How this hack saves you a lot of money

CapCut is arguably the most popular video and audio editing software. Both the mobile and desktop versions are super user-friendly. Therefore, many TikTok and YouTube creators have been using CapCut. However, we all know that, unfortunately, CapCut now requires users to subscribe to their Pro plan to use a lot of the “used-to-be-free” editing features, including the commonly needed auto-caption feature.

On Reddit, many people are complaining about needing to pay subscription fees to use CapCut for video editing. I know. This sounds frustrating. Especially as I was based in the UK when CapCut first required users to subscribe to their Pro plan for some previously free features, the subscription fee was no joke.

CapCut was trying to charge me £22 (i.e. US$30) per month for using their Pro plan. Of course, I was not going to fall into that — it’s too costly. And here’s a simple way we can use CapCut without being price-exploited.

#1: Not Using a VPN

I know what you all are thinking. “Oh, I can simply use any VPN to set my IP address to a second- or third-world country’s location, then I will not be price-discriminated against.”

I initially thought this would be the way out. When I turned on the VPN, I changed my IP address to Thailand. CapCut’s interface showed that I would need to pay THB284 (i.e. US$8.70) per month for using the Pro plan. I then changed my VPN to Malaysia; CapCut’s interface showed me the price for the Pro plan in Malaysian Ringgit, which was equivalent to the Thai price if I converted both to US dollars.

Yet, once I clicked on CapCut’s interface for Pro plan subscription, I was brought to my Apple Store (or Google Play Store, where applicable). Even if I turned on my VPN to change the IP address to any second- or third-world country, my App Store would still charge me the price based on my registered store location.

This means that when I changed my IP address to Thailand, even though the CapCut interface showed me an affordable Thai price, once I clicked the subscription button, I would still be brought to my App Store asking for a store location-based price. As I was using the UK Apple Store, it still required my payment of £22 (i.e. US$30) per month for using the CapCut Pro plan.

#2: Change Your App Store Location

The tricky part here is that using a VPN does not help you get a cheaper Pro plan subscription offer. The key is that you need to change your Apple or Google Play Store location to a second- or third-world country. If your IP address is in the developing world, the CapCut interface would offer the localised, “developing country-adjusted” price plan for you to subscribe to. Yet, once you click it, you are only charged that localised, adjusted price if your Apple or Google Play Store location aligns with your IP address location.

Then, you may ask: “How can I change my App Store location to a second- or third-world country?”

Fortunately or unfortunately, many store locations (not all) require you to enter local debit/credit card details in order to, once verified, change your Apple Store location. Therefore, if you want to change your store location to Thailand, for example, you would need a local Thai bank account and an associated debit or credit card.

From my experience, virtual cards work only if they are issued by a local bank instead of a global virtual bank (such as Wise or Revolut). Once you change your App Store location to a second- or third-world country, the monthly CapCut Pro plan subscription fee would be between one-fourth and one-third of the price you are asked to pay in an advanced country.

Conclusions

I know it is not that easy to have a bank account and an associated debit or credit card from a developing country, as most people simply use their bank accounts from home countries or any virtual bank to settle everyday and even international payments. However, as a digital nomad, I have opened bank accounts in both developed and developing countries — offering me a large degree of flexibility when making online payments without facing price discrimination.

If you are also a digital nomad, I am pretty sure you are likely to have a bank account in a developing country, as holding a digital nomad visa qualifies visitors to open a local bank account. For digital nomads or frequent travellers who would like to subscribe to the Pro plan of CapCut for content creation, remember to simply change your App Store location to a developing country.

You will be elated that you can avoid being price-victimised and -discriminated against, and you can save the unnecessary expenses for multiple cups of coffee.

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Thanks for reading my takes on using CapCut without facing price discrimination. If you would like to learn more about (mental) health, personal development, and/or (online) education from me, please feel free to subscribe to my newsletter below. Also, please feel free to browse my blog — Society & Growth — for more content at https://societyngrowth.co.site/.