What is Submagic?
Submagic is a Paris-based AI video editing tool launched in May 2023 by David Zitoun and Tsi-fei Chan. It focuses on short-form content: creators upload clips and Submagic automatically generates stylish, animated captions in 48 languages with 99% claimed accuracy, inserts B-roll and zoom effects, removes silences and filler words, and extracts key moments from longer videos for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
Bootstrapped rocket
Submagic is one of the standout bootstrapped stories in AI creative tooling: it hit $1M ARR within about 90 days of launch and grew to roughly $8M ARR and over 4 million users by mid-2025 with a small Paris team and no announced outside funding. The product has expanded from captioning into a fuller AI editing suite with text-based editing, AI avatars, team workspaces, and direct multi-platform publishing.
Who it's for
Its sweet spot is creators, podcasters, and social media teams who need scroll-stopping, caption-heavy vertical clips fast — a lighter, faster alternative to timeline editors, with a free tier to start and affordable subscriptions.