Thanks to the sheer quality of the best video editing software you can get in 2019, a decent smartphone and a little creative spark are all you really need to become a movie-maker. These tools just keep getting better and better, meaning it's never been easier to capture and perfect high-quality video footage. But which is the right video editor for you?
- Free Video Editor For Mac Download
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- Free Video Editor For Mac
This is Apple’s free video editing software, and it runs on both Mac OS and iOS platforms, so you can do you video editing just about wherever you go. For hobbyist and amateur filmmakers, Apple iMovie will have approachable tools to help you easily take your footage and edit a video with a clear flow. Browse all our Mac-compatible products. Corel provides several software solutions for digital art, 3D design, file compression, photo management and more. Corel video studio pro x7 free download - Corel VideoStudio Pro, Corel PaintShop Pro, Corel WinDVD Pro, and many more programs. Corel video studio pro x7 free download - Corel VideoStudio Pro, Corel PaintShop Pro, Corel WinDVD Pro, and many more programs. Best Video Software for the Mac How To Run MacOS High Sierra or Another OS on Your Mac.
In this buying guide, we've rounded up a selection of today's very best video editors. These tools make cutting, editing and perfecting really simple. The software we've picked out won't break the bank, but if you're really short on cash (or aren't ready to commit to a paid option just yet), lower down the page you'll find our list of the best free video editing software.
The video editors we've recommended in this buying guide are jam-packed full of features to turn your footage into celluloid gold. Whether you're using one of the best laptops for video editing or another device, we've picked the best options to suit you. You'll find the best video editing software for Windows PCs, Mac and Android machines. There are also brilliant choices for beginners and experienced video editors alike.
The best video editing software: Paid-for
01. Adobe Premiere Pro CC
Platform: Windows and Mac | Key features: Multi-cam editing, 3D editing | Video tracks: Unlimited | Free trial: Yes | Best for: Professionals and enthusiasts
Adobe Premiere Pro CC Individual£19.97
Adobe Premiere Pro CC Teams£25.28
Excellent automatic functions
Free trial available
If you're a Windows user, Adobe Premiere Pro CC is the best video editor available right now. This one's a bit of a no-brainer: Premiere Pro is an all-singing all-dancing video editor from one of the biggest names in the industry, which is used by multitudes of creative professionals.
It's easy to see why it's so popular for Windows 10 users. It can handle an uncapped number of video tracks, which can be imported from pretty much any source you can think of (files, tapes, cameras of all standards... even VR). The automatic sync is a gem when you have multi-angle shots, and it's hard to fault the fine-tuning tools that really make your video stand out from the crowd.
There's also an all-new free companion app – Adobe Premiere Rush – that makes it easy to work with footage captured on your phone. At time of writing, it was available on iOS, macOS and Windows.
You can subscribe to just Premiere Pro on its own, but if you use more than one of Adobe's apps, it'll be worth your while subscribing to Creative Cloud for a slightly higher monthly fee.
02. Final Cut Pro X
The best video editor you can get for your Mac
Platform: Mac | Key features: Muti-cam editing, intelligent colour balancing | Video tracks: Unlimited | Free trial: 30-day | Best for: Professionals and enthusiasts
Brilliant interface
Expensive
Final Cut Pro X is our pick for the best video editing software for Mac. And, as you would suspect with Apple, the must-have editor is consummately easy to use and comes packed with enough features to warrant the (admittedly high) price tag. We like the grouping tools, effect options and the straightforward way you can add and edit audio. If you're already entwined in Apple's ecosystem, you'll appreciate how Final Cut cleverly coordinates with your Photos or iTunes collections.
03. Adobe Premiere Elements 2019
Platform: Windows and Mac | Key features: Video stabilisation, face detection, automatic motion tracking | Video tracks: Unlimited | Free trial: Yes | Best for: Professionals and enthusiasts
Easy to use
Free Video Editor For Mac Download
Not as powerful as some tools
Adobe makes another entry in this list with Premiere Elements; a great choice for both beginners and experienced editors. It isn't as complex as the more heavyweight Premiere Pro video editor (listed at number one above), which is best suited to full-time video editing professionals. But Premiere Elements is still packed with excellent features, such as face detection, audio effects and bundled soundtracks. And it's friendly to use, too.
Whether you're an editing newbie or a pro, automated functions – such as motion tracking and smart toning – will make your life a lot easier. The same can be said of the video stabilisation option and simplicity of editing. Premiere Elements comes with all the video effects you’d expect in a consumer video editor: transitions, chroma-keying, opacity and so on. The media library is also intelligently organised, with smart searches making it easy to find finished and draft files.
04. Adobe Premiere Rush
All the Adobe goodness but on your mobile
Platform: Android, iOS | Key features: In-app motion graphics, 4K support | Free trial: Free starter plan | Best for: Enthusiasts on mobile
Adobe Premier Rush CC£9.98
Adobe Premiere Pro & Premier Rush CC£19.97
All can be done in the app
Ideal if you already know Adobe
Any PC-using video editor worth their salt has inevitably used Adobe software at some point. Adobe Premiere Rush takes all the best bits that Adobe has perfected over the years and transports it to the palm of your hand.
So what does it offer the editor on the go? A straightforward user interface that will be immediately familiar to users of Premiere Pro or Elements; four video tracks; three audio tracks; easy instant export to your social media accounts; in-app editing tools...the list goes on! It's no wonder that it recently went to the top of our best video editing apps countdown.
Yes, you can give it a good go for free with the Rush Starter Plan, but it's only enough to export three videos. Luckily, it doesn't cost a lot to grab the full version of the Adobe Premiere Rush app on iOS or Android.
05. KineMaster
Best video editing software for Android...for pros
Platform: Android, iOS | Key features: Instant preview, smart effects | Free trial: Free app | Best for: Beginners and lightweight professional use
Surprising amount of features
Cheap editing app
If you think that trying to edit video on your smartphone or tablet is a pointless exercise, KineMaster will make you think again. Available for Android devices, iPhones and iPads, we've highlighted this option as the best video editing software for Android because it goes way above and beyond what you'd expect from a mobile app.
It packs the ability to edit multiple layers, add handwriting and text annotations, experiment with up to four audio tracks and precisely edit at a frame and sub-frame level. We could go on with a long list of features, but perhaps the best endorsement is the average review score from on both the App Store and Google Play. Plus, it's free, so it's probably worth just downloading this video editing app and giving it a try.
06. Corel VideoStudio Ultimate 2019
Best video editing software for beginners
Platform: Windows | Key features: Real-time effects, colour correction | Free trial: 30-day | Best for: Beginners
Really easy to pick up
Relatively inexpensive
Corel VideoStudio Ultimate offers a great way into video editing for novices. A well-designed interface means it's very easy to get going with straight away, but yet it doesn't lack in features. There's multi-cam editing, 4K video support, 360-degrees VR video support, a music library and loads of effects, to name but a few. Not bad at all for the price.
The more you use VideoStudio Ultimate, the more you'll notice and make use of its little features and flourishes. It's a great option for beginners, and still has plenty to offer more experienced video editors – although pros will probably want to opt for one of the standard video editing software options.
04. Filmora9
An easy to use tool with plenty of effects and resources included
Platform: Windows, Mac | Key features: 4k support, built-in effects and titles | Free trial: Free version available | Best for: Enthusiasts
Wondershare Filmora 1 year$39.99
Wondershare Filmora Lifetime$59.99
Wondershare Filmora Unlimited$99.87
Simple to use
4K support
Wondershare's Filmora9 is a strong video editing tool for enthusiasts, or those just getting started with editing. The intuitive interface should make it easy to get started with, and there are built-in titles, effects and filters designed for budding YouTubers. There's also a library of royalty-free sound effects and music to give your videos impact – plus the ability to record your own media to include, directly within the tool.
If you're using the tool professionally, you'll probably want to opt for the more advanced FilmoraPro – explore the differences between the two tools here.
Price-wise, there are a few different options to choose from. If you're just starting out, the free version includes all the same features and tools as the paid tool, but all your videos will have a brand watermark on them. You can then choose between a 1-year plan, a lifetime plan for a one-off fee. Finally, there's a supercharged Unlimited plan, which throws in unlimited downloads from an stock library and new effects each month.
07. CyberLink PowerDirector 17 Ultra
Video editing software for experienced filmmakers
Platform: Windows | Key features: Multi-cam editing, 360-degree video, motion tracking (and loads more) | Free trial: 30-day | Best for: Enthusiasts
PowerDirector Ultra
Really powerful tool
Surprisingly affordable
CyberLink PowerDirector is a serious bit of software for serious video editors: this is excellent video editing software that delivers professional and high-quality features, without a Hollywood budget. Get cracking on the 100-track timeline and you'll soon find yourself making the most of multitudes of stabilisation and video correction tools, professional effects, multi-cam editing, motion tracking and surprisingly easy trimming.
There's 360-degree video editing as well, together with support for all the file standards and formats you can imagine. And if you're finding it all a bit of a struggle, then there are plenty of video tutorials to help to get you sorted.
08. Pinnacle Studio 22
An easy-to-use video editor if you're starting out
Platform: Windows | Key features: Multi-camera capture and editing, color controls, stop motion animation | Free trial: 30-day (money back guarantee) | Best for: Beginners
Super-simple to use
Attractive pricing
Going for Pinnacle Studio 22 is well worth considering if you've never edited video before and want to delve in for the first time. The pricing is below the average of those above and you can always bail out if you find within the first 30 days that it's just not for you.
But honestly, we'd be surprised if you need to. For in the region of $60/£60, you get more than 1,500 effects, titles, and templates, 6-track HD video editing, handy colouring tools, a dedicated stop motion feature, time remapping and much more. And most features are an absolute doddle to use. So it feels like a genuine step up from free options, without splashing stupid money.
Of course it doesn't have the full suite of features that some others in this list offer, that's not what Studio 22 is all about. And if you try and like the Pinnacle interface and tools, you can always upgrade to one of the company's more comprehensive packages.
The best free video editing software
Amazingly, some of the best free video editing software is almost the same as that used by professionals working on big budget Hollywood productions. In most cases, there’s a paid-for version with more features (click back to page one to read our pick of the best paid video editing software), but the free versions we’re going to show you have the majority of the functionality intact. In the case of Lightworks, for example, the main restriction is the output format, but VSDC and the amazing DaVinci Resolve let you export your creations in a wide range of formats.
The range and power of the features available in these free video editing software tools is remarkable; if you have the talent there’s nothing to stop you putting together a technically accomplished production.
If your needs are simpler and you just want easy-to-use software that sits between Windows Movie Maker and a top-end professional package, then there’s a free video software download for you here.
09. DaVinci Resolve
Professional-quality colour correction and audio mastering
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux | Key features: Great colour-correction, Fairlight audio tools, compatible with Fairlight consoles, multi-user collaboration | Good for: Specialised colour and audio editing
Powerful audio post production
More suited to finishing footage
DaVinci Resolve is a free video editing tool used on big-budget film and TV productions. It has especially powerful for colour correction and audio capabilities, so if those are priorities then this could be the software for you.
As well as traditional colour features such as curve editors and primary colour wheels, there's also facial recognition and tracking, so you can adjust skin tones, eye and lip colour. For audio, DaVinci Resolve uses Fairlight, a suite of high-end editing tools that enable you to mix and master up to 1,000 channels.
It’s amazing that this software is available with nearly all the features present in the free version. If you’re looking for the best free video editing software for Windows or Mac, this could be it.
10. Lightworks
A Hollywood-grade editor with only a few restrictions
Platform: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X | Key features: Almost any format imported natively; outputs directly to YouTube/Vimeo; multicam editing; project sharing for groups | Good for: Slick-looking films
Lightworks Pro Monthly£14.99
Lightworks Pro Yearly£99.99
Lightworks Pro Outright
Extremely powerful
Restricted format output
Lightworks is another professional video editing suite that's been used on major Hollywood productions including Shutter Island, Pulp Fiction, 28 Days Later, The Wolf of Wall Street and Mission Impossible. So it’s exciting that there’s a free version that makes it accessible to everyone.
Amazingly, in the free version you get nearly all the features. The main restriction for the free license version is the output formats – you can only export a web-compatible file at 720p. If you want to export a few projects into a different format fairly cheaply, you can buy a one-month licence for $24.99/£14.99.
Lightworks is undoubtedly some of the best free video editing software for Windows 10. The superbly designed timeline enables a high degree of control, so you can trim and mix together your audio and video clips exactly how you want them. It's a powerful piece of kit for a freebie, handling video capture and advanced editing with ease.
On the down-side, because it's a slimmed-down version of a professional suite, you may find that the interface isn't the easiest to navigate. But there are plenty of good tutorial videos to help you get you up and running – and you won't have to pay a penny, as long as your projects are non-commercial.
11. VSDC
Add special effects and text that will output in a range of formats
Platform: Windows | Key features: Supports wide range of file formats, built-in DVD burner, chart tool, video stabiliser | Good for: Presentations
Large range of output formats
More suited to presentations
If you’re making a presentation and want to add text, lines, charts and other special effects to it, VSDC is the free video editor for you. It includes Instagram-style filters, lots of special effects including colour correction and blurring, and there’s a mask tool so you can apply effects to part of the video (for obscuring faces, for example). There’s also a video stabiliser to help remove camera shake from footage taken with GoPros or drones, and a powerful chart tool for adding graphs to presentations.
The free version of VSDC will export to a range of different formats including AVI and MPG. If you’re unsure about formats, you can even tailor the output so that it works well on particular devices for playback. It supports most video formats, so you shouldn’t have any trouble importing your clips, and there’s a built-in DVD burner.
12. Hitfilm Express
Platform: Windows, Mac | Key features: Over 180 visual effects; 2D and 3D effects compositing; MP4 H.264 export; good range of import formats
Great community and training
Tricky download process
No list of the best free video editors would be complete without a mention of Hitfilm Express. It’s capable of producing feature films or music videos with 3D effects, but it’s also good for making videos for YouTube, as direct uploading is built in.
The free version of Hitfilm Express contains everything you need to make a professional-quality production, but in some cases you’ll benefit from expanding its capabilities by purchasing some of the add-on features. Add-on packs start from around $7/£6, so you can pay for only the features you need and tailor the software to your needs for a reasonable price.
13. Shotcut
This superb free tool offers powerful editing
Platform: Windows, Linux, Mac | Key features: Support for wide range of formats; comprehensive video and audio editing; supports 4K resolutions; uses FFmpeg | Good for: Basic video editing
Customisable, intuitive interface
No good for more advanced projects
Shotcut is the tool for you if you’ve outgrown Movie Maker and want to go to the next level, but don’t need the complexity of some of the other packages on this list. Its interface is uncomplicated and approachable, and you can even customise it to match your needs via dockable and undockable panels. It supports a huge range of formats ,so you’re unlikely to run into trouble in that department. Finally, there’s a rich assortment of filters and quite advanced special effects that are easy to manage and apply. This is one of the best free video editors that will do anything you'd need for the majority of projects.
14. Apple iMovie
Platform: Mac | Key features: Supports 4K resolutions; effects and filters | Good for: Basic video editing
Easy to make something polished
Already on your computer
We couldn't really end this list without at least a mention of Apple iMovie, the classic free video editing software for Mac. If you're a Mac owner, the program should already be pre-loaded on to your machine. But if you're an editing amateur, it shouldn't be overlooked – bloatware, this is not.
So what results can Apple iMovie achieve? Well, 'results' is the right word, as the finish and sheen you get from an iMovie-made video are much better than you'd expect from a freebie. It's really easy to make your footage sing and you'll be surprised how quick and straightforward it is to knock together a polished-looking (and sounding) edit.
If your laptop of choice is a recent MacBook Pro, then this is one of the programs that has fully functioning Touch Bar support. Although we'd like to see support for 360-degree video and multi-cam editing added to future iterations.
15. TikTok
The mobile sensation may be just what you're looking for
Platform: Android, iOS | Key features: Simple sharing, customised videos | Free trial: Free app | Best for: Social media users
Perfect for social media lovers
Only suitable for short videos
OK, so we know that this is a bit of a wildcard and of no interest to serious video editors. But you can't really ignore the world's 4th most downloaded app of 2018. And depending on what you're planning, TikTok might just be what you're looking for.
The elevator pitch for TikTok is that it's a cross between Snapchat and the dearly departed Vine. That is to say that it allows you to make short, social media sharing sized videos that can be personalised and customised. Starting life as a lip-syncing app, it's used by singers, comedians, YouTube stars and, most commonly, Chinese teenagers.
Again, you won't be creating the next Citizen Kane with TikTok, but the app's free on both iOS and Android so you can download it now to see what all the fuss is about.
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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
Video Editing Software Mac
(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.
Read – Final Cut Pro Review
4. Corel VideoStudio Ultimate 2018
(For Beginners – easy & simple interface,Price: $98.38)
Platform: Windows only
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
![Corel Corel](https://www.p30day.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Corel-VideoStudio-Ultimate-2018-screenshot.jpg)
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
Corel Video Editor For Free
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.
Free Video Editor For Mac
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
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
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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?
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.
This concludes of our long article on video editing. If you have any questions, suggestion or feedbacks do let us know by commenting below.