Working as a content creator at FixThePhoto, I often test new apps that allow me to improve the quality of my videos shot with a mobile phone. I prefer to use the background blur feature, as it allows me to add a professional look to my photos, isolate the main subject, and eliminate distractions. This is why I decided to test the best blur background video apps to see which of them allow users to apply a DSLR-like effect to achieve a better depth of field even when they capture footage on a phone.
I wanted to find a lightweight, affordable app that lets users add a realistic blur effect. This is why I tested over blur background video apps to discover the most suitable options for my needs. I wanted to choose the best solutions for mobile videographers and content creators to help them achieve the desired results without testing many apps personally.
Working as a content creator, I often apply the background blur effect to my videos to fix minor issues or to give my footage a professional feel. Here are the main reasons to use this effect:
After thorough testing, I discovered that CapCut was one of the most useful blur background video apps for mobile videographers. I used this free video editing app to enhance various types of videos, including head clips, lifestyle shots, and product close-ups. I wanted to see whether the blur effect would look realistic.
CapCut has an advanced AI-driven background removal tool that allows users to add background blur. After isolating the subject automatically, you can apply various blur effects and customize their intensity as you see fit.
The free version allows me to adjust the settings of my videos with high precision. Using it, I can perform basic edits with ease. The Pro version costs $9.99/month and allows users to apply a realistic DSLR effect that is perfect for portrait photos. I can cut out the background in a few clicks to apply a soft blur, add text, and save my video without a watermark. However, when using this app on mid-range or older phones, I noticed a lag. Besides, the blur effect did not look realistic enough when I was editing complex scenes.
Features:
I tested Filmora video editor when editing portrait and landscape videos. I wanted to see whether it would be suitable for enhancing Reels and short ads. I focused on how well it applied the soft-focus effect and performed background separation.
After dragging and dropping my video onto the timeline, I opened the Effects panel and found the blur effect in the Blur Background tab. I tested various blur effects, including Mosaic, Diamonds, and Grey. I was pleased by the fact that it was possible to customize the blur effect after applying it.
I changed the intensity of the blur effect, adjusted the source width, changed the scale and alpha, and selected a custom background color. The customization options make Filmore more powerful than regular video background blur apps. Besides, this video background blur app can be used for enhancing other aspects of footage. I used it as a video color correction app. The only shortcoming is that it’s impossible to apply the blur effect quickly. I had to wait until my video was enhanced. It makes this app less convenient to use than apps with one-tap AI blur effects. You can use a free version with a watermark or pay from $8.99/month.
Features:
When testing the InShot app, I blurred the background in selfie-style videos, product clips, and an outdoor MP4 file using both free and Pro features (the Pro version is $4.99/month). It comes with an algorithm-based background blur feature, which allows users to blur the background of their clips to give them a cinematic feel and make them look more professional. The AI tool automatically detects the main subject and makes the background area blurry.
I used this app to apply the blur effect in different styles. Besides the basic blur effect, the app allows users to add colored backgrounds and change their intensity to achieve a softer look. There is no need to add masks or perform manual editing.
You just need to apply a blur effect to give your footage a professional feel. It’s especially suitable for enhancing talking videos for Reels or TikTok. I was pleased with the consistent performance, even when I ran the app on older devices. However, the free version of this video background blur app adds a watermark and has distracting ads.
Features:
AI Mosaic Editor is a free app with advanced functionality. Its Pro version costs $4.99/mo. I used it to apply the blur effect to static footage and videos capturing moving objects. It was able to blur faces, license plates, text, and various objects with ease. I was especially pleased with the keyframe-based blur feature. It helped me track and blur several moving subjects. I just had to manually adjust the blur area across frames. Besides faces, I was able to blur other moving objects or areas of the video.
I was able to use this app to blur faces in video and choose between pixelated blur and smooth blur effects. The app allows users to apply them using rectangular or circular shapes. I discovered that I could adjust blur strength, size, and position. It made it easier to isolate the subject and hide unwanted elements.
This blur background video app is best suited for quick edits, as it allows blurring people’s faces and censoring specific content. I like the fact that it allows users to save their videos in 1080p and even 4K, making it more convenient to use than other free apps. However, the interface looks a bit outdated, and there are no AI-powered subject detection tools for applying the full-scene background blur effect.
Features:
When I was testing the BlurEffect app, I wanted to check whether it would be able to isolate subjects with high accuracy. Besides, I tested its interface to see whether it was intuitive enough and applied the blur effect to dynamic videos. The app allows users to choose from several blur effects like Soft Focus, Motion Blur, Zoom Blur, and Prism.
Besides, it has more advanced effects like Polka Dot or Hexagon Pixelate. The free plan permits users to access a limited set of tools. The premium version costs $6.49/month. It enables users to apply all effects and choose between different export options.
The blur background video app makes it easy to apply the blur effect manually with one tap. I can choose which areas of my videos will be blurred. However, it does not have an automatic background detection tool, making it less convenient to use. When I edit videos with a moving subject or detailed background, I spend a lot of time applying the background effect. However, when you need to enhance static videos or experiment with creative blur effects, this app will help you cope with every task with ease.
Features:
When testing the Blur Video tool and the built-in Photo Editor, I enhanced different types of videos, including static product footage, selfies, and dynamic street footage. This blur background video app is suitable for all sorts of tasks. With it, you can make the background blurry, pixelate objects, and apply color overlays to hide specific areas. I was impressed by the app’s ability to track a moving object. This feature is not available in more basic apps.
I also like the fact that this app allows me to change the intensity and the duration of the effect, depending on the result I want to achieve. I was impressed with the choice of effects. I was able to choose any effect I wanted to apply, including blur, pixelate, and color overlays. When testing this app, I discovered that this video editor for Android has many features.
However, the interface looks a bit cluttered. I spent some time trying to learn how to navigate its layout. Besides, it took a while to process longer videos with object tracking. The free version is a bit limited.
Features:
When testing Videoleap, I tried enhancing different types of videos, including lifestyle clips, talking-head videos, and short Reels. It allowed me to see whether I would be able to achieve a clear and natural-looking blur effect and customize it as I see fit.
The Defocus tool allows me to customize the effect with high precision. I could use it to blur the background behind the subject, add a soft look to faces, or highlight important elements by adjusting the intensity of the effect. The interface is streamlined and easy to use, making it easier to apply the effects frame by frame.
I was able to clear the background of any distractions with the help of this AI video editor and highlight important areas by slightly blurring the rest of the frame. I discovered that the Pixelate tool was especially useful for blurring faces or license plates. However, I was a bit disappointed by the fact that some blur effects did not look natural when I did not lower their intensity, especially when editing low-quality footage. You can utilize the free version of this blur background video app or pay from $5.99/mo.
Features:
I had previously used KineMaster as a green screen app, so I wanted to see whether I would be able to use it to blur the background in my videos. When testing it, I used it to enhance short Reels, lifestyle videos, and clips with fast-moving subjects. I was impressed by the responsive timeline and liked the fact that I was able to quickly apply multiple effects, transitions, and overlays.
I used the built-in Gaussian blur and masking tools to make the background blurry. This blur background video app allows users to use layers when applying effects. You can copy your video, blur the background layer, and then select the subject with the help of keyframe masks or custom shapes so that it stays in focus.
While the process requires manual editing skills, I can control the result with better precision. However, I would prefer if it had a one-click effect as well. You can either use a free version with a watermark or pay $9.99/month.
Features:
YouCam Video is a popular makeup editing app, so I decided to test it to see whether it would be possible to use it to blur video background with ease.
I was curious whether it would be possible to achieve a high-quality result using this app. YouCam Video has an AI-based background blur feature. It exceeded my expectations, as it selected the subject in my footage with high precision. I used it to enhance front-facing videos, beauty vlogs, and lifestyle footage. The blur background video app helped me blur the background perfectly while keeping the subject sharp.
I did not have to apply masks or select a specific area manually. I was able to apply the effect with one tap. I changed the intensity of the blur effect to make it more natural or give it a dramatic feel. This application is best suited for those who want to quickly enhance their content before publishing it on social media, including Reels and TikTok.
However, I discovered that this app was more suitable for enhancing portrait or selfie-style clips. It’s less perfect for wide-angle shots, group scenes, or fast-paced footage. You can either use a free plan or pay $5.99/mo.
Features:
Together with my colleagues from FixThePhoto, we tested a variety of blur background video apps, including AfterFocus, Blur Photo Editor, Video Editor Star Maker – Mago, iMovie, Video Editor & Maker VideoShow, PowerDirector, MovStash, VideoShow, Square Video, and others. Even though we tested many widely used apps, in this review, we focused on the most reliable solutions that were extremely easy to use, stood out for their performance speed, and had excellent output quality.
I tested each application from this list to see whether it would be suitable for enhancing various types of footage, including selfie videos, product shots, fast-paced outdoor scenes, and broadcasts. This way, I was able to see whether it would be possible to add blur to videos with different lighting settings and understand how framing and moving objects impacted the result. I followed such steps when testing these apps:
This approach helped me choose the best app to blur video background and get a high-quality output. As a result, I discovered powerful apps with pro-level editing tools that were perfect for those who work on complex creative projects.
