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    Video & Multimedia

    Kapwing: AI-Powered Video Editing Platform

    Kapwing is an online video creation platform that combines intuitive editing tools with powerful AI features like automatic subtitles, smart cut, text-to-video generation, and real-time team collaboration. Designed for creators who need professional-quality videos without professional-level expertise, Kapwing serves over 30 million users globally with features that reduce production time from hours to minutes while maintaining brand consistency and quality.

    What It Does

    Creating compelling video content for fundraising campaigns, donor outreach, and awareness initiatives typically requires expensive software, technical expertise, or outsourcing to agencies—all challenging for nonprofit budgets. Kapwing eliminates these barriers with an online platform that combines the editing flexibility professional teams need with AI automation that accelerates production, all accessible through a web browser without software downloads or steep learning curves.

    Unlike specialized tools that focus on a single task (like blog-to-video conversion), Kapwing provides a comprehensive video creation suite where you can generate videos from AI prompts, edit existing footage, add professional subtitles in 40+ languages, remove unwanted silences, generate supplementary B-roll footage, and collaborate with team members in real-time. Whether you're transforming a 30-minute webinar into shareable social clips, creating fundraising appeals from scratch using AI, or adding accessible subtitles to impact stories, Kapwing handles the entire workflow in one platform.

    The platform addresses a critical nonprofit challenge: producing consistent, high-quality video content when you have limited staff, budget constraints, and distributed teams. According to nonprofit technology research, video content drives significantly higher engagement than text or static images, but most nonprofits struggle with the technical complexity and time investment traditional video production requires. Kapwing's combination of AI automation and intuitive editing tools allows a single communications coordinator to produce the video output of a small production team, while real-time collaboration features ensure stakeholder review and approval happens seamlessly without endless email chains and file sharing confusion.

    Best For

    Organization Size

    • Small to mid-sized nonprofits
    • Organizations with 1-20 staff members
    • Teams needing collaborative editing
    • Distributed teams working remotely

    Best Use Cases

    • Creating fundraising campaign videos
    • Adding subtitles for accessibility
    • Repurposing long webinars into social clips
    • Generating videos from AI prompts
    • Translating content for multilingual audiences

    Ideal For

    • Marketing and Communications Teams
    • Development Directors creating donor content
    • Program Managers documenting impact
    • Social Media Coordinators

    Key Features for Nonprofits

    AI Video Generator

    Create complete videos from text prompts

    Describe the video you need in plain language, and Kapwing's AI generates a complete video with voiceover, visuals, subtitles, music, and characters—perfect for fundraising appeals, awareness campaigns, or donor thank-you videos when you don't have existing footage.

    • Full video production from simple text descriptions
    • Automatic voiceover narration in multiple voices
    • AI-selected visuals matched to your content
    • Background music and subtitle generation included

    AI Script Generator

    Automatically generate video scripts to accelerate production

    Don't know where to start? Kapwing's AI Script Generator creates complete video scripts from brief prompts, saving hours of brainstorming and writing time when creating fundraising videos, awareness content, or impact stories.

    • Generate scripts from simple topic descriptions
    • Customizable output for your organization's voice
    • Saves time brainstorming and structuring content

    Auto-Subtitles & Translation

    Automatic subtitle generation in multiple languages

    Kapwing automatically transcribes your videos and generates accurate subtitles, making content more accessible and engaging on social media where most videos are watched without sound. Essential for reaching deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences and improving video engagement.

    • Automatic transcription with high accuracy
    • Pro plan: 1,000 minutes of auto-subtitling per month
    • Editable subtitles for accuracy and style
    • Multiple subtitle styling options for brand consistency

    Smart Cut & Clean Audio

    AI-powered editing to remove silences and background noise

    Smart Cut automatically removes awkward pauses, silences, and filler words from recordings, while Clean Audio removes background noise—perfect for polishing webinar recordings, interview footage, or testimonials without manual editing.

    • Automatically removes silences and pauses
    • AI noise reduction for professional sound quality
    • Saves hours compared to manual audio editing
    • Pro plan: 30 minutes of AI editing per month

    AI Dubbing & Translation

    Translate video dialogue into 40+ languages

    Reach multilingual communities by translating your video content into 40+ languages with natural-sounding AI voices—invaluable for nonprofits serving diverse populations or working internationally.

    • Translation to 40+ languages with AI voices
    • Pro plan: 50 minutes of dubbing per month
    • Natural-sounding AI voices in each language
    • Business plan includes voice cloning and lip-sync

    B-Roll Generator

    Generate relevant supplementary footage automatically

    Need supplementary footage to enhance your storytelling? Kapwing's B-Roll Generator creates high-quality relevant footage based on your video content, eliminating the need to search stock libraries or film additional content.

    • AI-generated supplementary footage
    • Contextually relevant to your video content
    • Saves time searching stock footage libraries

    Real-Time Collaboration

    Work together on video projects seamlessly

    Multiple team members can edit the same video project simultaneously, leave comments, and provide feedback in real-time—eliminating endless email chains and version control confusion that plague distributed nonprofit teams.

    • Real-time multi-user editing
    • Comment and feedback features
    • No version control issues or file sharing confusion
    • Perfect for distributed remote teams

    Text-to-Speech AI Voiceovers

    Convert text into realistic spoken narration

    Create professional narration for videos without recording equipment or voice talent. Kapwing's text-to-speech feature generates realistic AI voiceovers in multiple voices and languages—ideal for explainer videos, donor thank-you messages, or awareness campaigns.

    • Free plan: 2 minutes of text-to-speech per month
    • Multiple voice options and styles
    • Natural-sounding AI voices suitable for professional content

    How This Tool Uses AI

    Understanding what's actually AI-powered versus standard features helps nonprofits set realistic expectations and maximize Kapwing's value.

    What's Actually AI-Powered

    🤖 AI Video Generator

    Type of AI: Generative AI combining natural language processing, computer vision, and media generation

    What it does: Analyzes your text prompt and creates a complete video with voiceover, visuals, subtitles, music, and characters from scratch

    How it learns: Trained on millions of videos to understand effective visual storytelling patterns

    Practical impact: Turn a 2-paragraph description of your fundraising campaign into a 60-second video complete with narration and visuals—no filming required

    🤖 Smart Cut

    Type of AI: Audio analysis and speech recognition

    What it does: Detects and automatically removes silences, pauses, and filler words from video recordings

    How it learns: Trained to identify natural speech patterns and distinguish between meaningful pauses and awkward silences

    Practical impact: A 45-minute webinar recording with lots of pauses becomes a tight, professional 30-minute video in one click

    🤖 Auto-Subtitles

    Type of AI: Automatic speech recognition (ASR) trained on diverse languages and accents

    What it does: Transcribes spoken dialogue into accurate text subtitles automatically

    How it learns: Trained on thousands of hours of speech data across multiple languages

    Practical impact: Instead of manually typing subtitles for a 5-minute video (20-30 minutes of work), get accurate subtitles in under 1 minute

    🤖 AI Dubbing & Translation

    Type of AI: Neural machine translation combined with text-to-speech

    What it does: Translates your video's dialogue into 40+ languages and generates natural-sounding AI voiceovers in each language

    How it learns: Trained on multilingual datasets and native speaker voice patterns

    Practical impact: Create Spanish, French, or Mandarin versions of your awareness video without hiring translators or voice actors

    🤖 Clean Audio

    Type of AI: Audio enhancement neural networks

    What it does: Identifies and removes background noise, echo, and unwanted sounds while preserving voice clarity

    How it learns: Trained to distinguish between desirable audio (speech) and unwanted noise

    Practical impact: Testimonials recorded on smartphones in noisy environments sound professionally produced after AI cleaning

    🤖 AI Script Generator

    Type of AI: Generative AI similar to ChatGPT for content creation

    What it does: Generates complete video scripts from brief topic descriptions or prompts

    How it learns: Trained on effective script-writing patterns and storytelling frameworks

    Practical impact: Describe "fundraising appeal for clean water initiative" and get a complete 90-second script ready for video production

    🤖 B-Roll Generator

    Type of AI: Contextual understanding and visual content generation

    What it does: Analyzes your video content and generates relevant supplementary footage automatically

    How it learns: Trained on visual storytelling patterns to understand what supplementary footage enhances different types of content

    Practical impact: Talking-head fundraising video automatically gets contextually relevant B-roll footage inserted without searching stock libraries

    What's NOT AI (But Still Useful)

    • Video Editor Interface: Manual drag-and-drop editing tools for precise control
    • Template Library: Pre-designed by humans for specific use cases and industries
    • Collaboration Features: Real-time editing and commenting powered by standard web technology, not AI
    • Video Resizing: Automatic aspect ratio adjustment is programmatic, not AI-driven
    • Brand Kit: You manually upload logos, colors, and brand assets for consistent styling

    AI Transparency & Limitations

    ⚠️ Credit-Based System

    Kapwing uses a credit system where AI features consume credits. The free plan includes only 10 credits/month, which limits how much you can use AI features. You'll need to plan usage carefully or upgrade to Pro (1,000 credits/month) for regular video production.

    ⚠️ Human Oversight Required

    • AI-generated videos need review for accuracy and brand alignment
    • Auto-subtitles should be checked for accuracy, especially with specialized terminology or names
    • AI dubbing voices need verification for tone and cultural appropriateness
    • Generated scripts may need editing to match your nonprofit's specific voice

    ⚠️ Known Limitations

    • Free plan is very limited (4-minute videos max, watermarked exports, only 10 credits)
    • AI-generated videos may require significant editing for brand consistency
    • AI features consume credits quickly—monitor usage to avoid running out mid-month
    • Learning curve is steeper than specialized tools like Lumen5 for specific tasks

    🔒 Data Privacy

    • Your videos and content are stored securely on Kapwing's servers
    • You retain ownership of all created content
    • Videos can be downloaded and exported at any time
    • Review Kapwing's privacy policy for details on data handling

    When AI Adds Real Value vs. When It's Just Marketing

    ✅ Genuinely Useful AI

    • Auto-subtitles (saves 20-30 minutes per video)
    • Smart Cut for removing silences (would take hours manually)
    • AI dubbing for multilingual content (eliminates need for translators and voice actors)
    • Clean Audio for noise reduction (professional-grade audio processing)
    • AI Video Generator for creating videos from text (enables video creation without footage)

    ⚠️ AI That's Nice But Requires Editing

    • AI Script Generator (provides starting point but needs customization for your nonprofit's voice)
    • B-Roll Generator (contextually relevant but may not match your exact brand aesthetic)

    ❌ When You May Not Need AI

    • If you already have professional voiceover talent, AI voices won't improve quality
    • If you need highly customized brand-specific content, AI generation may feel generic—manual editing will be faster

    Bottom Line

    Kapwing uses AI strategically for tasks that genuinely save time and enable nonprofits to create content they otherwise couldn't—subtitle generation, audio cleanup, multilingual dubbing, and text-to-video creation. Unlike tools that slap "AI" on every feature, Kapwing focuses AI where it solves real production bottlenecks, while keeping manual editing tools available for precise control. This hybrid approach gives nonprofits the speed of automation with the quality of human oversight.

    Real-World Nonprofit Use Case

    An environmental nonprofit with a 5-person team was hosting monthly educational webinars that attracted 50-80 attendees but had minimal social media impact. The communications coordinator knew that repurposing webinar content into short social clips would extend their reach, but manually editing 60-minute recordings into shareable clips would require 4-5 hours per webinar—time they simply didn't have.

    After implementing Kapwing's Pro plan ($16/month annual billing), they established a new workflow: upload each webinar recording, use Smart Cut to remove pauses and create a tighter edit, use auto-subtitles to make clips accessible, and export 5-6 shareable clips optimized for Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. The entire process took 45 minutes instead of 5 hours.

    Within two months, their social media video reach increased by 400%—individual webinar clips were reaching 2,000-3,500 people each, compared to the 50-80 who attended live. More significantly, they began creating supplementary awareness videos using Kapwing's AI Video Generator from simple text prompts, producing 2-3 additional videos per month without filming any new footage. Their Instagram engagement rate jumped from 1.2% to 4.7%, and they attributed a 25% increase in monthly newsletter signups to the expanded video content strategy.

    The key to their success: they used Kapwing's AI features (Smart Cut, auto-subtitles, AI video generation) to handle time-consuming tasks, while manually editing the final 20% for brand consistency and message accuracy. This hybrid approach gave them the speed of automation with the quality control their organization required.

    Pricing

    Standard Pricing (2026)

    Free Plan

    $0

    • 10 credits/month
    • Up to 4-minute videos
    • 720p quality
    • Auto-subtitling: 10 mins/month
    • Text-to-speech: 2 mins/month
    • Includes watermark

    Pro Plan (Most Popular)

    $16/month

    (billed annually) or $24/month

    • 1,000 credits/month
    • No watermark
    • 4K export quality
    • 2-hour max video length
    • 6GB file uploads
    • Auto-subtitling: 1,000 mins/month
    • Dubbing: 50 mins/month
    • AI features: 30 mins/month

    Business Plan

    $50/month

    (annual) or $64/month

    • 4,000 credits/month
    • All Pro features
    • Custom voice clones
    • Lip-sync capability
    • Auto-subtitling: 4,000 mins/month
    • Dubbing: 200 mins/month
    • AI features: 130 mins/month

    Enterprise Plan

    Custom Pricing

    • Custom credits
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Priority support
    • Onboarding & training
    • SAML SSO

    Annual Discount: Save 33% when paying annually ($16/month vs. $24/month for Pro)

    Credit System: Different features consume different amounts of credits—AI-intensive features use more credits than basic editing

    Nonprofit Discount Information

    Our research did not uncover information about a specific nonprofit discount program for Kapwing as of January 2026. However, the free plan can work for very small organizations with limited needs, and the Pro plan at $16/month (annual) is relatively affordable.

    We recommend contacting Kapwing directly at kapwing.com to inquire about potential nonprofit or educational pricing that may not be publicly advertised.

    Note: Pricing information is subject to change. Please verify current pricing directly with Kapwing at kapwing.com/pricing.

    Learning Curve

    Learning Curve: Beginner to Intermediate

    More features means slightly steeper learning curve than specialized tools, but still accessible to non-technical users

    Time to First Value:

    Initial setup: 10-15 minutes (account creation, interface familiarization)

    First simple edit: 20-30 minutes (add subtitles, trim video, export)

    First AI-generated video: 15-20 minutes (prompt creation, review, customization)

    Proficiency: 3-5 videos to feel comfortable with core features

    Advanced features: 1-2 weeks to master collaboration, dubbing, and all AI tools

    Technical Requirements:

    • Basic video editing understanding helpful but not required
    • Comfort with web-based tools and drag-and-drop interfaces
    • No coding or technical skills needed
    • Helpful: familiarity with social media video best practices

    Support Available:

    • Comprehensive help center and documentation
    • Video tutorials covering all major features
    • Email support on paid plans
    • Priority support on Enterprise plans
    • Active user community and forums
    • Dedicated account manager for Enterprise customers

    User Feedback: Kapwing is praised for its intuitive interface, though some users note it has more features to learn compared to single-purpose tools. The AI automation features significantly reduce the learning curve for complex tasks like subtitling and dubbing. Most users report becoming productive within their first week of regular use.

    Integration & Compatibility

    Connects With

    Social Media Platforms:

    Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter (with optimized export formats for each platform)

    Cloud Storage:

    Google Drive, Dropbox (for media file access and storage)

    Video Hosting:

    YouTube (direct upload and embedding)

    Collaboration:

    Built-in real-time collaboration tools for team editing and review

    Platform Availability

    • Web-based: Works in all modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)—no software download required
    • Desktop: Web-based interface accessible from Mac, Windows, and Linux
    • Mobile: Mobile-optimized interface but best used on desktop/laptop for full editing capabilities

    Data Portability

    • Video Export: Download finished videos in multiple resolutions (up to 4K on Pro plan)
    • Platform-Specific Formats: Optimized exports for each social platform (square, vertical, horizontal)
    • Subtitle Export: Download subtitle files separately (SRT format)
    • Vendor Lock-in Consideration: Videos are created within Kapwing; you can export final videos but not editable project files for use in other software

    Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Comprehensive feature set: One platform handles video creation, editing, subtitling, dubbing, and collaboration
    • Powerful AI automation: Smart Cut, auto-subtitles, and AI dubbing save hours of manual work
    • Real-time collaboration: Team members can edit together, eliminating version control issues
    • Multilingual support: AI dubbing in 40+ languages makes content accessible to diverse audiences
    • Text-to-video generation: Create videos from prompts when you don't have existing footage
    • Affordable Pro plan: $16/month annual billing provides excellent value for comprehensive features
    • No software installation: Web-based platform works on any computer

    Cons

    • Very limited free plan: Only 10 credits/month, 4-minute videos, watermarked exports—not practical for regular use
    • Credit system can be confusing: Different features consume different credit amounts; requires monitoring
    • Steeper learning curve: More features means more complexity compared to single-purpose tools
    • No known nonprofit discount: Unlike Lumen5's 50% nonprofit discount, Kapwing doesn't advertise special pricing
    • Internet dependency: Requires stable internet connection; no offline editing capability
    • AI features require review: Generated content needs human oversight for accuracy and brand alignment

    Alternatives to Consider

    If Kapwing doesn't feel like the right fit, consider these alternatives:

    Lumen5

    Specialized for blog-to-video conversion with 50% nonprofit discount

    Lumen5 specializes in transforming blog posts and written content into social videos with simpler workflow and beginner-friendly interface. Starting at $19/month with 50% nonprofit discount (effectively $9.50-14.50/month), making it very affordable for nonprofits.

    Best if: Your primary goal is repurposing existing blog content into social videos, you want the simplest possible workflow, or budget is a primary concern and you qualify for the nonprofit discount.

    InVideo

    More templates and AI-driven generation

    InVideo offers extensive template library, AI-driven script generation from text prompts, and strong multilingual support. Starting at $25/month with a free tier available. More focused on creating videos from scratch rather than editing existing footage.

    Best if: You need extensive template options for different video types, want strong multilingual capabilities, or primarily create videos from scratch rather than editing existing content.

    Descript

    Text-based video editing with advanced features

    Descript offers unique text-based editing where you edit video by editing the transcript, plus powerful features like Studio Sound audio enhancement and Overdub voice cloning. Starting at $12/month for Creator plan.

    Best if: You work primarily with interview or talking-head content, want text-based editing workflow, or need advanced audio enhancement for podcast-style content.

    Why Choose Kapwing Instead?

    Kapwing excels when you need a comprehensive video platform that handles everything from AI video generation to subtitle creation to team collaboration—all in one place. Choose Kapwing if your nonprofit creates diverse video content (awareness videos, fundraising appeals, webinar clips, multilingual content) and needs flexibility for different use cases rather than specialization in one task. The real-time collaboration features make it ideal for distributed teams, and the combination of AI automation with manual editing control provides both speed and quality. At $16/month for Pro (annual), it's competitively priced for the breadth of features you get.

    Getting Started

    Your First Week with Kapwing

    1

    Sign up for the free plan (10 minutes)

    Start with the free tier to explore Kapwing's interface and features. While limited (10 credits, watermarked exports), it's enough to test whether the platform fits your workflow.

    Pro tip: Don't worry about perfecting your first video—use the free plan to learn the interface and understand which features you'll use most.

    Sign Up for Free
    2

    Test auto-subtitles on existing video (15 minutes)

    Upload a short existing video (2-3 minutes) and use auto-subtitle feature. This immediately demonstrates Kapwing's time-saving potential—manually creating subtitles would take 20-30 minutes.

    Pro tip: Choose a video with clear audio for your first test—AI works best with quality input, and you'll get better results to evaluate.

    3

    Create an AI-generated video from a text prompt (20 minutes)

    Try Kapwing's AI Video Generator with a simple prompt like "30-second video explaining our food bank's mission to fight hunger in [your city]." Review the AI output and customize as needed.

    Pro tip: Be specific in your prompt—include desired tone (inspirational, educational, urgent), target length, and key points you want covered. Specific prompts = better results.

    4

    Decide on Pro plan if it fits your needs (decision point)

    After testing key features, evaluate whether Kapwing solves your video production bottlenecks. If auto-subtitles, AI generation, or Smart Cut save you significant time, the Pro plan at $16/month (annual) is worth the investment.

    Pro tip: Calculate how much time you're currently spending on video tasks Kapwing automates. If it saves 5+ hours per month, the subscription pays for itself in staff time.

    5

    Establish your video workflow (ongoing)

    Once subscribed, create a repeatable workflow: identify video needs (awareness, fundraising, impact stories), use appropriate features (AI generation for new content, editing tools for existing footage, subtitles for accessibility), and establish team collaboration processes.

    Pro tip: Create template projects for recurring video types (donor thank-you, program updates, fundraising appeals). This speeds up future production and maintains consistency.

    After Your First Week:

    Track how much time Kapwing saves compared to your previous video workflow. Measure social media engagement with Kapwing-created videos vs. your baseline. Most nonprofits see 2-4x time savings and improved video quality consistency. If the platform delivers value, explore advanced features like AI dubbing for multilingual audiences or team collaboration for stakeholder review.

    Need Help with Implementation?

    Implementing new video tools and establishing efficient workflows can be challenging, especially when you're managing multiple priorities with limited staff. If you'd like expert guidance getting started with Kapwing—from selecting the right plan to creating your first campaign videos to training your team—we're here to help.

    One Hundred Nights offers implementation support tailored to nonprofits: platform selection consultation, workflow design, hands-on training, and strategic guidance on maximizing video impact for your mission.

    Contact Us to Learn More

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is Kapwing free for nonprofits?

    Kapwing offers a free plan with 10 credits per month, watermarked exports, and up to 4-minute videos at 720p quality. The free plan includes basic AI features like auto-subtitling (10 mins/month) and text-to-speech (2 mins/month). While there is no specific nonprofit discount mentioned, the free plan can work for very small organizations with limited video needs. Paid plans start at $16/month (billed annually) for the Pro plan.

    What AI features does Kapwing offer?

    Kapwing offers several AI-powered features including: AI Video Generator (creates full videos from text prompts with voiceover, visuals, subtitles, and music), AI Script Generator, Smart Cut (removes silences and pauses automatically), AI Dubbing (translates to 40+ languages), B-Roll Generator, Text-to-Speech with realistic AI voiceovers, Clean Audio (removes background noise), and automatic subtitle generation in multiple languages.

    Does Kapwing support team collaboration?

    Yes, Kapwing is designed for team collaboration with real-time editing capabilities. Multiple team members can work on video projects simultaneously, leave comments, and review changes in real-time. This makes it particularly useful for nonprofit teams that need to collaborate on fundraising videos, awareness campaigns, or event content without being in the same location.

    How does Kapwing compare to Lumen5?

    Kapwing offers more manual editing control and better team collaboration features compared to Lumen5, which specializes in blog-to-video conversion. Kapwing is better for organizations that need more creative flexibility and real-time team collaboration, while Lumen5 is better for quickly repurposing blog posts into social videos. Both start at similar price points ($16/month for Kapwing Pro vs. $19/month for Lumen5 Basic with 50% nonprofit discount).

    Can Kapwing generate videos from text prompts?

    Yes, Kapwing's AI Video Generator can create complete videos from text prompts. You provide a description of what you want, and the AI generates a full video with voiceover, visuals, subtitles, music, and characters. This is particularly useful for nonprofits that want to create awareness videos, fundraising appeals, or educational content without starting from existing footage or blog posts.

    Does Kapwing support multiple languages?

    Yes, Kapwing supports multilingual content through its AI Dubbing feature, which can translate dialogue into 40+ languages with natural-sounding voices. The auto-subtitle feature also works in multiple languages. This makes Kapwing valuable for nonprofits serving multilingual communities or working internationally.

    What video formats does Kapwing support for export?

    Kapwing supports exports optimized for all major social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter. The free plan exports at 720p with watermarks, while the Pro plan supports up to 4K exports without watermarks. Videos can be downloaded in various aspect ratios (square, vertical, horizontal) to suit different platform requirements.