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. 25 shares. Whether you’re producing a YouTube video or delving into the world of movies, you will need a robust video editing software to complete your work. No quality video survives without a slick editing process, so finding the right program for the job is essential.
This video covers the 4 best video editing software that I think you should use for video editing for PC or MAC. Video Editing Software are of various types For advance Video Editing and motion VFX, Adobe After Effects is a better option. For Colour Grading, Davinci Resolve Studio is the best option.
While editing itself is time-consuming, a good suite of tools can make the process easy and fun. There is a misconception that editing a video requires spending huge amounts of money on an expensive video editing suite. However, that’s not the case; some of the most famed Hollywood movies have been edited on free software. Simply put, video editing does not have to be expensive with the best free video editing software of 2018. Whether you just want to merge an audio track with a video or edit a multi-scene, multi-camera production, our choices for the video editing programs will get the job done. We have sorted through the competition to find the top five video editors that truly stand out because of their powerful features and availability.
Not only is Lightworks the most robust free video editing software, but it also deserves praise for aiming to bring a professional-grade editing suite to everyone. Make no mistake, this is a true high-end tool that just happens to be free. Indeed, Lightworks is so powerful it has been used to edit bona fide Hollywood movies, such as the Oscar winning film The King’s Speech. This incredible software is loaded with features, such as sequencing, filters, video effects, and more. There is a paid pro version of Lightworks that adds robust sharing tools and added features. However, almost any editor will get all they need from the free version, including over 100 effects, real-time effects, and multi-camera editing. We love Lightworks because it is also a light load editor that will run on most software and on aging hardware.
The customization is also a positive, allowing users to move windows around and work how they prefer. Of course, nothing is perfect: Lightworks certainly won’t appeal to beginners as there is a learning curve to mastering the software.
OS: Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10, Mac OS X 10.9 – 10.12 Licensing: Freemium, PRO version – $24.95 per month File Size: 79 MB Our Rating: 10 / 10 Pros Cons. Professional-grade video editor. Huge list of free features. Real-time effects.
Steep learning curve 2. Shotcut is one of the oldest editing suites that has been with us for over a decade.
The open source program has been developed consistently since launch and continues to evolve as one of the best video editors. Thanks to an array of features that are prosumer level, Shotcut is a fantastic alternative to a paid video editing software. During testing, we enjoyed how Shotcut’s strong set of filters allowed us to make some quick edits on the fly.
Editors wanting a more manual experience are also catered for thanks to powerful features and highly customizable interface. Time-mapping, audio mixing, and real-time previews are just some of the noteworthy tools included in Shotcut. That said, the interface can be a challenge at first, but users who invest time in delving into Shotcut’s various tools are rewarded with a rich video editing experience. OS: Windows 7, 8, 10, Mac OS X 10.8 – 10.12 Licensing: Open-source File Size: 184 MB Our Rating: 9/ 10 Pros Cons.
Advanced and helpful filters. No features behind paywall. Good for beginners and experts. Empty interface when first starting 3. OpenShot is well known as one of the most robust free video editing software, thanks mostly to its myriad of features that are all free.
It is also a versatile program, available on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It’s hard not to get excited about some of the features on OpenShot because they are so intuitive that editors will love them.
Key Frame animations, a massive number of layers, drag-and-drop image and audio, 3D tiles, and loads of effects are all available. It’s a feature set that won us over, and the program also does the simple things well. For example, clipping, scaling, rotating, and scrolling are all easily accessible for beginners and prosumers alike. There are some limitations, such as a reduced timeline zoom (8 seconds), while truly professional editing tools are not the forte of this app. OS: Windows 7, 8, 10, Mac OS X 10.9 – 10.12 Licensing: Open-source File Size: 128 MB Our Rating: 9/ 10 Pros Cons.
Easy interface. Intuitive features. Massive catalog of tools. Lacking some pro editing tools. Reduced timeline zoom 4. HitFilm Express is similar to Lightworks in that it hides some premium features behind a pro version, but it still delivers pro-level tools through its freeware program.
In fact, the suite feels almost modular in how users can pick and choose their level. Certainly, just using the free version will be enough to suit most video editors. That’s because HitFilm Express delivers excellent pro features in its basic editors. We used intricate cutting tools, filters, audio controls, layers, chroma keying for green screen VFX, and more. Users can choose even more tools by upgrading through several tiers that add more functionality.
For the most part, even demanding video editors will find the free version good enough. However, the significant downside of HitFilm Express is it takes a heavy toll on PC processing. We advise editors to check the system requirements before downloading. OS: Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10, Mac OS X 10.10 – 10.12 Licensing: Freemium, PRO version – $299 per year File Size: 275 MB Our Rating: 8 / 10 Pros Cons. Excellent choice of free tools. Expandable through add-ons.
Classy modern interface. Heavy file. High system requirements 5. As the name points out, VSDC is a free video editor that delivers a dizzying array of effects and filters. So much so, many of the pre-installed tools can deliver quick instant edits for users, providing a great base for beginners. That said, VSDC is also a rich manual video editing suite.
Clipping together footage and positing clips is a joy thanks to the non-linear editing capabilities on which VSDC is built. Dropping and removing elements from the timeline is easy and intuitive, providing the ability to work with multiple clips and piece together scenes. It’s certainly an odd interface, but VSDC can be plenty of fun and a nice change from traditional editing suites. It also has some unique features, like picture-in-picture and video stabilization.
Sadly, VSDC Free Video Editor is rather slow and throttles the processing speed on videos that are being edited. OS: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 Licensing: Freemium, PRO version – $19 File Size: 42 MB Our Rating: 8 / 10 Pros Cons. Unique features.
Non-linear editing. Easy to use. Limits processing speed The best five free video editors of 2018 all have something in common: each program delivers a rich suite of tools that allow users to create professional-quality videos.
Yes, some have pro versions that have even more features, but every video editing software in our list is a prosumer’s dream, even with their free versions. With these programs, professional editors are able to take their creations to the next level, while beginners will be able to learn how to craft a video through the editing process. Check out our guide on for those cases when you need to convert the videos prior to editing them.
Not an expert? Don’t know how to edit videos, or have a bona fide video specialist to shoot and cut your features? That’s alright! The goal of today’s blog is to show you that with the right video editing software, you too can churn out sleek, professional video content—regardless of experience—and keep your content strategy ahead of the curve. Let’s dive in! Here are our recs for the top 10 best pieces of video editing software or video editing apps for beginners—from cheapest (i.e.
Free!) to most expensive. Apple iMovie. Ok—so to those of you working with PCs, this one won’t really apply; but we’d remiss to leave it off the list.
If you’re looking for simplicity and elegance, it doesn’t get much better than. IMovie’s ten high-fidelity filters are some of the classiest in the video editing game; and if you’re shooting on your iPhone, or have been editing a project on your iPad, you can use AirDrop to wirelessly and seamlessly transfer your project over to your Mac. One of iMovie’s most coveted features is its green-screen, or “chroma-key” tool, which allows you to place your characters in exotic locations—Hawaii, say—at a moment’s notice. Want to overlay the scene with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”?
IMovie ties directly in with iTunes and GarageBand, so you can easily implement custom tracks and sounds. When your movie’s finally ready to ship, release it into the wild using iMessage, Facebook, YouTube, or any other of iMovie’s succinctly connected platforms. Standout Features: Seamless Apple product integration; green-screen; audio and social platform integration Pricing: Free with the purchase of a Mac.
Lumen5 markets itself as a tool that turns blog posts into social promos. While the process isn’t perfect, and you’ll likely have to do some tinkering to get your blog content looking just the way you want it, the rest of the video creation process is a cinch.
Merely refine some copy that teases your blog post; drag and drop some gifs, screengrabs, or video clips; add some music; and your engaging social video will be ripe for Facebook and Twitter. Standout Features: Blog-to-social-promo creation; drag-and-drop interface Pricing: Create as many 480p videos as you want with the free version; or, for $50 per month, upgrade to 1080p HD. One of the cheaper options around ($49.99), Nero Video holds its own on this list—it comes well-stocked with a lot of the tricks and effects you’ll find among other products vying for video editing supremacy, and as far as software for beginners, you can certainly do worse. If you’re going to spend money learning how to edit videos, however, you might want to steer clear. Nero just doesn’t have the speed and functionality of some of the other products listed here, and if it’s is its price, $50 is still not all that cheap. Standout Features: Low pricing Pricing: One-time payment of $49.99 4. Corel VideoStudio.
Has all the characteristics of the other top-of-the-line products on this list, including 360-degree VR and 4k support, but it also has the distinction of being the first piece of consumer video editing software to offer motion tracking—which, if you’re not already familiar, is a feature that allows you to track specific objects throughout your cut (if you wanted, say, to point an arrow at one of your characters, blur out his face, or bestow him with a funny hat). Most of the products on this list come equipped with motion tracking, but VideoStudio still boasts one of the best motion tracking systems around. One of the knocks on VideoStudio is its speed, which lags notably behind some of the faster systems on this list, like CyberLink PowerDirector and Pinnacle Studio. Still: for a one-time payment of $51.99? You can do much worse. Standout Features: Motion tracking Pricing: One-time payment of $51.99 5. Filmora from Wondershare.
4k and gif support are boilerplate features for most video editing products today, but one thing Filmora does particularly well is titles. Title tools are trending in video software, and while Filmora’s doesn’t have the functionality of say, an Apple Final Cut Pro X, which can superimpose 3D titles over your videos and rotate them on three axes, it nonetheless has some snazzy titling features for the money you’re spending. Another Filmora feature beginners to video editing will find attractive is “Easy Mode,” which allows you to create fun, polished edits by merely dragging and dropping clips, choosing a theme, and selecting music. Standout features: Title tool; mobile and screen editing; “Easy Mode” Pricing: Starts at $59.99 for a lifetime license; or, $39.99 for a year. CyberLink PowerDirector. Don’t be scared of CyberLink’s extra features; just be wary of your commitment level!
In terms of rendering, PowerDirector is regarded as one of the fastest video editing systems around. It also operates consistently in the sphere of the innovative and cutting edge. PowerDirector led the charge in the switch to 4k, and today, it’s one of the first systems to support 360-degree virtual reality footage. Price: you get what you pay for! $79.99 gets you unlimited access to one of the most capable pieces of video editing software around. Standout Features: Lightning-fast rendering; comprehensive suite of effects Pricing: One-time payment of $79.99 7.
Adobe Premiere Elements. We include on the list mostly because it’s been an industry leader in the video editing game for some time. And $79.99 is not egregious, but we’re here to say that at that price, you’re mostly paying for the name. In the time since Premiere Elements’ inception, too many other products have surpassed it in speed and capability for us to place it among the cream of the crop. That’s to take nothing away from Premiere Elements’ usability, though—specifically for beginners. The Guided Edits feature makes Adobe Premiere a particularly attractive option for beginners, as it allows them to take on both quick edits and advanced projects with substantial assistance from the software. At the higher end of the Corel product line is —which, at $129.95 (the amount you’ll need to pay to edit 360-degree and 4k content with the “Ultimate” version), costs more than twice as much as VideoStudio.
What do you get for the extra money? Well, not only does Pinnacle come readily equipped with all the features you’d expect from an upper-echelon product—motion tracking, 360-degree VR support, 4k support, multi-cam, etc.—but you’d be hard-pressed to find a faster product on the market in terms of rendering. For all of its features, Pinnacle’s interface is still as user-friendly and intuitive as anything on this list. Thus, is you have the need for speed, and you don’t mind shelling out a few extra bucks for it, Pinnacle might be the product for you. Standout Features: Top-of-the-line rendering speeds; full range of features and support Pricing: One-time payment of $129.95 9.
Adobe Premiere Pro. With a virtually unmatched suite of features, 360 VR and 4k support, and a newly implemented ability to store, organize, and share assets online with a team, is perhaps the most complete piece of video editing software around. Here’s a recent video promo for our we cut using Premiere Pro. One of the more dazzling of Premiere Pro’s tools is the Lumetri Color tool, which offers color adjustment and manipulation on par with that of a Photoshop. The multi-cam feature is also a winner—whereas most systems allow you to work with a limited number of camera angles, Premiere Pro’s latest iteration allows for an unlimited amount. Throw in a wealth of titling options, readily connected ancillary apps (like Photoshop and After Effects), and a flexible, easy-to-use interface, and Premiere Pro is a no brainer.
Standout Features: Multi-cam and coloring options; title tool; easy integration with Adobe Products; straightforward interface Pricing: $19.99/month 10. Apple Final Cut Pro X. For the most advanced, least fiscally prudent of beginners, there’s. $299.99 might be a little steep for a product you may well have a difficult time understanding; but for those among you who enjoy a challenge, and who aspire to some level of professionalism in video editing, why not go for it? Apple has made the transition from iMovie to Final Cut Pro more painless than ever—so if you’re the kind of guy or gal who enjoys him/herself an Apple product, and has worked with iMovie to the point of mastery, it might be time to splurge on Final Cut Pro. The power is still daunting; the interface, significantly less so.
Standout Features: Magnetic Timeline; Touch Bar support Pricing: One-time payment of $299.99 Some Final Thoughts Are you a content or social media marketer looking to get in the video editing game for the sake of keeping up with the growing video trend? Don’t stress! Any of the above software apps would make a fine choice for a beginner. Think about your budget, your current level of expertise, and how much time you’re willing to devote to learning a new skill. Whether you're looking for the best video editing software for YouTube, or the responsibility has simply fallen on you to get your team’s up to snuff—don’t wait around deliberating!
Get invested in one of these video editing products, and make it yours.