YouTube is launching a video editing app called Create for iOS devices
The mobile editing app is entering an iOS space already dominated by CapCut and InShot.
After nearly two years of living in Android-only territory, Google’s YouTube Create app is finally heading to iOS, according to media reports. It’s a big move, especially considering most content creators split their time between platforms or work entirely from Apple devices. Although it's still not known when exactly it'll launch, but the bigger question isn’t when it will launch, it’s whether anyone will care.
YouTube Create was designed to give creators simple, mobile-friendly video editing tools—stickers, GIFs, effects—for Shorts and long-form videos. It came out swinging in late 2023 after input from over 3,000 creators. But despite Google’s backing, the app has barely made a dent in the crowded mobile editing space.
As of now, YouTube Create has pulled in just 4 million total downloads. That’s a stark contrast to its rivals. CapCut, owned by TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has logged 66 million downloads this quarter alone (via SensorTower). InShot, another editing staple, brought in 21 million. Even more telling: YouTube Create has fewer than 1 million monthly active users compared to CapCut’s 442 million and InShot’s 92 million.
Emmanuel Oyedeji
Part of the problem is integration. CapCut and TikTok are tightly linked, making the editing-to-posting process seamless. Instagram recently followed suit, launching Edits, a built-in tool for Reels. YouTube Create, meanwhile, exists in a silo, disconnected from the main YouTube app and lacking the fluid experience today’s creators expect.
Retention data paints a similar picture. Only around 1% of users stick with YouTube Create after 90 days. CapCut? About 7%. In a space where attention is everything, that’s a tough number to beat.
Still, there are small signs of life. YouTube Create is gaining traction in places like South Korea, France, and Spain. Its user engagement is slowly improving, and Google’s decision to bring the app to iOS could help unlock new audiences and workflows.
But it’s an uphill battle. CapCut and InShot aren’t just ahead—they’ve shaped the way mobile editing works. If Google wants YouTube Create to succeed, it needs more than just cross-platform support. It needs tighter integration, smarter tools, and a better understanding of what creators actually want.
