What each one does
| Opus Clip | DoneEdit (ours) | |
|---|---|---|
| Input | A long video (podcast, stream, YouTube video) | A raw talking-head video, up to 10 min |
| Output | Many short vertical clips | One finished edited video, up to 5 min |
| How | AI picks moments, reframes and captions | AI first pass plus a human check |
| Your role | Choose, fix and post clips | Upload, add notes, review |
| Pricing | Software plans, see Opus Clip | $27 founding price, then $67 per video |
| Best for | Repurposing long content | Getting a main video edited without doing it |
Where Opus Clip shines
Opus Clip is built for volume. Upload a long video, and it suggests clips, crops them vertically to keep the speaker in frame, and adds animated captions. If you already have long podcasts or streams, it can give you a pile of Shorts candidates in minutes.
Its limits
- It needs long content first. It repurposes; it doesn't edit your main video.
- AI judgement varies. Some suggested clips lack context or end before the point lands, so you'll review and discard some.
- Caption errors: names, brands and jargon may need fixing.
- You still publish and manage everything.
Where DoneEdit fits
DoneEdit edits the video you actually want to publish: cutting mistakes and pauses, adding captions, zooms, b-roll and music, with a person checking it before you get it. It doesn't produce dozens of clips from a two-hour podcast; that's not what it's for.
Which one do you need?
- You have long videos and want more Shorts: Opus Clip or a similar clipping tool.
- You have raw talking-head footage and no time to edit: DoneEdit or another done-for-you service.
- You want both: get your main video edited, then run it through a clipping tool to make Shorts.
A simple weekly workflow
- Film one talking-head video.
- Send it to an editor or done-for-you service and get the finished video back.
- Publish the main video.
- Run the finished video through a clipping tool for 3–5 Short candidates.
- Spend a few minutes picking and fixing the best ones.
AI clips vs human-picked clips
Human editors are slower and cost more per clip, but they tend to pick moments that make sense on their own and to start clips on a strong hook. AI tools are faster and cheaper per clip. For most small creators, AI clipping plus a quick human review is a good balance.
Worked example: one long video, a week of content
Here is how the two can work together, step by step:
- Film your main talking-head video.
- Send it to DoneEdit for the finished edit (single English speaker, up to 10 minutes raw).
- Post the finished video.
- Run the finished or raw long video through an AI clipping tool such as Opus Clip to get candidate Shorts.
- Pick the best clips yourself and check the captions and framing before posting.
This gives you one polished main video and several Shorts, while you spend your time on choosing rather than cutting.
Checklist for AI-generated clips
- Does the clip start with a complete thought rather than mid-sentence?
- Are the captions right, especially names, numbers and jargon?
- Is the framing correct after it was reframed to vertical?
- Does the clip make sense without the rest of the video?
- Is it something you'd be happy for a new viewer to see first?
When neither is the right tool
If you need a long interview podcast edited with multiple guests, you'll want a podcast editor or a recording platform with editing built in. Opus Clip makes clips; DoneEdit makes short single-speaker edits.
Cost thinking
AI clipping tools are usually priced as software subscriptions, while DoneEdit is priced per finished video. If you mainly need lots of Shorts from long recordings, a clipping tool fits. If you need a polished main video, a per-video edit fits.
Key takeaways
- Opus Clip turns long videos into short clips with AI.
- DoneEdit makes a finished edit of short talking-head videos.
- They work well together; always review AI clips.