7 Best CapCut Alternatives in 2025

CapCut has become immensely popular as a free, feature-rich video editor with AI-assisted tools for captions, effects, and enhancements. But is manual editing the best approach for your content creation workflow?

Whether you're seeking AI-powered video generation to save time, specialized features for specific content types, advanced professional tools, or simply exploring alternatives, this comprehensive guide covers the top CapCut competitors available in 2025.

We'll analyze each platform's strengths, limitations, pricing structures, and ideal use cases to help you decide between manual editing and AI-powered automation for your video content strategy.

What Makes a Great CapCut Alternative?

Before exploring specific platforms, let's establish key criteria for evaluating video creation and editing tools:

Manual Control vs. Automation: Do you prefer hands-on editing or AI-powered generation?

Time Investment: How much time can you dedicate to each video (30-90 min manual vs. 2-10 min AI)?

Content Quality: Does manual control produce better results for your specific needs?

Scalability: Can you maintain consistent output as volume grows?

Creative Flexibility: Which approach offers the creative control you need?

Cost Efficiency: How do subscription costs compare to time investment value?

CapCut excels at free manual editing with AI-assisted features, but it requires significant time investment per video. Let's explore alternatives offering AI-powered automation, specialized workflows, or advanced professional capabilities.

1. Quickshot AI – Best for AI-Generated Story Content

Quickshot AI takes a completely different approach from CapCut's manual editing, using a multi-agent AI system to automatically generate original narrative content with exceptional character consistency in 2-5 minutes.

How Quickshot AI Works

Quickshot employs four specialized AI agents working in coordination:

Story Writer Agent (Powered by Gemini 3 Pro): Generates emotionally compelling original storylines with natural dialogue and narrative structure from simple prompts.

Image Generator Agent (Powered by Veo 3.1 + Nano Banana Pro): Produces photorealistic AI-generated images with consistent character appearance across all scenes—creating professional narrative content automatically.

Audio Generator Agent (Powered by ElevenLabs): Creates natural voiceovers with emotional delivery matching the story's tone.

Video Compositor Agent (Powered by Remotion): Assembles all elements into a polished final video with smooth transitions and professional timing.

Key Advantages Over CapCut

Massive Time Savings: Quickshot generates complete videos in 2-5 minutes. CapCut requires 30-90 minutes of manual editing per video.

Character Consistency: Automatically maintains identical character appearance across all scenes. CapCut users must manually ensure visual consistency with stock footage or recordings.

Original Content Creation: Creates complete stories from simple prompts. CapCut requires you to gather all footage, assets, and audio separately.

No Editing Skills Required: Simple prompt-to-video workflow. CapCut requires learning editing techniques, timeline management, and effects application.

Scalability: Generate 10-20 videos in the time it takes to manually edit 1-2 in CapCut.

Where CapCut Wins

Complete Creative Control: Manual editing allows precise control over every frame, transition, and effect. Quickshot generates content based on AI interpretation.

Zero Cost: CapCut is completely free. Quickshot requires paid plans for consistent production ($39+/month).

Edit Any Content: Works with any footage type. Quickshot specializes in narrative storytelling.

No Content Limits: Unlimited editing. Quickshot has credit-based video generation limits.

Professional Editing Skills: Learning CapCut builds transferable editing skills. Quickshot is generate-and-refine workflow.

Pricing Comparison

Quickshot AI:

• Free Plan: $0/month (5 videos, 50 credits)
• Starter: $39/month (40 videos, 400 credits)
• Creator: $69/month (120 videos, 1,200 credits)
• Pro: $129/month (240 videos, 2,400 credits)
• Ultra: $199/month (500 videos, 5,000 credits)

CapCut:

• Free: $0/month (everything included, unlimited)
• Pro (optional): $9.99/month (cloud storage, premium effects)

Best For

Choose Quickshot AI if you:

• Create story-driven content (mysteries, horror, educational narratives)
• Value time savings over manual control (2-5 min vs 30-90 min)
• Need character consistency across multi-scene content
• Want to scale production significantly (10-20 videos/day possible)
• Prefer AI generation over manual editing

Choose CapCut if you:

• Want maximum creative control over every element
• Have time to invest in manual editing
• Need to edit diverse content types and existing footage
• Budget is primary constraint (CapCut is free)
• Want to develop professional video editing skills

2. InVideo AI – Best for AI Template-Based Creation

InVideo AI offers AI-powered video generation with 5,000+ customizable templates—providing faster creation than CapCut's manual editing while maintaining creative control.

How InVideo AI Works

InVideo AI combines AI-powered script-to-video generation with extensive template library. Input your script, select a template style, and InVideo generates a video with relevant stock footage, music, and effects that you can customize.

Key Features

5,000+ Templates: Diverse templates for marketing, social media, educational content, and more—faster starting point than CapCut's blank canvas.

AI-Powered Generation: Automatically matches stock footage to your script. CapCut requires manual asset selection and placement.

Script-to-Video: Input text and generate complete videos. CapCut starts with manual timeline building.

Stock Media Integration: Access millions of stock clips, images, and audio tracks included. CapCut requires separate sourcing.

Multilingual Support: Create videos in 50+ languages with AI voiceovers. CapCut focuses on editing, not generation.

Advantages Over CapCut

• Faster creation: 5-10 minutes vs CapCut's 30-90 minutes
• AI automation: Automatic footage matching vs manual selection
• Stock media included: No separate licensing needed
• Template starting points: Faster than building from scratch

Where CapCut Wins

• Zero cost: CapCut is free; InVideo requires subscription
• More creative freedom: Manual editing offers more control than templates
• No generation limits: Unlimited editing vs InVideo's minute limits
• Edit any content: Works with any footage; InVideo focused on generation

Pricing

• Free Plan: $0/month (10 minutes/week, watermarked)
• Plus: $25/month (50 minutes/month)
• Max: $60/month (200 minutes/month)

Best For

Choose InVideo AI if you:

• Create marketing or promotional content regularly
• Need faster creation than manual editing
• Want template starting points with customization
• Create diverse content types with stock footage
• Value time savings over complete creative freedom

3. Crayo AI – Best for Rapid Viral Video Creation

Crayo AI specializes in creating viral short-form videos in 1-2 minutes using proven templates—significantly faster than CapCut's manual workflow for this specific content type.

How Crayo AI Works

Crayo provides 100+ viral templates across content types. Input your content (facts, lists, stories), select a template, and Crayo generates complete videos in 1-2 minutes ready to post.

Key Features

100+ Viral Templates: Proven formats for facts, trivia, stories, lists, motivational content.

Extremely Fast Generation: 1-2 minutes per video vs CapCut's 30-90 minutes manual editing.

Batch Generation: Create multiple videos simultaneously. CapCut requires editing one at a time.

Template Customization: Adjust colors, fonts, effects to match your brand.

Trending Format Updates: Regular additions of new viral formats.

Advantages Over CapCut

• Much faster: 1-2 minutes vs 30-90 minutes per video
• Viral format expertise: Templates proven to perform well
• Batch capabilities: Generate multiple videos at once
• No editing skills needed: Template-guided vs learning curve

Where CapCut Wins

• Creative uniqueness: Manual editing creates unique content; templates can feel generic
• Zero cost: Free vs Crayo's subscription
• Unlimited creation: No limits vs Crayo's video caps
• Edit any content type: Crayo focused on short-form viral content

Pricing

• Clip: $29/month (50 shorts)
• Clipper: $59/month (unlimited shorts)
• Mega Clipper: $159/month (unlimited + advanced features)

Best For

Choose Crayo AI if you:

• Create high volumes of viral short-form content (50+ videos/week)
• Follow trending formats closely
• Prioritize speed and quantity over creative uniqueness
• Need batch generation capabilities
• Value proven viral templates

4. Descript – Best for Text-Based Editing Workflow

Descript combines AI transcription with revolutionary text-based editing—edit videos by editing transcript text, offering a different paradigm from CapCut's timeline editing.

How Descript Works

Upload video or audio, and Descript automatically transcribes it. Edit your video by editing the transcript—delete words to remove those segments from video. Add AI voices, remove filler words, and enhance audio.

Key Features

Text-Based Video Editing: Edit video by editing transcript—revolutionary workflow different from CapCut's timeline.

AI Voice Overdub: Create custom AI voices to fix mistakes without re-recording.

Automatic Filler Word Removal: AI detects and removes "um," "uh," automatically.

Studio Sound: AI audio enhancement makes recordings professional.

Multi-Track Editing: Professional editing with multiple tracks like CapCut.

Screen Recording: Built-in recording for tutorials and presentations.

Advantages Over CapCut

• Text-based editing: Faster for certain workflows than timeline editing
• AI voice overdub: Fix mistakes without re-recording
• Better for podcasts: Purpose-built features CapCut lacks
• Automatic transcription: Built-in vs manual or third-party

Where CapCut Wins

• Zero cost: Free vs Descript's paid plans
• Traditional editing: Familiar timeline for those who prefer it
• Mobile editing: CapCut's mobile app more comprehensive
• Effect library: Larger effect collection than Descript

Pricing

• Free: $0/month (1 video/month, watermarked)
• Creator: $24/month (10 videos/month)
• Pro: $50/month (30 videos/month)

Best For

Choose Descript if you:

• Create podcasts or interview content
• Want text-based editing over timeline editing
• Need AI voice overdub capabilities
• Fix recording mistakes frequently
• Value transcription + editing in one tool

5. Pictory AI – Best for Script-to-Video Automation

Pictory AI automates converting scripts and blog posts into videos—offering AI-powered creation faster than CapCut's manual editing for content repurposing.

How Pictory AI Works

Upload scripts, blog posts, or articles, and Pictory's AI analyzes content, breaks it into scenes, matches relevant stock footage, adds voiceovers and captions automatically.

Key Features

Blog-to-Video Conversion: Automatically converts written content into videos. CapCut requires manual creation from blog content.

Intelligent Script Analysis: AI identifies key points and creates scenes automatically.

Relevant Footage Selection: Smart matching of stock footage to content. CapCut requires manual selection.

Fast Automation: 5-10 minutes per video vs CapCut's 30-90 minutes.

Collaboration Tools: Team plans with shared libraries for agencies.

Advantages Over CapCut

• Faster for content repurposing: Automates blog-to-video workflow
• AI automation: Automatic scene creation and footage matching
• Stock media included: No separate licensing needed
• Team collaboration: Better for agency workflows

Where CapCut Wins

• Zero cost: Free vs Pictory's subscription
• Creative control: Manual editing offers more precision
• Edit any content: Works with existing footage; Pictory focused on generation
• No limits: Unlimited vs Pictory's video caps

Pricing

• Starter: $19/month (30 videos)
• Professional: $39/month (60 videos)
• Teams: $99/month (90 videos + collaboration)

Best For

Choose Pictory if you:

• Regularly convert blog posts or articles into videos
• Need efficient content repurposing workflows
• Work with a marketing team
• Create educational or informational content
• Value automation over manual control

6. Fliki – Best for Multilingual AI Video Creation

Fliki stands out for exceptional multilingual support with AI voiceovers in 75+ languages—offering AI-powered generation faster than CapCut's manual editing for multilingual content.

How Fliki Works

Input text in any supported language, select a voice and visual style, and Fliki generates complete videos with synchronized AI voiceovers in 3-7 minutes.

Key Features

75+ Languages: Industry-leading language support with natural voices. CapCut has limited AI voice options.

Voice Cloning: Create custom AI voices that sound like you. CapCut doesn't offer voice cloning.

AI Avatar Option: Create talking-head videos with realistic AI avatars.

Text-to-Video: Simple text input to complete video. CapCut requires manual editing.

Fast Generation: 3-7 minutes vs CapCut's 30-90 minutes.

Advantages Over CapCut

• Multilingual expertise: 75+ languages vs CapCut's limited options
• Voice cloning: Custom AI voices not available in CapCut
• Faster creation: AI generation vs manual editing
• AI avatars: Talking-head option CapCut doesn't provide

Where CapCut Wins

• Zero cost: Free vs Fliki's subscription
• Creative control: Manual editing offers more control
• Effect variety: Larger effect and filter library
• No limits: Unlimited editing vs Fliki's minute limits

Pricing

• Free: $0/month (5 minutes/month)
• Standard: $28/month (180 minutes/month)
• Premium: $88/month (600 minutes/month)

Best For

Choose Fliki if you:

• Create multilingual content regularly (75+ languages)
• Need voice cloning for brand consistency
• Want AI avatar presentations
• Value simple text-to-video workflow
• Prioritize speed over manual editing control

7. Adobe Premiere Rush – Best Professional Mobile+Desktop Editing

Adobe Premiere Rush offers professional editing capabilities across desktop and mobile with cloud sync—a direct alternative to CapCut's cross-platform editing approach.

How Adobe Premiere Rush Works

Professional video editor with simplified interface compared to Premiere Pro. Edit on desktop or mobile with automatic cloud sync, access Adobe Stock integration, and export to social platforms.

Key Features

Cross-Platform Editing: Desktop and mobile apps with cloud sync, similar to CapCut.

Professional Tools: Color grading, audio mixing, motion graphics from Adobe ecosystem.

Adobe Stock Integration: Access millions of stock assets (requires separate purchase or subscription).

Creative Cloud Integration: Works with other Adobe apps for advanced workflows.

Social Media Optimization: Export presets for different platforms.

Advantages Over CapCut

• More professional tools: Advanced color grading, audio mixing
• Adobe ecosystem: Integrates with Premiere Pro, After Effects
• Better for professional work: Industry-standard tools
• Stock integration: Access to Adobe Stock (with separate license)

Where CapCut Wins

• Zero cost: Free vs Rush's subscription
• Easier learning curve: More beginner-friendly interface
• Better AI features: CapCut's AI auto-captions more advanced
• Larger effect library: More trending effects and filters
• No restrictions on free tier: Rush limits exports on free plan

Pricing

• Free: $0/month (limited exports, watermarked)
• Individual: $9.99/month (unlimited exports, no watermark)
• All Apps: $54.99/month (includes Premiere Pro, After Effects, etc.)

Best For

Choose Adobe Premiere Rush if you:

• Need professional editing tools beyond CapCut's capabilities
• Want Adobe ecosystem integration
• Create content for professional clients
• Value industry-standard tools
• Don't mind paying for premium features

Detailed Comparison Table

Pricing Comparison: Which Offers Best Value?

Understanding total cost including time investment helps determine true value:

For High-Volume Creators (50+ videos/month)

Best Value: Quickshot AI

• $69/month for 120 videos
• Cost per video: $0.58
• Time: 2-5 min per video
• Best for story-driven high-volume production

Runner-Up: Crayo AI

• $59/month for unlimited videos
• Cost per video: $0 (after monthly fee)
• Time: 1-2 min per video
• Best for viral short-form volume

For Medium-Volume Creators (10-30 videos/month)

Best Value: CapCut

• $0/month, unlimited videos
• Cost per video: $0
• Time: 30-90 min per video
• Best if you have time and want zero cost

Runner-Up: Pictory

• $19/month for 30 videos
• Cost per video: $0.63
• Time: 5-10 min per video
• Best for blog-to-video efficiency

For Professional Work

Best Value: Adobe Premiere Rush

• $9.99/month, unlimited videos
• Industry-standard tools
• Best for client work and professional output

Runner-Up: CapCut

• Free with professional capabilities
• Best for professional results on budget

Time Investment Analysis

If your time is worth $20/hour:

• CapCut: $0 subscription + $20/video (1 hour manual editing) = $20/video
• Quickshot AI: $0.98/video + $2/video (0.1 hour) = $2.98/video total cost
• Crayo AI: $1.18/video (unlimited plan) + $1/video (0.05 hour) = $2.18/video

For high-volume creators, AI generation platforms offer better ROI when factoring time value.

How to Choose the Right Platform for Your Needs

Choose CapCut If:

• ✅ You want maximum creative control over every element
• ✅ You have time to invest in manual editing (30-90 min/video)
• ✅ Budget is your primary constraint (it's free)
• ✅ You edit diverse content types and existing footage
• ✅ You want to develop professional editing skills

Choose Quickshot AI If:

• ✅ You create story-driven narrative content
• ✅ You value time savings (2-5 min vs 30-90 min)
• ✅ Character consistency matters for your content
• ✅ You want to scale production significantly
• ✅ You prefer AI generation over manual editing

Choose InVideo AI If:

• ✅ You create marketing or promotional content
• ✅ You need template starting points with customization
• ✅ You want faster creation than manual editing
• ✅ You create diverse content with stock footage
• ✅ You value time savings with creative control

Choose Crayo AI If:

• ✅ You create high volumes of viral short-form content
• ✅ You prioritize speed and quantity over uniqueness
• ✅ You follow trending formats closely
• ✅ You need batch generation capabilities
• ✅ You want fastest possible creation (1-2 min)

Choose Descript If:

• ✅ You create podcasts or interview content
• ✅ You want text-based editing workflow
• ✅ You need AI voice overdub capabilities
• ✅ You fix recording mistakes frequently
• ✅ You value transcription + editing integration

Choose Pictory If:

• ✅ You regularly convert blog posts to videos
• ✅ You need efficient content repurposing
• ✅ You work with a marketing team
• ✅ You create educational content from scripts
• ✅ You value automation over manual control

Choose Fliki If:

• ✅ You create multilingual content (75+ languages)
• ✅ You need voice cloning for brand consistency
• ✅ You want AI avatar presentations
• ✅ You value simple text-to-video workflow
• ✅ You prioritize speed and language support

Choose Adobe Premiere Rush If:

• ✅ You need professional tools beyond CapCut
• ✅ You want Adobe ecosystem integration
• ✅ You create content for professional clients
• ✅ You value industry-standard capabilities
• ✅ You're willing to pay for premium features

Real-World Use Case Scenarios

Scenario 1: High-Volume Story Channel

Best Choice: Quickshot AI

Sarah creates mystery videos for YouTube, posting 20+ videos monthly:

• Needs character consistency across stories
• Limited time (1-2 hours daily for content creation)
• Prioritizes quality and quantity simultaneously
• Values audience retention over manual editing control

Why Quickshot wins: 2-5 minute generation enables 20+ videos/month. Character consistency maintains professional quality. Time savings allow focus on channel growth strategy.

Why not CapCut: Manual editing 20 videos monthly (30-90 min each) = 40-60 hours/month. Quickshot reduces this to 2-4 hours total.

Scenario 2: Budget-Conscious Quality Creator

Best Choice: CapCut

Alex is starting a channel with zero budget but values quality:

• Creates 2-3 videos weekly
• Has time to invest in manual editing (2-3 hours per video)
• Wants to learn professional editing skills
• No budget for subscriptions

Why CapCut wins: Completely free with professional capabilities. Learning editing provides long-term skill value. Maximum creative control enables unique content.

Why not Quickshot: Monthly subscription ($39+) challenges zero budget. Alex has time and wants to develop editing skills.

Scenario 3: Content Marketing Team

Best Choice: InVideo AI

Marketing agency creates client videos across industries:

• 30-50 videos monthly for diverse clients
• Need brand consistency and professional output
• Team collaboration required
• Budget for tools that save team time

Why InVideo wins: Template variety covers diverse client needs. Team collaboration features. Brand kits ensure consistency. Faster than manual editing at scale.

Why not CapCut: Manual editing 30-50 videos monthly not scalable for team. InVideo's automation and templates save significant team hours.

Scenario 4: Podcast Clip Creator

Best Choice: Descript

James runs a weekly podcast and creates clips for social:

• Records 60-minute episodes weekly
• Needs to edit out mistakes and filler words
• Creates 10-15 clips per episode
• Values audio quality and transcript accuracy

Why Descript wins: Text-based editing faster for podcast workflow. Automatic filler word removal. AI voice overdub fixes mistakes. Transcription included.

Why not CapCut: Timeline editing slower for podcast cleanup. No transcription or AI voice overdub. Descript purpose-built for this workflow.

Scenario 5: Multilingual Educational Creator

Best Choice: Fliki

Maria creates educational content in 8 languages:

• Same content needs to be produced in multiple languages
• Natural pronunciation critical for each language
• 15-20 videos monthly across languages
• Values automation for multilingual scaling

Why Fliki wins: 75+ languages with natural voices. Voice cloning ensures consistency. Simple text-to-video workflow scales multilingual production.

Why not CapCut: Manual editing in 8 languages not scalable. Sourcing native voiceovers expensive and time-consuming. Fliki automates this entirely.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake #1: Not Calculating Time Investment Value

CapCut being free seems like obvious choice, but if you value your time at $20/hour and spend 1 hour editing, that video actually costs you $20 in time.

Better approach: Calculate total cost including time value. For some creators, paying $39/month for Quickshot AI that saves 25-30 hours monthly is better ROI than free CapCut.

Mistake #2: Choosing Manual Editing When Volume Matters

Some creators try to manually edit 30+ videos monthly in CapCut, leading to burnout or inconsistent posting.

Better approach: If you need 20+ videos monthly, AI generation platforms (Quickshot, Crayo, InVideo) offer better scalability than manual editing.

Mistake #3: Paying for Automation When You Have Time

Conversely, some creators with limited budgets pay for AI tools when they have time to learn CapCut and create quality content for free.

Better approach: If you create 2-5 videos monthly and have time, CapCut's free capabilities may serve you better than paid subscriptions.

Mistake #4: Ignoring Learning Curve Benefits

Manual editing in CapCut teaches transferable skills. AI generation is faster but doesn't build editing expertise.

Better approach: Consider long-term value. Learning CapCut provides skills for client work or professional opportunities beyond your channel.

Mistake #5: Not Testing Alternatives

Many creators assume manual editing is best without testing whether AI generation produces acceptable quality for their niche.

Better approach: Test both approaches. Create 5 videos manually in CapCut, then 5 with Quickshot or InVideo. Compare audience response and your time investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is CapCut really completely free?

Yes. CapCut offers all core features free with no watermarks or time limits. The optional Pro plan ($9.99/month) adds cloud storage and premium effects, but isn't required for professional results.

Q: Can AI generation match CapCut's manual editing quality?

For story-driven content: Quickshot AI's character consistency often produces better narrative quality than manually edited stock footage.

For viral short-form: Crayo AI's proven templates often perform as well or better than custom CapCut edits.

For unique creative vision: Manual CapCut editing offers more creative control for truly unique content.

Test both approaches with your audience to see what performs better for your specific niche.

Q: Which platform is best for beginners?

Easiest: Crayo AI or Fliki (simple text-to-video) Best learning: CapCut (builds editing skills with manageable learning curve) Balance: Quickshot AI (simple prompts, professional output, no editing skills needed)

Q: How much time does each platform really take?

• CapCut: 30-90 minutes per video (depends on complexity and skill level)
• Quickshot AI: 2-5 minutes (generation) + 5-10 minutes (optional editing)
• Crayo AI: 1-2 minutes per video
• InVideo AI: 5-10 minutes per video
• Descript: 10-15 minutes (for podcast editing workflow)
• Pictory: 5-10 minutes per video

Q: Can I use these platforms for YouTube monetization?

Yes, all platforms produce monetizable content. However, consider:

• CapCut: Unlimited free creation, no restrictions
• AI platforms: Check terms for commercial use (most include it in paid plans)
• Stock footage: InVideo, Pictory, Fliki include commercial licenses for stock content

Q: Which offers best ROI when factoring time value?

If you value your time at $20/hour and create 20 videos/month:

CapCut:

• Cost: $0 subscription + 30-40 hours editing = $600-800 time value
• Total: $600-800/month

Quickshot AI:

• Cost: $39 subscription + 2-4 hours = $79-119 total
• Savings: $480-680/month

For high-volume creators, AI platforms offer dramatically better ROI.

Final Recommendation

For creators currently using CapCut: Test Quickshot AI or Crayo AI alongside CapCut for one month. Track time investment, audience engagement, and stress levels to determine whether AI generation's time savings outweigh manual control benefits for your specific situation.

For manual editing control: CapCut offers professional capabilities completely free.

For time-efficient story creation: Quickshot AI reduces 30-90 minute editing to 2-5 minute generation.

For fastest viral content: Crayo AI creates videos in 1-2 minutes with proven formats.

For marketing teams: InVideo AI provides templates and team collaboration.

For podcast editing: Descript offers text-based workflow with AI features.

For content repurposing: Pictory automates blog-to-video conversion.

For multilingual content: Fliki supports 75+ languages with natural voices.

For professional work: Adobe Premiere Rush provides industry-standard tools.

The right choice depends on your priorities: Do you value creative control and zero cost (manual editing) or time efficiency and scalability (AI generation)? Most high-volume creators find AI platforms offer better ROI when factoring time value, while creators with limited budgets and available time benefit from CapCut's free professional capabilities.

Start with CapCut to understand manual editing, then test AI alternatives to compare results and time investment for your specific content type and production volume.

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Last updated: December 2025