Google is finally bringing its YouTube Create video editing app to iOS, nearly two years after its Android debut, as it aims to complete with ByteDance’s widely popular CapCut. Recent job postings reveal Google is actively recruiting iOS developers in Bengaluru to port the mobile editor, signaling its commitment to capturing a share of the lucrative creator tools market.
The expansion comes as YouTube Create struggles to gain traction against established rivals. While the app offers robust editing features for both Shorts and long-form content, including stickers, GIFs, and effects developed with input from 3,000 creators, it lags far behind in adoption. CapCut boasts 442 million monthly active Android users compared to YouTube Create’s 1 million, with similar disparities on iOS where CapCut leads with 194 million users.
Despite the uphill battle, YouTube Create shows promising signs of growth. The app’s monthly active users grew 28% year-over-year in Q2 2024, outpacing CapCut’s 9% growth. Its user base is also diversifying beyond its initial stronghold in India, which now accounts for 51% of users compared to 67% last year. Emerging markets like Indonesia (21% of users), Germany, Brazil and the UK are adopting the platform, with Spain, South Korea and France showing particularly strong growth between 71-119%.
However, significant challenges remain. YouTube Create’s 90-day retention rate sits at just 1% compared to CapCut’s 7%, and users spend 38 minutes monthly on the app versus 62 minutes on CapCut. The TikTok-CapCut integration gives ByteDance a formidable advantage that YouTube will need to counter with deeper platform integration and unique features.
As the battle for creator tools heats up, YouTube Create’s iOS expansion represents Google’s latest move to keep creators within its ecosystem. While the app faces an established competitor in CapCut, its year-over-year growth and international expansion suggest there’s room in the market for alternatives-especially ones that integrate natively with the world’s largest video platform. The coming months will reveal whether iPhone creators embrace YouTube’s offering or remain loyal to Capcut’s proven toolkit.
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