🎨 Art, music and story makers · 🎬 Video, animation, audio and streaming
iMovie
By Apple. Visit iMovie
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
Apple's free video editor for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Kids pick clips and photos, then use Magic Movie to build a video for them, or Storyboards and movie-trailer templates that tell them which shots to film. They can add titles, music, green screen, split screen and voice-over, then export or share. It is a common first editor in schools that use iPads.
Our take: The easy first pick for families and schools with Apple devices; Windows, Android and Chromebook users need another editor.
| Ages it suits | about 6+ |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | The app needs no account of its own. Downloading it needs an Apple Account: 13+ in the US, and children under 13 get an account only when a parent creates it through Family Sharing; Ask to Buy is on by default for them. (terms) |
| Price | Free. Free on iPhone, iPad and Mac (Oct 2026). Needs a recent Apple device (the iPhone app lists iOS 27 or later). |
| Works on | iPhone and iPad, Mac |
| Account | No account needed |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | Magic Movie automatically picks a style, titles, transitions and music for chosen clips; no chatbot or generative AI. |
What's good
- Free, no ads, no in-app purchases
- Storyboards and trailers guide young filmmakers shot by shot
- Works offline on the device
- Exports up to 4K
Watch for
- Apple devices only
- Needs a recent iOS or macOS version
- Fewer advanced tools than paid editors
Data and privacy
The App Store label lists photos, video, audio and a user ID linked to the user for app features, plus usage data for analytics. Apple's privacy policy says child accounts need verifiable parent consent and that private personal data is not used to train Apple's foundation AI models. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
No independent studies of iMovie found; Apple makes no learning claims for it.
In the Big Index
- On the list Top 10 setups for a child who wants an AI to answer their questions
- On the list Parental controls for 12 AI chatbots, step by step
- On the list 8 smart speaker and voice assistant setups for kids (pre-readers especially)
- On the list The family AI station: 9 steps to a shared AI setup in a common room
- On the list 9 tablet and phone setups for kids in the AI era
- On the list 10 AI privacy settings to change on day one
- On the list 10 browser setups for kids: kid browsers, safe search, extensions and kid modes
- On the list 12 signs your child's AI setup needs a rethink
- On the list 12 questions to ask before you download a learning app
- Use Screen Time to Manage Your Child's iPhone or iPad
- Set up Apple Watch for a family member
- Set up parental controls to manage your child's iPhone or iPad
- The maker in the who's who: Apple
Alternatives to iMovie
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
Animaker
Animaker · ages 18+ by its terms (teachers, older students with a parent)
A tool for teachers making lesson videos, not for kids; families wanting a kids' animation app should look at Stop Motion Studio or FlipaClip instead.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Art for Kids Hub
Art For Kids Hub (Rob and family) · ages about 4-12
A great free start for kids who want to learn to draw; use the paid membership if YouTube's ads and autoplay worry you.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Audacity
Muse Group and contributors (open source) · ages about 10+
The standard free tool for a child recording a podcast or voice-over on a computer; tablet users should use GarageBand instead.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Blender
Blender Foundation (open source) · ages about 12+
Ideal for a motivated teen who wants to learn real 3D; younger kids should start with Tinkercad.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
CapCut
ByteDance (Bytedance Pte. Ltd.) · ages 13+ (teens)
A strong free editor for teens 13+ with a parent's OK; families who care about data and ads, and anyone under 13, should pick iMovie or another tool.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
FlipaClip
Visual Blasters LLC · ages about 10-17
Good for tweens and teens who want to animate drawings on a phone; parents of younger kids may prefer an ad-free paid app like Procreate Dreams.
Where these facts come from
- https://support.apple.com/imovie
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/imovie/id377298193
- https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/us/terms.html
- https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/
- Reviews on G2: https://www.g2.com/products/imovie/reviews
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.