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The Best Video Editing Software (Free/Paid)

Nothing quite compares to the power of moving visuals combined with sound when it comes to making a lasting impression. As a result, digital video continues to gain in relevance on the internet. As a result of this trend, as well as the rising availability of devices capable of high-resolution video capture (such as cellphones, GoPros, and DSLRs), the need for best video editing software becomes increasingly apparent. The software must be used by both pros and nonprofessionals, and it must be capable of keeping up with emerging formats such as HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), HDR, and virtual reality (VR). Because common devices are now capable of producing 4K content, and in some cases even higher resolutions, it must also be compatible with 4K video, as well.

Features are increasingly being transferred from high-end professional software to lower-end consumer software. Editing using several tracks, motion tracking, and enhanced color grading have all made the transition. Those who do not work as professional movie editors or vloggers will benefit from this trend because the software created for them seeks to simplify operations that are complex in the professional-level software. It also means that if you decide to upgrade to a professional program, you’ll be more comfortable with it. Another advantage for consumers is that functions that are typically found in distinct apps in the professional industry, like as motion graphics and color grading, are frequently incorporated in a single package at the consumer level, resulting in a more integrated editing experience.

Read More: FlexClip review- Online video editing web service

With each new generation of video editing software that is produced, advanced capabilities continue to make their way into more accessible, affordable, and user-friendly software. Multicam editing, which allows you to flip between different camera viewpoints of a single scene taken with numerous video cameras, was formerly considered a function reserved for professional-level software. This, as well as a slew of other complex effects, are now available in enthusiast-level programs.

How to Choose the Best Video Editing Software

When picking between the recommended video editing programs, keep the following features in mind.

We’ve categorized the functions based on how important they are for basic or advanced video editors, depending on your needs and experience level.

Essential Features

User interface

When you first sit down to use video editing software, it can be intimidating. That’s to be expected: video editing is a complicated process by definition.

However, when it comes to ease of use, not all video editing software is created equal. Choosing one with a user-friendly design can make a big difference in how quickly you learn – especially if you’re a beginner.

Keep in mind that the interface’s simplicity tends to correspond to the tools’ simplicity. There’s no way around it: you’ll have to adopt a more complex (and intimidating) interface if you want to tightly manage every component of your movie and fine-tune your edits in a highly customised way.

As a result, it’s up to you to strike the correct balance based on your level of experience. To summarize, if you’re new to video editing, going with a simpler and more accessible interface is a good idea.

Supported file formats

Because not all video editors accept all file formats, double-check that the program you’re considering can handle the data you need.

All video formats, including 8K, 360-degree, and Virtual Reality film, are supported by high-end tools like Adobe’s Premiere Pro. Other programs have additional restrictions on what you can put into them.

If you’re not sure, look at what kind of video files your devices produce; this can help you quickly limit down the finest video editing software for you.

System requirements

Do you have a high-end PC with plenty of RAM, fast SSD storage, and the most recent operating system? If that’s the case, you’re in luck: you’ll be able to operate almost any video editing tool without a hitch.

Don’t worry if your machine is a little out of date: there are still lots of solutions available to you. It just implies that you must be more selective in your selection.

Each video editor has its own set of system requirements, so be sure you fulfill them before you buy. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with slow-running applications (or not at all).

Tools for basic editing

The tools you’ll need to edit movies will vary depending on the type of project you’re working on.

For example, if you’re making small YouTube videos, your needs may be limited to trimming, cropping, adding background music, and applying basic video transitions (like dissolve and fade to black).

If that’s what you’re looking for, any of the video editors on this list can help – but some may be overkill.

“What do I want to achieve?” is an useful question to ask yourself. and then see the features you’ll need to complete it. It’s possible that you’ll be able to get started using a free program until you’re ready to upgrade your video editing skills.

Stock assets

When it comes to video editing, having a library of stock assets is quite useful. Many apps provide royalty-free photos, audio files, and stock video that you may use to enhance your personal and even business projects.

While such resources are accessible independently (StoryBlocks is a good example), having them incorporated into your video editor makes life easier – and allows you to access media that you might otherwise have to pay for.

The List of Best Video Editing Software

Adobe Premiere Pro

Pros
Finely-tuned controls
Unlimited multicam editing
Customisable interface
Powerful & professional effects
Motion tracking
Integration with Adobe suite
Works on Mac and PC

Cons
Steep learning curve
Powerful system specs required

Adobe Premiere Pro is likely the best video editing software, especially if you use a PC or Mac, if you want professional video editing features and a familiar nonlinear editing interface.

(While it isn’t significantly superior than Final Cut Pro in terms of functionality and performance, it isn’t available for Windows users, excluding a significant chunk of the video editing market.)

Adobe Premiere Pro is a well-known program that is used to create everything from YouTube videos to Hollywood films.

The user interface is simple and intuitive (but there is a learning curve with any video editing program if you’ve never done any video editing before).

One thing we like about the interface is how adaptable it is: you can undock windows, move them about, and float panels anywhere you want them… All of this means you may construct a workspace tailored to your editing style and requirements.

When it comes to video editing, Premiere Pro is one of the most sophisticated programs available, but it does require a strong computer to fully utilize its capabilities, especially when editing many tracks at once – however, proxies are a typical workaround.

The audio syncing and editing features are equally outstanding. The option to automatically duck music or ambient sounds whenever there is talk, for example, can save you a lot of time.

In terms of footage, the level of color customization you have is tremendous. The color and light correction capabilities are highly tuned and far more powerful than those found in conventional video editing software, as you’d expect from the firm that created Photoshop.

There’s also a core set of excellent transitions and effects that will make any film look clean and professional.

Intelligent reframing, automatic captioning, AI-driven color matching, and Adobe Stock integration are all included in the latest Premiere Pro revisions — It’s never been easier to add assets to your timeline.

Another advantage is that it integrates with other Adobe products such as Photoshop, After Effects, and Audition. If you’re a Creative Cloud user, it’ll seamlessly integrate into your editing process.

Of course, this level of software comes at a price, and if you don’t already have the All-Apps Creative Cloud plan, you’ll have to either purchase one or pay a monthly subscription for Premiere Pro standalone.

Even yet, if you edit videos on a frequent basis, the expense is easy to justify. Premiere Pro is ideal for everyone from social media content creators to feature film editors, with desktop and mobile compatibility for both Windows and Mac.

Cyberlink PowerDirector 365

Pros
Fast rendering speeds
Frequent feature updates
Multicam editing
Motion tracking
Screen recording
Vast library of royalty-free assets

Cons
Complex interface
Underwhelming colour tools

PowerDirector 365 is similar to – and even competes with – Adobe Premiere Pro in many aspects.

The pricing structure is the first and most evident similarity: a yearly or monthly membership provides you access to both the program and a plethora of regular updates and extra features.

Consumers dislike subscriptions for obvious reasons, but they do help fund more frequent (and larger) updates throughout the year than single-purchase software.

PowerDirector 365 is another excellent video editing program if you want a lot of versatility and professional output without sacrificing user friendliness.

With PowerDirector, you can use the millions of royalty-free assets available from Getty iStock and ShutterStock to spice up your movies, including videos, photos, and audio tracks.

There’s also a large library of ready-to-use transitions and visual effects that are simple to apply – similar to PhotoDirector, Cyberlink’s photography program that is equally outstanding in terms of effects.

PowerDirector 365 has a good set of color correction capabilities, although they aren’t quite as good as Adobe’s.

It excels in one area: performance. With 64-bit optimizations, graphics hardware acceleration, OpenCL compatibility, and a proprietary rendering method known as clever SVRT, CyberLink has done an excellent job of enhancing performance (Smart Video Rendering Technology).

As a result of all of this, it’s unquestionably one of the best video editing software solutions if rendering speed is a top priority.

CyberLink’s PowerDirector 365 is a great pick for amateurs and budding pros, with a plethora of sophisticated capabilities and versions for both Mac and Windows.

Apple iMovie

Okay, so this one won’t really apply to those of you who deal with computers, but we’d be negligent if we left it off the list. It doesn’t get much better than Apple iMovie when it comes to simplicity and elegance. The ten high-fidelity filters in iMovie are among the best in the video editing game, and you can utilize AirDrop to wirelessly and smoothly transfer your movie to your Mac if you’re filming on your iPhone or editing on your iPad.

Green-screen, or “chroma-key,” is one of iMovie’s most prized tools, as it allows you to relocate your characters in exotic locations—say, Hawaii—at any time. Do you want to add “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to the scene? Because iMovie is integrated with iTunes and GarageBand, you may quickly add custom music and sounds to your movie. When your movie is finished, send it out into the world via iMessage, Facebook, YouTube, or any of iMovie’s other easily accessible channels.

Seamless Apple device integration; green-screen; audio and social network integration are some of the standout features.

Pricing: With the purchase of a Mac, it’s free.

Wondershare Filmora X

Pros
Affordable
Attractive interface
Motion tracking
Fast rendering
Easy to use
Lots of transitions and effects
Cons
Interface not touch-friendly
Effects lack fine-tuning

This Wondershare gem of a tool, which is becoming increasingly popular among YouTube creators, sits at the confluence of affordability and power.

Filmora X is available for purchase outright for roughly US$80, giving us the title of greatest video editing software for the money.

The clean and appealing interface is one of our favorite features of Filmora X. It’s significantly less intimidating than the complex-looking user interfaces of more professional tools, making it ideal for newcomers.

Furthermore, Wondershare provides a variety of thorough and useful video tutorials and tips, the majority of which can be obtained online via a simple Google search.

Filmora X includes all of the key features you’d expect from a video editor, like trimming, rotating, color correction, color match, and green screen.

There’s also a decent transitions and effects collection, with several of them likely being used by your favorite YouTubers.

The capabilities of Filmora X may be applied simply by dragging and dropping, removing complexity and lowering the learning barrier to entry when it comes to creating professional-looking videos.

The only drawback is that the tools aren’t as refined, and you won’t be able to perform sophisticated modifications as easily as you can with Premiere Pro or PowerDirector 365.

It also necessitates a significant amount of RAM (at least 16GB is recommended), particularly when editing many clips in a single timeline. Although lowering the playing quality improves, we still encountered lag on the latest M1 Macbook Air.

Still, Filmora X is worth a go if you’re seeking for simple video editing that’s both user-friendly and doesn’t break the bank.

Movavi Video Editor

Pros
Clear and simple interface
Screen recording
Motion tracking tools
Value for money
Cons
No multicam editing
No 360-degree/VR support

After the epidemic, a new use case for video production has emerged, and Movavi is capitalizing on it to set itself apart in the crowded video editing software market.

Movavi’s software is now marketed as “an all-in-one video producer, excellent for remote work and distance learning,” despite the fact that the company has been established since 2004.

Whether you’re a student working on a fun video project or a white-collar professional putting together a presentation for your coworkers, Movavi has you covered in terms of capabilities and ease of use.

The user-friendly UI is one of Movavi’s most appealing features. The company’s objective has always been to make video editing and media distribution as simple as possible, and the interface reflects that.

With one-time purchase charges and no membership necessary, you get a lot for your money, making it a fantastic alternative for students or people on a tight budget.

It may not have the most advanced features in terms of video editing software – it lacks some of the fine-tuning seen in higher-level apps, as well as support for multicam editing, 360-degree, VR, and 3D – but that may not be a deal-breaker for beginners.

If you’re looking for video editing software with a good balance of capabilities and affordability, and an easy-to-use interface, you should give it a try. It is compatible with both Mac and PC.

Corel VideoStudio Ultimate

Pros
Fast rendering
Multipoint motion tracking
Competitive pricing
Intuitive controls
360-degree VR support
Low system requirements
Cons
Windows only
Limited audio editing

Mac users will be disappointed, but PC users may use this reasonably priced video editing program to create high-quality videos at home.

One of the advantages of Corel VideoStudio Ultimate is that it has low system requirements. So even if you’re using a dusty old Windows 7 PC, you shouldn’t have too much trouble with the fundamentals of video editing.

Although this consumer-level video editing program may not meet the needs of top-level pros, it nevertheless has a lot of functions.

To begin, there are all of the standard editing tools, as well as screen recording, 360 video capability, and multi-cam editing.

There are also complex editing features such as color grading and video masking, as well as over 2000 custom filters and a variety of video effects.

Improved video stabilization is included in the latest edition of VideoStudio Ultimate, making it easier to turn shaky action footage into smooth and acceptable video output.

We also discovered that the latest version has significantly improved performance and stability over prior versions, which is a significant benefit for the software.

Finally, you may export your work in a variety of video formats or share them directly to YouTube or Vimeo, as is now common with video editing software.

Overall, Corel VideoStudio Ultimate is a capable and user-friendly video editing software solution but lacks some of the intricacy of the greatest video editing software solutions on the market. One of the main drawbacks is that there is no Mac version.

InVideo

InVideo is unique in that it is entirely hosted in the cloud. You’ll never have to worry about downloading software or losing your progress. It’s entirely browser-based, and the editor performs admirably even after being crammed with transitions, stickers, frames, and other gimmicks.

Beginners can get a head start by using any of the 4000+ templates available on the site, while advanced users can start from scratch. The 8 million+ images in the iStock library can also be used to liven up your designs.

Even if you’re on the Free plan, InVideo’s videos don’t have a watermark. InVideo is a wonderful option if you’re just getting started and don’t want to spend a lot of money on software.

Features to Look For: There are no watermarks, 4000+ themes, and 8 million iStock images and videos available.

The Business plan costs $15 per month, while the Unlimited plan costs $30 per month.

Nero Video

Nero Video ($49.99) is one of the less expensive alternatives on this list, but it holds its own—it includes many of the tricks and effects found in other products fighting for video editing dominance, and as far as software for novices goes, you can’t do much worse.

You might want to avoid learning how to edit videos if you’re going to spend money on it. Nero lacks the speed and functionality of some of the other programs on our list, and if price is the value proposition, $50 is still not inexpensive.

DaVinci Resolve

Pros
Powerful features
Mac, Windows and Linux compatible
Impressive color grading
Well-designed interface
Integrated motion graphics editing
Free version available
Cons
Steep learning curve
Heavy on system resources

BlackMagic Design’s video editing software is marketed as Hollywood’s number one post-production solution.

And here’s some excellent news: you can learn how to use the same tools as Hollywood stars for free. DaVinci Resolve is offered in a completely free version!

Of course, the free version has its limitations, and you’ll need to purchase the full DaVinci Resolve Studio to get the full pro-level editing experience, but it’s fun to see what all the excitement is about.

DaVinci Resolve includes a well-designed interface organized into several “pages,” each of which provides a dedicated workspace for a certain activity.

Media, Cut, Edit, Fusion, Color, Fairlight, and Deliver are among them.

Each of these sections contains a plethora of pro-level tools. The Fairlight website, for example, has a powerful audio editor built in. With real-time effects, EQ, and dynamics processing, you may work with up to 2,000 songs at once.

The Fusion page also has integrated motion graphics editing, allowing you to complete all of your professional post-production responsibilities in one tool.

DaVinci Resolve is designed for professionals, so whether it’s the finest video editing software for you depends on your requirements.

It’s the only post-production program that allows a group of editors to work on the same project at the same time. Resolve keyboards and other accessories are also available.

DaVinci Resolve is the place to go if you want Hollywood-level video editing features in a collaborative environment that’s ideal for team work. Just keep in mind that it will require very powerful hardware and some time to master the learning curve.

Read More: 6 Free Online Video Editor Without Install and Good Quality

Conclusion

Are you a content or social media marketer interested in learning how to edit videos in order to stay up with the expanding video trend? Don’t be concerned! For a newbie, any of the following software apps would be a good pick.

Consider your budget, present level of competence, and the amount of time you’re willing to invest in learning a new talent. Whether you’re looking for the best video editing software for YouTube or you’ve been tasked with getting your team’s video marketing plan up to par, don’t put it off any longer! Make one of these video editing products yours by investing in it.

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