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TikTok is squarely in the sights of the US government, and one arm has already voted to ban it. Naturally, fans of the immensely popular app have concerns. What will we use to watch short clips with robotic voiceovers and trendy music without TikTok? The top contender might be YouTube Shorts.
What Happens if the US Bans TikTok?
On July 12, 2025, theUS House of Representatives voted to pass a measurethat would ban TikTok unless it separates from Chinese parent company ByteDance. As you may remember from elementary school, the House of Representatives is just one wing of the US government—it also needs to clear the Senate.
If that were to happen and President Joe Biden signs it into law—which he has indicated he would—what’s next? There are mainly two outcomes:
Regardless of the outcome, TikTok isn’t immediately going anywhere. But if a ban is put into place, it’ll be increasingly difficult to use the app, giving YouTube Shorts a chance to capitalize on the opportunity.
TikTok and YouTube Shorts Have a Lot in Common
First and foremost, it should be known thatYouTube ShortsandTikTokare very similar. Shorts was essentially created to compete with TikTok, after all.
Both TikTok and YouTube Shorts are centered around short, vertical videos, and you scroll through them by swiping up and down. They offer tools for creators to edit their videos, track analytics, add music and sounds, use filters, and add stickers, text, and captions. You’re also able to search for videos that contain certain music and sounds.
Overall, if you’re familiar with how TikTok works, YouTube Shorts would be very easy to pick up. Even the interface on both platforms looks similar. Many creators are uploading videos to both platforms as well, so even the content is comparable.
YouTube Shorts Already Has a Larger Viewer Base
TikTokis immensely popular, more so than the vast majority of social media apps, but there are few names bigger than YouTube. As ofJanuary 2024, TikTok had 1.6 million monthly active users, while YouTube had 2.5 million. For creators, there are simply more eyeballs for their videos on YouTube, which is why so many creators use both platforms. As a user, that means you’ll be able to find a lot of your favorite creators on YouTube already.
Of course, Shorts are just one part of the YouTube pie. Some YouTuber users don’t like Shorts and just want to watch traditional videos. Whereas everyone on TikTok is specifically there for TikTok videos. Still, YouTube makes a concerted effort to get Shorts in front of more people, whether you’re watching on your phone, tablet, computer,or TV. This effort could pay off in a big if TikTok winds up getting banned.
TikTok Videos Can Be Longer Than YouTube Shorts
Surprisingly, TikTok bests YouTube Shorts when it comes to video length. You can upload multi-hour videos to YouTube proper, but Shorts must be 60 seconds or less. TikTok, on the other hand, has a limit of 3 minutes (and a minimum of 15 seconds).
That makes TikTok a more flexible platform for creators, which might be a problem for YouTube Shorts in the long run. There’s a lot you can do with those extra two minutes if you have more complex ideas for creating videos. Still, short videos are the name of the game on both platforms, so most videos people watch on either platform tend to be less than 60 seconds.
Monetization Is Easier for Creators on YouTube Shorts
TikTok and YouTube Shorts both allow creators to monetize their videos, but how they do it is vastly different.
Prior to December 2023, TikTok offered monetization through its $1 billion “Creator Fund.” It was a fixed pool of money that was distributed among creators based on their performance, and since it was fixed, some creators on the lower end received very small payouts.
Nowadays, TikTok is more similar to YouTube. Through its “Creativity Program,” creators earn based on views and other metrics that aren’t restricted by a fixed pool of money. However, the program comes with the caveat that creators must make videos longer than 60 seconds. This means most TikTok creators should feel familiar with YouTube’s monetization system, making it less daunting for them to switch platforms if forced.
TikTok Has Better Tools and Filters
One area where TikTok really shines is the breadth of editing tools and filters it has available. Among these are the preset style filters, which can be applied before you start recording. Additionally, some effects filters can do some truly wild things, and people have a lot of fun with these effects.
Once you’ve recorded your video, TikTok provides a suite of editing tools to refine your content further. You can adjust video effects, apply different filters, and add stickers and text. For more advanced editing, software like CapCut and Kapwing are commonly used.
YouTube offers a much more slimmed-down library of tools and filters. You can do the basics, like applying color-specific filters, adding text and stickers, recording voiceovers, and editing a timeline. However, for the more advanced stuff, you’ll want to do editing in the aforementioned apps like CapCut and Kapwing before uploading to YouTube.
The lack of easy-to-use, built-in editing tools could prove troublesome for YouTube Shorts. It’s easy for anyone to make a cool video on TikTok using these tools, which means we see inventive videos from all sorts of people. YouTube Shorts isn’t as broadly accessible, so the variety of content could suffer.
YouTube Shorts Could Take the Top Spot
On paper, TikTok and YouTube Shorts are more similar than different. However, there’s a definite difference in the culture and vibe. YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels are considered by many to be the “second-hand” short-form video platforms. Trends start on TikTok and eventually trickle down to the others.
That being said, YouTube is obviously a mega-popular platform in its own right. If TikTok truly gets banned from the US, YouTube Shorts could easily step in and be a sufficient replacement. Most of the people who use TikTok—creators and viewers alike—already use YouTube anyway. There will always be a place for short videos on the internet.
