Since short vertical videos on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts made the leap into the social media mainstream in 2020, content recycling has become more important than ever.
More and more short video teams are using AI tools in production – noticeably increasing efficiency and output.
Because a 20-minute YouTube video can be converted into up to 10 or 15 short clips that can then be uploaded separately to TikTok and Co.
The problem: Manually cutting, editing, and creating TikToks can be very time-consuming and tedious.
Fortunately, there are now many AI tools that help automate or at least greatly simplify this process.
In this article, we present the 5 best AI tools with which you can easily convert longer videos into TikToks, Reels, or Shorts.
- Opus Clip leads in content recycling with 60 free minutes per month and intelligent scene selection from $9/month
- 2short.ai offers the best value for YouTube Shorts at just $1.33/hour with 15 hours per month
- Submagic creates the best animated subtitles with emojis and keyword highlighting – important since 69% of users watch videos without sound
AI Tools for TikToks, Reels & Shorts Compared
AI Software | Best for... | Price | Free Tier? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opus Clip | Content Recycling | from $9/month | ✓ |
| Vidyo.ai | Social Media Clips | from $29/month | ✓ |
| Simplified | Many Use Cases | from $10/month | ✓ |
| 2short.ai | YouTube Shorts | from $9.90/month | ✓ |
| Submagic | "Fancy" Subtitles | from $14/month | ✓ |
1. Opus Clip
Opus Clip is in my opinion the best AI tool for content recycling and creating TikToks, Reels, and Shorts from longer videos.
The tool works very simply: You upload a video (or enter a YouTube link) and Opus Clip automatically analyzes the video and creates multiple short clips with the most interesting moments.
The tool uses AI to identify the most important statements and most emotional moments in the video and create standalone, coherent clips from them.
The generated clips automatically include:
- Appealing subtitles with various styles
- Emoticons and highlights for important words
- Automatic zoom effects for more dynamism
- A Virality Score that shows how viral the clip could become
Especially practical: Opus Clip can process videos in over 20 languages, including German.
Opus Clip Pricing
- Free: 60 minutes per month free
- Starter: $9/month for 150 minutes per month
- Pro: $19/month for 300 minutes per month
2. Vidyo.ai
Vidyo.ai is another excellent AI tool for creating social media clips from longer videos.
The tool stands out particularly for its intelligent scene recognition. It can automatically identify the best moments in a video and create coherent clips from them.
Vidyo.ai also offers:
- Automatic subtitle generation
- Intelligent crop functions for different aspect ratios
- Brand templates for consistent design
- Integration with Zapier for workflow automation
Vidyo.ai Pricing
- Free: 75 minutes per month free
- Essential: $29/month for 300 minutes per month
- Growth: $59/month for 600 minutes per month
3. Simplified
Simplified is an all-in-one platform that offers graphic design, content planning, and AI text generation in addition to video editing.
For creating TikToks and Reels, Simplified offers:
- AI-powered video clips from longer videos
- Automatic subtitle generation
- Large library of templates
- Social media scheduler for direct posting
- Brand kit for consistent design
The big advantage of Simplified is that you can complete all your content creation tasks in one platform.
Simplified Pricing
- Free: Limited features free
- Small Team: $12/month for 1 user
- Business: $20/month for 5 users
4. 2short.ai
2short.ai is specifically optimized for creating YouTube Shorts from longer YouTube videos.
The tool analyzes YouTube videos and automatically extracts the best moments for Shorts. It pays particular attention to:
- Emotional highlights
- Punchlines and important statements
- High-engagement moments
- Natural cut points
2short.ai is particularly well-suited for YouTubers who want to recycle their existing videos for Shorts.
2short.ai Pricing
- Free: 15 minutes per month free
- Lite: $9.90/month for 150 minutes per month
- Pro: $19.90/month for 450 minutes per month
5. Submagic
Submagic is an AI tool that specializes in creating appealing subtitles and optimizing videos for social media.
Submagic offers:
- 47 different subtitle styles
- Automatic emoji integration
- Sound effects for more engagement
- Automatic video optimization for different platforms
- B-roll integration
The tool is particularly well-suited if you already have short videos and want to enhance them with professional subtitles and effects.
Submagic Pricing
- Free: 3 videos per week free
- Starter: $14/month for 20 videos per month
- Pro: $24/month for 40 videos per month
Bonus: CapCut
As a bonus, I'd like to mention CapCut - a free video editing tool from ByteDance (the makers of TikTok).
CapCut doesn't offer the same AI automation as the other tools, but it's completely free and offers many professional features for creating TikToks, Reels, and Shorts:
- Automatic subtitle generation
- Large template library
- Professional effects and transitions
- Music library
- Multi-track editing
CapCut is a good alternative for users on a tight budget or for those who want more manual control over their video editing.
Price-Performance Comparison
To help you decide, I've compared the cost per hour of video material for all tools:
Software | Available Hours | Price per Hour |
|---|---|---|
| Opus Clip – Starter | 2.5 per month | $3.60 |
| Opus Clip – Pro | 60 per year | $1.90 |
| Vidyo.ai – Essential | 60 per year | $4.20 |
| Vidyo.ai – Growth | 120 per year | $2.50 |
| Vidyo.ai – Custom | 180 – 360 per year | $2.80 |
| Simplified – Pro | 40 per year | $3.60 |
| Simplified – Business | 120 per year | $3.20 |
| 2short.ai – Lite | 5 per month | $1.98 |
| 2short.ai – Pro | 15 per month | $1.33 |
| Submagic – Starter | 5 per month | $2.80 |
| Submagic – Pro | 10 per month | $2.40 |
Based on this comparison, 2short.ai Pro offers the best value with only $1.33 per hour of video material.
Which Tool Should You Choose?
The choice of the right tool depends on your specific needs:
For content recycling and automation: Opus Clip is the best choice. It offers the most intelligent AI analysis and creates the highest quality clips.
For beginners on a budget: 2short.ai offers the best value and is easy to use.
For an all-in-one solution: Simplified is ideal if you want to complete other content creation tasks on the same platform.
For professional subtitles: Submagic offers the best subtitle styles and effects.
For free editing: CapCut is completely free and still offers professional features.
