Who Really Owns Your Edits? What CapCut's Terms of Service Mean for Creators

If you're using CapCut to make content, you might be giving away more than you think. Here's what you need to know.

As creators, we’re living in a golden age of tools. Video editors, AI features, filters, and effects are now available to anyone with a smartphone. CapCut, the wildly popular editing app from ByteDance (the company behind TikTok), has exploded in popularity because of its intuitive design and direct connection to social media platforms.

But as with any free tool, there's a catch. And in CapCut’s case, the catch lies in the fine print: their Terms of Service.

On June 12, 2025, CapCut updated their terms, and if you’re a creator who uploads content through their app or web platform, you need to understand what you’re agreeing to.

This post will break down what those terms really mean, especially when it comes to ownership, monetization, and your creative rights.

The Illusion of Free Tools

When you download a free app like CapCut, it feels like a win-win. You get powerful tools for nothing, and in return, you agree to a vague set of "terms" that you probably didn’t read. This trade-off is the backbone of the modern internet economy.

But when it comes to content creation, this trade can be more costly than you realize.

CapCut’s Terms of Service (TOS) give the company very broad rights over anything you create or upload on the platform. In essence, you still own your content, but CapCut can legally do almost anything with it.

Let’s look at the exact language.

What You Agree To (Whether You Realize It or Not)

According to Section 10 of the Terms:

“By submitting User Content via the Services, you acknowledge and agree that you allow us to upload such content to our server and hereby grant us and our affiliates, agents, service providers, partners, and other connected third parties an unconditional, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free, fully transferable (including sub-licensable), perpetual, worldwide license...”

This license includes:

Reproducing your work

Modifying it

Making derivative works

Publishing and distributing it

Using your username, image, and likeness

Using it for commercial purposes (including advertising)

You still technically own your work, but CapCut has the legal right to make money from it without paying you a cent.

Why It Matters for Creators

If you’re a casual user editing vacation videos, this might not be a big deal.

But if you’re

A freelance video editor

A content creator or influencer

Someone who makes templates or commercial assets

A brand using CapCut to make ads or promos

...this should absolutely matter to you.

By using CapCut to create or upload your content, you give away commercial rights to it. CapCut can reuse your video in ads, train its AI, license your footage, and more. And they owe you nothing in return.

Even worse, they can sub-license your content to others.

This means

A third-party company could use your video in their ad

Your face, name, or voice might show up in a promo

You might see your edit featured somewhere you didn’t authorize

And you can’t stop it, because you already agreed to it.

What About Music and Assets?

If you use copyrighted music, fonts, or assets, you’re responsible for having the rights to them.

CapCut makes it clear: if you upload content containing music or visuals you don’t own, you need to have obtained all permissions.

Also, if you use CapCut's own built-in assets (like music or templates), their use is governed by a separate license agreement (the CapCut Materials License Agreement). Even those might not be safe for commercial use unless explicitly stated.

So the moment you hit "export," you might already be walking a legal tightrope.

Can CapCut Sell My Work?

Technically, yes.

While CapCut doesn’t say they will sell your work, they reserve the right to use it for profit, including sublicensing it to third parties. That could mean bundling it into training sets for AI, using it in promotional campaigns, or even making it part of stock-style collections.

And remember: it’s royalty-free. You won’t get paid, notified, or credited.

Is This Unusual?

Actually, no. Many free platforms—especially social media platforms—include similar licensing terms. TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube all ask for broad licenses.

The difference is in how the platform is used. CapCut is a creation tool, not just a distribution platform. That makes its claim over your content feel more intrusive.

When you upload a video to Instagram, you’re sharing it. When you edit a video in CapCut, you’re building it—and now the platform has rights to what you built.

The Business Perspective

From a legal standpoint, CapCut is covering its bases. It needs permissions to store your content, use it in promotional materials, test AI features, and integrate with third-party services.

But from a creator perspective, the trade-off is lopsided.

You do the work. You bring the vision. They keep the right to monetize it.

That’s a business model we need to question.

Alternatives for Creators Who Want Control

If you want to retain full control over your content:

Use paid software: Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve

Use open-source tools: Shotcut, Kdenlive, Blender (for video)

Edit offline and upload to platforms you control

Read the TOS of every app or service you use

Free tools are amazing, but they are not truly free. The cost is often your data, your creative rights, or your future licensing opportunities.

How to Protect Yourself (Even If You Keep Using CapCut)

Let’s say you want to keep using CapCut—understandable. It’s powerful, fast, and convenient.

Here are steps to reduce risk:

Don’t upload final or commercial content to CapCut’s cloud

Avoid using CapCut for client work or sponsored content

Re-edit content in another tool before publishing professionally

Add watermarks or signatures to important work

Keep backup copies of all your raw content offline

CapCut’s Terms of Service aren’t designed to hurt creators—but they are designed to protect CapCut, not you.

As creators, we must be aware of the platforms we depend on. When a tool is free, it’s usually because you are the product—or at least your content is.

CapCut gives you power, but it also takes rights. Before you hit "export," make sure you’re not giving away more than just a video file.

Your work has value. Don’t give it away by accident.