Video editing software can work wonders for your business, helping you spread the word about your brand, products, or services through the most shared content format — videos. We researched and tested hundreds of tools and compiled a list of the eight absolute best video apps designed to meet everyone’s needs. If you’re to reap the benefits of video marketing, you must pick the right app. Let's walk you through the process. Â
Table of Contents
1. Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is a professional-grade video editing app famous for its handy features and unparalleled versatility, making it ideal for creating the best video designs. As a flagship product in Adobe's Creative Cloud suite, it’s the first choice for not only video editors but also filmmakers and different types of content creators looking for an all-around tool to bring their video projects to life.
Key Features
- Multi-platform compatibility
- Timeline editing
- Professional effects and transitions
- Advanced color correction
- Audio editing
- Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud
- High-resolution editing
- Collaborative workflows
Pros
- Easy to use
- Frequent updates
- Extensive feature set and precision editing capabilities
- Supports editing and exporting videos in high resolutions, including 4K and beyond
- Provides access to a rich library of assets, updates, and a seamless workflow with other Adobe applications
Cons
- It can be intimidating for beginners.
Pricing
Adobe Premiere Pro is available through Adobe's Creative Cloud subscription model, which offers various plans, including:
- Individuals: A single-app plan, which includes Premiere Pro, starting at $20.99 per month with an annual commitment
- Students and Teachers: Prices start at $19.99 per month
- Businesses: Creative Cloud All Apps plan for $84.99 a month or a single app for $35.99 a month
- Schools & Universities: $34.99 a month for all the apps from the Creative Cloud or $14.99 a month for a single app
2. Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is a video editing software developed by Apple exclusively for macOS users. Thanks to its user-friendly interface and powerful set of features, the software has become a preferred choice for both professional video editors and enthusiasts.
Key Features
- Multicam editing
- Magnetic timeline
- 4K and HDR support
- Dynamic timeline indexing
- Batch sharing of projects with other editors
- Single source/Record window for flexible transcoding
- Powerful color grading abilities
- Audio mixing tools including Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound
- Dynamic media organization
- Full metadata support for clip identification, archiving, and tagging
- Third-party plug-in compatibility
- Customizable keyboard layouts.
Pros
- Ease of use
- Powerful editing capabilities
- Superb output quality at various resolutions in numerous formats
- Built-in motion graphics and effects that allow users to create amazing visuals without needing additional software or plugins
- Comprehensive media management options that make it easy to locate files quickly
Cons
- Only available for macOS users
- Relatively expensive compared to other editing programs
- Lagging speed issues
Pricing
One-time purchase price of $299.99 from the Mac App Store.
3. DaVinci Resolve 18
DaVinci Resolve 18 is an incredibly powerful video editing software for professionals, featuring an all-in-one workflow ideal for feature film and television post-production. It is best known for its unique combination of being a powerful video editor, color grading suite, and audio post-production tool, all bundled into one application.
Key Features
- Advanced color grading tools
- Motion tracking, keying, stabilization
- Audio post-production
- Fusion integrated for creating complex visual effects
- HDR support
- Collaboration features
Pros
- Highly versatile as it allows users to move seamlessly between editing, color grading, audio mixing
- Intuitive design and user-friendly interface
- Works with up to 8K resolution media and multiple camera formats
- Set of sophisticated editing tools
- Hundreds of effects
- Expansive library of royalty-free music and sound effects
- Flexibility in working with multiple cameras from different manufacturers
- Superb speed and performance
- Free version available
Cons
- A steep learning curve for beginners due to the complexity of some features.
Pricing
You can download DaVinci Resolve 18 for free. For more advanced features, you can buy the app for $295.
4. HitFilm
HitFilm is a feature-rich video editing and visual effects software developed by FXhome. Boasting a wide range of professional editing and VFX tools, it assists users in creating high-quality videos quickly. With a unique combination of video editing, compositing, and visual effects (VFX) capabilities, it is an attractive option for aspiring filmmakers and content creators on a budget.
Key Features
- 4K Ultra HD support
- Motion tracking
- Color grading
- Composting
- Green screen
- Over 400 customizable visual effects
- Color grading capabilities
- 3D model import/export support
- Audio processing and mixing capabilities
- GPU acceleration
Pros
- Ease of use
- Advanced features for professionals
- Combines video editing, compositing, and VFX capabilities in a single application
- Includes a library of VFX presets and effects
- Powerful yet affordable (free version available)
Cons
- A slight learning curve for newcomers
- Some advanced features are only available with the paid plans
Pricing
While the basic version is free to download and use, you can also opt for the:
- Creator plan: $7/month billed yearly or $12.99/month billed monthly
- Pro plan: $12.99/month billed yearly or $19.99/month billed monthly
5. KineMaster
KineMaster is a powerful mobile video editing app available for both iOS and Android devices. It's known for its ease of use and a substantial set of editing tools, making it an excellent choice for those involved in various aspects of content creation, from vlogging to video email marketing.
Key Features
- Multi-layer support for adding text, images, stickers, and other overlays
- Intuitive drag-and-drop timeline user interface
- Croma key (green screen) capabilities
- Speed control
- Royalty-free music
- Special effects such as transitions and vignettes
- 360-degree video editing support
- Background audio support
- Real-time preview
- Sharing options
- Export functions for different formats
Pros
- Easy to use
- Highly customizable options
- Offers the convenience of on-the-go editing
- Includes a variety of visual effects, transitions, and overlays
- Great performance with no lag time even on low-end devices
- Reliable customer service
Cons
- No desktop app
- The free version includes a watermark
Pricing
KineMaster is free to download and use, however, to remove ads and watermark, you have to upgrade to a paid plan. The pricing varies depending on the region.
6. Filmora
Wondershare’s Filmora is a powerful, yet beginner-friendly, video editing software for both Windows and macOS. It is known for its approachable interface and built-in effects and transitions.
Key Features
- Text effects
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Picture-in-picture (PIP) effects
- Color correction
- Filters and audio tools
- Built-in effects
- Green screen
- Motion tracking
- Split screen
- Pan and zoom tools
- Export of videos in various formats and resolutions
Pros
- Ability to combine and trim different clips
- Customizable editing options
- Clip speed control
- Advanced transitions
- 3D LUTs
- Background removal
- Supports all popular formats such as MP4, AVI, and MOV and 4K resolution
Cons
- The built-in library doesn't have as much content as some other competitors offer
- The free version includes a watermark
Pricing
Filmora is free to download and use. However, if you need advanced features and an ad-free experience, you should consider getting one of the paid plans:
- Quarterly: $29.99 paid quarterly
- Perpetual: $79.99 one-time purchase
- Annual: $49.99 paid yearly
You can also subscribe at $20.99 a month.
7. Lightworks
Providing users with the tools needed to create high-quality video projects quickly and efficiently, Lightworks has become the go-to video editing app for video editors of all levels. Plus, it is available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux and the free version is amazingly advanced, which is part of the reason for the app’s ever-growing popularity.
Key Features
- Intuitive user interface
- 4K video export
- Social media templates
- Audio and video plugin support
- Robust media library
- Multi-layered timeline editor
- Real-time effects
- Trimming, cutting, and keyframing functionalities
- High-quality output
- Advanced color correction
- Multi-platform compatibility
- Comprehensive audio mixer
- Batch encoding/delivery tool
- QuickTime, AVI, and HDV support
Pros
- Runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux
- Professional-grade video editing tool
- Free version available
- Offers real-time playback while you edit clips
- Impressive community forum
Cons
- Learning curve
- Limited features in the free version
- Although not entirely a disadvantage, Lightworks is updated regularly. These frequent updates could lead to compatibility issues or reduced performance when working on large projects.
Pricing
You can use Lightworks with limited features for free. If you need advanced editing tools, you should pick one of the paid plans:
- Create: $9.99 a month
- Pro: $23.99 a month
8. InShot
InShot is an all-in-one video editing app that allows you to edit, merge, trim, and export videos quickly and easily from your phone. It is designed with UX and UI in mind and it offers a straightforward set of tools for editing and enhancing videos.
Key Features
- Easy-to-use editor that requires no technical knowledge
- High-quality video output with up to 4K resolution
- Canvas and background adjustments
- Optimized presets for different platforms such as Instagram and YouTube
- Multiple media formats support including mp4, avi, m4v, and more
- Video filters
- Text style options
- Music/sound effects
- Transitions and stickers
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- High-quality output
- Built-in music library
- Tons of filters and effects
- Various customization options
- Designed for quick edits and on-the-go content creation
Cons
- Lacks advanced features and precision controls found in professional video editing software
- It can be slow at times which may limit the speed of editing for some users
- The free version includes a watermark
Pricing
You can download and use the free version of InShot or opt for the Pro version. Although we couldn’t find any information regarding the pricing structure on the app’s official website, according to research, prices start at $3.99 a month.
How To Choose the Best Video Editing App
Choosing the best video editing app can be a difficult process, as there are many different options available. To make sure you get the right app for your needs, consider the features, capabilities, and user interface of each app.
To make sure you’re making the right choice, you should:
- Consider your budget. Think about how much you can afford to spend on an app.
- Set goals. Do you need to create a fun Instagram video or were you hired to produce a video ad?
- Look at what each app offers. Check out all of the features that each app provides.
- Evaluate the user interface. Try out various apps and decide which ones have an intuitive UI.
- Test its capabilities. Experiment by importing and editing some sample videos to see how well each app works.
- Read reviews. Search for customer ratings and feedback to get an idea of overall satisfaction.
Don’t forget that most apps offer free trials, so make good use of those.
Best Video Editing Apps: Key Takeaways
There are thousands of video editing apps, all catering to diverse needs and preferences. From professional-grade tools like Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve to user-friendly options like InShot and Filmora, the choices are as varied as the projects they serve.
Don’t forget to test different options before settling on one app. However, if you’d rather leave video editing to professionals, you can also contact a video editing firm.
Best Video Editing Apps: FAQs
1. What is the best app to use to edit videos?
The best app for video editing depends on your specific needs and preferences, but some popular options include Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X (for Mac users), and DaVinci Resolve.
2. What features should I look for in video editing apps?
Some key features that a good app must have are a user-friendly interface, essential editing tools, effects and filters, export options, compatibility with multiple devices, stability, support, and even more advanced features if you’re working on complex projects.
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