On the face of it, getting hold of the best video editing software is no easy task. There are loads of options out there, all boasting brilliant features and innovative add-ons. But the option that will suit a professional video editor won't necessarily be the best for the enthusiastic amateur. And what about free video editing software?
Blender is an free video editing software for Mac and free 3D rendering program, which features the best list of animationessentials such as modeling, rigging, interface, animation, shading, UV unwrapping, real time 3D gamecreation, and so on. With the best photo editing software for Mac 2018, it is actually possible to create perfect photos. Choose one of the photo editors above and you will not be disappointed. The trial will help you determine if a particular video editor is best for your needs. Featured Posts Best Mac Cleaner Software 2018 Best PDF Editor 2018.
That's where this TechRadar guide to choosing the best video editing software comes in. We've used all the best (and worst) editors around and distilled them down to an easy-to-digest list of our favorites.
Below you'll see lists of both premium and free video editing software. So if you're ready for something advanced, opting for a paid product will get you high-end extras like 360-degree video support, motion tracking and multi-cam editing, but that's just the start.
The most impressive programs make your everyday tasks like cutting, trimming, combining and applying filters to clips as simple as possible - that's true regardless of whether you demand the absolute best video editor out there, or if you were hoping for free video editing software instead. Downloading an inferior option will lead only to frustration and a less polished finished product. The tools we've picked out for you in this guide are the very best in their class.
Keep reading to get the best of both worlds, with Adobe Premiere Pro leading the way as our #1 favorite. And further down the page we have an FAQ to answer all your burning questions about video editing software.
Need the hardware, too? Discover the best laptops for video editing
The overall best video editing software
These premium video editors can't be matched - not even by the very greatest free options. The extra resources available to commercial projects help to refine the entire package, often bringing more accurate and configurable effects, an enhanced interface and a faster rendering engine. If it's the very best video editing software that you're after, then look no further than this quintet:
1. Adobe Premiere Pro CC
Dedicate the time to mastering Premiere Pro and reap the rewards
Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-standard video editor and getting the most from it will require an investment of time as well as cash, but if you’re serious about video then it’s well worth the effort.
There's a vast assortment of stackable audio and video filters, support for 360-degree and VR video, native support for a huge number of raw file formats, and the ability to work collaboratively with others. You can even start editing your videos before they've finished importing.
This kind of power doesn't come cheap and the monthly or annual subscription fee adds up, but the lack of a large initial outlay makes Premiere Pro surprisingly accessible. It's worth downloading a trial of the other video editors here before making a decision, but Premiere Pro is extremely versatile and the cloud-based model means you won't have to pay for upgrades as they're released.
Read our full review: Adobe Premiere Pro CC
Adobe Premiere Pro |From $20.99 (£19.97) per month Like all of Adobe's single app plans, Premier Pro costs around $20/£20 per month when you sign up for a year. That's excellent value for such an impressive piece of software.
2. Apple Final Cut Pro X
A premium editor for Mac owners, with a unique interface
Platform: Mac | Free trial: 30 days | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: Yes | 360 support: Yes | Purchase type: Retail
Smart 'trackless' timeline
Price includes major updates
This is a video editor aimed squarely at the professional end of the market, but Apple Final Cut Pro X is not needlessly complicated. Its interface is a little different to most, and is built around a 'trackless' timeline that encourages you to organize elements into specific 'roles', such as voiceover, music and titles.
If you're looking for a video editor to pair with your drone, Final Cut Pro is an excellent choice. It supports raw video from all the major makes and models, and is regularly updated with additional profiles. It also supports 360-degree video editing (fast becoming mandatory for premium video editing software) and HDR, with advanced color grading.
Rather than adopt a subscription model like Adobe, Apple has chosen to make Final Cut Pro available for a one-off flat fee. It's relatively expensive, but includes all major updates and will work out cheaper than Premiere Pro if you keep using it over a couple of years. If you own a Mac and are torn between Apple and Adobe, we recommend taking the free trials of both for a spin before making up your mind.
3. CyberLink PowerDirector
A video editor that puts premium tools within reach of newcomers
Platform: Windows | Free trial: 30 days | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: Yes | 360 support: Yes | Purchase type: Retail
PowerDirector Ultra
Wizard optimizes videos in seconds
Fewer fine controls than some
If Adobe Premiere Elements and Apple Final Cut Pro X are overkill for your video editing projects, take a look at CyberLink PowerDirector.
Although PowerDirector is a premium, feature-packed video editor, it's also very forgiving, and offers a gentle introduction to post production that won't faze complete beginners. The Magic Movie Wizard is the ultimate example, paring the task of combining and optimizing videos down to a few clicks. You'll achieve better results by spending a while in the timeline editor, but for anyone who just wants to quickly piece something together to publish on Facebook, it's ideal.
That's not to say that CyberLink PowerDirector is dumbed down, though; far from it. The software also offers a standard post production interface based around control panels and a timeline. It sometimes takes a little while to drill down to the finer controls, but every filter and option is extremely flexible once you start exploring. Perhaps most impressive of all, CyberLink PowerDirector makes video editing fun.
4. HitFilm Pro
If you're interested in special effects, HitFilm is the editor for you
Platform: Windows | Free trial: No time limit, but can’t export | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: Yes | 360 support: Yes | Purchase type: Retail
Superb for special effects
HitFilm Pro is a premium video editor that's a firm favourite with fanfilm makers - and with good reason. It's packed with tools for creating stunning special effects, but is accessible enough for home users.
One of HitFilm Pro's biggest selling points is the ability to tackle pretty much every aspect of video post-production within the editor. Animations, titles, audio editing and color grading are all accessible with a couple of clicks, but the interface is intuitively designed and never feels cluttered.
Unlike the other video editors in this roundup, HitFilm Pro supports importing and animating of custom 3D models, complete with simulated 3D cameras, custom shadows and dynamic lighting. There are also impressive particle effects, and superb chroma-keying to minimize annoying spill.
5. Adobe Premiere Elements
A friendly introduction to video editing for complete beginners
Platform: Windows/Mac | Free trial: 30 days | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: No | 360 support: No | Purchase type: Retail
Excellent tutorials for new users
Simple step-by-step wizards
Of all the premium video editors in this roundup, Adobe Premiere Elements is the most beginner-oriented. It's designed to make video editing as easy as possible, and even its Expert interface is extremely straightforward.
Unlike Adobe's premium software (like Premiere Pro), Premiere Elements is only available as a one-off purchase, so you aren't committed to paying a monthly fee to keep using it. It's also one of the most affordable video editors around, which is impressive for a huge name like Adobe.
Some video editors assume a certain degree of familiarity before you begin, but Premiere Elements is ideal even for total beginners. Its interface features large buttons, clearly labelled. There are also some excellent tutorials included to help bridge the gap between creating a video using wizards and using the more traditional multi-track timeline.
The best free video editing software
If you're a beginner, there are free video editors that will make the whole process as easy as can be and don't cost a penny. These user-friendly editors offer a gentle introduction to editing, so you'll learn the basics and be able to make the step up to a more advanced premium program when you're ready. We've picked our the five best video editing software choices below.
1. Lightworks
The best free video editing software available, for any level of expertise
Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: No | 360 support: No
Real-time effects
Lightworks is an incredible tool that's published free with the noble aim of making professional quality video editing software available to everyone. As you would expect for such a powerful video editor, you won't be able to master it overnight, but that's certainly not something you could hold against it and hasn't stopped us naming it as our number one best video editing software on the web.
If you've tried other free editors you'll probably find that the interface is a little different to anything you're used to, but you can arrange the various controls and windows to create something that suits your way of working.
There's a paid version, Lightworks Pro, which adds the ability to export in formats other than MPEG, publish 4K video directly to YouTube, and export 3D videos, but the free video editing software includes everything else you need to make impressive videos.
2. Hitfilm Express
A powerful free video editor that's expandable if you outgrow it
Platform: Windows/Mac | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: No | 360 support: Requires add-on
Expandable via add-ons
Hitfilm Express is another video editor that promises pro-level features for free – and it delivers. The basic editor is very impressive, with advanced cutting tools, a great set of audio and video filters, layers and masking, compositing options, and chroma keying for creating green screen effects.
Additional tools are available for a fee, starting at £8.85 (about US$10, AU$15) for a pack featuring color-correction, exposure adjustment, split screen masking, and various creative filters. But the free video editor is well worth a look, too.
The downside of all this power is that Hitfilm Express is much more demanding than either Lightworks or Shotcut, which is the main reason it's dropped to third place. Make sure you check the technical requirements before downloading it to avoid disappointment.
3. Shotcut
It might look unusual, but master it and you'll reap the benefits
Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux | Upload straight to YouTube: No | 8K support: No | 360 support: No
Intuitive interface
Shotcut is another professional-feeling free video editor that requires a little patience if you are achieve the results it is so capable of delivering. The slightly unusual interface can be put down to the fact that this started life as a Linux application, and little has changed in its conversion to Windows.
To start with, the interface may seem a little stark. You will need to not only load a video, but also choose which editing mode you would like to work in and which tools you'd like to use.
There's no getting away from the fact that Shotcut has a steep learning curve. It's possible to achieve some impressive results by simply applying one of its many filters to your video, but the real rewards will only be reaped by those willing to invest the time and energy in fully getting to grips with what's on offer.
4. DaVinci Resolve
Premium quality software for advanced video and audio editing
Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux | Upload straight to YouTube: No | 8K support: Yes | 360 support: Requires add-on
Advanced color correction
DaVinci Resolve is a free version of a premium video editing suite, but as with Lightworks, it's so feature-packed you probably won't miss the few tools it lacks.
DaVinci Resolve is a professional-grade free video editing software, with intuitive interfaces for editing, color correction, audio mastering and exporting. Color correction is one of DaVinci Resolve's standout features, whether you want to adjust a whole video or just a selected part. There's HDR support, and you can work on raw files directly from your camera.
A few of the filters are exclusive to the premium DaVinci Resolve Studio, and there's a maximum export resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, but those are the only limitations. It's overkill if you just want to trim a video and upload it to YouTube, but for bigger projects DaVinci Resolve is hard to beat.
5. VSDC Free Video Editor
A non-linear editor stacked with tools, with more added all the time
Platform: Windows | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: No | 360 support: Yes
Easy to master
Smart interface
VSDC Free Video Editor is highly capable, and can yield superb results. As a non-linear editor, it works in rather a different way to many other similar tools, letting you position clips and other elements on the timeline wherever you like and edit them there.
With the ability to not only work with multiple scenes and transitions, but also to add sprites and text to videos, you can create a professional-quality movie if you're willing to stick with VSDC's slightly unusual workflow – though its interface has recently had a total overhaul, making it look much more slick and modern. You can now detach the timeline too, which gives you lots of extra flexibility – particularly when working on multiple monitors.
VSDC's free video editing software lets you add extra artistic effects, including smoke. There's also a dedicated Instagram export profile and automatic image stabilization. You also get look-up tables (LUTs) for professional color grading, the ability to export footage at 120fps, and automatic alignment when dragging objects. An excellent choice for creative video projects.
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Video editing software FAQ
How do I choose video editing software?
There are several key factors, and price isn’t necessarily the most important: if it were, every Hollywood movie would be made in Apple’s free iMovie!
Let’s start at the end. What kind of video do you intend to make, and where is it for? There’s a world of difference between quick editing of home videos you’ll watch on TV and editing something for Netflix or cinema distribution.
You’ll need to consider what formats the software needs to export in, what level of quality it needs to output (HD? 4K? 8K?) and whether it can deliver the kind of visual effects you want to use. If you’ll be collaborating, your app will need to be compatible with the other people’s apps too.
There’s also you to consider. Are you experienced, or would a simpler app that takes you step by step through the whole process be more helpful? Do you want to have complete control over every pixel, or would you rather let the computer do most of the work? How future-proof do you need your app to be?
And then there’s price. Most but not all cheap or free apps are very limited; most but not all high-end editors are frighteningly expensive. It’s possible to pay too much and end up with an app that’s overkill, or to pay too little and end up inventing new and colourful swears when the app refuses to do what you need it to do.
Remember too that the more you can do, the more you’ll want it to do. Can your chosen app grow with your imagination?
Why should I care about video editing software?
Video is the new rock’n’roll: where children used to dream of being rock stars, now they dream of being YouTube vloggers. Meanwhile video has become the lingua franca of the internet, from viral clips and video responses to indie films and glossy corporate presentations.
The one thing they almost all have in common is editing. That could be simple trimming to cut a clip at the appropriate place, or it could involve mixing multiple clips together, changing the soundtrack and adding a whole bunch of special effects. To do these things you’ll need a video editing app.
Free video editing software vs premium video editors
To state the blindingly obvious, premium video editors tend to have advantages that free ones don’t. Those advantages tend to come in the form of resources: resources to develop apps that squeeze the most performance out of high-end hardware, resources to develop better effects, resources to fix show-stopping bugs, resources to make sure the app works on the latest hardware, resources to polish the interface and create help files and how-tos and all the other things you’d expect from professional software. But of course, that comes at a price – $300ish for Final Cut Pro X, for example.
If you’re a pro, time is money so you spend money to save time, whether that’s the time it takes to render your footage or the time you can’t afford to spend shouting 'WHY GOD, WHY?' when the app doesn’t do exactly what you want or crashes mid-edit.
Free apps are aimed at a more forgiving and less demanding kind of user. That’s not to say they can’t do great things. They can. But they often take a hand-holding approach that focuses on the basics and doesn’t give you access to the fine detail. They might take a good-enough approach to performance rather than a “Steven Spielberg needs this NOW!” no-compromise approach, and their effects may be simpler than the pro ones.
So is free video editing software worth getting?
It can be. Movies made in Apple’s iMovie have wowed crowds at film festivals over the years, and some people have made perfectly good movies using just it and an iPhone.
There are many decent free video apps out there, but there are a few things to consider. Performance, especially encoding and exporting, isn’t always up there with the big hitters, and you’ll often find that features are only available if you buy in-app purchases or just aren’t there at all. Some stick an enormous watermark over everything you output; few offer any kind of technical support. Pro-level features are rarely offered because these apps aren’t designed for video pros.
It’s worth being a bit pedantic here and differentiating between free commercial software and free open source software. The former is often a cut-down version of a full product offered for free in the hope you’ll buy its big brother. The latter is usually a full product made available by individuals or teams of volunteers with no expectation of any financial reward. While open source acts can sometimes lack the polish and/or user-friendliness of commercial software they may well deliver all the features you need without requiring you to spend any money.
What video editing software features should I look out for?
That depends on the kind of editing you’d like to do. For example, you might not need much in the way of visual effects if you’re just splicing together clips from Uncle George’s 90th birthday party. But there are some key things to consider.
First up, what formats and resolutions does the app support? Can it use the footage from your camera without converting? Can it export to the places you want to share your finished footage?
Do you need features such as green screen or picture in picture (if you’re a YouTuber, the answers to those to are probably yes)? Can you share directly with social media, if that’s your thing?
How many tracks can you use? Can you pull in footage and audio from multiple files, swapping between them as needed, or will you need to do some pre-production first because the app can only handle a couple of tracks at once?
Does the app have any smart features to make everyday editing easier, such as smart trimming of clips or simple editing modes? Is it easy to add titles, transitions between scenes or to adjust the colours?
If it’s a mobile app, can you transfer your project to continue editing in a desktop equivalent of the app?
What does 8K support mean for video editing?
8K is a screen resolution: that is, it tells you how many pixels (dots) make up the picture.
Here’s a list of the resolutions for TV and movies formats in recent years.
VHS 335 x 480
DVD 720 x 480
HD 1,280 x 720
Full HD 1,920 x 1,080
Then there was 4K. 4K can mean a few different things, but the version you’ll get on a 4K TV is called 4K Ultra HD and delivers 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. Take those numbers, double them and boom! 8K!
Do you need it? Almost certainly not. Chances are you don’t know a soul with an 8K TV or monitor, and that you don’t have and can’t afford a camera capable of recording in that quality.
What is 360 support for video editing?
Traditional cameras can only point in one direction, but 360 video uses clever cameras and/or clever processing combining the input from multiple lenses to get a full 360-degree video recording. You’ve probably seen it on Facebook or in a VR app: if you move up or down or left or right the video moves accordingly just as it would if you were actually there.
In fact, editing 360 video isn’t significantly more difficult than editing 2D video, but exporting is more complicated and many apps just can’t cope with 360-degree video in the first place. The video sharing site Vimeo strongly recommends using Adobe’s Premiere Pro CC (yep, our number one recommended video editing software) our if you’re serious about 360-degree video editing.
What video editing software do most YouTubers use?
iMovie remains massively popular among YouTubers because it’s really easy and it comes free on their MacBooks, iPhones or iPads. For straightforward face-to-camera videos you don’t really need anything more complicated: iMovie has all the cutting, titling and transition effects you’re likely to need, and it supports green/blue screens for when you want to put yourself over something such as footage of gameplay. On PC, Microsoft Photos is an underrated gem. Adobe Premiere Pro CC, the entry-level version of Premiere Pro, is very popular too.
Generally speaking YouTubers tend to go for simple, effective and affordable apps. One of the best free apps is Lightworks, which you can get for Windows, Mac and Linux devices. It has integrated YouTube exporting and a bunch of really impressive real-time effects. It looks absolutely terrifying compared to something like Microsoft Photos but it doesn’t take long to learn and it’s a really good editing app.
There are lots of other good options too. HitFilm Pro has a free version but also offers a powerful professional version. The free app DaVinci Resolve is very good, especially on colour correction, and while the VSDC Free Video Editor lacks the hardware acceleration of paid-for editing apps that’s not really an issue if you’re not in a busy working environment.
What video editing software do professionals use?
That depends on your definition of professionals and the industry or sector you’re thinking of. Go to Hollywood or a major TV studio and the editing’s almost certainly being done in Avid Media Composer Ultimate. In ad agencies, indie film studios and businesses making YouTube films you’re more likely to see Adobe Premiere Pro CC or Apple Final Cut Pro X and associated apps such as Adobe’s After Effects, a motion graphics and visual effects app - see above for how well we rate those. These are very, very good tools designed to run on very, very good computers.
Editing a video in 2018 can’t get easier, with the latest technology and the new super duper video capturing devices like Action Cameras, DSLR etc. the quality of videos we make has gone far better. Still, you should always edit a video if you want to impress someone. And if you are looking to become a professional video editor, then starting out with following tools will make the process quick and easy. In this article, you will find twenty-seven best video editing software (free and paid) that let you edit videos with the help of your computer.
Do check the section of frequently asked questions at the bottom of this page and find out the common queries and I hope this article will provide you with ample information about video editing.
See Also –Video Editing Apps for iPhone & Android
Another thing to note before moving into the list of software is understanding your needs and wants. If you plan to make simple videos, then there are plenty of free video editing software and you don’t need to buy anything for it. But if you plan to earn from your videos from platforms like YouTube, then you should buy video editing software that fulfils your needs.
You get all sort of different options in the software below, so just go through each of them and decide what software you would require as per your plans and wants. You don’t have to pay a higher cost if you are not planning to make it that big. The software in the list are very renowned and being used by millions of users. So, take a cup of coffee and go through everything we have in this article.
1. CyberLink PowerDirector 16 Ultra
(Best video editing software for Windows) | Price: $72.99
It’s an easy-to-use home video editing software with 500+ editing tools and effects. PowerDirector is one of the fastest and most advanced consumer-level video editing software for PC (Windows) and it also has 360-degree video editor for the VR Footage
You will be able to create amazing videos in minutes! It has creation modes that ensure you spend less time learning and more time creating.
Effects like – Transition, Animated titles, PiP objects, Particle Effects, Color presets and much more are present to help make your videos quickly and easily.
Supported formats and codecs include MOV, MKV, H.264, FLAC and many more. PowerDirector 15 has significantly improved video performance when working with the popular WMV format, as well as adding FLAC audio editing support.
Read – CyberLink PowerDirector 16 Ultra Review
2. Adobe Premiere Pro CC
(Best overall performance and compatibility, Price: $19.99 per month or $239.88 yearly)
Platform: Mac, Windows
Adobe Premiere is the most sophisticated, user-friendly and feature-rich video editor that is also cross-platform, and it has a huge number of output format choices for your convenience.
All the things you need every day are covered with new features like audio remix, haze removal, video collage, enhanced face detection and adjustment layers focus. For Windows 10 users you also get the touch-friendly interface that is complemented with the good old Organizer app to keep photo, videos etc. in a more searchable organized fashion.
Adobe’s Premiere Pro CC enables you to make visually stunning videos from virtually anywhere.
With the industry-leading video production toolset, you can work across desktop and devices to edit virtually any media in its native format and create professional productions with brilliant color for film, TV, and web.
The new version CC is the most powerful Premiere Pro yet. Premiere Pro is part of Creative Cloud, and it comes with Adobe CreativeSync, so your assets are always at your fingertips right when you need them.
CreativeSync powers your Libraries, and it connects your mobile and desktop apps to get your files wherever you need. And read my detailed review and why I consider this as the best video editing software in 2017.
Read – Adobe Premiere Pro CC Review
3. Final Cut Pro
(Best video editing software for Mac, Price: $299.99)
Supported platforms: Mac only
FCP or Final Cut Pro is a premium software developed by Apple Inc. for Mac computers. I have started using this recently and until now it is the most efficient tool I have ever used. It has tons of features that no other software possess. The intuitive interface and timeline features are just perfect for post-production. In version 10.3, which is the latest at the time of writing it has got some powerful set of features that have been introduced recently.
The best of them all is the timeline color coding, where you can see different colors for timeline objects.
More Salient Features :
Customized window layouts to suit your style.
Easy to follow workflow with color coding and magnetic timeline.
Support for RAW videos and Rec. 2020 wide colour space.
Accelerated rendering to watch the preview in real time.
Timecode effect to check which footage was used.
A new browser for content and media surfing.
Full height inspector, flow transitions, Support for professional formats like MXF-wrapped ProRes
Instantly remove any effects and attributes added previously and much much more.
Surely the best video editing software for Mac lovers and do read the review below for extra information on Final Cut Pro X.
Make your most engaging movies ever with VideoStudio Pro X10. Smart new features take routine editing tasks out of your way, freeing you to explore exciting new creative options.
New Audio Ducking automatically detects audio and narration to keep foreground and background sound balanced. Helpful features make it easier to manage clips, combine projects, and re-use custom filters and transitions.
Get creative with new overlay objects, Video Masking, Freeze Frame and bonus effects from NewBlue. Access 6 weeks of free training from StudioBacklot.tv to get started quickly and learn about advanced editing techniques.
With proven 64-bit performance and support for multiple formats, including new XAVC S, Video Studio Pro X10 makes it fast and fun to create movies you’ll love to share.
Read – Corel VideoStudio Ultimate 2018 Review
5. VEGAS Movie Studio 15 Platinum
Platform: Windows only – Price $79.99
Even beginners can easily remove unwanted scenes from videos or add incredible effects, transitions, and suitable music to turn raw video footage into movies that will impress any viewer.
Comprehensive support for the latest camcorders and faster video import makes Magix Movie Edit Pro a favorite for may. It also contains resolutions up to 4K for truly enjoyable editing. Create impressive videos in a flash with brand new title templates and proDAD Mercalli V2 for image stabilization.
Accurate editing down to the frame, 32 tracks, and an intuitive user interface let you stay one step ahead.
Export your movies to DVD, Blu-ray Disc, mobile devices, YouTube and Facebook.
Read – MAGIX Movie Edit Pro Review
6. EDIUS Pro 9 – Buy Now (Starts at $429)
EDIUS Pro 9 is among the best nonlinear video editing software that we have tested, and it has proven itself on various parameters. It provides a wide range of support and offers a whole range of editing options for different audio, video etc. formats. It has a fast as well as a flexible user interface that includes an unlimited amount of audio, title, video as well as graphics track. It provides an entire spectrum of editing features for creating some of the best appearance and appealing output for captivating the audience.
6. Pinnacle Studio 21 Ultimate – Buy Now (Price: $125.35)
Platform: Windows only
Make your most interesting and exciting movies ever with the new Multi-Camera Editor in Pinnacle Studio 20.
View and edit footage from 2 cameras, and align clips automatically with Audio Syncing. See results faster with 64-bit power, support for Intel’s 6th Generation processor (Skylake), and enhanced HD processing and playback performance.
Add style with 1,500+ 2D/3D effects and choose the perfect sounds and music from the ScoreFitter library.
Share your movie directly to Facebook, YouTube, and Vimeo, on the latest devices, or enjoy an easy authoring experience with Pinnacle MyDVD.
Read – Pinnacle Studio Ultimate Review
7. Nero 2017 Platinum – Buy Now (Price: $39.99)
Platform – Windows only
With its ability to simply import photos and videos from almost any device; edit with the aid of cutting, text, image, and sound effects; create DVDs, AVCHD, and Blu-ray™ Discs; and play back and stream images – Nero Video 2017 is the powerful all-rounder for your next movie project.
Nero Video 2017 offers a full range of tools for top image quality for your discs and files as well as dazzling 4D effects. Full-HD video edit previews, a choice between single or double monitor setup, and automated use of project settings – can making movies get any easier?
Read – Nero 2017 Platinum Review
8. AVS Video Editor 7.5 – Buy Now (Price: $49)
Platform – Windows only
Trim, cut, split, merge, rotate, mix videos. Apply effects and overlays, insert menus, audio, texts, and subtitles. Burn DVD/Blu-ray discs.
AVS Video Editor supports all key video formats. Edit & save video files in AVI, VOB, MP4, DVD, WMV, 3GP, MOV, MKV, H.263/H.264 codecs, etc.
Transfer video from DVR, web or VHS-cameras and save the video on hard drive or burn DVD discs. Or record media files from your PC screen and create video guides, training videos or demos. Share Your Video by uploading newly made video files to all popular video hostings such as Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, etc., directly from AVS Video Editor interface.
Read – AVS Video Editor Review
9. Lightworks – Buy Now (Price: $437.99)
Platform – Windows, Mac and Linux
Lightworks is EditShare Academy and Emmy award-winning, professional Non-Linear Editing (NLE) software supporting resolutions up to 4K as well as video in SD and HD formats.
In the last 25 years, Lightworks has been used to edit some of the finest films in cinema history: The Wolf of Wall Street, LA Confidential, Pulp Fiction, Heat, Road to Perdition, Hugo, The King’s Speech and many more! We’re proud of its heritage, and we want to share it with you.
Discover the incredible features of this application and why Oscar-nominated editors around the world use Lightworks Pro every day. Another best video editing software that I love due to ease of use especially for beginners.
Read – Lightworks Pro Review
10. Vegas Pro 14 – Buy Now (Price: $394.99)
Platform – Windows only
(formerly Sony Vegas Movie Studio) Smartphones make it easy to make movies and Sony Movie Studio makes it even simpler to make those movies stand out. With a streamlined workflow, powerful editing tools, and a vast array of video and audio effects, the art of moviemaking is right at your fingertips.
Add titles and music. Add color correction and transitions. Movie Studio offers all the tools and features you’ll need to put your masterpiece together, fast.
Movie Studio is touch-enabled for touch PCs, which means that using a mouse to drag and drop clips to the timeline is a thing of the past! Make edits, add transitions and effects, and record a voiceover – all with the touch of a finger.
Share your movies with others. Upload them directly to YouTube™ or Facebook™ from the Movie Studio application!
Read – Vegas Pro 14 Review
Bonus: 11. Wondershare Filmora – Buy Now (Price: $59.99)
Platform – Windows and Mac
Use Filmora video editor to express your creativity and amaze with beautiful results. Cut, edit, merge and trim clips.
Add music and text. Apply special effects. Get a professional-looking movie in minutes. Share with any social media sites like Facebook, Vimeo, YouTube. A nice choice for beginners in video editing. The interface is quite simple and intuitive.
Read – Wondershare Filmora Review
Rest of the Best Free Video Editing Software
12. Apple iMovie – Download
Platform – Mac only
This is the entry level video editing software for your Mac that can turn your photos and footage into a brilliant production in no time, plus it now supports the 4k video. Its comes free with Mac and you download it from the Mac App Store.
PROS – Simple interface, good themes and color matching option to make movies look smoother and consistent. Good solid chroma-keying functionality, with enough audio tools and a theatre features that allow you to share movies with your other Apple gadgets and gear.
CONS – Limit of two video tracks, missing of few controls like tagging, motion tracking and multi-cam capabilities.
It doesn’t have all the tools but for basic video editing like putting together clips and images for good-looking movies, it provides a lot of support and appeal. iPhone movies can be easily imported and you can make a good impression by adding few effects. Beginners should go for this, before moving to anything flashy on Mac.
13. Windows Movie Maker – Resources
Platform – Windows only
Although Windows Movie Maker is now not supported by Microsoft anymore and on January 2017, everything was removed from their website, Still you will be able to access the old archives via Wayback machine in the download link above. It was the best free video editing software for many years in the past.
Windows Movie Maker was perfect at a time as it had tons of things within for a home video editing enthusiasts. My first movie with me friends was edited on Windows Movie Maker I thoroughly loved the interface back then, it was simple and easy to grasp.
You had the options of Import/Edit slideshows and videos. To make a movie with Movie Maker, you’ll need some photos and videos on your PC. Import photos and videos from your phone or another device to get started.
Trim it, split it, speed it up or slow it down, you can also choose a theme to express your unique style.
Bring your movie to life with a soundtrack that you can edit yourself. When your movie’s done, publish it to the web so you can share it with family and friends.
So, if you still go the old Windows, then you can use the Windows Movie Maker by clicking the Start button, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Movie Maker.
Read – Windows Movie Maker Review
14. Lightworks Free – Download
Platform – Windows, Mac and Linux
Lightworks Free version is considered to the best free video editing software by TechRadar.com and rightly so, it has a number of features available in free version and all the basic video editing can be done in a proper way.
The major difference are listed here. Lightworks is not very easy to use at first, but once you start using it more often you will see how it can be customized to user preference. Another good about this software is that its multi platform, be it on a Mac, PC or a Linux machine it will run smoothly on all.
15. HITFILM 4 EXPRESS – Download
Platform – Windows and Mac
HitFilm 4 Express has all the great cinematic, stylish abilities and interface. You have good resources on their website to learn this software, as it will take time for beginners to get the look and feel.
The free version is actually pretty good and has 1080 HD capabilities with 8-bit pixel depth. You also got the 180+ effects and presets to play with your editing tricks. The graphic editor of HitFilm is pretty good as well, many other software can’t match the quality of editing and tools within.
You get almost 10 premium effects packs in the free version and chroma key with extraction tools at disposal. Rightly referred to as the best place to start filmmaking.
16. DaVinci Resolve 12.5 – Download
DaVinci Resolve 12.5 is said to be the best advanced editing plus the color grading toolset for user that need to work with SD, HD & UHD projects. For beginners that want to get intense with video editing in future, this software will give them a good boost.
Their website features all the advanced features their pro version supports and if you want to take it to the next level, the hardware provided is absolutely amazing. You will definitely want to look what’s inside this heavyweight video editing suite.
17. Shotcut – Download
Platform – Windows, Mac, Linux
Its a free, cross-platform video editors that is also open source. It came to linux at first and slowly it got converted in Windows and Mac. It supports video up to a resolution of 4k and has a wide variety of format that can be imported for video editing.
The interface before was hard to figure out, but it has improved a lot and you can feel the sleek and intuitiveness in the interface in the current version. Definitely a worth spending time on.
18. VideoPad Video Editor – Download
Platform – Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
Designed to be intuitive, VideoPad is a fully featured video editor for creating professional quality videos in minutes.
Drag and drop video clips for easy video editing. Apply effects and transitions, adjust video speed and more. One of the fastest video stream processors on the market.
Upload to YouTube – save your login credentials to upload videos directly to YouTube, Facebook or Flickr from VideoPad.
Read – VideoPad Video Editor Review
19. Wax – Download
Wax is a high performance and flexible video compositing and special effects software.
The idea for Wax is to be a very general purpose and flexible in video compositing and effects so that you can compose your dream video sequence with ease every time.
Wax can create 2D & 3D special effects and can work in two modes – as a standalone application which would appeal for home users/beginners, and as a “plug-in” to video editors/NLEs which would be more useful for professional editors.
Currently, Wax can work as a plug-in with Sony Vegas®, Pure Motion EditStudio and Adobe Premiere® and work for integrating with various other NLEs is in progress.
20. Avidemux – Download
Platform – Windows, Mac and Linux
A free video editor to cut, filter, and encode projects.
Avidemux is a free, open source cross-platform video editor for Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and BSD. It is written in C++, and you can use it for various tasks such as encoding (convert videos from one format to another), cutting (cut certain portions from a recording) or filtering (resize, deinterlacing, add subtitles, color correction, etc.).
Has built-in support for many popular codecs and files: AVI, MP4, ASF, DVD, MPEG, MKV. It is one of the best free video editors whenever you need to automate video processing or editing process.
The software is released under the GNU GPL license and has been released (binaries) in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
Read – Avidemux Review
21. Blender – Download
Best Free Video Editing Software
Platform – Windows, Mac and Linux
Blender supports all major operating systems and its a GNU licensed program that enables you to make 3D content.
Some of its features include advanced modelling, animation tools, character animation, node-based material. Its works pretty well on all platforms – Windows and Mac.
22. ZS4 Video Editor – Download
Platform – Windows only
ZS4 Video editor is another good software that is free and it can easily combine clips, trim, add sounds and many good effects that video editor needs.
Althought the interface is not that attractive, but you can sure do the basic stuff and export your files in multiple outputs.
23. Jahshaka – Download
Platform – Windows, Mac and Linux
One more software that is open source and has been in the market from a long time. The total downloads of this software have crossed 3 millions.
Being an open source content creation platform it provides sevral benefits like media management, playback, compositing, editing, animation and special effects that can make your video look fantastic. Video editing software that are free and open source, do have some elements that you can’t ignore.
24. Movica – Download
Platform – Windows XP
Movica is a simple UI based video editor that lets you join files, split movies, select or delete portions, copy-paste and fine tune selections etc.
It is an open source project and it runs on Windows XP with .net framework and it also requires Windows Media player. So, if you are still using Windows XP and haven’t upgraded somehow then Movica can do the trick for you.
26. HyperEngine-AV – Download
Platform – Mac only
HyperEngine-AV is licensed under GNU GPLv2 which means its free and open source. Its an award winning video editing software that previously was paid.
Video editing features like capture, arrange and process video, editing of audio and text, creating movies, slideshows, trackless document and much more can be achieved in this software.
27. VirtualDub – Download
Platform – Upto Windows 7
VirtualDub has a fast linear operation over video and it has a good number of capabilities for batch operations that can also be extended with third party filters. It doesn’t process files other than AVI as it was meant to be used with AVI only. For MPEG-I it will be able to read it, but it will not be write in this file format.
The development of VirtualDub has stopped and the developer has done the last update in late 2013. So, if you want to do basic editing for videos and need a free software in your Windows PC then you can still use it. Otherwise, you have plenty of more video editors.
Do let us know, if you have used any of the software above, your thoughts and comments are welcome below.
People also ask
How do you edit a video on your computer?
To edit a video on your computer, first, you would require a video clip. Let’s assume you have a new video in your mobile phone that you recently shot. Open that video in video editing software from above. Usually, you will need to connect a wire from your mobile phone to you computer and transfer the video. Some of the video editors allow you to directly transfer a video from mobile device to their software.
Once your video is inside your video editor, you then need to see the timeline or storyboard. You can edit your video, cut a particular section or anything in between. For each software, the options may be different but concepts are same. You will have options to add transition effects, titles and credits, audio or music in the background.
After editing your video you can export it in multiple formats, a few video editors will allow you to upload video directly to sites like YouTube, Facebook etc.
Which free software is best for video editing?
By trying almost every other video editing software I would consider CyberLink PowerDirector the best one out of the lot. Its easy to use, affordable for beginners and it doesn’t have a steep learning curve and you will enjoy their video editing interface. But it does have a pro version and hence the free version will export a video with a watermark of their logo. Still, if you want to try before you buy, then this software has all the guns and whistles for pro video editing.
What is the best video editing software for YouTube?
Video Editor Software Trial
Adobe’s Premier Pro is one such software that need no introduction. People rely on them and they have all kind of resources like support and detailed video tutorials for using their software. The trust factor always play in when you are buying a software, so my advice would be to take their trial for a month and then decide what to do. YouTube videos made by professionals and millions of follower base channel heads have time and again mentioned Adobe for the supreme quality and stability.
What kind of editing software do YouTubers use?
Again Final Cut Pro & Adobe Premier Pro is the software YouTubers use in all kind of computers, laptops be it on Windows or Mac. Its a bit costly but worthy enough to be mentioned as the best video editing software for YouTube.
How do you edit a video for YouTube?
If you have a decent internet speed at your location, then YouTube video editor is the best online video editor one could have. It has all the necessary features like Transitions, Trimming, Controlling Video speed plus many more essentials that video editors require everyday.
How do you edit videos on Windows?
Windows Movie maker is pre-installed software that comes together with Windows 7, 8 and 10. So, editing videos on Windows gets easier with their native application that is the Movie maker.
Can I use iMovie on my PC?
No, PC with Windows installed doesn’t have iMovie software as Apple hasn’t made a Windows platform support for their native video editor. People with Windows can use the Windows Movie maker to edit videos for free on their PC.
Editing Videos On Mac
This concludes of our long article on video editing. If you have any questions, suggestion or feedbacks do let us know by commenting below.