Edits is the better app overall, scoring 8.5 to 8.2. Edits wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Threads on 1.
Reels creators who want a free editor on their phone or Mac
People who like short text posts and already use Instagram
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Edits | Threads |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Media & Creator Tools | Social Media & Creator Tools |
| Category rank | #5 of 17 | #13 of 17 |
| Developer | Meta | Meta |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Edits better than Threads?
Edits is the better app overall, scoring 8.5 to 8.2. Edits wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Threads on 1.
Which is cheaper, Edits or Threads?
Edits: Free on phones and Mac, with 4K exports and no watermark; no paid plan yet. Threads: Free with ads; you do not need a paid plan to post, reply or message. On value for money, Edits scores higher.
Do Edits and Threads work on the same devices?
Only Edits runs on Mac. Only Threads runs on Web.
Which is more private, Edits or Threads?
Edits scores higher on privacy (5.8/10). The App Store label links contact info, contacts, location, search history, identifiers, usage data and your content to you. It lists no data used to track you.
Strengths and weaknesses
Edits
- Free, with no watermark on exports
- New features arrive almost every week
- Shows stats for your Reels in the same app
- Needs an Instagram account to sign in
- Desktop app is Mac only, with no Windows version
- A paid Edits Plus plan is on the way
Edits is the best free deal in phone video editing. You can film clips up to 10 minutes, cut them on a proper timeline, add auto captions, green screen and effects, then export in 4K with no watermark. It also shows how your Reels are doing, and new tools land almost every week. You need an Instagram account to sign in. The new desktop app is for Apple silicon Macs only, so Windows users miss out.
Full Edits review
Threads
- Quick to find people you know from Instagram
- Calmer feel than X for everyday chat
- Free to post, reply and message
- No direct pay program for creators
- Links a lot of personal data to you
- Feed leans on suggested posts
Threads is the friendliest of the big text apps. Posts are short, up to 500 characters, and you can add photos, videos or a longer block of text. It grew out of Instagram, so finding people you know is quick, and it now has 500 million monthly users. It is free with ads. Threads does not pay creators directly, and Meta links a lot of data to you.
Full Threads review
