The best video editing software will enable you to turn your video clips into professional-looking final edits. No matter whether you're just starting out as a vlogger or a seasoned filmmaker, our guide will help you choose the best software for you and your needs.
A big part of any content creation is the video editing process. Even the most basic videos will need to be trimmed, cut together, and exported as a watchable file. As you get more advanced in filmmaking, you may want to start adding transitions and effects to your footage as well as color grading your film to give it a cinematic feel.
There's never been a better time to get acquainted with video. Chances are there'll be a time in your life when it'll be a handy skill to have such as documenting a holiday, growing your business, or creating visually engaging content for your social media. For that reason, it's a good idea to know what the best settings for your camera are, what the best laptop for video editing is, and how to edit videos regardless of whether you're shooting with a DSLR or a mirrorless camera system.
Of course, you can also shoot with your camera phone and these days you can buy some of the best gimbals for your smartphone which will help with stabilization so you can shoot really smooth footage. The 2018 horror film, Unsane was shot entirely on an iPhone which proves just how good they can be.
Don't assume you can't get great results with simple software! Great filmmaking skills come from the cinematographer and their own unique vision, so don't assume you have to pay a fortune and learn a whole dictionary of video jargon to make your mark.
The Quick List
Probably the best video editing software for filmmakers, Premiere Pro is pretty much the industry standard, and for good reasons. For starters, it integrates seamlessly with Adobe's Creative Cloud which includes software such as Lightroom, Photoshop, and After Effects.
DaVinci Resolve initially started out as a color-grading tool but has since become an industry-standard editor. If you've moved across from Premier Pro, the familiar interface complete with timeline, monitor window, and media pool should make you feel at home.
Final Cut Pro X is the video editing software created by Apple. It's perfectly optimized for Macs so so long as you're running on a new enough machine, it should be more stable and quicker to render projects than if you were using Premiere Pro.
Best video editing software in 2024
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Best video editing software for pros
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Probably the best video editing software for filmmakers and Professionals, Premiere Pro is pretty much the industry standard, and for good reasons. For starters, it integrates seamlessly with Adobe's Creative Cloud which includes software such as Lightroom, Photoshop, and After Effects.
If you already have a full all-apps subscription to Creative Cloud you'll already have access to Premiere Pro, you might just have to download it to your computer. This is a professional-grade video editing tool that offers lots of customizable options with its interface or you can select from predefined workspaces.
It's brimming with handy tools, pre-installed effects and transitions, an audio alignment feature and you can download third-party effects if it doesn't have quite what you need. Premiere Pro will take a while to get your head around as it has so many features but once you've sussed it, it's a powerful tool for video editing.
The past year has seen some substantial upgrades, and don't forget these are all included in the subscription. They include a speech-to-text feature for captioning, Apple M2 support, a Sensei-powered Remix feature to make your music fit your clips, and, more recently, Frame.io integration for cloud-based collaboration, and Sensei Auto Color adjustments.
Read our full Adobe Premiere Pro review for more details
Best alternative to Adobe for video editing
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DaVinci Resolve initially started out as a color-grading tool but has since become an industry-standard editor. If you've moved across from Premier Pro, the familiar interface complete with timeline, monitor window, and media pool should make you feel at home.
It also has a lot of more advanced features such as a new 'cut page' in Dual Time and its new Neural Engine uses machine learning to apply advanced effects such as removing objects from a scene and morph transitions focusing on a face.
The Pro version also supports HDR color grading, collaborative working and so much more. There's a one-time purchase fee but after that, it's yours so you don't have to worry about paying for a monthly subscription.
DaVinci Resolve 18 is a major update that adds a cloud-based workflow via Blackmagic Cloud, automatic proxy generation linked to original files, optimization for the Apple M1 Ultra, new Resolve FX features, and more besides.
Read our full DaVinci Resolve Studio 19 review for more details
Best iMovie upgrade for professionals
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Final Cut Pro X is the video editing software created by Apple. It's perfectly optimized for Macs so so long as you're running on a new enough machine, it should be more stable and quicker to render projects than if you were using Premiere Pro. It's jam-packed with pro-grade features such as multi-camera edits to HDR support, in-app color grading, and even 360-degree video.
Its image-heavy user interface might have startled seasoned video editors when it was first introduced but for anyone just starting out in video editing who wants a more professional program, it makes the process a lot simpler.
If you already own a Macbook or iMac and want someone more advanced than iMovie, there's a good chance that Final Cut Pro X will provide the upgrade you're looking for.
The latest features include the ability to drag effects titles and graphics into the viewer to automatically detect and track objects and faces, editable focus points for iPhone 13 Cinematic movies, and optimization for the latest Mac M2 Pro and Max chips.
Read our full Apple Final Cut Pro review for more details.
Best budget video editing software
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CyberLink is recognized for its range of reliable creative applications. PowerDirector is a popular video editing suite and the choice of many enthusiasts and professionals alike.
Each year a new release adds functionality and incremental improvements to the software and version 19 welcome's a raft of useful tweaks including a new, simpler interface, cleaner timeline controls, and the ability to easily duplicate title attributes and clips allowing users to edit footage efficiently.
There are also updates to PowerDirector's keyframe tools, color matching, and motion graphic titles. Cyberlink still offers PhotoDirector as a perpetual license – but the subscription offer is the best overall value, as it gives you free access to Shutterstock HD clips, making it one of the best video editing software programs for those on a budget.
Read CyberLink PowerDirector 365 review for more details.
Best intermediate level video editing software
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With expanded color grading options and a range of automatic filters, VideoStudio Ultimate is seriously competitive. It gives you control of highlights, mid-tones, and lowlights, just like Lightroom does for photos and the pricier Premiere Pro for videos. It even offers control over specific colors, so you can make a shade of green pop without affecting the rest of the scene.
The software also supports the creation of text masks, so you can easily overlay dynamic titles on your videos without having to jump into another application. Even transitions are handled in a novel, customizable way, so you can align elements across scenes so the fades, blurs, or wipes happen exactly how you want them to.
With a core interface that’s very similar to much of the more premium competition, it’s a great gateway editor for beginners to get started with. Recent versions add face effects, a new speech-to-text converter, animated AR stickers, GIF creator, camera movement transitions, and more besides.
Read our Corel VideoStudio Ultimate 2021 review for more details.
Best for a simplified alternative to Premiere Pro
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Premiere Elements can be bought as a standalone product or bundled with Adobe Photoshop Elements as a twin pack. For many enthusiast users, beginners, or those starting out as vloggers, this is a big deal, as it is not necessary to pay for other apps you may have limited or no use for on a regular basis.
Adobe Premiere Elements 2025 helps video-editing novices hit the ground running as it guides you through simple and then more sophisticated techniques. You can then develop your video editing skills using the tools in the Expert workspace.
Its focus on using animated overlays to create eye-catching social media content helps it keep pace with competing non-linear apps such as CyberLink PowerDirector19. If you’re already using Photoshop Elements then Premiere Elements will slot smoothly into your organizing, editing, and sharing workflow.
See our full Adobe Premiere Elements 2025 review for more details
Best video editing software for social media edits
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Movavi Video Editor 2024 is on par with Adobe Premiere Elements 2024 in that it is designed for entry-level video makers who want to cut their unedited footage together into slicker social-media-friendly sequences.
With its Guided Edit feature, Premiere Elements holds the hand of the novice in a step-by-step way, though Movavi Video Editor does offer pop-ups that talk you through key features. Where Movavi beats Elements is in the quality of its collection of post-production assets such as titles, overlays, and stickers. Movavi’s assets look modern and slick compared to Premiere Element’s dated graphical content.
Unlike Premiere Elements (which you can buy for a one-off payment) Movavi Video Editor is a subscription-based app so you will end up paying more for Movavi Video Editor in the long run, though Movavi updates the app throughout the year with new assets to keep it fresh. You also have the option of subscribing to Movavi’s Effects Store for additional graphics, titles, and music though this will cost you more. Fortunately, there are plenty of attractive assets provided via the basic annual subscription.
One key area that makes Movavi worth a look (and you can download a free trial version) is in its AI-assisted tools. You can use AI to remove a background (and then replace it with another) without using a green screen key (though this feature is also available). AI also helps reduce unwanted background noise and you can use it to make graphical elements on one layer track the movement of a person on another layer in the timeline. So if you want to jazz up your YouTube channel videos with quick composites or animated titles then Movavi Video Editor 2024 is well worth a look.
Read our full Movavi Video Editor 2024 review for more details
Best video editor for mobile
8. CyberLink PowerDirector mobile app
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With iMovie being an included app for iOS devices, the lack of a robust editing tool in the Android ecosystem was acutely felt until PowerDirector hit the scene. As the best video editing software for mobile, PowerDirector features a traditional timeline, and all the tools you’d expect for trimming, editing, and exporting your movies, but it also goes much further.
Support for layers means you can have multiple audio tracks, a voiceover, and a backing track for example. A host of effects and transitions are included, and even advanced features like a chroma key, for green screen editing, are available, while if you opt for the paid version you get access to 4K output too.
The application can feel a touch clunky, especially on smaller-screened devices, so try the free version first to make sure it runs well on your device. In addition, the pricing may feel steep for an Android app – but what you get is an incredibly comprehensive solution that could even replace your desktop editor if your needs are mobile-first.
Download Get PowerDirector mobile app .
Best video editor for GoPro footage
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Based on the premise that your best photos and videos can get lost in the dross, GoPro’s reimagined Quik app works as an effective private content feed and makes it easy to produce slick-looking auto-generated highlight videos set to music.
Initially a free download, Quik automatically pulls photos and videos from your smartphone, whether the original source was a GoPro, a DSLR, or any other device. It’s completely device agnostic, as the previous iteration of the Quick app was, though the new version can also be used to operate a GoPro, transfer content to a phone, and live stream.
Much improved on the original Quik app and a total refresh for all GoPro users, the action camera maker’s new device-agnostic app has a slick new user interface including new filters, tools, and music. Star of the show is a ‘mural’ page for keeping track of your favorite photos and videos, though it’s video-centric and you do have to subscribe to get unlimited access to its editing tools, which will put off many.
Read our GoPro Quik review
FAQs
What software is best for video editing?
Right now, Adobe Premiere Pro tops our list of the best video editing software. Premiere is the industry-standard subscription model aimed at professionals and video editing enthusiasts.
It's brimming with handy tools, pre-installed effects and transitions, and an audio alignment feature and you can download third-party effects if it doesn't have quite what you need. Premiere Pro will take a while to get your head around as it has so many features but once you've sussed it, it's a powerful tool for video editing.
If you're looking for a video editor to support your hobby of video making then Cyberlink PowerDirector 365 is a better option. It's cheaper and easier to use while maintaining some pro features and it's always available to buy with a one-off payment.
What is the easiest software to edit video?
If you're just starting out in the world of video editing and using a desktop, PC, or Mac, our top recommendation is Premiere Elements from Adobe. It's a simplified version of its more powerful rival Premiere Pro, so there won't be as much of a learning curve, plus it's cheaper too. Unlike most Adobe tools out there, Premiere Elements can be bought for a one-off payment, rather than a continuing monthly subscription.
