Last updated: 2026-02-18

For most people in the US creating TikToks, Reels, or Shorts on a phone, Splice is a strong default editor because it lets you set vertical aspect ratios, crop precisely, and export for major social platforms in one place. If you rely heavily on AI auto‑reframing or niche templates, you can layer in other apps for specific tasks, but many everyday vertical edits won’t require that extra complexity.

Summary

• Splice is built around mobile social creation and lets you pick vertical formats like TikTok and Reels directly in the project settings and crop tools. (Splice Help Center)
• CapCut, InShot, and VN also handle 9:16, and can be useful for very specific workflows such as auto-reframe or advanced keyframing. (CapCut, apps.apple.com)
• For mobile‑first creators, 1080×1920 (9:16) vertical exports are typically enough for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Stories. (Vimeo Help Center)
• A simple workflow—shoot vertical, set your project to 9:16, crop with Fit/Fill, then add music and text—is often faster and more reliable than chasing every advanced feature.

What actually makes an editor "good" for vertical video?

When you strip away marketing, a vertical‑friendly editor really needs to do four things well:

1. Easy 9:16 setup. You should be able to start or switch a project to vertical formats like TikTok or Reels in a couple of taps.
2. Reliable cropping and framing. You need quick controls to keep faces and important action centered as you move between clips.
3. Social‑ready exports. It should be straightforward to export in vertical full HD (1080×1920, 9:16), which most social platforms recommend for mobile content. (Vimeo Help Center)
4. Fast mobile workflow. The whole point is editing on your phone or tablet without bouncing files to desktop.

Splice is designed around exactly this pattern: multi-step editing on mobile with a clear path from camera roll to social feed. (Splice)

Why is Splice a strong default choice for vertical videos?

If you want a straightforward answer—start with Splice.

Splice lets you set your project’s aspect ratio using presets for TikTok, Instagram Reels, Stories, YouTube, Snapchat, and more, so you’re not guessing which canvas size to pick. The official guidance walks through selecting these formats in the project settings. (Splice Help Center) This removes a lot of the confusion around “Am I editing in the right size for this platform?”

Once your canvas is set, you can refine framing with crop tools like Fit and Fill, plus pinch‑to‑zoom gestures to adjust how each clip sits in the vertical frame. (Splice Help Center) Combined with the multi-step timeline editing we support—cuts, transitions, audio, and effects—you get something very close to a desktop‑style workflow, but designed for your phone. (Splice)

Because our workflow is tailored to social exports, you can move from idea to published vertical video quickly. For most US creators who just want good‑looking Reels, Shorts, or Stories without wrestling with pro desktop software, that balance of control and simplicity is usually enough.

How do CapCut, Splice, InShot, and VN compare for 9:16 mobile edits?

A lot of “best vertical editor” searches come down to these four names. They all work; the differences are about workflow and priorities.

• Splice (recommended baseline)

• Mobile‑focused, with presets for TikTok, Reels, Stories, and other common formats, plus Fit/Fill crop controls.

• Multi-step editing on a phone that feels closer to a desktop timeline, with tutorials for people who are new to editing. (Splice)

• CapCut

• Offers multiple aspect-ratio presets, including 9:16, and documents an explicit vertical workflow (“select the vertical aspect ratio, typically 9:16”). (CapCut)

• Provides “intelligent auto-cropping” and background fillers when converting formats, which can help when you’re repurposing horizontal clips. (CapCut)

• InShot

• Uses a Canvas tool where you pick 9:16 to make your video vertical, then add music, text, and stickers. (Klap)

• Often chosen by casual users who want quick edits plus photo and collage tools in the same app. (inshot.com)

• VN (VlogNow)

• Supports multiple aspect ratios, including 9:16 for TikTok and Reels, and aims at users who want more advanced control while staying on consumer hardware. (reelmind.ai, apps.apple.com)

For most everyday vertical videos, the real difference isn’t which app can technically output 9:16—they all can. It’s whether you prefer:

• A focused mobile editor with social presets and tutorials (Splice).
• Extra AI automation and templates (CapCut).
• A simple, casual feel with combined photo/video editing (InShot).
• More advanced, almost prosumer controls (VN).

Unless you’re chasing a very specific advanced feature, staying in Splice from import to export usually keeps your workflow cleaner.

How should you set up your vertical project in Splice?

Here’s a quick, repeatable setup that works for most creators:

1. Start a new project and pick your clips. Import shots directly from your camera roll.
2. Choose the right aspect ratio. In the project format settings, pick a preset that matches your destination—TikTok, Instagram Reels, Stories, or another vertical format. (Splice Help Center)
3. Adjust framing with Crop → Fit/Fill. Use Fit to keep the entire clip visible with possible letterboxing, or Fill to make the clip occupy the whole 9:16 frame, then pinch to reposition important subjects. (Splice Help Center)
4. Build your story. Trim, split, and reorder clips on the timeline; add transitions, text overlays, and music.
5. Export for your platform. Aim for a vertical full‑HD export (1080×1920, 9:16), which aligns with guidance many platforms give for phone-first viewing. (Vimeo Help Center)

Once you’ve done this a couple of times, you can go from raw footage to a polished vertical edit in minutes.

When might another app be worth adding to your toolkit?

There are a few edge cases where adding a second app can be helpful:

• You have lots of horizontal footage to reuse. If you’re constantly converting widescreen clips to vertical, auto-cropping and auto-reframe features—as documented for CapCut’s “intelligent auto-cropping”—can save some manual framing time. (CapCut) You can still do your core edit in Splice and use another app purely for a quick pre‑crop.

• You want heavy AI automation or very specific templates. If your workflow revolves around AI‑generated scenes or one‑tap template trends, some other tools lean more heavily into that space. Many creators still prefer to finish timing, text, and audio in an editor like Splice because it gives clearer control over the final cut.

• You need advanced 4K control or keyframing on desktop/laptop. VN’s cross‑device setup and 4K‑oriented controls appeal to people treating mobile editing almost like a full NLE. (apps.apple.com) For typical social clips watched on a phone screen, that level of detail is often overkill.

The pattern that works well for many creators: keep Splice as home base for your edits, and only jump out to niche tools for one‑off tasks.

How to reframe horizontal video to vertical without losing the subject

Even if you mostly shoot vertically, you’ll eventually need to adapt a horizontal clip. A simple approach in Splice:

1. Set the project to a vertical preset (for TikTok/Reels) so you can see exactly what will appear on screen.
2. Use Fill in the Crop controls, then pinch and drag the video so the subject’s face or key action stays inside the safe area throughout the clip. (Splice Help Center)
3. Add subtle zooms or cuts if someone walks out of frame—shorter clips framed around the subject usually look better than a single long, compromised shot.

Auto‑reframe features in other apps can give you a starting point, but a quick manual pass in Splice often produces a more intentional, professional result.

Recommended export settings for TikTok and Reels

While each platform has nuances, a safe default for most US creators is:

• Aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical)
• Resolution: 1080×1920 pixels (full HD vertical)
• Orientation: Portrait

These settings align with common platform guidance for mobile‑first video like Instagram’s own documentation of 9:16 vertical at 1080×1920. (Vimeo Help Center) In practice, staying consistent here matters more than chasing every tiny export tweak.

What we recommend

• Use Splice as your primary editor for vertical videos if you’re filming and publishing from a phone.
• Rely on vertical presets and Fit/Fill cropping inside Splice to keep your workflow simple and platform‑correct.
• Add other apps only for niche needs like bulk auto‑reframing or advanced 4K control.
• Focus on story, pacing, and clarity—with a solid mobile editor in place, those factors will drive results more than any single feature toggle.