5 Best Free AI YouTube Shorts Makers (Tested & Ranked)
We tested the top 5 free AI YouTube Shorts makers and ranked them by output quality, ease of use, free tier limits, and watermark policy.
FlowShorts Team
YouTube Shorts get over 70 billion daily views. If you're not making Shorts, you're leaving growth on the table. But creating vertical short-form videos consistently is time-consuming — unless you use AI.
AI YouTube Shorts makers can generate complete videos from a text prompt or long-form video in minutes. The best part? Several of them are free.
We tested the most popular free AI YouTube Shorts makers and ranked them on what actually matters: output quality, ease of use, free tier limits, and whether they slap a watermark on your video.
What you'll learn:
- The top 5 free AI YouTube Shorts makers, ranked
- What each tool does best (and worst)
- Which tool is right for your workflow
- How to choose between text-to-video and clip-based tools
How We Tested
We evaluated each tool on five criteria:
| Criteria | What We Measured |
|---|---|
| Output Quality | Video resolution, visual coherence, caption accuracy |
| Ease of Use | Time from signup to finished video |
| Free Tier | How many videos you can make for free per month |
| Watermark | Whether the free plan adds a watermark |
| AI Features | Script generation, auto-captions, voice, music |
Each tool was tested with the same prompt: "Create a 60-second YouTube Short about 5 productivity tips for remote workers."
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Free Videos/Month | Watermark | Best For | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FlowShorts | 1 video | No | Full automation + multi-platform posting | 9/10 |
| Canva | 5 exports | No | Creators who want template control | 8/10 |
| InVideo AI | 4 exports | Yes | Quick text-to-video generation | 7.5/10 |
| CapCut | Unlimited | No | Manual editing with AI assists | 7/10 |
| Opus Clip | 3 clips | Yes | Repurposing long videos into Shorts | 7/10 |
1. FlowShorts — Best for Full Automation
What it does: FlowShorts generates complete YouTube Shorts from a topic or script. It handles everything — scriptwriting, AI voiceover, visual selection, captions, and auto-posting to YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
What we liked:
- Truly end-to-end automation — enter a topic, get a published video
- Auto-posts directly to YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram on a schedule
- No watermark on the free plan
- Built specifically for faceless short-form content
- AI script generator produces engaging hooks and structures
What could be better:
- Free plan limited to 1 video (paid plans start at $19/month for 8 videos)
- Focused on short-form only — no long-form video creation
Free tier: 1 video/month, no watermark
Paid plans: Starter $19/mo (8 videos), Creator $39/mo (30 videos), Pro $69/mo (60 videos)
Best for: Creators who want to automate their entire Shorts pipeline without editing anything manually. Especially useful for faceless YouTube channels and multi-platform posting.
2. Canva — Best for Template-Based Creators
What it does: Canva's AI Shorts maker lets you create vertical videos using templates, stock footage, and AI-powered features like text-to-video and Magic Write for scripts.
What we liked:
- Massive template library — thousands of Shorts templates
- Drag-and-drop editor is intuitive
- No watermark on free exports
- AI features include Magic Write (script generation) and Beat Sync (auto-sync to music)
- Integrates with Canva's full design ecosystem
What could be better:
- Not purpose-built for YouTube Shorts — it's a general design tool
- AI video generation is basic compared to dedicated tools
- No auto-posting to YouTube
- Premium stock footage and some AI features require Canva Pro ($13/mo)
Free tier: 5 video exports/month, no watermark
Paid plans: Canva Pro from $13/mo
Best for: Creators who already use Canva and want to add Shorts to their workflow using templates and manual customization.
3. InVideo AI — Best for Text-to-Video
What it does: InVideo AI generates videos from text prompts. Type a topic or paste a script, and it creates a complete video with stock footage, voiceover, music, and captions.
What we liked:
- Text-to-video is genuinely impressive — coherent visuals matched to script
- Large stock media library
- Good AI voiceover quality
- Supports multiple languages and accents
- Can edit generated videos after creation
What could be better:
- Free plan adds a watermark
- 4 exports/month on the free tier
- Interface can feel cluttered for beginners
- Auto-posting requires third-party tools
Free tier: 4 exports/month, watermark included
Paid plans: From $25/mo (removes watermark, more exports)
Best for: Creators who want to generate quick videos from text prompts and don't mind a watermark on free exports.
4. CapCut — Best Free Editor with AI Features
What it does: CapCut is a free video editor (by ByteDance/TikTok) with built-in AI features: auto-captions, text-to-speech, background removal, and AI-powered editing suggestions.
What we liked:
- Completely free with no watermark
- Unlimited exports
- Excellent auto-captioning (best accuracy we tested)
- AI text-to-speech in dozens of voices
- Desktop, mobile, and browser versions
- Direct export to TikTok
What could be better:
- Not a generator — you still need to create or source the raw footage
- No text-to-video generation (you provide the clips)
- No auto-posting to YouTube
- More of an editor than a maker — requires hands-on work
Free tier: Unlimited exports, no watermark
Paid plans: CapCut Pro from $8/mo (extra AI features, cloud storage)
Best for: Creators who have raw footage and want a powerful free editor with AI-assisted features. Not for fully automated video generation.
5. Opus Clip — Best for Repurposing Long Videos
What it does: Opus Clip takes a long-form video (YouTube, Zoom, podcast) and uses AI to identify the most engaging moments, then clips them into vertical Shorts with auto-captions and a virality score.
What we liked:
- AI clip selection is genuinely smart — finds the best moments
- Virality score helps prioritize which clips to post
- Auto-captions and speaker detection
- Good for repurposing existing content
What could be better:
- Free plan limited to 3 clips per upload
- Adds a watermark on free exports
- Only works with existing video — can't generate from text
- Clip quality depends heavily on source video quality
Free tier: 3 clips per upload, watermark
Paid plans: From $19/mo
Best for: Creators and podcasters who already have long-form content and want to repurpose it into Shorts automatically.
Text-to-Video vs. Clip-Based: Which Type Do You Need?
These tools fall into two categories:
| Type | Tools | Best When... |
|---|---|---|
| Text-to-video | FlowShorts, InVideo AI, Canva | You're creating Shorts from scratch — no existing footage needed |
| Clip-based | Opus Clip, CapCut | You have existing long-form videos and want to cut them into Shorts |
If you're building a faceless YouTube channel, text-to-video tools are what you need — they generate everything from a topic prompt. If you're a podcaster or long-form creator looking to repurpose, clip-based tools are the better fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which free AI tool is the best YouTube Shorts maker?
For fully automated Shorts creation, FlowShorts offers the best free experience — it generates complete videos with script, voiceover, visuals, and captions, then auto-posts to YouTube. For manual editing with AI assists, CapCut is the most generous free option with unlimited exports and no watermark.
Can I make YouTube Shorts with AI without a watermark?
Yes. FlowShorts, Canva, and CapCut all offer watermark-free exports on their free plans. InVideo AI and Opus Clip add watermarks on free tiers — you'll need to upgrade to remove them.
How do I make YouTube Shorts using AI for free?
Sign up for a free AI Shorts maker (FlowShorts, Canva, or InVideo AI), enter your topic or script, customize the output if needed, and export. The entire process takes 2–5 minutes.
Can I monetize YouTube Shorts made with AI?
Yes. YouTube allows monetization of AI-assisted content as long as it provides value to viewers and follows community guidelines. You must disclose AI-generated content where required by YouTube's policies. Thousands of creators monetize AI-generated Shorts through the YouTube Partner Program.
Do AI YouTube Shorts makers work for TikTok and Instagram Reels too?
Most do. FlowShorts auto-posts to YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram simultaneously. CapCut exports directly to TikTok. Canva and InVideo AI let you download the video and upload it to any platform. Since Shorts, TikTok, and Reels all use the same vertical 9:16 format, any video made for one platform works on all three.
The Bottom Line
If you want a free AI YouTube Shorts maker, your choice comes down to your workflow:
- Want full automation? → FlowShorts (1 free video, no watermark, auto-posts)
- Want template control? → Canva (5 free exports, no watermark)
- Want text-to-video? → InVideo AI (4 free exports, watermark)
- Want a free editor? → CapCut (unlimited, no watermark)
- Want to repurpose long videos? → Opus Clip (3 free clips, watermark)
The fastest way to start? Try FlowShorts free — enter a topic, and your YouTube Short is ready in minutes.
