Is CapCut a fraud?

Hi,

We totally understand why you are frustrated. What you have described losing access to your account, poor support response, and strange behavior on a different device raises legitimate red flags. That said, we don’t think it’s 100% fair to call CapCut purely a “fraud” without deeper investigation.

It’s more likely that you’re hitting bugs, poor user support, or possibly mis-implemented policies. But the behavior you're seeing is not normal or acceptable. 

Let us state a few points to break it down for you:

• CapCut is developed by ByteDance (same company behind TikTok).

• It offers a free version and a Pro / Premium subscription version, with extra assets, cloud storage, and features unlocked under Pro.

• The Terms of Service clearly state that, for the mobile app, subscriptions are processed through Apple/Google stores when using iOS/Android respectively.

• Based on discussions on this forum as well as elsewhere, many users have faced login issues from time to time (server-side bugs, authentication fails, etc.).

• On review sites (e.g. Trustpilot), there are many complaints about billing, features not working even after subscription, and poor support.

So, from this, it seems CapCut is a “real” app/service (not a complete scam) but that doesn’t excuse the kind of behavior you are experiencing. The legitimacy of the app does not guarantee flawless support or bug-free operation.

What seems fishy / concerning in your case

Your specific experience shows multiple warning signs:

1. Being logged out and prevented from logging in, with a “try after 24 hours” message. That is not typical for a well-maintained app unless there is a security block (e.g. too many login attempts) or server-side lockout.

2. Poor or unresponsive support, especially after paying for a Pro subscription. If support doesn’t resolve your issue, it's a serious red flag in terms of service quality.

3. Feature / behavior differences between devices (S10 vs S25+), such that on one device editing is smooth, but on the newer device each clip is auto-compressed slowly. That suggests either device-specific compatibility bugs or that the app is throttling performance, or doing some processing differently (e.g. converting codecs behind the scenes).

4. User complaints of “I paid but can’t access Pro” are common. On Trustpilot, many say they purchased the Pro version but still can’t use features or face billing issues.

5. Allegations / lawsuits about data usage: CapCut (via ByteDance) has faced allegations for collecting biometric and location data beyond user expectations.

These don’t necessarily prove fraudulent intent, but they do show that the app and its business model are prone to issues, especially around user trust, support, and fairness.

Is CapCut trying to scam people, or just broken?

We think it's more likely a mix of:

• Poor implementation, especially around user account management, login systems, or concurrency / server load.

• Aggressive monetization strategy: moving features behind paywalls, making free usage harder, pushing users to Pro.

• Weak customer support or an overwhelmed support system (so many users complaining of no replies).

• Possibly some shady elements in billing / refund handling, given the multiple user complaints about being charged unfairly or being unable to cancel.

So, while we wouldn’t categorically label it as an outright scam (i.e. intentionally tricking everyone), there is a reasonable basis to believe the service is currently unstable, maybe even borderline unfair to paying users.

Given your situation, you have been harmed (you can’t use the Pro features you paid for), so it's valid to feel scammed in practice, even if not in legal definition.

What you can try to recover or protect yourself

Here are steps you should take right away:

1. Document everything

   • Save screenshots of your subscription confirmation.

   • Save screenshots of login errors, messages (“try later”), etc.

   • Note the email / account you used.

2. Use official support channels

   • If CapCut has an official support email.

   • Use social media (Twitter, etc.) to publicly ask CapCut to respond sometimes that pushes CapCut.

   • If you paid through Apple/Google, open a refund/dispute via the app store if CapCut don’t respond.

3. Try account recovery / alternative logins

   • If you signed up via Google / Facebook / TikTok etc., try logging in via those methods.

   • Clear app cache, uninstall & reinstall (careful: local projects may be lost).

   • Use the same device where it worked (S10) to see if you can manipulate something (download on PC, etc.).

   • Wait 24 hours and try login again (the message itself says “try after 24 hours”).

4. Export / back up your work

   • For your S25+, avoid redoing the whole video with auto-compression for every clip. Export your source media or use another editor.

   • If you can log in on S10, export your projects or backup them.

5. Switch to alternative editors / backup plan

   • Use more stable editors like KineMaster, Adobe Premiere Rush / Express, DaVinci Resolve (on PC), LumaFusion (iOS), etc.

   • Do not rely entirely on CapCut until your access is restored.

6. Consider asking for a refund / chargeback

   • If support doesn’t help, and you paid via a credit card or app store, demand a refund for not receiving the service promised.

7. Raise awareness

   • Share your issue on forums, review sites, so others see it (that also pressures CapCut).

Final take

• Is CapCut “legit”? Yes, it is a real, widely used app backed by a major company (ByteDance).

• Is the Pro subscription model fair / stable? Not necessarily. There are many reports of Pro users being unable to use the premium features, billing problems, and poor support. So its execution is sketchy in many user experiences.

• Is your case a scam? Probably not a classic scam (i.e. they didn’t vanish after getting your money), but in effect—you have been deprived of the service you paid for. That is unjust and may cross into “fraudulent misrepresentation” in some legal frameworks.

• Should you trust CapCut going forward? Be cautious. Until your issue is resolved, don’t put any critical work or money into it. Use safer, well-supported alternatives for projects you care about.

If you like, we can help you with steps to recover your CapCut account.

Hi and thanks for your very detailed reply. I am utterly frustrated because I did the whole edit of a 17 minutes long video and then CapCut logged me out on the S10 and doesn't even show me the login page for me to login. It just returns errors. I was supposed to post that video yesterday on Youtube and now God knows when will I be able to publish it. I will, of course, cancel my subscription to CapCut.

Do you know of any similar editor but stable and honest that works ok on a Samsung S25+?

Thanks! Provided that it has the basic transitions that I need, the fonts, the basic stickers that I use and supports multiple audio files it's ok. I think I'll try Power Director.

For now, the 17 minutes video is lost and this week there won't be a video on my channel, although I'll be sure to put the blame, very publicly, on Capcut.

An update. It has been over 24 hours logged out. I've tried to contact them through the feedback form, by email and through DM on Twitter to a Capcut Support profile. Nothing works. They just don't reply back nor solve the issue allowing me to login and retrieve my edited video or solve the problem in the S25+.

I'm now fully convinced that CapCut is, indeed, a fraud to scam people out of their subscription money and when things go wrong they couldn't care less and, of course, don't return the money people paid for the Pro subscription.