CapCut is a super popular video editing app used all over the world. But just a short while ago, on January 19, 2025, the USA officially banned CapCut. In this article, we’re going to talk about why CapCut got banned in the USA, whether there’s any chance of it coming back, if it can still be used after the ban, and what are the best alternatives to CapCut for users in the USA.
Why Was CapCut Banned in the USA?
CapCut was banned in the USA over national security concerns. Just like TikTok, CapCut is owned by ByteDance, which is a Chinese company. As most of you already know, there’s been a sort of “cold war” going on between China and the USA for the past few years especially around tech and data.
The US government fears that Chinese apps like CapCut might:
- Be used for collecting intelligence,
- Spread propaganda, or
- Give the Chinese government access to American users’ personal data.
In April 2024, the U.S. Congress passed a law called the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACAA). This law gives the US government the power to ban apps owned by companies from foreign adversary countries which is how the CapCut ban became official.
Is CapCut Coming Back to the USA?
Well, it’s possible but nothing’s confirmed. You might remember that TikTok was also banned in the USA a while back, but President Donald Trump temporarily lifted the ban about a month later.
Something similar could happen with CapCut too, but again, this isn’t a long-term solution. Since both CapCut and TikTok are owned by ByteDance, the US government has made it clear that unless these apps are sold to an American company, it’s unlikely the ban will be fully removed.
So maybe in the future, if there’s a deal or policy change, we might see CapCut back but no promises yet.
Can You Still Use CapCut After the Ban in the USA?
Yes, If you already have CapCut installed on your device, you can still use it (at least for now).
But if you’re trying to download it from the App Store or Google Play, you won’t find it anymore in the USA.
To get around this, users are using a VPN to change their IP address, making it look like they’re in a different country where CapCut is still available. With a VPN, you might still be able to download and use CapCut, but keep in mind that this is kind of a grey area legally and not Recommended if you are US Resident.
CapCut Alternatives in the USA
There are actually some great alternatives to CapCut that work just fine in the USA.
- If you’re looking for mobile-friendly video editing, then InShot is a very strong option.
- If you want to edit videos on desktop, go for DaVinci Resolve it’s professional and powerful.
- For a web-based editing experience, try VEED.IO — it works directly in your browser and has a lot of useful features.