pinch to zoom for frame-by-frame edits
Media Browser
- Albums, Selfies, and Media folders to browse photos/videos
- Search bar to find specific files
- Create folders to organize media
Clean Design
- Modern, minimalist interface
- Icons and buttons are clean and visually appealing
- Soothing light and dark themes
The interface allows users to easily navigate the app and access the robust toolset in just a few taps. Even first-time users can quickly understand how to create videos with a gentle learning curve. Advanced users may want more complex timelines and tracks. But for straightforward mobile editing, InShot’s UI is intuitive.
Performance and Speed
InShot uses optimization and compression techniques to provide a smooth editing experience:
- Trimmed Video: Unused footage is deleted to reduce file size
- Compressed Export: Video exports use compression to lower output size
- Performance Options: Resolution and FPS can be lowered to increase speed on lower-end devices
Editing Capabilities:
- iPhone 13 Pro – Can edit 4K videos without lag or crashes
- iPhone 11 – Can edit 1080p videos smoothly
- Android Mid-Range – May struggle with 4K, but handles 720p and 1080p
- Android Low-End – Can edit 720p, may have issues with 1080p
InShot works well for most common mobile video resolutions like 1080p and 720p. Large 4K videos can slow down the experience, especially on budget Android devices with less RAM. Overall, InShot delivers reliable performance for day-to-day video editing on modern smartphones. The app is snappy and responsive in most use cases.
Summary
InShot provides a robust set of video editing tools on mobile through an intuitive interface. With both free and paid options, it can suit casual and power users alike. The app excels at making video editing easy and approachable for smartphone users. While advanced desktop software like Final Cut Pro offers more complex capabilities, InShot hits the sweet spot for straightforward mobile editing. From trimming and merging clips to adding filters, stickers, and music, InShot has all the features needed to create great-looking videos on your phone. For social media content creators and vloggers, it’s an essential app for the toolbox.