On January 18, around 6:30pm PT, ByteDance pulled its popular apps TikTok and CapCut from the app store for US users. Creators are furious and confused as many of them did not realize that ByteDance owned CapCut also.

Although TikTok resumed regular use on Monday morning, creators were unable to access CapCut. Around midnight on Monday, CapCut came back and appears to be accessible again in the USA.

This article explains how the ban works and some predictions for how the CapCut ban will change the video editing industry.

Background

CapCut is the world's most popular video editing app. With more than 1 Billion downloads, it's in the top 10 most-downloaded apps in the iOS app store. With apps for both desktop and mobile, CapCut grossed more than $100M in consumer spending in 2023 and has certainly grown since then.

Integrated closely with TikTok, CapCut helped creators publish videos directly, learn from past video's performance, and get ideas for new videos to make. The app had popular features for editing social media videos including video templates, animated captions, trending sounds library, and "autocut" which automatically timed photos out to a sound.

According to SimilarWeb, American users represent 8% of the CapCut user base. CapCut and TikTok are both not available in India due to a 2020 ban.

Did CapCut Get Banned?

Yes. CapCut is owned by ByteDance, the same parent company that owns TikTok and Lemon8. The US law that required ByteDance to sell TikTok - called Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act or PAFACA - applied to all of it's apps, including CapCut.

Starting in the evening of January 18 hours before the midnight deadline, CapCut app stopped working and disappeared from the iOS and Android app stores. Here's a look at the error message that a US user will see when they open the CapCut app.

Interestingly, the CapCut error message does not match the updated message that TikTok users see when they open the app. The TikTok error message says "We are fortunate that President Trump indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!"

ByteDance also took down the websites that hosts Capcut and removed their apps from the app store.

If you click on a CapCut app link, you'll see an error message that the app is not offered in your region.

There does not appear to be a way for creators to access recently saved drafts or in-progress videos in CapCut.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called TikTok’s threat to “go dark” a “stunt." Biden has said that he will leave the enforcement of the law up to Donald Trump, who is inaugurated on Monday January 20, so "we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions...before the Trump Administration takes office."

ByteDance may be acting to exert political pressure on the new president to push through an extension on the ban, fast.

Predictions for CapCut

Will CapCut come back?

Incoming US President Donald Trump has said that he will "most likely" delay the TikTok ban by 90 days once he takes office. He is inaugurated on Monday January 20. TikTok’s CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration.

Given that ByteDance has handled all of their apps similarly, it's assumed that CapCut also would be reinstated if TokTok is. If Trump was able to pass a 90-day extension, the apps would have until late April before they go dark again.

Will someone buy CapCut?

ByteDance may spin out CapCut (and it's other creative and AI tools) into an independent company in 2025. The parent company has already taken steps to carve CapCut out as a separate corporate division, led by Douyin Group CEO Kelly Zhang.

This new creative tools company would compete with Adobe and Canva. As a tool rather than a media platform, the US Congress may tolerate it in the USA, although there are security concerns with the Chinese-owned company having access to so many personal photo libraries.

What are Good CapCut Alternatives?

CapCut's sudden disappearance leaves a void for smaller competitors to fill. Several hours after the CapCut ban, the app Picsart is trending in the iOS app store.

Here are some main alternatives that creators will turn to as a replacement for CapCut:

• Kapwing: This easy-to-learn video editor works on desktop and mobile web. It's based in the US, making it a more stable option for American users and businesses.
• Canva: Already a top app for marketing brands with support for some video editing, Canva is a clear winner from ByteDance's decision to withdraw CapCut from the app store
• Da Vinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, and Final Cut Pro: These incumbent video editors have stood the test of time despite their clunky, difficult-to-learn interface. Young people who have previously relied on scrappy CapCut edits may finally learn these professional programs.

What about Other Chinese-Owned Apps?

ByteDance removed all of their apps from the app store: TikTok, TikTok Shop, Lemon8, CapCut, TikTok Studio, TikTok Lite, Gauth, and Hyptic have also been removed.

ByteDance is not the only Chinese-owned company that has gained traction in the creator economy. HeyGen and OpusClip are both Chinese-owned startups which have tens of thousands of American customers. Given the broad language of PAFACA, American investors may shy away from investing in Chinese-owned startups.

Is CapCut Back Online?

Around Monday at midnight, creators shared on Twitter that CapCut is back online.