Best Of

6 Best AI Tools to Create YouTube Shorts from Existing Videos (2026)

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A useful YouTube Short needs a clear idea, readable captions, and an edit that makes sense without the full recording. AI clipping tools can help you find that first cut in a podcast, interview, tutorial, or webinar, leaving you more time to decide what is actually worth publishing.

We independently evaluated every tool in this guide, comparing its clipping workflow, editing options, practical limitations, and fit for different creators. Submagic leads for polished social edits, Quso combines clipping with social management, and Klap offers a direct route from a recording to captioned, scheduled clips.

Comparison Table of Best AI Tools for YouTube Shorts

AI ToolBest ForPrice (USD)Features
SubmagicAI-powered captioning and viral clip generationPaid plans from $19/mo; free trialAnimated captions, B-roll, Magic Clips, publishing tools
QusoAutomated clipping and social video scalingFree / paid plansScene detection, silence removal, auto resizing, templates, multi-platform export
KlapYouTube-to-shorts automationFrom $29/mo; $14/mo billed annuallyAI clipping, captions, Reframe 2, publishing and scheduling
FlixierBrowser-based video editingFree / paid plansDrag-and-drop editing, cloud rendering, no install, fast exports
DummeContext-aware clip extractionFree / paid plansHighlight detection, multi-platform imports, captions, titles, descriptions
2short.aiYouTube clip automation with transcriptsFree / $10–50/moAI analysis, transcripts, SEO enhancement, automated editing

1. Submagic

Submagic is a strong choice when a short clip needs more than a crop and a transcript. It brings animated captions, B-roll, zooms, music, and transitions into the same editing workflow, making it useful for creators who want a recognizable visual style across interviews, explainers, and marketing clips.

Its Magic Clips feature can take a YouTube link or uploaded recording and suggest shorter extracts. You can then refine those clips with caption styles and other visual elements rather than rebuilding each edit in a separate application. That combination is particularly helpful when your team needs both a first cut from a longer conversation and a polished version for social distribution.

The main buying consideration is how much editing and output your subscription covers. Video allowances, duration limits, export resolution, and advanced features vary by plan, so match the tier to the footage you actually produce. Automatic captions and cuts still need checking, especially for names, technical vocabulary, and statements that lose their meaning when separated from the surrounding discussion. Submagic’s appeal is the range of finishing tools around the clip, not a promise that an automated edit will attract an audience.

Pros and Cons

  • Automatic captions with customizable visual styles
  • Automates editing tasks like silence removal, B-roll insertion, zooms, and transitions
  • “Magic Clips” feature quickly extracts multiple short-form videos from long content
  • Very easy to use with a simple workflow that can produce videos in just a few clicks
  • Strong engagement-focused features like animated captions, emojis, and hooks
  • Primarily focused on captions and short-form editing rather than full video production
  • Limited manual editing control compared to advanced video editors
  • Trial access and paid export allowances differ
  • Publishing, analytics, and advanced features depend on the plan
  • Output quality and flexibility can feel constrained for complex or long-form projects

Read Review Visit Submagic

2. Quso

Quso, formerly Vidyo, combines AI clipping with a wider social content workflow. You can import a recording, identify potential highlights, add subtitles, and prepare versions for different channels. It is a useful fit for podcasters, marketers, and social media managers who want the work after editing to live alongside the work of making the clip.

The platform connects its editor with planning, scheduling, and analytics tools. Instead of exporting a collection of files and rebuilding a publishing calendar elsewhere, a team can manage more of that process in one place. Its subtitle and filler-word tools also help turn a rough conversation into a more focused first cut, while the editor leaves room to adjust the result.

That broader scope makes Quso worth comparing when you manage recurring campaigns or several channels. A creator who only needs an occasional extract may prefer a narrower tool. Check the current allowances and connected-account limits for your plan, then test a recording with realistic speaker changes and terminology. Review the selected moments for a complete thought, rather than choosing a clip solely because an automated score suggests it might perform well.

Pros and Cons

  • All-in-one platform combining clipping, editing, scheduling, and analytics in a single dashboard
  • Strong AI clip generation that automatically detects highlights and creates multiple short videos
  • Significant time savings with automation like silence removal, subtitles, and resizing
  • Built-in social media scheduling and bulk publishing tools streamline distribution
  • Beginner-friendly interface with templates and brand kit for consistent content
  • Credit-based system can limit usage depending on plan and workflow
  • Web-based editor lacks advanced timeline control compared to professional editing software
  • Some advanced features (templates, analytics, scheduling) locked behind higher-tier plans
  • No export to professional editing tools like Premiere or DaVinci for advanced workflows
  • More focused on social media automation than deep creative customization

Read Review Visit Quso

3. Klap

Klap is a practical choice for turning interviews, podcasts, and tutorials into captioned short clips. Paste a YouTube link or upload a video file, and it suggests segments that you can review and edit. The straightforward starting point suits creators who already have useful recordings and want a repeatable way to extract shorter pieces from them.

AI Reframe 2 adds layouts for split-screen conversations, screencasts, and gaming footage, alongside the caption and branding controls. This matters when a simple vertical crop would hide a second speaker or an important screen. Klap also supports publishing and scheduling for TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn, connecting the clipping workflow with distribution.

The free trial lets you generate, preview, and edit clips from one video without a credit card, but downloading and posting require a paid plan. Basic starts at $29 month to month, or $14 per month billed annually, with 100 clips per month. Choose your tier around output volume and review every clip for context, caption placement, and framing before publishing. Automated suggestions are a starting point for an editor’s judgment, not a guarantee of reach or engagement.

Pros and Cons

  • Simple workflow from a YouTube link or uploaded video
  • AI clip suggestions help identify promising passages
  • Automatic caption generation with multilingual support
  • Designed specifically for short-form platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts
  • Fast processing with minimal manual input required
  • Limited editing control compared to full video editors
  • Automated layouts can still need manual framing adjustments
  • Output quality depends heavily on source video structure
  • Downloading and posting require a paid subscription
  • Best suited for repurposing rather than original content creation

Read Review Visit Klap

4. Flixier

Flixier is a browser-based video editor for creators who want to shape a clip themselves as well as use AI assistance. You can work with multiple audio and video tracks, add captions and branding, and render in the cloud. It suits a tutorial, demonstration, or marketing edit that needs more deliberate assembly than selecting one segment from a conversation.

Its current Eva assistant can help create a first cut, remove silences and filler words, and find moments within a longer recording. The resulting work remains in the editor’s timeline, so you can refine the sequence rather than accepting a fixed automated output. For a team that mixes long recordings with custom visual material, having those editing controls beside the AI tools is a useful distinction.

Flixier is therefore worth considering when manual control is part of the job. There are still plan limits to compare: AI editing with Eva requires a Creator plan or above, and export options depend on the subscription. You also need a reliable connection for a cloud workflow. Test the full process with your own footage, including revisions and the final export, before deciding whether the broader editor saves time for your particular projects.

Pros and Cons

  • Fully browser-based with no downloads or installation required
  • Fast cloud rendering speeds regardless of device performance
  • Drag-and-drop editor is easy for beginners to learn
  • Supports both short-form and full video editing workflows
  • Good collaboration features for teams working remotely
  • Requires stable internet connection for editing and rendering
  • Less advanced than professional desktop editing software
  • Some export options and features locked behind paid plans
  • Interface can feel limited for complex editing projects
  • Not specifically optimized for viral clip generation like AI-first tools

Visit Flixier

5. Dumme

Dumme focuses on extracting shorter segments from longer recordings while keeping the selected passage understandable. Its appeal is the idea of starting with a complete thought rather than simply cutting a video at a fixed duration. That is especially relevant for interviews and educational material, where an eye-catching sentence can become misleading if the explanation around it disappears.

The workflow described for the platform combines clip selection with captions, titles, and descriptions. For a creator with a backlog of spoken material, those are useful tasks to bring together: finding a candidate passage is only the beginning, and the final clip also needs a clear introduction and readable text. Judge the output by whether a new viewer can follow it without having seen the original recording.

Before making Dumme part of a production schedule, confirm current access, supported inputs, and pricing directly with the service. It is important to establish what you can use now rather than plan around an older feature description. Run a small representative project first, then check the cuts, caption corrections, export options, and any remaining manual work. Keep your original recording available so you can restore context when a suggested extract needs a longer opening or ending.

Pros and Cons

  • Strong contextual AI that preserves meaning when extracting clips
  • Supports multiple input sources including video, audio, and uploads
  • Automatically generates captions, titles, and descriptions
  • Produces clips with natural structure and clean endings
  • Supports multiple languages for broader audience reach
  • Less control over manual editing compared to traditional tools
  • Output may require minor adjustments for precise branding
  • Limited advanced customization for visual styling
  • Not focused on bulk content workflows or scheduling
  • Performance can vary depending on input content quality

Visit Dumme

6. 2short.ai

2short.ai is built around finding shorter extracts in speech-led videos such as podcasts, lessons, interviews, and product discussions. It analyzes the recording and suggests clips, with speaker tracking and animated subtitles helping prepare them for social viewing. That makes it a useful option when you have a regular supply of spoken material rather than a need to generate new footage from scratch.

The editor supports vertical, square, and horizontal formats, along with branding presets and manual cropping. These controls matter when a single recording needs several versions or when automatic framing misses an important detail. You can start with a YouTube video, and paid options also include imports through public URLs and Google Drive.

Its plans primarily differ in AI video analysis hours and fast export allowances, which is a different way of measuring usage from a fixed number of clips. Compare the duration of your source recordings as well as the output you want each month. The service says it relies on spoken content and requires videos with captions, so confirm that your source is compatible. As with the other tools here, inspect each selected passage for context and correct the captions before sharing it.

Pros and Cons

  • Strong AI analysis for identifying high-retention video segments
  • Automatic transcript and caption generation improves accessibility and SEO
  • Seamless YouTube integration simplifies workflow
  • Designed to maximize audience growth through optimized clips
  • Saves significant time compared to manual editing
  • Limited customization compared to full video editing platforms
  • Focuses primarily on YouTube-based workflows
  • Output may require refinement for branding consistency
  • Advanced features restricted to paid plans
  • Less suitable for complex or multi-layered video projects

Visit 2short

Which AI Tool Should You Choose for YouTube Shorts?

Choose Submagic when captions, B-roll, and a polished social style are central to the edit. Consider Quso if you also need to plan, schedule, and track a wider content calendar. For a direct workflow from an existing recording to captioned, reframed, and scheduled clips, Klap is a strong option.

Pick Flixier when you want to refine the sequence in a fuller browser editor. Confirm current access and features before considering Dumme for context-focused extraction, and compare 2short.ai when analysis-hour allowances and speaker tracking fit your workflow.

Use one representative recording to compare your shortlist. Look at whether the selected clips stand alone, how much caption correction and reframing they need, and what the plan lets you export. The right tool is the one that reduces your editing work while preserving the message you want viewers to hear.

Alex leads Unite.AI’s AI-powered news operations, combining journalism, research, and automation to support timely and scalable coverage of artificial intelligence. His work helps ensure emerging AI developments are surfaced efficiently while maintaining the publication’s editorial standards.