Highlights

• Instagram Edits hit 7.1M downloads in its first week surpassing CapCut’s early numbers.
• It topped the U.S. App Store charts upon launch.
• It had 112 times more U.S. downloads than CapCut in its first three days.
• The app is praised for its ease of use, 4K video support and ad-free experience, but lacks CapCut’s templates and transitions.

Caption – Instagram Edits App hit 7.1M downloads in its first week. (Image credit – Instagram)

Instagram recently launched its Instagram Edits app, designed to help users easily create videos for Instagram Reels, Stories and other posts. And it seems Meta’s new video creation app had a bigger launch than its rival ByteDance’s CapCut.

According to app intelligence firm Appfigures, the new app was downloaded an estimated 702,900 times on iOS in just its first two days. That’s about 37 times more than CapCut’s iOS downloads during its early days.

Edits quickly reached 1.2 million downloads on iOS and 5.9 million on Android, totaling 7.1 million downloads. For comparison, CapCut was downloaded only 83,500 times across iOS and Android in its first three days. To be fair, CapCut was initially available in only half of the global markets but even if its early numbers were doubled or tripled, Edits would still be way ahead.

In the U.S. alone, Edits was downloaded 381,000 times in its first three days. CapCut, by contrast, managed just 3,400 downloads during its U.S. launch. That makes Edits’ U.S. debut a whopping 112 times bigger than CapCut’s.

The app’s fast start helped it climb the App Store rankings quickly.

According to Appfigures, Edits’ strong debut could help drive even more downloads and boost competition. It’s a clear example of how powerful Meta’s network effects can be when launching new apps tied into its massive social platforms.

On its launch day April 22, Edits hit No. 1 on the U.S. iPhone App Store charts for both Top Overall apps and Top Non-Game apps. It slipped to No. 2 by day two and stayed there, before dropping to No. 3 by Friday.

Because App Store rankings are based on download numbers and the speed of installs, Edits ranked far higher than CapCut did in its first three days. CapCut, during its own launch, placed at No. 14 Overall and No. 10 among top non-game apps in the U.S.

That said, Edits still has a long road ahead to match CapCut’s total reach. Since launching in April 2020, CapCut has been downloaded 1.22 billion times worldwide across iOS and Android (excluding China).

As for initial app reviews, creators have had mixed feelings about Edits if social media marketing consultant Lia Haberman’s word in her latest newsletter is to be believed. It received thumbs-up for its easy-to-use design, built-in analytics, 4K video support, watermark-free exports and the fact that it’s ad-free. However, Edits at the moment doesn’t have features that CapCut offers such as templates and range of transition effects.

Experts believe Edits could close the gap with CapCut soon, though it’s possible Meta could eventually add a paid tier or introduce ads to monetise the app.

FAQs

Q1. How many downloads did Instagram Edits get in its first week?

Answer. Instagram Edits reached 7.1 million downloads in its first week—1.2M on iOS and 5.9M on Android—far surpassing CapCut’s early launch numbers.

Q2. How does Instagram Edits compare to CapCut in terms of initial adoption?

Answer. Edits had 112 times more U.S. downloads than CapCut in its first three days and quickly climbed the App Store rankings, reaching No. 1 on the U.S. iPhone charts.

Q3. What are the key features and drawbacks of Instagram Edits?

Answer. Edits is praised for its easy-to-use design, built-in analytics, 4K video support, watermark-free exports, and ad-free experience. However, it lacks templates and transition effects available in CapCut.

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Also Read: Instagram Delays ‘Edits’ App Launch Until March 31