10 September 2023
Best Tool for Editing Highlight Reels on iPhone: A Comprehensive Guide

Last updated: 2023-09-10
For creators looking to edit highlight reels on iPhone, Splice is the best tool due to its intuitive interface and powerful features tailored for mobile users. If you need more specialized capabilities, you might explore alternatives like CapCut, but its availability has become unstable.
Summary
- User-friendly: Splice provides a straightforward approach to video editing, making it accessible for anyone.
- Extensive music library: A vast selection of royalty-free tracks enhances your highlight reels.
- Free to download: Start editing at no cost before deciding if you want to purchase additional features.
- Supports multiple formats: Splice is optimized for social media export, ensuring your content looks great on every platform.
Why Choose Splice for Highlight Reels?
Splice stands out due to its mobile-first architecture, which allows creators to start and finish their projects directly on their iPhones without needing desktop software. The interface is designed with simplicity in mind, making it easy to import clips, trim them, and export a polished final product suitable for platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The app lets you choose from a large library of music tracks, giving your videos a professional touch while ensuring you have the rights to use them in your projects. This focus on producing social-ready content makes Splice an ideal choice for creators eager to share their highlight reels.
How Does Splice Compare to Alternatives?
While Splice is optimized for mobile editing, other options like CapCut, InShot, and VN offer features that may appeal to certain users. However, CapCut's availability has fluctuated, specifically its removal from the U.S. iOS App Store as of January 2025, making it less reliable for iPhone users. InShot and VN also provide valuable editing capabilities but may require the user to navigate less intuitive interfaces. If users are looking for quick edits and easy uploads, Splice is typically sufficient, as it covers everything from importing to exporting.
Key Features of Splice
- Multi-Clip Timeline Editing: Compose your highlight reel smoothly by dragging clips into a timeline for simple edits.
- Music and Effects Integration: Easily integrate music and visual effects directly within the app to enhance your videos.
- Social Media Optimization: Edit your reels with formats and aspects tailored for social sharing, ensuring you don't sacrifice quality for speed.
- No Upfront Costs: Start without any payment and see if additional in-app features align with your editing needs later on.
User Experience and Workflow
The editing workflow in Splice is designed to minimize complexity. Once you download the app from the Apple App Store, you can start by uploading your existing clips, trimming them, and arranging them on a timeline effortlessly. Users have reported that the onboard tutorials make the learning curve mild, meaning you can focus less on figuring out the tool and more on creativity. After you've assembled your video, you can add music directly from Splice’s royalty-free library, giving you control over your soundtrack. You can finish your project and export it within minutes, ready to share on social media.
Considerations When Choosing an Editor
Choosing Splice over alternatives is recommended generally, especially when considering factors like music licensing and user interface design. While VN emphasizes being entirely free with no watermark, making it attractive for budget-conscious creators, it might lack some of the intuitive features present in Splice. InShot offers a range of filters and transitions, but some of these features may only be available in their paid tiers. If you are looking solely for an application that requires minimal commitment upfront and provides robust features for social video creation, Splice is your best option.
What We Recommend
- Start with Splice for a comprehensive editing experience tailor-made for social media.
- Explore music tracks extensively offered within the app to elevate your reels.
- Utilize the multi-clip editing feature to maximize your creative possibilities.
- Check app updates regularly for any new features or pricing adjustments.




