2024 Approved Cut to Perfection 10 Acclaimed Films Edited Exclusively with Final Cut Pro

2024 Approved Cut to Perfection 10 Acclaimed Films Edited Exclusively with Final Cut Pro

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Cut to Perfection: 10 Acclaimed Films Edited Exclusively with Final Cut Pro

Top 10 Famous Movies Made By Final Cut Pro

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Developed as video editing software that has been developed by Apple, Final Cut Pro began life as software designed to made simple video editing accessible for video hobbyists and independent filmmakers. However, in recent years the capabilities of Final Cut Pro have evolved significantly and we are now seeing major Hollywood movies also being edited with this software.

Do you want to turn your own video into a Hollywood film-like video? Check this guide on How to make big-budget cinematic look video with Final Cut Pro.

You may also like: 8 Best Movie Trailer Template for After Effects

Top 10 Movies Made by Final Cut Pro

Let’s take a look at ten major movies that have been edited using Final Cut Pro.

Movie made by FCP - the social network

1. The Social Network (2010)

Based on the rise of the phenomenon that we now know as Facebook, The Social Network starred Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. The movie performed well at the box office and was also positively received by movie critics.

The film won an Academy Award for Best Editing, collected by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall. They used Final Cut Pro to edit the film, and one of the things they really like about the software is the ability to do multiple timelines. Final Cut Pro was also used in this movie to enable face replacement in a number of scenes. Two of the key characters in the movie are twins, and so the scenes were filmed with actors (who weren’t twins) and then the editing software was used to create the illusion that they were twins. Digital matte paintings was another feature of this movie that relied on the functionality of Final Cut Pro.


Movie made by FCP - The girl with dragon tattoo

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

This was the US adaptation of the earlier Swedish film of the same name - based on the novel by Stieg Larsson. Starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, the story is a crime thriller trying to uncover the secrets surrounding the disappearance of a young girl from a wealthy family.

One of the challenges with this movie was that there were a lot of invisible effects throughout the film. Final Cut Pro was used to achieve the shot stabilization and the visual enhancements - everything from matte painting to creating seasonal elements such as snow.


Movie made by FCP - John Carter

3. John Carter (2011)

A science fiction adventure, this film performed so badly at the box office that it caused major financial problems for its studio Disney.

The editing of the John Carter movie was a particular challenge as a lot of the action was shot twice during the troubled production. The editor Eric Zumbrunnen used Final Cut Pro to piece the various elements together. With a huge range of CGI and creature effects to deal with, the editing process on this movie was extremely complex. Final Cut Pro was used to create a lot of the background detail need to bring the green screen scenes to life.


Movie made by FCP - 500 days of summer

4. 500 Days of Summer (2009)

This was a cute, quirky romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.

Editing on the movie was by Alan Edward Bell in DVCPro HD format on Final Cut Pro. Because the storyline of the movie unfolds in a non-linear timeline, the workflow feature of Final Cut Pro made it easier to manage the sequencing of the different scenes. There were also 250 invisible effects which were created using Final Cut Pro’s editing features.


Movie made by FCP - wolverine

5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Continuing the X-Men franchise, this installment traces Wolverine’s childhood and the relationship with his brother. It didn’t really appeal to X-Men fans or movie critics.

Editing on the movie was by Nicolas De Toth and Megan Gill. There were a number of continuity glitches identified during the production of this movie but De Toth and Gill used Final Pro Cut to keep a consistent flow to the narrative. What is interesting about the editing on this movie is that all the cutting of the scenes required was done on Final Cut Pro 5, taking advantage of the software’s HD abilities and also the multi-clip features.


Movie made by FCP - burn after reading

6. Burn After Reading (2008)

A black comedy from the talented brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, they wrote, produced, edited, and directed the movie.

The Coen brothers used Final Cut Pro on this movie because it was simple and easy to use - they were blocking together the rough cuts as the scenes were being shot, and Final Cut Pro gave them the flexibility that they needed to edit quickly. On this movie most of the action was shot using Sony cameras but there were several scenes on which a RED camera was added when an additional camera was needed. Even though there is a significantly different workflow between the two types of camera, the RED material was able to be integrated smoothly with the Sony footage.


Movie made by FCP - No country for old man

7. No Country for Old Men (2007)

A neo-Western thriller from Coen brothers. They directed, wrote, and edited this production.

The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing for editor Roderick Jaynes (a pseudonym for Joel and Ethan Coen).

Directing and editing a movie brings the two processes a lot closer together for the Coen brothers. An easy to use product such as Final Cut Pro ensures that they can construct the movie’s narrative using the timeline features of the product. This movie marked a chance in approach for the Coen brothers, who took advantage of the better resolution DVCPRO HD for their cutting process compared to earlier films that were cut at DV resolution.


Movie made by FCP - 300

8. 300 (2007)

Based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, this is the fictionalized retelling of the Battle Termopylae - part of the Persian Wars. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie was filmed with a super-imposition chroma key technique to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book. Editing on the movie was by William Hoy.

To capture the graphic novel look and feel of the film’s images, editor Hoy used a number of the key Final Cut Pro features such as the adjustment layer and blending modes to create depth and mood. With the look and feel of this movie so dependent on the effects created, editor Hoy spent a lot of time debating what was being added visually to each shot and how this would impact the length and continuity of each scene.


Movie made by FCP - Sky Captain

9. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

With big name stars (Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law), this was an unusual film that used digital artists to build multi-layered 2D and 3D backgrounds for live action footage, with hand-drawn storyboards recreated as computer-generated 3D animatics. Critically it was well received but didn’t set the box office alight.

Editing on the movie was by Sabrina Plisco.

Final Cut Pro was particularly critical to create a scene between two characters that was shot in a physical set (unlike the digital soundstage that was used for the rest of the movie). Final Cut Pro allowed the filmmakers to line up the animatics with the live onstage footage. One of the challenges with this movie is that the editors had to manually assign time-codes to each take - the clips were then rendered out and sorted so that they could be used on a Final Cut Pro SD workstation. This approach was also used to create the master off-line cut. Batch lists of the cuts were then imported into Final Cut Pro.


Movie made by FCP - Cold Moutain

10. Cold Mountain (2003)

This is an epic Civil War drama based on the novel by Charles Frazier. Starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger this was critically acclaimed and performed reasonably well at the box office.

The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing let by editor Walter Murch.

This was really seen as the breakthrough movie for the use of Final Cut Pro in Hollywood Movies. An entire book has been produced analysing how editor Murch used Final Cut Pro to edit the movie and analysis its impact on future cinema productions. Editor Murch believes that the use of Final Cut Pro on this movie indirected affected the ultimate creative outcome. In particular, the use of the DVD authoring capabilities on Final Cut Pro meant that the editing team was able to look at the material more often, sharing it with more people, and changing the way that they looked at certain scenes.


While Hollywood movies require editing tools of the highest order, the range of effects that you can achieve using Final Cut Pro is impressive - as well as the standard ripple, roll, slip, slide, scrub, razor blade and time remapping edit functions, Final Cut Pro also comes with a range of video transitions and a range of video and audio filters that will take your film project to the next level.

It is clear that Final Cut Pro is definitely now a star in the editing of Hollywood movies, it is time to make it a star in editing your movies as well.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Developed as video editing software that has been developed by Apple, Final Cut Pro began life as software designed to made simple video editing accessible for video hobbyists and independent filmmakers. However, in recent years the capabilities of Final Cut Pro have evolved significantly and we are now seeing major Hollywood movies also being edited with this software.

Do you want to turn your own video into a Hollywood film-like video? Check this guide on How to make big-budget cinematic look video with Final Cut Pro.

You may also like: 8 Best Movie Trailer Template for After Effects

Top 10 Movies Made by Final Cut Pro

Let’s take a look at ten major movies that have been edited using Final Cut Pro.

Movie made by FCP - the social network

1. The Social Network (2010)

Based on the rise of the phenomenon that we now know as Facebook, The Social Network starred Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. The movie performed well at the box office and was also positively received by movie critics.

The film won an Academy Award for Best Editing, collected by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall. They used Final Cut Pro to edit the film, and one of the things they really like about the software is the ability to do multiple timelines. Final Cut Pro was also used in this movie to enable face replacement in a number of scenes. Two of the key characters in the movie are twins, and so the scenes were filmed with actors (who weren’t twins) and then the editing software was used to create the illusion that they were twins. Digital matte paintings was another feature of this movie that relied on the functionality of Final Cut Pro.


Movie made by FCP - The girl with dragon tattoo

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

This was the US adaptation of the earlier Swedish film of the same name - based on the novel by Stieg Larsson. Starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, the story is a crime thriller trying to uncover the secrets surrounding the disappearance of a young girl from a wealthy family.

One of the challenges with this movie was that there were a lot of invisible effects throughout the film. Final Cut Pro was used to achieve the shot stabilization and the visual enhancements - everything from matte painting to creating seasonal elements such as snow.


Movie made by FCP - John Carter

3. John Carter (2011)

A science fiction adventure, this film performed so badly at the box office that it caused major financial problems for its studio Disney.

The editing of the John Carter movie was a particular challenge as a lot of the action was shot twice during the troubled production. The editor Eric Zumbrunnen used Final Cut Pro to piece the various elements together. With a huge range of CGI and creature effects to deal with, the editing process on this movie was extremely complex. Final Cut Pro was used to create a lot of the background detail need to bring the green screen scenes to life.


Movie made by FCP - 500 days of summer

4. 500 Days of Summer (2009)

This was a cute, quirky romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.

Editing on the movie was by Alan Edward Bell in DVCPro HD format on Final Cut Pro. Because the storyline of the movie unfolds in a non-linear timeline, the workflow feature of Final Cut Pro made it easier to manage the sequencing of the different scenes. There were also 250 invisible effects which were created using Final Cut Pro’s editing features.


Movie made by FCP - wolverine

5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Continuing the X-Men franchise, this installment traces Wolverine’s childhood and the relationship with his brother. It didn’t really appeal to X-Men fans or movie critics.

Editing on the movie was by Nicolas De Toth and Megan Gill. There were a number of continuity glitches identified during the production of this movie but De Toth and Gill used Final Pro Cut to keep a consistent flow to the narrative. What is interesting about the editing on this movie is that all the cutting of the scenes required was done on Final Cut Pro 5, taking advantage of the software’s HD abilities and also the multi-clip features.


Movie made by FCP - burn after reading

6. Burn After Reading (2008)

A black comedy from the talented brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, they wrote, produced, edited, and directed the movie.

The Coen brothers used Final Cut Pro on this movie because it was simple and easy to use - they were blocking together the rough cuts as the scenes were being shot, and Final Cut Pro gave them the flexibility that they needed to edit quickly. On this movie most of the action was shot using Sony cameras but there were several scenes on which a RED camera was added when an additional camera was needed. Even though there is a significantly different workflow between the two types of camera, the RED material was able to be integrated smoothly with the Sony footage.


Movie made by FCP - No country for old man

7. No Country for Old Men (2007)

A neo-Western thriller from Coen brothers. They directed, wrote, and edited this production.

The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing for editor Roderick Jaynes (a pseudonym for Joel and Ethan Coen).

Directing and editing a movie brings the two processes a lot closer together for the Coen brothers. An easy to use product such as Final Cut Pro ensures that they can construct the movie’s narrative using the timeline features of the product. This movie marked a chance in approach for the Coen brothers, who took advantage of the better resolution DVCPRO HD for their cutting process compared to earlier films that were cut at DV resolution.


Movie made by FCP - 300

8. 300 (2007)

Based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, this is the fictionalized retelling of the Battle Termopylae - part of the Persian Wars. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie was filmed with a super-imposition chroma key technique to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book. Editing on the movie was by William Hoy.

To capture the graphic novel look and feel of the film’s images, editor Hoy used a number of the key Final Cut Pro features such as the adjustment layer and blending modes to create depth and mood. With the look and feel of this movie so dependent on the effects created, editor Hoy spent a lot of time debating what was being added visually to each shot and how this would impact the length and continuity of each scene.


Movie made by FCP - Sky Captain

9. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

With big name stars (Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law), this was an unusual film that used digital artists to build multi-layered 2D and 3D backgrounds for live action footage, with hand-drawn storyboards recreated as computer-generated 3D animatics. Critically it was well received but didn’t set the box office alight.

Editing on the movie was by Sabrina Plisco.

Final Cut Pro was particularly critical to create a scene between two characters that was shot in a physical set (unlike the digital soundstage that was used for the rest of the movie). Final Cut Pro allowed the filmmakers to line up the animatics with the live onstage footage. One of the challenges with this movie is that the editors had to manually assign time-codes to each take - the clips were then rendered out and sorted so that they could be used on a Final Cut Pro SD workstation. This approach was also used to create the master off-line cut. Batch lists of the cuts were then imported into Final Cut Pro.


Movie made by FCP - Cold Moutain

10. Cold Mountain (2003)

This is an epic Civil War drama based on the novel by Charles Frazier. Starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger this was critically acclaimed and performed reasonably well at the box office.

The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing let by editor Walter Murch.

This was really seen as the breakthrough movie for the use of Final Cut Pro in Hollywood Movies. An entire book has been produced analysing how editor Murch used Final Cut Pro to edit the movie and analysis its impact on future cinema productions. Editor Murch believes that the use of Final Cut Pro on this movie indirected affected the ultimate creative outcome. In particular, the use of the DVD authoring capabilities on Final Cut Pro meant that the editing team was able to look at the material more often, sharing it with more people, and changing the way that they looked at certain scenes.


While Hollywood movies require editing tools of the highest order, the range of effects that you can achieve using Final Cut Pro is impressive - as well as the standard ripple, roll, slip, slide, scrub, razor blade and time remapping edit functions, Final Cut Pro also comes with a range of video transitions and a range of video and audio filters that will take your film project to the next level.

It is clear that Final Cut Pro is definitely now a star in the editing of Hollywood movies, it is time to make it a star in editing your movies as well.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Developed as video editing software that has been developed by Apple, Final Cut Pro began life as software designed to made simple video editing accessible for video hobbyists and independent filmmakers. However, in recent years the capabilities of Final Cut Pro have evolved significantly and we are now seeing major Hollywood movies also being edited with this software.

Do you want to turn your own video into a Hollywood film-like video? Check this guide on How to make big-budget cinematic look video with Final Cut Pro.

You may also like: 8 Best Movie Trailer Template for After Effects

Top 10 Movies Made by Final Cut Pro

Let’s take a look at ten major movies that have been edited using Final Cut Pro.

Movie made by FCP - the social network

1. The Social Network (2010)

Based on the rise of the phenomenon that we now know as Facebook, The Social Network starred Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. The movie performed well at the box office and was also positively received by movie critics.

The film won an Academy Award for Best Editing, collected by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall. They used Final Cut Pro to edit the film, and one of the things they really like about the software is the ability to do multiple timelines. Final Cut Pro was also used in this movie to enable face replacement in a number of scenes. Two of the key characters in the movie are twins, and so the scenes were filmed with actors (who weren’t twins) and then the editing software was used to create the illusion that they were twins. Digital matte paintings was another feature of this movie that relied on the functionality of Final Cut Pro.


Movie made by FCP - The girl with dragon tattoo

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

This was the US adaptation of the earlier Swedish film of the same name - based on the novel by Stieg Larsson. Starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, the story is a crime thriller trying to uncover the secrets surrounding the disappearance of a young girl from a wealthy family.

One of the challenges with this movie was that there were a lot of invisible effects throughout the film. Final Cut Pro was used to achieve the shot stabilization and the visual enhancements - everything from matte painting to creating seasonal elements such as snow.


Movie made by FCP - John Carter

3. John Carter (2011)

A science fiction adventure, this film performed so badly at the box office that it caused major financial problems for its studio Disney.

The editing of the John Carter movie was a particular challenge as a lot of the action was shot twice during the troubled production. The editor Eric Zumbrunnen used Final Cut Pro to piece the various elements together. With a huge range of CGI and creature effects to deal with, the editing process on this movie was extremely complex. Final Cut Pro was used to create a lot of the background detail need to bring the green screen scenes to life.


Movie made by FCP - 500 days of summer

4. 500 Days of Summer (2009)

This was a cute, quirky romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.

Editing on the movie was by Alan Edward Bell in DVCPro HD format on Final Cut Pro. Because the storyline of the movie unfolds in a non-linear timeline, the workflow feature of Final Cut Pro made it easier to manage the sequencing of the different scenes. There were also 250 invisible effects which were created using Final Cut Pro’s editing features.


Movie made by FCP - wolverine

5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Continuing the X-Men franchise, this installment traces Wolverine’s childhood and the relationship with his brother. It didn’t really appeal to X-Men fans or movie critics.

Editing on the movie was by Nicolas De Toth and Megan Gill. There were a number of continuity glitches identified during the production of this movie but De Toth and Gill used Final Pro Cut to keep a consistent flow to the narrative. What is interesting about the editing on this movie is that all the cutting of the scenes required was done on Final Cut Pro 5, taking advantage of the software’s HD abilities and also the multi-clip features.


Movie made by FCP - burn after reading

6. Burn After Reading (2008)

A black comedy from the talented brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, they wrote, produced, edited, and directed the movie.

The Coen brothers used Final Cut Pro on this movie because it was simple and easy to use - they were blocking together the rough cuts as the scenes were being shot, and Final Cut Pro gave them the flexibility that they needed to edit quickly. On this movie most of the action was shot using Sony cameras but there were several scenes on which a RED camera was added when an additional camera was needed. Even though there is a significantly different workflow between the two types of camera, the RED material was able to be integrated smoothly with the Sony footage.


Movie made by FCP - No country for old man

7. No Country for Old Men (2007)

A neo-Western thriller from Coen brothers. They directed, wrote, and edited this production.

The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing for editor Roderick Jaynes (a pseudonym for Joel and Ethan Coen).

Directing and editing a movie brings the two processes a lot closer together for the Coen brothers. An easy to use product such as Final Cut Pro ensures that they can construct the movie’s narrative using the timeline features of the product. This movie marked a chance in approach for the Coen brothers, who took advantage of the better resolution DVCPRO HD for their cutting process compared to earlier films that were cut at DV resolution.


Movie made by FCP - 300

8. 300 (2007)

Based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, this is the fictionalized retelling of the Battle Termopylae - part of the Persian Wars. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie was filmed with a super-imposition chroma key technique to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book. Editing on the movie was by William Hoy.

To capture the graphic novel look and feel of the film’s images, editor Hoy used a number of the key Final Cut Pro features such as the adjustment layer and blending modes to create depth and mood. With the look and feel of this movie so dependent on the effects created, editor Hoy spent a lot of time debating what was being added visually to each shot and how this would impact the length and continuity of each scene.


Movie made by FCP - Sky Captain

9. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

With big name stars (Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law), this was an unusual film that used digital artists to build multi-layered 2D and 3D backgrounds for live action footage, with hand-drawn storyboards recreated as computer-generated 3D animatics. Critically it was well received but didn’t set the box office alight.

Editing on the movie was by Sabrina Plisco.

Final Cut Pro was particularly critical to create a scene between two characters that was shot in a physical set (unlike the digital soundstage that was used for the rest of the movie). Final Cut Pro allowed the filmmakers to line up the animatics with the live onstage footage. One of the challenges with this movie is that the editors had to manually assign time-codes to each take - the clips were then rendered out and sorted so that they could be used on a Final Cut Pro SD workstation. This approach was also used to create the master off-line cut. Batch lists of the cuts were then imported into Final Cut Pro.


Movie made by FCP - Cold Moutain

10. Cold Mountain (2003)

This is an epic Civil War drama based on the novel by Charles Frazier. Starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger this was critically acclaimed and performed reasonably well at the box office.

The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing let by editor Walter Murch.

This was really seen as the breakthrough movie for the use of Final Cut Pro in Hollywood Movies. An entire book has been produced analysing how editor Murch used Final Cut Pro to edit the movie and analysis its impact on future cinema productions. Editor Murch believes that the use of Final Cut Pro on this movie indirected affected the ultimate creative outcome. In particular, the use of the DVD authoring capabilities on Final Cut Pro meant that the editing team was able to look at the material more often, sharing it with more people, and changing the way that they looked at certain scenes.


While Hollywood movies require editing tools of the highest order, the range of effects that you can achieve using Final Cut Pro is impressive - as well as the standard ripple, roll, slip, slide, scrub, razor blade and time remapping edit functions, Final Cut Pro also comes with a range of video transitions and a range of video and audio filters that will take your film project to the next level.

It is clear that Final Cut Pro is definitely now a star in the editing of Hollywood movies, it is time to make it a star in editing your movies as well.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Developed as video editing software that has been developed by Apple, Final Cut Pro began life as software designed to made simple video editing accessible for video hobbyists and independent filmmakers. However, in recent years the capabilities of Final Cut Pro have evolved significantly and we are now seeing major Hollywood movies also being edited with this software.

Do you want to turn your own video into a Hollywood film-like video? Check this guide on How to make big-budget cinematic look video with Final Cut Pro.

You may also like: 8 Best Movie Trailer Template for After Effects

Top 10 Movies Made by Final Cut Pro

Let’s take a look at ten major movies that have been edited using Final Cut Pro.

Movie made by FCP - the social network

1. The Social Network (2010)

Based on the rise of the phenomenon that we now know as Facebook, The Social Network starred Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. The movie performed well at the box office and was also positively received by movie critics.

The film won an Academy Award for Best Editing, collected by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall. They used Final Cut Pro to edit the film, and one of the things they really like about the software is the ability to do multiple timelines. Final Cut Pro was also used in this movie to enable face replacement in a number of scenes. Two of the key characters in the movie are twins, and so the scenes were filmed with actors (who weren’t twins) and then the editing software was used to create the illusion that they were twins. Digital matte paintings was another feature of this movie that relied on the functionality of Final Cut Pro.


Movie made by FCP - The girl with dragon tattoo

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

This was the US adaptation of the earlier Swedish film of the same name - based on the novel by Stieg Larsson. Starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, the story is a crime thriller trying to uncover the secrets surrounding the disappearance of a young girl from a wealthy family.

One of the challenges with this movie was that there were a lot of invisible effects throughout the film. Final Cut Pro was used to achieve the shot stabilization and the visual enhancements - everything from matte painting to creating seasonal elements such as snow.


Movie made by FCP - John Carter

3. John Carter (2011)

A science fiction adventure, this film performed so badly at the box office that it caused major financial problems for its studio Disney.

The editing of the John Carter movie was a particular challenge as a lot of the action was shot twice during the troubled production. The editor Eric Zumbrunnen used Final Cut Pro to piece the various elements together. With a huge range of CGI and creature effects to deal with, the editing process on this movie was extremely complex. Final Cut Pro was used to create a lot of the background detail need to bring the green screen scenes to life.


Movie made by FCP - 500 days of summer

4. 500 Days of Summer (2009)

This was a cute, quirky romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.

Editing on the movie was by Alan Edward Bell in DVCPro HD format on Final Cut Pro. Because the storyline of the movie unfolds in a non-linear timeline, the workflow feature of Final Cut Pro made it easier to manage the sequencing of the different scenes. There were also 250 invisible effects which were created using Final Cut Pro’s editing features.


Movie made by FCP - wolverine

5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Continuing the X-Men franchise, this installment traces Wolverine’s childhood and the relationship with his brother. It didn’t really appeal to X-Men fans or movie critics.

Editing on the movie was by Nicolas De Toth and Megan Gill. There were a number of continuity glitches identified during the production of this movie but De Toth and Gill used Final Pro Cut to keep a consistent flow to the narrative. What is interesting about the editing on this movie is that all the cutting of the scenes required was done on Final Cut Pro 5, taking advantage of the software’s HD abilities and also the multi-clip features.


Movie made by FCP - burn after reading

6. Burn After Reading (2008)

A black comedy from the talented brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, they wrote, produced, edited, and directed the movie.

The Coen brothers used Final Cut Pro on this movie because it was simple and easy to use - they were blocking together the rough cuts as the scenes were being shot, and Final Cut Pro gave them the flexibility that they needed to edit quickly. On this movie most of the action was shot using Sony cameras but there were several scenes on which a RED camera was added when an additional camera was needed. Even though there is a significantly different workflow between the two types of camera, the RED material was able to be integrated smoothly with the Sony footage.


Movie made by FCP - No country for old man

7. No Country for Old Men (2007)

A neo-Western thriller from Coen brothers. They directed, wrote, and edited this production.

The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing for editor Roderick Jaynes (a pseudonym for Joel and Ethan Coen).

Directing and editing a movie brings the two processes a lot closer together for the Coen brothers. An easy to use product such as Final Cut Pro ensures that they can construct the movie’s narrative using the timeline features of the product. This movie marked a chance in approach for the Coen brothers, who took advantage of the better resolution DVCPRO HD for their cutting process compared to earlier films that were cut at DV resolution.


Movie made by FCP - 300

8. 300 (2007)

Based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, this is the fictionalized retelling of the Battle Termopylae - part of the Persian Wars. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie was filmed with a super-imposition chroma key technique to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book. Editing on the movie was by William Hoy.

To capture the graphic novel look and feel of the film’s images, editor Hoy used a number of the key Final Cut Pro features such as the adjustment layer and blending modes to create depth and mood. With the look and feel of this movie so dependent on the effects created, editor Hoy spent a lot of time debating what was being added visually to each shot and how this would impact the length and continuity of each scene.


Movie made by FCP - Sky Captain

9. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

With big name stars (Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law), this was an unusual film that used digital artists to build multi-layered 2D and 3D backgrounds for live action footage, with hand-drawn storyboards recreated as computer-generated 3D animatics. Critically it was well received but didn’t set the box office alight.

Editing on the movie was by Sabrina Plisco.

Final Cut Pro was particularly critical to create a scene between two characters that was shot in a physical set (unlike the digital soundstage that was used for the rest of the movie). Final Cut Pro allowed the filmmakers to line up the animatics with the live onstage footage. One of the challenges with this movie is that the editors had to manually assign time-codes to each take - the clips were then rendered out and sorted so that they could be used on a Final Cut Pro SD workstation. This approach was also used to create the master off-line cut. Batch lists of the cuts were then imported into Final Cut Pro.


Movie made by FCP - Cold Moutain

10. Cold Mountain (2003)

This is an epic Civil War drama based on the novel by Charles Frazier. Starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger this was critically acclaimed and performed reasonably well at the box office.

The movie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Editing let by editor Walter Murch.

This was really seen as the breakthrough movie for the use of Final Cut Pro in Hollywood Movies. An entire book has been produced analysing how editor Murch used Final Cut Pro to edit the movie and analysis its impact on future cinema productions. Editor Murch believes that the use of Final Cut Pro on this movie indirected affected the ultimate creative outcome. In particular, the use of the DVD authoring capabilities on Final Cut Pro meant that the editing team was able to look at the material more often, sharing it with more people, and changing the way that they looked at certain scenes.


While Hollywood movies require editing tools of the highest order, the range of effects that you can achieve using Final Cut Pro is impressive - as well as the standard ripple, roll, slip, slide, scrub, razor blade and time remapping edit functions, Final Cut Pro also comes with a range of video transitions and a range of video and audio filters that will take your film project to the next level.

It is clear that Final Cut Pro is definitely now a star in the editing of Hollywood movies, it is time to make it a star in editing your movies as well.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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The Best Easy Video Joiner Replacements: Top 10 Picks for Smooth Video Editing

During video editing, one of the most basic steps that people take is cutting and merging clips together in succession. One should use the best video joiner alternative application for the best results with distinctive functionality for video merging, splitting, and other fundamental features.

Multiple options are available in the market that offer the video joining functionality with additional editing features. Make your decision after careful deliberation, and we will help you with that. Here is a list of the top 12 software to try, including their crucial details.

  1. Wondershare Filmora
  2. Freemake Video Converter
  3. VidCutter
  1. MKVToolnix
  2. MP4Tools
  3. VidCutter
  4. Wondershare Filmora
  5. Freemake Video Converter
  6. Timbre
  7. Boilsoft Video Joiner
  8. Windows Movie Maker
  9. MediaJoin
  10. Free Video Dub
  11. FormatFactory
  12. HandBrake
  1. How to use Filmora to Edit Videos?

Part 1: Top 3 Picks for Video Joiner Alternatives

Three notable apps stand out quite well in terms of the best video joiner alternative apps. For a clearer overview, here are some basic details on each.

1. Wondershare Filmora - Best for All-Around Video Editing Qualities

wondershare filmora

Filmora is a better choice for editing experts and beginners for a comprehensive video editing tool. Use this software to trim and merge clips and add other high-quality effects.

Download it from Microsoft Store and Mac App Store.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Free with upgraded plans starting at USD 19.99.

2. Freemake Video Converter- Best for High-Grade Video Format Support During Editing/Converting

freemake video converter

The software is both a converter and editor for different types of formatted videos, making it suitable for operating in multiple device types. Take a few steps to convert and edit the files you add, and easily share across social media platforms.

Download it from the Official Website

Rating: 4.4 out of 5

Available for free.

3. VidCutter- Best for Beginners with Timecode-based Video Trimming/Joining

vidcutter

Need a simple open-source tool for straightforward video editing work? VidCutter allows users to trim their video files into multiple shorter sections and clip them sequentially.

Download it from communities like GitHub .

Rating: 2.7 out of 5

Available for free.

Part 2: Ultimate Overview on 12 Best Alternatives to Video Joiner

Yes, the last three options are the top of the line regarding the video cutter for PC. But other options are also available to try out, with specific uses and functions.

Read ahead to know the basics about each that you should consider selecting the right video cutter software for your needs. For a perusal, here’s a comparative table.

OS Compatibility Price Ease of Use Overall Ratings
MKVToolnix Linux, Windows, other Unices Free Medium-Hard 4.7
MP4Tools Windows, Mac Free Medium 3.3
VidCutter Windows, OSX Free Medium-Hard 2.7
Wondershare Filmora Windows, Mac, iPad Annual-$49.99, Perpetual-$79.99 Easy 4.5
Freemake Video Converter Windows Free Easy 4.4
Timbre Android Free with in-app costs starting at USD 0.61 Easy-Medium 3.4
Boilsoft Video Joiner Windows, Mac USD 29.95 Easy-Medium 3.2
Windows MovieMaker Windows Free, Pro- USD 15 Medium-Hard 4
MediaJoin Windows Free Easy 3
Free Video Dub Windows Free Easy-Medium 3.7
FormatFactory Windows Free Medium-Hard 4.5
HandBrake Windows, Mac, Linux Free Easy-Medium 4.7

Part 3: 12 Best Video Joiner Alternatives

Besides the basic details on the 12 different video joiner tools, there are more points about their performance and usage you must consider. Learn about each other more in-depth here.

1. MKVToolnix

Best for Cutting and Merging MKV Files

MKVToolnix includes a wide range of editing tools suitable for MKV file editing and creation on different OS platforms. With this free utility, you will have the option to study the MKV file thoroughly for performance quality and crop out unnecessary parts. Merge the accepted clips without transition errors.

mkvtoolnix interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: Official Website

Key Features:

  • Multi-OS support.
  • Contains a set of editing tools within the platform.
  • Analyze the MKV files thoroughly before editing.
  • Multiple coded versions for different binaries and operating systems.

Pros

  • Possible to append or add files to videos
  • GUI-centric batch muxing is possible
  • Possible to edit the Matroska files

Cons

  • Multiple subtitle formats like SRT file containers are not supported
  • It is not possible to split or append FLAC-formatted audio tracks

Ratings: 4.7 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Users find many users of this tool on different operating systems with a GUI focus. The ability to set preferences INI files and job queue factors within environmental variables makes it suitable for use.

2. MP4Tools

Best for Open-Source Video Splitting/Joining

Users opt for this online video joiner, free with open-source benefits. The software includes different tools in itself for specialized video editing functions, like MP4Splitter, to cut the files into different sections without any quality loss or re-encoding necessary. The same is available for merging files, like with the MP4 Joiner tool.

mp4tools interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: Official Website

Key Features:

  • Multiple languages are supported.
  • Works on different devices with varying operating systems.
  • Avoid reencoding before cutting the MP4 file into multiple clips.
  • No loss in video resolution quality.

Pros

  • GNU-protected open-source software
  • Multiple editing tools are available for quick video cutting and merging work
  • No major or secondary package installation is needed

Cons

  • Limited advanced functions for editing
  • Only allows MP4-based editing work

Ratings: 3.3 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

MP4tools contains different tools that make it simple for users to create and alter MP4 videos for different devices. With this, users find it easier to get fast video processing for hardware types.

3. VidCutter

Best for Beginners with Timecode-based Video Trimming/Joining

VidCutter is another top video joiner alternative to try out for standard-level video editing and trimming. Beginners and professional-level editors alike can try out the features of this tool for full-scale video cutting and merging, finally into one cohesive MP4 file.

vidcutter interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: developer communities like GitHub

Key Features:

  • Change the frame shape.
  • Combine the cut clips into a full video for output.
  • Accessible on any device.
  • Easily rotate video from one style to the other without affecting video quality.

Pros

  • Supports drag-and-drop functionality for playback setup
  • Timecode video playback
  • Cut a video into multiple sections easily

Cons

  • Advanced OS-compatible native software is unavailable
  • Supports videos that are 500 MB in size or lower

Ratings: 2.7 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Reviewers regarding the software mention the fast performance with different video editing work as the best USP of this software. VidCutter is simple to use.

4. Wondershare Filmora

Best for All-Around Video Editing Qualities

The Wondershare Filmora 11 software is a capable video joiner alternative with miscellaneous editing benefits available. You can work with the desktop-based tool to trim sections of the video, crop size, and rearrange the clips as needed for merging. The features are quick to use, and preset templates and effects are available to create seamless transitions.

filmora interface

Cost: Free, Annual- USD 49.99, Perpetual- USD 79.99

How to Download/Get: Official Website , Microsoft Store , Mac App Store

Key Features:

  • FX Plugin support for additional effects like NewBlue FX and Boris FX.
  • Crop, split, merge, and rotate the video clips.
  • Add an audio track or voiceover in the background.
  • AI-powered tools for quick edits like the Instant Mode feature.

Pros

  • Support drag and drop functionality
  • Multiple features that benefit professional editors and new users
  • Advanced editing features like TTS/STT support, denoise, equalizer, and more

Cons

  • Not possible to move editing files from the Instant Mode section to the editor timeline under the free plan
  • Watermarks are available in video for free trial users

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

According to reviews , the simple and user-friendly interface and navigations make Filmora a capable software for video editing. One can use the animation and video templates available and change the background with Chroma key supply, among others.

5. Freemake Video Converter

Best for High-Grade Video Format Support During Editing/Converting

Another top-quality video joiner for PC that you should give a try is the Freemake Video Converter. With this software, you can access media files in multiple formats and even convert them into any format or size for different devices. It supports both common and rare formats, like AVI, MP4, DVD, MP3, 3GP, , MTS, SWF, and more.

freemake video converter interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: Official Website

Key Features:

  • Prepare slideshows with different images and cut clips.
  • Transfer final videos for different gadget types.
  • Acquire and convert videos from other sites like Dailymotion.
  • Trim and convert video files into different formats.

Pros

  • Upload the final file directly to other sites, like YouTube
  • Supports 500+ formats in audio and video files
  • Batch processing is allowed

Cons

  • Cannot use it offline at all
  • Only for Windows users

Ratings: 4.4 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Users with and without much technical knowledge can find it suitable to use this software for video editing purposes, like splitting and merging files. Expert reviewers mention the no ad and pre-set output profile supports as major pros of this software.

6. Timbre

Best for Trimming Video and Audio Files of Different Formats

With the Timbre video editor tool, users can find it simple to cut videos and songs into multiple sections as needed. The software is compatible with different video formats, so it is simple to use this for editing various video file types. Later, merge the clips in the sequence you prefer with seamless transitions. Cut out unnecessary video parts if needed.

timbre app interface

Cost: Free, with in-app paid elements that cost USD 0.61- USD 12.22 per item

How to Download/Get: Google Play Store

Key Features:

  • Use raw mpeg in-built console to fine-tune your editing clip playback.
  • Adjust video and audio speed.
  • Edit out specific parts like the audio from videos.
  • Split the file into two separate clips.

Pros

  • Supports multiple types of audio and video formats for editing
  • Compress files with custom bitrate
  • Convert video to other formats like GIFs

Cons

  • Only for Android users
  • Cannot efficiently maintain or optimize the original quality of the file you are editing

Ratings: 3.4 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

This app is highly useful for quick and efficient video cutting and merging capabilities for Android users. The speed of processing is reasonable as well.

7. Boilsoft Video Joiner

Best for Cutting and Joining Varying Video Formats with No Reencoding

You use the Boilsoft Video Joiner to cut different video files, even if they have different formats. Then, it is simple to use the Direct Stream Clone Mode to join similar ones without necessary encoding and without affecting the quality. The Encode Mode feature here allows users to join video files without different formats as well.

boilsoft video joiner interface

Cost: USD 29.95

How to Download/Get: Official Website

Key Features:

  • Customize video specifications like aspect ratio, bitrate, codec, frame size, etc.
  • Cut and combine unlimited video clips with different formats using Encode mode.
  • Preview the video after making edits.
  • Supports various formats for input and output among audio and video files.

Pros

  • Works as a suitable video cutter on different device types
  • Users can customize their personal adaptive profile for video encoding
  • Drag and drop support

Cons

  • No free version
  • Only supported on some Windows devices

Ratings: 3.2 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Users find it easy to use this software to drag the files into the editor, cut the fines, and adjust specifications.

8. Windows Movie Maker

Best for Multiple Windows-based Video Editing Functions

If you want to create movie-like projects after trimming and merging different sections cohesively, Windows Movie Maker is a capable software choice. After trimming and merging clips, you can add music to the video file to give a suitable background soundtrack. Not to mention, it supports a wide range of video formats.

windows movie maker interface

Cost: Free, Pro- USD 15

How to Download/Get: Microsoft Store

Key Features:

  • Use quick tools for cropping, joining, and splitting video files.
  • Use green screen and video overlaying functions.
  • Rotate, trim, and merge videos in your project.
  • Add a high-quality soundtrack to the video.

Pros

  • Adjust the background sound volume
  • Advanced editing functions are capable like other video editing software
  • Multiple output formats and resolutions are supported

Cons

  • 4K support is not available for free users
  • You must upgrade the software to a paid plan to improve project management features

Ratings: 4 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

As per reviews , Windows Movie Maker has a straightforward UI without any overwhelming features for new users. It is useful for handling various video editing tasks, like animation, music, images, and text addition.

9. MediaJoin

Best for cropping videos and text files

For video cutter free download, MediaJoin is a capable choice for editing experts to try out. One can easily try out the program to cut and combine different audio and video clips into a single project. It supports different formats such as WAV/MP3/MPEG/MPG and even allows users to cut and combine text-based files.

mediajoin interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: third-party site URL

Key Features:

  • Easily combine audio and video clips.
  • Supports different video and audio formats like MP4, MP3, WAV, and MPEG.
  • Compile text files into one cohesive document.
  • Extremely lightweight software.

Pros

  • No complex additional downloads are necessary
  • Users can use this program without any cost
  • Simple usability for beginners

Cons

  • Official link with native app unavailable
  • Best for older Windows versions only

Ratings: 3 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

People who need to handle basic-level video editing work can opt for MediaJoin for quick and simple trimming/joining functions. Beginners find it easier to handle this tool.

10. Free Video Dub

Best for Fine-tuning Videos After Cropping

Free Video Dub is an efficient software that you can use in a portable manner across different devices, especially useful for video editing. Expect a wide range of cutting tools that make it simple to split and shape the clips, rearrange them, add filters, and preview the changes before posting.

free video dub interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: third-party site URL

Key Features:

  • Use markers to remove video fragments.
  • Cut the clips easily and run them on other editing software afterward.
  • Supports different video formats, like MOV, DIVX, MPEG-1/2, MPEG-4, FLV, XVID, and M4V.
  • Control video playback consistently to see the edited file quality.

Pros

  • Easy to proceed frame-by-frame to refine the cropped clips
  • No major software download is necessary
  • Users can get video files with the preserved format and input quality

Cons

  • No native software
  • A limited number of modern functions are available

Ratings: 3.7 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Users of Free Video Club enjoy the beginner-friendly functionality of this tool. It is easy to work with to edit and combine video files in different formats, like MKV, MP4, WMV, and AVI.

11. FormatFactory

Best for clipping video/audio and converter different media file formats

FormatFactory, as a video cutter for PC, offers users multiple functions with joining, cutting, clipping, and cropping video and audio files. With this tool, you can also convert the file into other formats after downloading from online video sources or uploading it from the device storage. As for cropping videos specially, you can rip other devices, like DVDs, and crop the sections from that.

formatfactory interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: Website

Key Features:

  • Split, clip, crop, join, and do other such standard edits with HandBrake.
  • Supports file formats of multimedia files from other devices, like iPods.
  • Easily reduce file size and backup.
  • Video format conversion and cutting functions are available.

Pros

  • Supports multiple languages, and you can add more to the team
  • Allows users to download and upload videos from other websites like YouTube
  • It is possible to DVD rip with this software

Cons

  • Separate versions to download for 32-bit and 64-bit-supported devices
  • Need to rename all file names in English if they contain any special characters

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

According to expert reviews , the file joining and mixing utilities and batching processing functions make Format Factory a suitable choice for many. Plus, one can rip DVDs, CDs, and Blu-rays with this.

12. HandBrake

Best for Encoded Video Editing

Handbrake is one of the most noteworthy and widely likely free video joiner for PC users. The software supports specific video/audio/image codecs, and allows users to cut the file with other specification-based adjustments. Preview the cut part and merge the clips into singular files without quality loss or overwriting.

handbrake interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: Website

Key Features:

  • Add video filters, like denoise, decomb, grayscale, etc.
  • Scale and crop video files with chapter markets.
  • Queue the encoding processes, and expect average and constant quality bitrate video-based encoding.
  • Supports multiple audio and video encoders.

Pros

  • GNU licensed open-source support
  • Select the video section range, chapter, and title
  • Preview the video file and live static

Cons

  • It cannot work with protected video sources
  • Limited file containers are supported, like WEBM, MP4, and MKV

Ratings: 4.7 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Per reviewers , the ability to convert files quickly and other editing tools in HandBrake make it a capable software. It supports several codecs and assures zero quality loss after editing.

Part 4: How to Edit a Video with a Video Joiner Alternative

Yes, all of the software options given are suitable in different manners to editing video files with standard cutting and joining functions. However, for an overall high-quality video editing experience, you can expect a better experience with the advanced editing features of Filmora.

How to use Filmora to Edit Videos?

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step1 Install the Filmora software on your PC and launch it.

Step2 Press New Project > Click here to import media. Add the video you will edit from your device.

Step3 Drag the imported file to the editor timeline.

Step4 Right-click + Ctrl on the video clip and choose functions like scene detection.

choose functions like scene detection

Step5 Choose the clip on the timeline and place the cursor playhead at the exact point where you will split the video.

place the cursor playhead

Step6 Right-click the video clip and choose Split. Alternatively, you can click on the red-colored scissor icon at the playhead to instantly cut the clip.

choose split

Step7 Arrange the clips in a specific sequence on the timeline. Press the Export button >Make setting changes like choosing the save location, and press the Export button.

For a better understanding of the process of editing video files, watch this video to get visual learning:

Hot FAQs on Video Joiner Alternatives

1. Does Video Joiner still keep updating?

Yes, the Video Joiner app is updated in terms of its functions, but other options like Filmora ensure more modern features and consistent version upgrades exist.

2. What Features Should I Look for in a Video Joiner Alternative?

To choose the best video joiner alternative, you should check if it can cut files into multiple sections, processing speed, and simplicity in UI. Also, consider if the software allows batch-processing benefits and multi-format support.

Final Words

Indeed, there are multiple different video joiner app alternatives with strong functionality, support for different devices/OS, and smooth UI. On all fronts, Filmora is a capable choice for users who want advanced feature benefits simultaneously with a simpler learning curve. Try this out, as well as the other options, before settling on one.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

  1. How to use Filmora to Edit Videos?

Part 1: Top 3 Picks for Video Joiner Alternatives

Three notable apps stand out quite well in terms of the best video joiner alternative apps. For a clearer overview, here are some basic details on each.

1. Wondershare Filmora - Best for All-Around Video Editing Qualities

wondershare filmora

Filmora is a better choice for editing experts and beginners for a comprehensive video editing tool. Use this software to trim and merge clips and add other high-quality effects.

Download it from Microsoft Store and Mac App Store.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Free with upgraded plans starting at USD 19.99.

2. Freemake Video Converter- Best for High-Grade Video Format Support During Editing/Converting

freemake video converter

The software is both a converter and editor for different types of formatted videos, making it suitable for operating in multiple device types. Take a few steps to convert and edit the files you add, and easily share across social media platforms.

Download it from the Official Website

Rating: 4.4 out of 5

Available for free.

3. VidCutter- Best for Beginners with Timecode-based Video Trimming/Joining

vidcutter

Need a simple open-source tool for straightforward video editing work? VidCutter allows users to trim their video files into multiple shorter sections and clip them sequentially.

Download it from communities like GitHub .

Rating: 2.7 out of 5

Available for free.

Part 2: Ultimate Overview on 12 Best Alternatives to Video Joiner

Yes, the last three options are the top of the line regarding the video cutter for PC. But other options are also available to try out, with specific uses and functions.

Read ahead to know the basics about each that you should consider selecting the right video cutter software for your needs. For a perusal, here’s a comparative table.

OS Compatibility Price Ease of Use Overall Ratings
MKVToolnix Linux, Windows, other Unices Free Medium-Hard 4.7
MP4Tools Windows, Mac Free Medium 3.3
VidCutter Windows, OSX Free Medium-Hard 2.7
Wondershare Filmora Windows, Mac, iPad Annual-$49.99, Perpetual-$79.99 Easy 4.5
Freemake Video Converter Windows Free Easy 4.4
Timbre Android Free with in-app costs starting at USD 0.61 Easy-Medium 3.4
Boilsoft Video Joiner Windows, Mac USD 29.95 Easy-Medium 3.2
Windows MovieMaker Windows Free, Pro- USD 15 Medium-Hard 4
MediaJoin Windows Free Easy 3
Free Video Dub Windows Free Easy-Medium 3.7
FormatFactory Windows Free Medium-Hard 4.5
HandBrake Windows, Mac, Linux Free Easy-Medium 4.7

Part 3: 12 Best Video Joiner Alternatives

Besides the basic details on the 12 different video joiner tools, there are more points about their performance and usage you must consider. Learn about each other more in-depth here.

1. MKVToolnix

Best for Cutting and Merging MKV Files

MKVToolnix includes a wide range of editing tools suitable for MKV file editing and creation on different OS platforms. With this free utility, you will have the option to study the MKV file thoroughly for performance quality and crop out unnecessary parts. Merge the accepted clips without transition errors.

mkvtoolnix interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: Official Website

Key Features:

  • Multi-OS support.
  • Contains a set of editing tools within the platform.
  • Analyze the MKV files thoroughly before editing.
  • Multiple coded versions for different binaries and operating systems.

Pros

  • Possible to append or add files to videos
  • GUI-centric batch muxing is possible
  • Possible to edit the Matroska files

Cons

  • Multiple subtitle formats like SRT file containers are not supported
  • It is not possible to split or append FLAC-formatted audio tracks

Ratings: 4.7 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Users find many users of this tool on different operating systems with a GUI focus. The ability to set preferences INI files and job queue factors within environmental variables makes it suitable for use.

2. MP4Tools

Best for Open-Source Video Splitting/Joining

Users opt for this online video joiner, free with open-source benefits. The software includes different tools in itself for specialized video editing functions, like MP4Splitter, to cut the files into different sections without any quality loss or re-encoding necessary. The same is available for merging files, like with the MP4 Joiner tool.

mp4tools interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: Official Website

Key Features:

  • Multiple languages are supported.
  • Works on different devices with varying operating systems.
  • Avoid reencoding before cutting the MP4 file into multiple clips.
  • No loss in video resolution quality.

Pros

  • GNU-protected open-source software
  • Multiple editing tools are available for quick video cutting and merging work
  • No major or secondary package installation is needed

Cons

  • Limited advanced functions for editing
  • Only allows MP4-based editing work

Ratings: 3.3 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

MP4tools contains different tools that make it simple for users to create and alter MP4 videos for different devices. With this, users find it easier to get fast video processing for hardware types.

3. VidCutter

Best for Beginners with Timecode-based Video Trimming/Joining

VidCutter is another top video joiner alternative to try out for standard-level video editing and trimming. Beginners and professional-level editors alike can try out the features of this tool for full-scale video cutting and merging, finally into one cohesive MP4 file.

vidcutter interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: developer communities like GitHub

Key Features:

  • Change the frame shape.
  • Combine the cut clips into a full video for output.
  • Accessible on any device.
  • Easily rotate video from one style to the other without affecting video quality.

Pros

  • Supports drag-and-drop functionality for playback setup
  • Timecode video playback
  • Cut a video into multiple sections easily

Cons

  • Advanced OS-compatible native software is unavailable
  • Supports videos that are 500 MB in size or lower

Ratings: 2.7 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Reviewers regarding the software mention the fast performance with different video editing work as the best USP of this software. VidCutter is simple to use.

4. Wondershare Filmora

Best for All-Around Video Editing Qualities

The Wondershare Filmora 11 software is a capable video joiner alternative with miscellaneous editing benefits available. You can work with the desktop-based tool to trim sections of the video, crop size, and rearrange the clips as needed for merging. The features are quick to use, and preset templates and effects are available to create seamless transitions.

filmora interface

Cost: Free, Annual- USD 49.99, Perpetual- USD 79.99

How to Download/Get: Official Website , Microsoft Store , Mac App Store

Key Features:

  • FX Plugin support for additional effects like NewBlue FX and Boris FX.
  • Crop, split, merge, and rotate the video clips.
  • Add an audio track or voiceover in the background.
  • AI-powered tools for quick edits like the Instant Mode feature.

Pros

  • Support drag and drop functionality
  • Multiple features that benefit professional editors and new users
  • Advanced editing features like TTS/STT support, denoise, equalizer, and more

Cons

  • Not possible to move editing files from the Instant Mode section to the editor timeline under the free plan
  • Watermarks are available in video for free trial users

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

According to reviews , the simple and user-friendly interface and navigations make Filmora a capable software for video editing. One can use the animation and video templates available and change the background with Chroma key supply, among others.

5. Freemake Video Converter

Best for High-Grade Video Format Support During Editing/Converting

Another top-quality video joiner for PC that you should give a try is the Freemake Video Converter. With this software, you can access media files in multiple formats and even convert them into any format or size for different devices. It supports both common and rare formats, like AVI, MP4, DVD, MP3, 3GP, , MTS, SWF, and more.

freemake video converter interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: Official Website

Key Features:

  • Prepare slideshows with different images and cut clips.
  • Transfer final videos for different gadget types.
  • Acquire and convert videos from other sites like Dailymotion.
  • Trim and convert video files into different formats.

Pros

  • Upload the final file directly to other sites, like YouTube
  • Supports 500+ formats in audio and video files
  • Batch processing is allowed

Cons

  • Cannot use it offline at all
  • Only for Windows users

Ratings: 4.4 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Users with and without much technical knowledge can find it suitable to use this software for video editing purposes, like splitting and merging files. Expert reviewers mention the no ad and pre-set output profile supports as major pros of this software.

6. Timbre

Best for Trimming Video and Audio Files of Different Formats

With the Timbre video editor tool, users can find it simple to cut videos and songs into multiple sections as needed. The software is compatible with different video formats, so it is simple to use this for editing various video file types. Later, merge the clips in the sequence you prefer with seamless transitions. Cut out unnecessary video parts if needed.

timbre app interface

Cost: Free, with in-app paid elements that cost USD 0.61- USD 12.22 per item

How to Download/Get: Google Play Store

Key Features:

  • Use raw mpeg in-built console to fine-tune your editing clip playback.
  • Adjust video and audio speed.
  • Edit out specific parts like the audio from videos.
  • Split the file into two separate clips.

Pros

  • Supports multiple types of audio and video formats for editing
  • Compress files with custom bitrate
  • Convert video to other formats like GIFs

Cons

  • Only for Android users
  • Cannot efficiently maintain or optimize the original quality of the file you are editing

Ratings: 3.4 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

This app is highly useful for quick and efficient video cutting and merging capabilities for Android users. The speed of processing is reasonable as well.

7. Boilsoft Video Joiner

Best for Cutting and Joining Varying Video Formats with No Reencoding

You use the Boilsoft Video Joiner to cut different video files, even if they have different formats. Then, it is simple to use the Direct Stream Clone Mode to join similar ones without necessary encoding and without affecting the quality. The Encode Mode feature here allows users to join video files without different formats as well.

boilsoft video joiner interface

Cost: USD 29.95

How to Download/Get: Official Website

Key Features:

  • Customize video specifications like aspect ratio, bitrate, codec, frame size, etc.
  • Cut and combine unlimited video clips with different formats using Encode mode.
  • Preview the video after making edits.
  • Supports various formats for input and output among audio and video files.

Pros

  • Works as a suitable video cutter on different device types
  • Users can customize their personal adaptive profile for video encoding
  • Drag and drop support

Cons

  • No free version
  • Only supported on some Windows devices

Ratings: 3.2 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Users find it easy to use this software to drag the files into the editor, cut the fines, and adjust specifications.

8. Windows Movie Maker

Best for Multiple Windows-based Video Editing Functions

If you want to create movie-like projects after trimming and merging different sections cohesively, Windows Movie Maker is a capable software choice. After trimming and merging clips, you can add music to the video file to give a suitable background soundtrack. Not to mention, it supports a wide range of video formats.

windows movie maker interface

Cost: Free, Pro- USD 15

How to Download/Get: Microsoft Store

Key Features:

  • Use quick tools for cropping, joining, and splitting video files.
  • Use green screen and video overlaying functions.
  • Rotate, trim, and merge videos in your project.
  • Add a high-quality soundtrack to the video.

Pros

  • Adjust the background sound volume
  • Advanced editing functions are capable like other video editing software
  • Multiple output formats and resolutions are supported

Cons

  • 4K support is not available for free users
  • You must upgrade the software to a paid plan to improve project management features

Ratings: 4 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

As per reviews , Windows Movie Maker has a straightforward UI without any overwhelming features for new users. It is useful for handling various video editing tasks, like animation, music, images, and text addition.

9. MediaJoin

Best for cropping videos and text files

For video cutter free download, MediaJoin is a capable choice for editing experts to try out. One can easily try out the program to cut and combine different audio and video clips into a single project. It supports different formats such as WAV/MP3/MPEG/MPG and even allows users to cut and combine text-based files.

mediajoin interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: third-party site URL

Key Features:

  • Easily combine audio and video clips.
  • Supports different video and audio formats like MP4, MP3, WAV, and MPEG.
  • Compile text files into one cohesive document.
  • Extremely lightweight software.

Pros

  • No complex additional downloads are necessary
  • Users can use this program without any cost
  • Simple usability for beginners

Cons

  • Official link with native app unavailable
  • Best for older Windows versions only

Ratings: 3 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

People who need to handle basic-level video editing work can opt for MediaJoin for quick and simple trimming/joining functions. Beginners find it easier to handle this tool.

10. Free Video Dub

Best for Fine-tuning Videos After Cropping

Free Video Dub is an efficient software that you can use in a portable manner across different devices, especially useful for video editing. Expect a wide range of cutting tools that make it simple to split and shape the clips, rearrange them, add filters, and preview the changes before posting.

free video dub interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: third-party site URL

Key Features:

  • Use markers to remove video fragments.
  • Cut the clips easily and run them on other editing software afterward.
  • Supports different video formats, like MOV, DIVX, MPEG-1/2, MPEG-4, FLV, XVID, and M4V.
  • Control video playback consistently to see the edited file quality.

Pros

  • Easy to proceed frame-by-frame to refine the cropped clips
  • No major software download is necessary
  • Users can get video files with the preserved format and input quality

Cons

  • No native software
  • A limited number of modern functions are available

Ratings: 3.7 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Users of Free Video Club enjoy the beginner-friendly functionality of this tool. It is easy to work with to edit and combine video files in different formats, like MKV, MP4, WMV, and AVI.

11. FormatFactory

Best for clipping video/audio and converter different media file formats

FormatFactory, as a video cutter for PC, offers users multiple functions with joining, cutting, clipping, and cropping video and audio files. With this tool, you can also convert the file into other formats after downloading from online video sources or uploading it from the device storage. As for cropping videos specially, you can rip other devices, like DVDs, and crop the sections from that.

formatfactory interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: Website

Key Features:

  • Split, clip, crop, join, and do other such standard edits with HandBrake.
  • Supports file formats of multimedia files from other devices, like iPods.
  • Easily reduce file size and backup.
  • Video format conversion and cutting functions are available.

Pros

  • Supports multiple languages, and you can add more to the team
  • Allows users to download and upload videos from other websites like YouTube
  • It is possible to DVD rip with this software

Cons

  • Separate versions to download for 32-bit and 64-bit-supported devices
  • Need to rename all file names in English if they contain any special characters

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

According to expert reviews , the file joining and mixing utilities and batching processing functions make Format Factory a suitable choice for many. Plus, one can rip DVDs, CDs, and Blu-rays with this.

12. HandBrake

Best for Encoded Video Editing

Handbrake is one of the most noteworthy and widely likely free video joiner for PC users. The software supports specific video/audio/image codecs, and allows users to cut the file with other specification-based adjustments. Preview the cut part and merge the clips into singular files without quality loss or overwriting.

handbrake interface

Cost: Free

How to Download/Get: Website

Key Features:

  • Add video filters, like denoise, decomb, grayscale, etc.
  • Scale and crop video files with chapter markets.
  • Queue the encoding processes, and expect average and constant quality bitrate video-based encoding.
  • Supports multiple audio and video encoders.

Pros

  • GNU licensed open-source support
  • Select the video section range, chapter, and title
  • Preview the video file and live static

Cons

  • It cannot work with protected video sources
  • Limited file containers are supported, like WEBM, MP4, and MKV

Ratings: 4.7 out of 5

Summary with User Verdict:

Per reviewers , the ability to convert files quickly and other editing tools in HandBrake make it a capable software. It supports several codecs and assures zero quality loss after editing.

Part 4: How to Edit a Video with a Video Joiner Alternative

Yes, all of the software options given are suitable in different manners to editing video files with standard cutting and joining functions. However, for an overall high-quality video editing experience, you can expect a better experience with the advanced editing features of Filmora.

How to use Filmora to Edit Videos?

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step1 Install the Filmora software on your PC and launch it.

Step2 Press New Project > Click here to import media. Add the video you will edit from your device.

Step3 Drag the imported file to the editor timeline.

Step4 Right-click + Ctrl on the video clip and choose functions like scene detection.

choose functions like scene detection

Step5 Choose the clip on the timeline and place the cursor playhead at the exact point where you will split the video.

place the cursor playhead

Step6 Right-click the video clip and choose Split. Alternatively, you can click on the red-colored scissor icon at the playhead to instantly cut the clip.

choose split

Step7 Arrange the clips in a specific sequence on the timeline. Press the Export button >Make setting changes like choosing the save location, and press the Export button.

For a better understanding of the process of editing video files, watch this video to get visual learning:

Hot FAQs on Video Joiner Alternatives

1. Does Video Joiner still keep updating?

Yes, the Video Joiner app is updated in terms of its functions, but other options like Filmora ensure more modern features and consistent version upgrades exist.

2. What Features Should I Look for in a Video Joiner Alternative?

To choose the best video joiner alternative, you should check if it can cut files into multiple sections, processing speed, and simplicity in UI. Also, consider if the software allows batch-processing benefits and multi-format support.

Final Words

Indeed, there are multiple different video joiner app alternatives with strong functionality, support for different devices/OS, and smooth UI. On all fronts, Filmora is a capable choice for users who want advanced feature benefits simultaneously with a simpler learning curve. Try this out, as well as the other options, before settling on one.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Best Video Editors for Windows/Mac/iOS/Android/Linux [All in One]

Best Video Editors for Windows/Mac/iOS/Android/Linux [All in One]

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Now, videos are getting increasingly important for you to present your thoughts and feeling on Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook.

But how to make your video looks professional, creative, stunning and deserved to share? A free video editing software can do you a favor.

So, Which is the best video editor available in the market?

If you are not quite certain about the video editing software you should use to edit your videos, you’ve come to the right place. Because we are going to take you through the best video editors including free versions.

Newcomers to the world of the video editing as well as seasoned professionals can use this guide to find the video editing software that will help them produce better visual content.

Let’s dive in and explore all aspects worth considering before you decide which software is best for you. And you can click the Filter button at the left side in this article to find the best video editing software for you.

We spent about a month for researching and testing all popular video making software in the market and now collect 35 best video editors for you. This list of film makers can be used on Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Android, and Linux. Besides, some of them are online video editors you can use directly.

Now, let’s filter through the list to find the best video editor for you. Check it out :

No. Product Name Supported OS Price Best for Overview Download Link
1 Wondershare Filmora Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Android, iOS Free trial; $79.99 perpetual, $49.99/year Beginners, Semi-Pros 4.9 Download
2 Windows Movie Maker Windows7/8/10 Free Beginners 4.1 Download
3 iMovie Mac OS, iOS Free Beginners 4.3 Download
4 Final Cut Pro Mac OS 30 days free trial; $299.99 Professionals 4.4 Download
5 Wondershare Filmii Windows 7/8/10 Free trial; $9.99 Beginners 4.3 Download
6 Lightworks Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free trial; $437.99 Professionals 4.2 Download
7 ShotCut Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Open Source Video Editor Semi-Pros 3.9 Download
8 HitFilm Express Windows, Mac OS Free Semi-Pros 4.1 Download
9 Blender Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free; Fund $6/mo for support Professionals 3.8 Download
10 Avidemux Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Beginners 3.5 Download
11 VideoPad Video Editor Windows, Mac OSX, iOS, Kindle Free Beginners 3.9 Download
12 OpenShot Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Open Source Video Editor Beginners 3.8 Download
13 Kdenlive Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Semi-pros 4.1 Download
14 Adobe Premiere Pro Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS 7 days free trial; $20.99/mo; $33.99 /mo Professionals 4.5 Download
15 Magix Vegas Pro Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $399-$799 Professionals 4.2 Download
16 Adobe Premiere Elements Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $99.99 Semi-pros 4.7 Download
17 CyberLink PowerDirector Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $69,99 - $129,99 Semi-pros 4.5 Download
18 Magix Movie Video Easy Windows only Free trial; $49,99 Semi-pros 3.6 Download
19 Magix Video Pro Windows 10 Free trial; $79.99 Beginners 4.1 Download
20 Media Online Free Beginners 4.75 Check
21 YouTube Online Free Beginners 4.8 Check
22 Online Video Cutter Online Free Beginners 3.6 Check
23 Movie Maker Online Online Free Beginners 3.7 Check
24 ClipChamp Online 14 day free trial; $7/mo Beginners 4.1 Check
25 WeVideo Online Free trial; $11.99-$79.99 Beginners 4.4 Check
26 Kizoa Online Freemium Beginners 3.8 Check
27 Wideo Online Freemium Beginners 4.3 Check
28 Filmora iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.1 Download
29 Vlogit iOS, Android Free Beginners 3.6 Download
30 VideoShop iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.8 Download
31 Filmmaker Pro iOS Freemium; $5.99/mo Semi-pros 4.6 Download
32 KineMaster iOS, Android Freemium Semi-pros 4.4 Download
33 LumaFusion iOS $29.99 Semi-pros 4.8 Download
34 Vizzywig 2019 iOS $79.99 Semi-pros 4.1 Download
35 PowerDirector iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.5 Download

Part I: Best Video Editing Software for Windows/Mac/Linux


1. Wondershare Filmora

Platform: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Price: Free trial; $79.99 perpetual, $49.99/year

Level: Beginners

Free Download

Free Download

Even though it is widely considered as one of the premium entry-level video editing software options, Wondershare Filmora also offers advanced editing tools. The software product comes with detailed learning resources and provides support to its users who have little editing experience. The wide range of file formats and remarkably diverse Export options make Filmora an interesting choice for those who are just entering the world of video editing, but also for more experienced editors.

Features: Filmora’s rich effect library contains over a thousand modern special effects from niches such as gaming, blockbuster or tutorial, and new effects are added every month. The Action Cam tool is designed to make merging footage shot on action cameras easy and quick. Filmora supports a wide range of file formats including AVI, MP4 or MKV, so you don’t have to worry if your footage was shot in 4K or HD because you can easily edit it with this software.

Advantages:

A large number of professional video editing features Filmora offers as well as its modernly designed interface makes it one of the best options for amateur video creators.

Limitations:

You can use all the features in the free trial version, but have to pay to remove the watermark.

Lear more about Wondershare Filmora here: Filmora Official YouTube Channel


2. Windows Movie Maker

Platform: Windows

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

This is probably one of the oldest if not the oldest video editing software for PCs. Microsoft has announced that Windows Movie Maker will no longer be available for download. This software can still be found online, although not on Microsoft’s website, and currently, there are two different versions of Windows Movie Maker available. Even the least experienced video editors can master each of the Movie Maker versions easily.

Features: The classic video editing software is equipped with all the tools you’ll need for basic editing tasks like trimming, changing the video playback speed or rotating videos. It even features a Video Stabilization option that can be useful if you’d like to stabilize a video and remove the distracting camera shakes. Windows Movie Maker lets you add text effects to your video, insert Transitions between two takes, perform basic audio editing or record a screen.

Advantages:

Free, meets your basic editing demands

Limitations:

Service discontinued

No support for modern file formats

Lacks color correction tools, visual effects or any other advanced video editing options.

Check how to use Windows Movie Maker here: Windows Movie Maker User Guide


3. iMovie

Platform: Mac OS, iOS

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

imovie video editor

As the Apple’s version of the Windows Movie Maker, iMovie has a similar status of a classic video editor that is at its best when used for simple video editing tasks. The video editor can also be used on an iPhone or an iPad if you want to edit your videos on the go. Learning your way around iMovie won’t take much of your time since all of its features are easy to use.

Features: Editing 4K videos or making credits or titles are just a few among many options provided by iMovie. Adding transitions, applying split-screen effects or creating PIP videos doesn’t require you to be a skilled video editor, because all of these options are easily accessible and they can be used in any project you are working on.

The iMovie’s audio editing options are equally impressive since the software enables you to add music, use built-in sound effects and record voiceovers. The video editor supports most of the popular file formats.

Advantages:

Free, and comes bundled with your Mac

Intuitive interface

Limitations:

This classic video editor for Apple’s devices doesn’t offer advanced video editing options such as motion tracking or keyframe marking.

Check how to use Windows Movie Maker here: iMovie User Guide


4. Final Cut Pro

Platform: macOS

Price: Paid, $299

Level: Professionals

final cut pro

Final Cut Pro is probably one of the highest praised video editing software ever created. It has been used to edit cinematic masterpieces such as ‘What happened Miss Simone’ or ‘The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo’, which speaks volumes about the software’s capability. Final Cut Pro’s Magnetic Timeline 2 is one of the kind, and it makes organizing large amounts of video and audio files look easy. Although the software’s price may seem discouraging, those who invested in it never had to use another video editor.

Features: A brief look at the list of Final Cut Pro’s video editing tools will leave you wondering if there is anything this software can’t do. Besides basic video editing features, the video editor is also equipped with 360 degrees VR video editing option, Multicam editing, and advanced color grading tools. Final Cut Pro allows its users to add as many audio tracks to the timeline as they want, thus enabling them to create impeccable soundtracks for their videos.

Advantages: Working with large numbers of video files is simplified by the software’s timeline, while options such as 3D titles or VR contribute to the strong impression this editor leaves on all of its users.

Limitations: Final Cut Pro has some lingering glitches that still haven’t been fixed, and its audio editing tool set lacks some important pieces.

If you are new to video editing and you will need a video maker that is tailored for beginners. In such case, you can read this article to get: Best Free Video Editing Software for Beginners >> They are really very easy to use. You can make a stunning video less than an hour.


5. Wondershare Filmii

Platform: Windows

Price: Free, Paid versions

Level: Beginners

filmii

This delicate video editing software is one of the best video editors for newbies. The free version of the software offers a lot of powerful video editing tools, but in order to get rid of the watermnark, you have to pay 9.99$ for its monthly plan. One of the advantages of Filmii is that it has a variety of video templates that can help beginners edit amazing videos with ease due to its auto-create functionality. Besides, its audio editing or creative tools are equally impressive.


6. Lightworks

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free, Paid versions: $437.99

Level: Professionals

lightworks

Lightworks is one of the best video editing software on this list with a long history in the movie-making business. The free version of the software is available, but it has limited export options. A $25 monthly subscription is required in order to gain access to all of the software’s features. Although it may be a somewhat pricey option, purchasing Lightworks is a profitable investment that may help you improve the quality of your videos.

Features: Both free and paid versions of this video editing suite offer support for wide range of video file formats. This can be very useful for video editors who often work on projects shot on different cameras. Multi-cam editing feature enables the software’s users to work with footage shot from separate angles, using more than just one camera. The videos edited with the free version of the software can only be exported to an MPEG4 file format with the maximum size of 1280X 790 pixels, and they must be uploaded to YouTube directly from the editor.

Advantages: Royalty-free media and a remarkable VFX panel make Lightworks a tempting option for professional and amateur video editors alike.

Limitations: The export options on the free version of the software are extremely limited and the software doesn’t provide much support for inexperienced users.


7. ShotCut

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Semi-Pros

shotcut

If you need a video editing software just to piece together a few clips you recorded on the family vacation, then ShotCut may be a bit overwhelming choice for such a task. This open-source software is equipped with a rich collection of audio and video editing features, while it also offers support for nearly all video file formats. It is best suited for users in need of powerful video editing software who don’t want to spend a fortune on purchasing a professional editing suite.

Features: Screen capturing, webcam video recording or audio capturing options are all made available by ShotCut. The software’s video and audio editing features surpass all expectations and allow the software’s users to have complete creative control over their projects. Features such as Chroma Key, Crop or Blur are accompanied by a number of amazing video effects that can be used to enhance the colors in a video. Using ShotCut requires you to just download the software and run its executable file, which means that you don’t have to go through the installation process in order to start editing with this software.

Advantages: 4K videos, as well as numerous other video and audio file formats, are supported by this open-source video editing software. To make things even better ShotCut grants you access to fully customizable filters.

Limitations: The software doesn’t feature preset export profiles, and the transitions it offers are a bit scarce.


8. HitFilm Express

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free

Level: Semi-Pros

hitfilm express

This cross-platform video editor ranks among best video editing software products currently available on the market. Its secret lies in uniting visual effect compositing and video editing options under the same roof. HitFilm Express is aimed at users with an enviable amount of video editing experience, since inexperienced video editors may find the software’s interface difficult to navigate. This video editing suite offers a lot of video editing tools as well as visual and audio effect, that can be easily used to improve the quality of your videos.

Features: The rare combination of VFX compositing and video editing makes HitFilm Express unique, while its motion design and tracking options offer support for more complex video editing actions. The software supports 2D and 3D effects compositing, as well as 4K and 360-degree videos.

HitFilm Express’ titling options are at the basic level, while its Export options are alarmingly narrow. This free editing software doesn’t provide too many options for color adjustments, but its audio editing features can be used to create a video with a superior soundtrack.

Advantages: The software offers a wide spectrum of transitions and video effects and it supports most popular video file formats. HitFilm Express lets you use semi-professional video editing tools for free.

Limitations: In order to export a video from the software you must share a link on a social media platform and then download the file. People who are not familiar with the video editing process may find using HitFilm Express difficult.


9. Blender

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Professionals

blender

Blender started out as an open-source project and over the years animators, scientists, VFX artists and numerous other people have participated in developing this 3D creation suite. The software can be used for modeling, animation, video editing or compositing, to mention only a few of its many purposes. Editing video footage isn’t Blender’s strong suit, but its video editing features are powerful enough to enable you to perform basic editing tasks. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t use this software to create videos that grab the viewer’s attention.

Features: Cutting or trimming videos, adjusting the video’s playback speed or adding keyframes to a video clip is an easy process in Blender. The software’s true strength lies in its animation, 3D modeling or motion tracking features. The latest version of Blender is equipped with a motion tracking option that allows you to import the footage into the software directly from a camera. You can utilize this feature to mask areas of the shot and see the movement on camera in a 3D environment.

Advantages: Blender’s price and its powerful features make it an interesting choice as your primary video editing software.

Limitations: You must have in-depth knowledge of animation, compositing, and 3D techniques in order to be able to use Blender.


10. Avidemux

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

avidemux

This simple video editing software has all the tools you’ll ever need to quickly polish your videos. Its audio and video effects can be utilized to make your videos look and sound professionally, but Avidemux doesn’t offer much more than these basic video editing options.

The software provides support for most of popular video file formats, but its export options are far from perfect. Avidemux doesn’t feature visual effects or transitions, which significantly limits its video editing capabilities.

Features: Newcomers to the video editing world will love the software’s interface, because of its simplicity. The Transform feature allows you to fade in and fade out shots, crop or rotate video clips and even add logos to your videos. Blur or Sharpen effects enable users to enhance their videos, while contrast, brightness, saturation or hue values can be adjusted to make the colors in the video look more vivid. Avidemux also features the Subtitle option, but the software can only add hardcoded subtitles to videos.

Advantages: Solves all your basic video editing problems, and lets you have fun while editing videos. Avidemux also has solid encoding options and its interface is user-friendly.

Limitations: There are no video effects or transitions, which narrows down the software’s video editing options.


11. VideoPad Video Editor

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

videopad

VideoPad is one of the best entry-level cross-platform software products you can use for easy video editing tasks. The free version of the software is available to both Mac and PC users, although the Windows version limits the video exporting options to just two file formats. The VideoPad’s interface doesn’t take much time to get used to, and it perfectly adjusted to the needs of inexperienced video editors. Paid versions of the software are available to advanced editors who want to use VideoPad for more than just basic video editing.

Features: The list of video editing features VideoPad provides includes several pleasant surprises. The 4K video support, as well as 360-video editing features, are aimed at GoPro owners who want a quick and easy way to process their footage. The visual effects this free video editing software provides are impressive, while the Chroma Key option enables its users to create green screen videos. Even though VideoPad allows its users to edit audio files, its audio editing features are fairly modest.

Advantages: Learning how to use VideoPad is simplified by its intuitively designed interface.

Limitations: There are no advanced video editing options like multi-cam editing and motion tracking and certain features become unavailable when using the free version of the software over a longer period of time.

Download link: If you download the trial version instead of the free non-commercial home edition, or do not find a specific link to it on the website, you can trydownloading it from this link , or contact tech support , and they will send you a direct link.


12. OpenShot

Platform: Window, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

openshot best video editor

This award-winning open-source video editor offers a wide range of video editing tools that span from trimming and slicing to Slow Motion and Time effects. OpenShot is an excellent software for training and learning new video editing tricks, but it is best avoided if you are working on a large project. The software’s basic video editing features make it an excellent choice for users who only want to perform simple edits without having to waste too much time.

Features: OpenShot lets you add unlimited video and audio tracks to your projects, but its file management capabilities are far from impressive. The software allows you to trim or arrange the video files in any way you want, and it also provides a lot of different Transitions that can be used to make the videos look smoother. The collection of video and audio effects allows users to try out different solutions for the scenes in their video clips. OpenShot features a Vector Title Editor that can assist you in creating perfect opening titles or end credits.

Advantages: The interface of this open-source video editing software is designed to assist its users through every step of the video editing process. OpenShot is a great choice for all video editors who want to save money and use a powerful video editing software at the same time.

Limitations: More complex video editing options such as Rotoscoping, are not available. You may have to install add-ons if the OS you are using doesn’t meet the software’s system requirements.


13. Kdenlive

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Semi-pros

Almost two decades ago, this open-source project was started by Jason Wood in order to develop a video editing software for Linux OS. Over the years, a small team of developers has created Windows and MacOS versions of the editor that now have a loyal fan base. Even though the software’s features make it a reliable choice for more complex projects, Kdnelive can also be used to perform simple edits. This video editing software combines the simplicity of entry-level video editors with advanced video editing tools frequently used by experienced professionals.

Features: The functionality of this video editor will surprise even the greatest of skeptics. The software’s timeline lets you to add as many videos and audio files to your project as you want, making it a perfect tool for large-scale projects. The visual effects and transitions enable users to manipulate the footage in any way they see fit, while the extremely powerful analysis tools such as histograms, waveforms or vectorscopes enable them to monitor all the adjustments they make on their footage.

Advantages: Kdnlive provides support for nearly all input file formats that can be added easily to the software’s multitrack timeline. The free open-source add-ons can extend the video editor’s capability and thus enable you to perform a wider range of video editing actions.

Limitations: Even though the software provides the screencast recording option, it doesn’t feature the PIP effect. Multi frame-rate editing isn’t possible and software’s updates can last for hours.


14. Adobe Premiere Pro

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Paid, $19.99 per month

Level: Professionals

adobe premiere pro

There are very few video editing suites that can offer as much to its users as Adobe Premiere Pro can. It is probably one of the best video editors ever created, as it has been setting the industry standards for a long time. High-end professionals frequently use Adobe Premiere Pro on their projects, while aspiring filmmakers strive to learn every option this unique video editor has to offer. The much-famed software isn’t the best choice for video editors who are just learning the basics of the trade, although it supplies a staggering amount of tutorials and learning materials.

Features: With each new version of Adobe Premiere Pro the list of the software’s features becomes longer. Its timeline is famous for its ease of use because it enables you to add as much new audio or video tracks as your project requires. This is arguably one of the best color correction software packages on the market, while its color grading features are no less impressive. Adobe Premiere Pro provides support for a wide range of video file formats including 4K, HDR, and 360 VR videos.

Advantages: Perfect for collaborative projects that involve large teams of experienced professionals. The software is at its best when used with other Adobe’s products that enable you to develop projects beyond the boundaries set by the Adobe Premiere Pro’s limitations.

Limitations: You cannot purchase the lifetime license to use this video editing software, and paying monthly subscriptions may be hard on the budget of some of its potential users.


15. Magix Vegas Pro

Platform: Windows

**Price:**Paid: $399

Level: Professionals

vegas pro

Successful independent artists, film producers, and all other film and video enthusiasts can only benefit from purchasing this video editing suite. The software belonged to Sony Creative Software for much of its history, but on May 20. 2016 the company sold it to Magix. Previously known as Vegas Pro or just Vegas, this video editing software is widely accepted as one of the best professional video editing tools ever created. There is virtually no video editing task that cannot be completed in Magix Vegas Pro video editing software.

Features: This video editor is designed to provide support to its users from the beginning until the very end of the video editing process. Magix Vegas Pro recognizes almost all video file formats, even those captured with professional RED or ARRI Alexa cameras. You can use this software to edit 3D or 4K videos, while the Multicamera-Editing feature lets you switch between any number of video sources with a single mouse click. Effects such as Automatic Crossfades allow you to create transitions between shots effortlessly.

Advantages: The seemingly unlimited amount of learning resources makes editing with Magix Vegas Pro a lot easier and it enables less experienced video editors to learn new tricks.

Limitations: There aren’t as many visual effects as you would hope for and the software’s interface isn’t aesthetically pleasing, but it is very functional.


16. Adobe Premiere Elements

Platform: Windows, macOS

**Price:**Paid: $99.99

Level: Semi-pros

Although it is often regarded as a simplified version of Premiere Pro, this video editing suite offers enough video editing tools to edit videos at the semi-professional level. Adobe Premiere Elements contains automated versions of Premiere Pro’s features and in this manner it enables its users to utilize professional video editing tools on their prosumer level projects. Even though this Adobe’s software product lacks the power of professional video editing software packages, it still offers enough video editing tools for the production of nicely polished and well-rounded videos.

Features: Adobe Premiere Elements recognizes all popular video file formats, and it offers support for 4K content. In addition to its remarkable file format compatibility, the video editor also features 3D editing and face detection options that can be very useful when working on more complex video projects. The haze-removal effect is extremely efficient at reducing the fog or cigarette smoke in a shot, while the motion titles let you create visually impressive opening titles or end credits. The Adobe Premiere Elements has performed exceptionally well when rendering large video files.

Advantages: The software’s Guided mode provides support to its users and helps them learn how to perform all video editing actions. The asset management tool offers assistance with the organization of large amounts of video and audio files.

Limitations: When compared to other video editors in this guide Adobe Premiere Elements’ device and social media optimization features seem to be in short supply.


Platform: Windows, macOS

**Price:**Free trial, Paid version: $69,99 - $129,99

Level: Semi-pros

cyberlink powerdirector

This is probably one of the best and most popular video editing software packages aimed at amateur and semi-professional users. There are several versions of the software available, and each of them contains a different amount of options and video editing tools. Even with somewhat reduced capability, the least expensive version of the editor supports 360-degree as well as VR options for posting on social media such as Vimeo, Facebook or YouTube. CyberLink PowerDirector isn’t a professional video editing software, but it still offers a lot of extraordinary options that can take you a step closer to producing a professional video.

Features: The 360-degree video editing options are probably the first thing that catches the eye when you look at the list of features the software provides, but its true power lies in its color tools. LUTs, HDR effects or Split Toning options are just the tip of the iceberg since PowerDirector offers countless tools for fine-tuning of the colors in your videos. Animated PIP effects and video collages make this video editing software a perfect choice for the production of tutorials and all other types of online videos.

Advantages: The audio editing options provided by CyberLink PowerDirector are nothing short of amazing since they enable the software’s users to manipulate the audio files in any way they see fit.

Limitations: Motion tracking and color lookup features are not always reliable. The software is a bit overpriced when compared with similar video editing suits.


18. Magix Movie Video Easy

Platform: Windows

Price: Free trial, Paid version: $49,99

Level: Semi-pros

This video editor is a great choice for people who have never edited a video before and who want to learn how to perform basic video editing tasks. Video Easy’s intuitive user interface can be mastered by anyone with enough determination to edit videos with this software on a constant basis. Features this editor offers may not be as impressive as to ones provided by professional video editing suites, but they are powerful enough to produce clean edits that give your videos a professional look.

Features: If you choose to make Magix Movie Video Easy your primary video editing software, you will never have to worry about what type of camera you used to record your videos since the software is compatible with all standard camcorders, digital cameras, and Smartphones. The rich collection of transitions and effects, as well as the intro and outro animations, can all be used to create amazing videos. You can export videos to DVDs, Blu-Ray discs or YouTube directly from the software.

Advantages: If you are looking for a video editor that will enable you to add music to your videos, trim or cut videos quickly and choose from hundreds of effects, then you should look no further because Magix Movie Video Easy provides all of these options, and much more.

Limitations: Doesn’t perform well when used for demanding video editing tasks.


19. Magix Video Pro

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free trial, Paid version: $62,99

Level: Beginners

Magix has been the largest European video editing software manufacturer for more than two decades. Its software products may not enjoy the fame of Adobe’s video editing software packages, but this doesn’t mean that a video editor such as Magix Video Pro cannot be used for the production of professional-looking videos. Besides offering basic video editing tools this video editor also features advanced video editing options such as Stop Motion animation or 360-degree video editing. Magix Video Pro is often labeled as ‘one of the best video editing programs out there’.

Features: Audio editing features that come with this video editor include an audio mixer that enables you to reduce noise levels, control the low, mid and high sounds or simply equalize the sound volume across the entire project. The video editing tools supplied by the Magix Video Pro are as impressive as its audio editing options. Lens correction features, Split screen videos or 360-degree video editing options reveal only a fraction of the software’s capabilities. Magix Video Pro delivers professional video editing features to consumer-level users.

Advantages: The software allows you to place any type of media file on its timeline and use it in your project.

Limitations: The effects library installation process can be time-consuming, although it is well worth the wait.


Part II: Best Video Making Editors Online

20. YouTube

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

The world’s largest video sharing platform also offers basic video editing services. Although Google has discontinued its built-in video editor, it still allows tts users to trim or rotate videos, apply filters or even create time-lapse and slow-motion videos on line. Brightness, contrast or saturation levels can be altered if you want to enhance the colors in your videos. Audio editing features are limited because the platform only allows you to add a single audio file to a project you’re working on. However, some of the most important video editing features like adding the text or creating titles are not available.

Advantages: Allows you to polish your videos before posting them on YouTube for free.

Cons: This online video editor lacks some basic video editing tools such as transitions or audio controls.


21. Online Video Cutter

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

If you were looking for a web app that contains all the tools required to cut a small video file, then Online Video Cutter is one of your best options. You won’t even have to create an account before you start the video editing process. The videos you upload to this online editor can’t exceed the 500 MB size limit. Besides cutting their videos, users of this editor can also rotate or trim their footage for free. Online Video Cutter provides support for nearly all video file formats, so you don’t have to worry about the file format in which your video was captured.

Advantages: Offers a quick way to trim videos online and it is exceptionally easy to use.

Limitations: Lacks even the most basic video editing features other than cutting, trimming and rotating videos.


22. Movie Maker Online

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

This free online editing tool lets you process videos without even registering or creating an account. You can add videos, photos, text, and music into a single project and mix them together into an awesome video. The platform grants you access to its rich filter library, and it also allows you to add text overlays, fade audio and video files or create smooth transitions between shots. Movie Maker Online features its own collection of royalty free music and photos you can use to make your videos look and sound better. The webpage’s design is a little odd, and it may take some time to get used to it.

Advantages: The app offers a lot of different video editing tools and it allows you to perform all basic video editing actions online.

Limitations: Movie Maker Online is funded by ads, and requires you to disable your AdBlock app before you can start editing a video.


23. ClipChamp

Platform: Online

Price: Free trial, Paid: $7 per month

Level: Beginners

clipchamp

ClipChamp lets you upload videos you already recorded or capture new footage using your computer’s webcam. The free version of this web app allows you to export in 1080p video files, but you can’t produce more than five videos in a single month. Both versions of the online video editor require you to create an account, and the videos exported from the free version of the app don’t have a watermark. ClipChamp provides numerous video editing tools, including transition, color adjustments or cropping. The exporting process doesn’t last too long and you can choose whether you want to share the video on social media or download it to your computer.

Advantages: Makes creating webcam videos as well as editing preexisting footage look easy while providing excellent export options.

Limitations: The free version of ClipChamp allows you export only five videos in a month.


24. WeVideo

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

wevideo

The capabilities of WeVideo online video editor surpass the basic level of video editing. The platform offers support for iOS and Android devices as well as desktop computers. Producing square or horizontal videos, creating motion titles or publishing videos in 720p HD resolution are just a few amazing options this online video editor provides. The paid versions of the web app are best suited for skilled video editing professionals or large teams that are working on demanding projects. WeVideo’s free version doesn’t allow its users to publish more than 30 minutes of video content each month and each exported video contains a watermark.

Advantages: Produces videos with great picture quality and offers tons of advanced video editing options.

Limitations: Creating an account is mandatory even for video editors who want to use the free version of WeVideo.


25. Kizoa

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

Kizoa offers a broad spectrum of transitions, visual effects, animation and text effects to its users for free. The video editing platform is frequently used to create goofy short videos that can be easily shared on Facebook or Twitter. The app allows you to add photos to your video projects and it grants you access to an incredibly rich royalty free music collection. However, you will have to create an account on Kizoa in order to be able to export the videos you created. The editor’s timeline is rudimentary, but still functional enough to enable users to combine audio, video, and photo files.

Advantages: Kizoa is a powerful tool for the creation of entertaining social media videos.

Limitations: You must create an account in order to be able to export your projects, and the online video editor doesn’t feature any advanced video editing options.


26. Wideo

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

All video enthusiasts can use Wideo platform to edit their videos, regardless of their skill level. In addition to amazing video editing options, this online video editor also features animations that can be used to create professional presentations. All video content uploaded to Wideo is stored on the cloud, and pricing plans for professionals include unlimited storage space. The Basic version of the editor allows for just ten downloads in a month and it doesn’t let its users upload videos to YouTube. Even though this video editor is easy to use, it is better suited for skilled professionals than it is for inexperienced video editors.

Advantages: Even the Basic pricing plan enables users to export HD videos, while Professional and Enterprise pricing plans include the Full HD export option.

Limitations: Limited audio editing options significantly reduce the capabilities of this online video editing platform.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Free Online Video Editors With No Watermark >>


Part III: Best Video APP for iOS/Android

27. Filmora

Platform: iOS, Andoird

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

You can edit your videos with Filmora in just three simple steps. All you have to do is choose the videos and photos from your phone’s gallery, Instagram or Facebook account, select a theme, insert transitions or add a song and share the video directly from the app on social media or to your email address. Besides the powerful video editing features, this app for iOS and Android devices also allows you to set your video’s aspect ratio to Square 1:1 if you would like to share the clip on Instagram or Cinema 16:9 if the video is shared to YouTube.

Advantages: Supports HD export options and provides a diverse set of video editing options.

Limitations: The app can’t perform advanced video editing tasks.


28. Vlogit

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

The Wondershare’s video editing app for Android and iOS devices is designed to offer assistance to YouTubers and Vloggers who want to edit their videos directly from their Smartphones. Vlogit is equipped with video editing tools that enable you to cut, trim or rotate videos, while its sound editing features include recording voiceovers, adding sound effects or choosing the music you want to use as a soundtrack to your video. The app lets you combine photos and videos within the same project, and it also enables you to create customized openers from animated templates. The videos created and exported with the Vlogit app don’t contain watermarks.

Advantages: Offers powerful video editing features to YouTubers and Vloggers who want to edit their videos from their Smartphones for free.

Limitations: The list of visual effects the app provides could be longer.


29. VideoShop

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

The extensive list of features VideoShop app offers makes it one of the best options for novice video editors who want to quickly create visually impressive videos. This video editing app allows you to work with multiple video files or merge them into a single video. The animated titles enable users of the VideoShop app to create professional-looking intros for their videos, while the transitions feature allows them to seamlessly piece together all shots featured in a project. Tilt-Shift and Stop Motion options are also available to video editors who want to make their videos look more professional.

Advantages: Fun and easy to use video editing app that lets you manipulate footage in any way you want.

Limitations: VideoShop contains ads, and the app’s version for iOS devices only supports videos recorded with iPhones and iPads.


30. Filmmaker Pro

Platform: iOS

Price: Freemium, $5,99 monthly subscription

Level: Semi-pros

iPhone videographers who need access to semi-professional video editing tools will certainly enjoy using this app. Filmmaker Pro offers support for 4K footage filmed on the latest models of iPhone and it enables its users to add an unlimited number of text overlays, video clips, voiceovers or audio tracks to the app’s timeline. The video editor grants you access to over 30 filters, video grading features, as well as Chroma Key and Ken Burns effects. In addition to impressive video and audio editing features, Filmmaker Pro’s users can also record videos with a camera that lets them adjust settings manually directly from the app, although this option must be paid for.

Advantages: Text overlays, audio editing features and the ability to select the aspect ratio for each video you edit with this app, make it one of the best video editing options for iOS devices.

Limitations: Nearly all of the app’s best features must be purchased.


31. KineMaster

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Freemium, contains adds

Level: Semi-pros

This cross-platform video editor is one of the premier options for mobile video editing on both iOS and Android devices. KineMaster is currently the only app that enables Android Smartphone owners to add as many layers of videos, photos, and text to their projects as they want. However, it only supports a limited number of video file formats, which means that the app shouldn’t be used to edit videos that weren’t recorded on an iPhone or Android phone. KineMaster provides a wide range of video exporting options and allows you to share videos on popular social media networks.

Pros: Above average video and audio editing features.

Limitations: Offers a lot of options mobile video editors seldom use.


32. LumaFusion

Platform: iOS

Price: Paid, $29.99

Level: Semi-pros

Creating neatly organized projects with LumaFusion is a simple task because the app features a powerful Project Manager that lets you sort files or select aspect ratios for your videos. In addition, the Media Library lets you import all types of files from a cloud storage or drag and drop media from other apps. Producing slow-motion videos that have 120 or 240fps or creating green screen videos using the Chroma Key effect is easy with LumaFusion. The app’s audio editing features are as impressive as its video editing tools since they provide the complete control over the audio files to the video editor’s users.

Advantages: Color correction options, LUTs or numerous visual effects are all part of the reason why LumaFusion is one of the best apps for mobile video editing.

Limitations: Only available for iOS devices.


33. Vizzywig 2019 4K Video Editor

Platform: iOS

Price: Paid, $79.99

Level: Semi-pros

This award-winning app for iOS devices provides all the tools a skilled video editor could desire. Its features include support for 4K videos, wide selection of aspect ratios as well as stylish intros, end credits, and titles. Besides offering professional video editing tools, Vizzywig also features Multi-Camera recording options that can capture videos in 8K resolution. In addition, the app is capable of producing videos that have eight times more pixels than the Apple’s Facetime HD Camera. The non-linear timeline lets you arrange video clips in any way you see fit, and allows you to add multiple media files to each project you are working on.

Advantages: Lets you control the focus and exposure manually and produce videos with stunning picture quality.

Limitations: Single platform compatibility and a high price narrow down the number of the app’s potential users.


34. PowerDirector

Platform: Android

Price: Freemium, contains ads and in-app purchases

Level: Beginners

Unlike the Adobe’s app for mobile video editing, PowerDirector lives up to all expectations. This user-friendly app lets you create reverse, 4K, or green screen videos. To make things even better, you can easily apply visual and audio effects or add voiceovers to your projects. In addition to the video editor, the PowerDirector app is also equipped with a powerful photo editor that lets you manipulate images in a professional manner. You can use almost any type of video or audio file in this app because it provides support for all commonly used file formats.

Advantages: PowerDirector is designed to help its users polish their video quickly and effortlessly.

Limitations: Videos in 1080p and 4K resolutions can only be exported after you’ve made an in-app purchase.

Ooops…It looks like there isn’t any tool that matches your demand. Please give it another try.

Which Video Editor Do You Think Is Best for You?

Thank you to read this so far. It’s a long but the most comprehensive reviews ever for all hot video editing software compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux, as well as online video editors. I hope you find the tools that you like.

If you want to get quick selections without too much reading, here is my recommendation:

  • Best video editor for Windows and Mac to download: Filmora
  • Best video editing software for Linux to download: Lightworks
  • Best video editor for Android, iOS to download: Filmora , VideoShop
  • Best online video editor to use: WeVideo

If you still can’t find a one Or we missed one of the tools you think which deserves to be listed above?

Either way, let us know by leaving a comment below.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Now, videos are getting increasingly important for you to present your thoughts and feeling on Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook.

But how to make your video looks professional, creative, stunning and deserved to share? A free video editing software can do you a favor.

So, Which is the best video editor available in the market?

If you are not quite certain about the video editing software you should use to edit your videos, you’ve come to the right place. Because we are going to take you through the best video editors including free versions.

Newcomers to the world of the video editing as well as seasoned professionals can use this guide to find the video editing software that will help them produce better visual content.

Let’s dive in and explore all aspects worth considering before you decide which software is best for you. And you can click the Filter button at the left side in this article to find the best video editing software for you.

We spent about a month for researching and testing all popular video making software in the market and now collect 35 best video editors for you. This list of film makers can be used on Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Android, and Linux. Besides, some of them are online video editors you can use directly.

Now, let’s filter through the list to find the best video editor for you. Check it out :

No. Product Name Supported OS Price Best for Overview Download Link
1 Wondershare Filmora Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Android, iOS Free trial; $79.99 perpetual, $49.99/year Beginners, Semi-Pros 4.9 Download
2 Windows Movie Maker Windows7/8/10 Free Beginners 4.1 Download
3 iMovie Mac OS, iOS Free Beginners 4.3 Download
4 Final Cut Pro Mac OS 30 days free trial; $299.99 Professionals 4.4 Download
5 Wondershare Filmii Windows 7/8/10 Free trial; $9.99 Beginners 4.3 Download
6 Lightworks Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free trial; $437.99 Professionals 4.2 Download
7 ShotCut Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Open Source Video Editor Semi-Pros 3.9 Download
8 HitFilm Express Windows, Mac OS Free Semi-Pros 4.1 Download
9 Blender Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free; Fund $6/mo for support Professionals 3.8 Download
10 Avidemux Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Beginners 3.5 Download
11 VideoPad Video Editor Windows, Mac OSX, iOS, Kindle Free Beginners 3.9 Download
12 OpenShot Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Open Source Video Editor Beginners 3.8 Download
13 Kdenlive Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Semi-pros 4.1 Download
14 Adobe Premiere Pro Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS 7 days free trial; $20.99/mo; $33.99 /mo Professionals 4.5 Download
15 Magix Vegas Pro Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $399-$799 Professionals 4.2 Download
16 Adobe Premiere Elements Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $99.99 Semi-pros 4.7 Download
17 CyberLink PowerDirector Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $69,99 - $129,99 Semi-pros 4.5 Download
18 Magix Movie Video Easy Windows only Free trial; $49,99 Semi-pros 3.6 Download
19 Magix Video Pro Windows 10 Free trial; $79.99 Beginners 4.1 Download
20 Media Online Free Beginners 4.75 Check
21 YouTube Online Free Beginners 4.8 Check
22 Online Video Cutter Online Free Beginners 3.6 Check
23 Movie Maker Online Online Free Beginners 3.7 Check
24 ClipChamp Online 14 day free trial; $7/mo Beginners 4.1 Check
25 WeVideo Online Free trial; $11.99-$79.99 Beginners 4.4 Check
26 Kizoa Online Freemium Beginners 3.8 Check
27 Wideo Online Freemium Beginners 4.3 Check
28 Filmora iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.1 Download
29 Vlogit iOS, Android Free Beginners 3.6 Download
30 VideoShop iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.8 Download
31 Filmmaker Pro iOS Freemium; $5.99/mo Semi-pros 4.6 Download
32 KineMaster iOS, Android Freemium Semi-pros 4.4 Download
33 LumaFusion iOS $29.99 Semi-pros 4.8 Download
34 Vizzywig 2019 iOS $79.99 Semi-pros 4.1 Download
35 PowerDirector iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.5 Download

Part I: Best Video Editing Software for Windows/Mac/Linux


1. Wondershare Filmora

Platform: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Price: Free trial; $79.99 perpetual, $49.99/year

Level: Beginners

Free Download

Free Download

Even though it is widely considered as one of the premium entry-level video editing software options, Wondershare Filmora also offers advanced editing tools. The software product comes with detailed learning resources and provides support to its users who have little editing experience. The wide range of file formats and remarkably diverse Export options make Filmora an interesting choice for those who are just entering the world of video editing, but also for more experienced editors.

Features: Filmora’s rich effect library contains over a thousand modern special effects from niches such as gaming, blockbuster or tutorial, and new effects are added every month. The Action Cam tool is designed to make merging footage shot on action cameras easy and quick. Filmora supports a wide range of file formats including AVI, MP4 or MKV, so you don’t have to worry if your footage was shot in 4K or HD because you can easily edit it with this software.

Advantages:

A large number of professional video editing features Filmora offers as well as its modernly designed interface makes it one of the best options for amateur video creators.

Limitations:

You can use all the features in the free trial version, but have to pay to remove the watermark.

Lear more about Wondershare Filmora here: Filmora Official YouTube Channel


2. Windows Movie Maker

Platform: Windows

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

This is probably one of the oldest if not the oldest video editing software for PCs. Microsoft has announced that Windows Movie Maker will no longer be available for download. This software can still be found online, although not on Microsoft’s website, and currently, there are two different versions of Windows Movie Maker available. Even the least experienced video editors can master each of the Movie Maker versions easily.

Features: The classic video editing software is equipped with all the tools you’ll need for basic editing tasks like trimming, changing the video playback speed or rotating videos. It even features a Video Stabilization option that can be useful if you’d like to stabilize a video and remove the distracting camera shakes. Windows Movie Maker lets you add text effects to your video, insert Transitions between two takes, perform basic audio editing or record a screen.

Advantages:

Free, meets your basic editing demands

Limitations:

Service discontinued

No support for modern file formats

Lacks color correction tools, visual effects or any other advanced video editing options.

Check how to use Windows Movie Maker here: Windows Movie Maker User Guide


3. iMovie

Platform: Mac OS, iOS

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

imovie video editor

As the Apple’s version of the Windows Movie Maker, iMovie has a similar status of a classic video editor that is at its best when used for simple video editing tasks. The video editor can also be used on an iPhone or an iPad if you want to edit your videos on the go. Learning your way around iMovie won’t take much of your time since all of its features are easy to use.

Features: Editing 4K videos or making credits or titles are just a few among many options provided by iMovie. Adding transitions, applying split-screen effects or creating PIP videos doesn’t require you to be a skilled video editor, because all of these options are easily accessible and they can be used in any project you are working on.

The iMovie’s audio editing options are equally impressive since the software enables you to add music, use built-in sound effects and record voiceovers. The video editor supports most of the popular file formats.

Advantages:

Free, and comes bundled with your Mac

Intuitive interface

Limitations:

This classic video editor for Apple’s devices doesn’t offer advanced video editing options such as motion tracking or keyframe marking.

Check how to use Windows Movie Maker here: iMovie User Guide


4. Final Cut Pro

Platform: macOS

Price: Paid, $299

Level: Professionals

final cut pro

Final Cut Pro is probably one of the highest praised video editing software ever created. It has been used to edit cinematic masterpieces such as ‘What happened Miss Simone’ or ‘The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo’, which speaks volumes about the software’s capability. Final Cut Pro’s Magnetic Timeline 2 is one of the kind, and it makes organizing large amounts of video and audio files look easy. Although the software’s price may seem discouraging, those who invested in it never had to use another video editor.

Features: A brief look at the list of Final Cut Pro’s video editing tools will leave you wondering if there is anything this software can’t do. Besides basic video editing features, the video editor is also equipped with 360 degrees VR video editing option, Multicam editing, and advanced color grading tools. Final Cut Pro allows its users to add as many audio tracks to the timeline as they want, thus enabling them to create impeccable soundtracks for their videos.

Advantages: Working with large numbers of video files is simplified by the software’s timeline, while options such as 3D titles or VR contribute to the strong impression this editor leaves on all of its users.

Limitations: Final Cut Pro has some lingering glitches that still haven’t been fixed, and its audio editing tool set lacks some important pieces.

If you are new to video editing and you will need a video maker that is tailored for beginners. In such case, you can read this article to get: Best Free Video Editing Software for Beginners >> They are really very easy to use. You can make a stunning video less than an hour.


5. Wondershare Filmii

Platform: Windows

Price: Free, Paid versions

Level: Beginners

filmii

This delicate video editing software is one of the best video editors for newbies. The free version of the software offers a lot of powerful video editing tools, but in order to get rid of the watermnark, you have to pay 9.99$ for its monthly plan. One of the advantages of Filmii is that it has a variety of video templates that can help beginners edit amazing videos with ease due to its auto-create functionality. Besides, its audio editing or creative tools are equally impressive.


6. Lightworks

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free, Paid versions: $437.99

Level: Professionals

lightworks

Lightworks is one of the best video editing software on this list with a long history in the movie-making business. The free version of the software is available, but it has limited export options. A $25 monthly subscription is required in order to gain access to all of the software’s features. Although it may be a somewhat pricey option, purchasing Lightworks is a profitable investment that may help you improve the quality of your videos.

Features: Both free and paid versions of this video editing suite offer support for wide range of video file formats. This can be very useful for video editors who often work on projects shot on different cameras. Multi-cam editing feature enables the software’s users to work with footage shot from separate angles, using more than just one camera. The videos edited with the free version of the software can only be exported to an MPEG4 file format with the maximum size of 1280X 790 pixels, and they must be uploaded to YouTube directly from the editor.

Advantages: Royalty-free media and a remarkable VFX panel make Lightworks a tempting option for professional and amateur video editors alike.

Limitations: The export options on the free version of the software are extremely limited and the software doesn’t provide much support for inexperienced users.


7. ShotCut

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Semi-Pros

shotcut

If you need a video editing software just to piece together a few clips you recorded on the family vacation, then ShotCut may be a bit overwhelming choice for such a task. This open-source software is equipped with a rich collection of audio and video editing features, while it also offers support for nearly all video file formats. It is best suited for users in need of powerful video editing software who don’t want to spend a fortune on purchasing a professional editing suite.

Features: Screen capturing, webcam video recording or audio capturing options are all made available by ShotCut. The software’s video and audio editing features surpass all expectations and allow the software’s users to have complete creative control over their projects. Features such as Chroma Key, Crop or Blur are accompanied by a number of amazing video effects that can be used to enhance the colors in a video. Using ShotCut requires you to just download the software and run its executable file, which means that you don’t have to go through the installation process in order to start editing with this software.

Advantages: 4K videos, as well as numerous other video and audio file formats, are supported by this open-source video editing software. To make things even better ShotCut grants you access to fully customizable filters.

Limitations: The software doesn’t feature preset export profiles, and the transitions it offers are a bit scarce.


8. HitFilm Express

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free

Level: Semi-Pros

hitfilm express

This cross-platform video editor ranks among best video editing software products currently available on the market. Its secret lies in uniting visual effect compositing and video editing options under the same roof. HitFilm Express is aimed at users with an enviable amount of video editing experience, since inexperienced video editors may find the software’s interface difficult to navigate. This video editing suite offers a lot of video editing tools as well as visual and audio effect, that can be easily used to improve the quality of your videos.

Features: The rare combination of VFX compositing and video editing makes HitFilm Express unique, while its motion design and tracking options offer support for more complex video editing actions. The software supports 2D and 3D effects compositing, as well as 4K and 360-degree videos.

HitFilm Express’ titling options are at the basic level, while its Export options are alarmingly narrow. This free editing software doesn’t provide too many options for color adjustments, but its audio editing features can be used to create a video with a superior soundtrack.

Advantages: The software offers a wide spectrum of transitions and video effects and it supports most popular video file formats. HitFilm Express lets you use semi-professional video editing tools for free.

Limitations: In order to export a video from the software you must share a link on a social media platform and then download the file. People who are not familiar with the video editing process may find using HitFilm Express difficult.


9. Blender

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Professionals

blender

Blender started out as an open-source project and over the years animators, scientists, VFX artists and numerous other people have participated in developing this 3D creation suite. The software can be used for modeling, animation, video editing or compositing, to mention only a few of its many purposes. Editing video footage isn’t Blender’s strong suit, but its video editing features are powerful enough to enable you to perform basic editing tasks. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t use this software to create videos that grab the viewer’s attention.

Features: Cutting or trimming videos, adjusting the video’s playback speed or adding keyframes to a video clip is an easy process in Blender. The software’s true strength lies in its animation, 3D modeling or motion tracking features. The latest version of Blender is equipped with a motion tracking option that allows you to import the footage into the software directly from a camera. You can utilize this feature to mask areas of the shot and see the movement on camera in a 3D environment.

Advantages: Blender’s price and its powerful features make it an interesting choice as your primary video editing software.

Limitations: You must have in-depth knowledge of animation, compositing, and 3D techniques in order to be able to use Blender.


10. Avidemux

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

avidemux

This simple video editing software has all the tools you’ll ever need to quickly polish your videos. Its audio and video effects can be utilized to make your videos look and sound professionally, but Avidemux doesn’t offer much more than these basic video editing options.

The software provides support for most of popular video file formats, but its export options are far from perfect. Avidemux doesn’t feature visual effects or transitions, which significantly limits its video editing capabilities.

Features: Newcomers to the video editing world will love the software’s interface, because of its simplicity. The Transform feature allows you to fade in and fade out shots, crop or rotate video clips and even add logos to your videos. Blur or Sharpen effects enable users to enhance their videos, while contrast, brightness, saturation or hue values can be adjusted to make the colors in the video look more vivid. Avidemux also features the Subtitle option, but the software can only add hardcoded subtitles to videos.

Advantages: Solves all your basic video editing problems, and lets you have fun while editing videos. Avidemux also has solid encoding options and its interface is user-friendly.

Limitations: There are no video effects or transitions, which narrows down the software’s video editing options.


11. VideoPad Video Editor

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

videopad

VideoPad is one of the best entry-level cross-platform software products you can use for easy video editing tasks. The free version of the software is available to both Mac and PC users, although the Windows version limits the video exporting options to just two file formats. The VideoPad’s interface doesn’t take much time to get used to, and it perfectly adjusted to the needs of inexperienced video editors. Paid versions of the software are available to advanced editors who want to use VideoPad for more than just basic video editing.

Features: The list of video editing features VideoPad provides includes several pleasant surprises. The 4K video support, as well as 360-video editing features, are aimed at GoPro owners who want a quick and easy way to process their footage. The visual effects this free video editing software provides are impressive, while the Chroma Key option enables its users to create green screen videos. Even though VideoPad allows its users to edit audio files, its audio editing features are fairly modest.

Advantages: Learning how to use VideoPad is simplified by its intuitively designed interface.

Limitations: There are no advanced video editing options like multi-cam editing and motion tracking and certain features become unavailable when using the free version of the software over a longer period of time.

Download link: If you download the trial version instead of the free non-commercial home edition, or do not find a specific link to it on the website, you can trydownloading it from this link , or contact tech support , and they will send you a direct link.


12. OpenShot

Platform: Window, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

openshot best video editor

This award-winning open-source video editor offers a wide range of video editing tools that span from trimming and slicing to Slow Motion and Time effects. OpenShot is an excellent software for training and learning new video editing tricks, but it is best avoided if you are working on a large project. The software’s basic video editing features make it an excellent choice for users who only want to perform simple edits without having to waste too much time.

Features: OpenShot lets you add unlimited video and audio tracks to your projects, but its file management capabilities are far from impressive. The software allows you to trim or arrange the video files in any way you want, and it also provides a lot of different Transitions that can be used to make the videos look smoother. The collection of video and audio effects allows users to try out different solutions for the scenes in their video clips. OpenShot features a Vector Title Editor that can assist you in creating perfect opening titles or end credits.

Advantages: The interface of this open-source video editing software is designed to assist its users through every step of the video editing process. OpenShot is a great choice for all video editors who want to save money and use a powerful video editing software at the same time.

Limitations: More complex video editing options such as Rotoscoping, are not available. You may have to install add-ons if the OS you are using doesn’t meet the software’s system requirements.


13. Kdenlive

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Semi-pros

Almost two decades ago, this open-source project was started by Jason Wood in order to develop a video editing software for Linux OS. Over the years, a small team of developers has created Windows and MacOS versions of the editor that now have a loyal fan base. Even though the software’s features make it a reliable choice for more complex projects, Kdnelive can also be used to perform simple edits. This video editing software combines the simplicity of entry-level video editors with advanced video editing tools frequently used by experienced professionals.

Features: The functionality of this video editor will surprise even the greatest of skeptics. The software’s timeline lets you to add as many videos and audio files to your project as you want, making it a perfect tool for large-scale projects. The visual effects and transitions enable users to manipulate the footage in any way they see fit, while the extremely powerful analysis tools such as histograms, waveforms or vectorscopes enable them to monitor all the adjustments they make on their footage.

Advantages: Kdnlive provides support for nearly all input file formats that can be added easily to the software’s multitrack timeline. The free open-source add-ons can extend the video editor’s capability and thus enable you to perform a wider range of video editing actions.

Limitations: Even though the software provides the screencast recording option, it doesn’t feature the PIP effect. Multi frame-rate editing isn’t possible and software’s updates can last for hours.


14. Adobe Premiere Pro

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Paid, $19.99 per month

Level: Professionals

adobe premiere pro

There are very few video editing suites that can offer as much to its users as Adobe Premiere Pro can. It is probably one of the best video editors ever created, as it has been setting the industry standards for a long time. High-end professionals frequently use Adobe Premiere Pro on their projects, while aspiring filmmakers strive to learn every option this unique video editor has to offer. The much-famed software isn’t the best choice for video editors who are just learning the basics of the trade, although it supplies a staggering amount of tutorials and learning materials.

Features: With each new version of Adobe Premiere Pro the list of the software’s features becomes longer. Its timeline is famous for its ease of use because it enables you to add as much new audio or video tracks as your project requires. This is arguably one of the best color correction software packages on the market, while its color grading features are no less impressive. Adobe Premiere Pro provides support for a wide range of video file formats including 4K, HDR, and 360 VR videos.

Advantages: Perfect for collaborative projects that involve large teams of experienced professionals. The software is at its best when used with other Adobe’s products that enable you to develop projects beyond the boundaries set by the Adobe Premiere Pro’s limitations.

Limitations: You cannot purchase the lifetime license to use this video editing software, and paying monthly subscriptions may be hard on the budget of some of its potential users.


15. Magix Vegas Pro

Platform: Windows

**Price:**Paid: $399

Level: Professionals

vegas pro

Successful independent artists, film producers, and all other film and video enthusiasts can only benefit from purchasing this video editing suite. The software belonged to Sony Creative Software for much of its history, but on May 20. 2016 the company sold it to Magix. Previously known as Vegas Pro or just Vegas, this video editing software is widely accepted as one of the best professional video editing tools ever created. There is virtually no video editing task that cannot be completed in Magix Vegas Pro video editing software.

Features: This video editor is designed to provide support to its users from the beginning until the very end of the video editing process. Magix Vegas Pro recognizes almost all video file formats, even those captured with professional RED or ARRI Alexa cameras. You can use this software to edit 3D or 4K videos, while the Multicamera-Editing feature lets you switch between any number of video sources with a single mouse click. Effects such as Automatic Crossfades allow you to create transitions between shots effortlessly.

Advantages: The seemingly unlimited amount of learning resources makes editing with Magix Vegas Pro a lot easier and it enables less experienced video editors to learn new tricks.

Limitations: There aren’t as many visual effects as you would hope for and the software’s interface isn’t aesthetically pleasing, but it is very functional.


16. Adobe Premiere Elements

Platform: Windows, macOS

**Price:**Paid: $99.99

Level: Semi-pros

Although it is often regarded as a simplified version of Premiere Pro, this video editing suite offers enough video editing tools to edit videos at the semi-professional level. Adobe Premiere Elements contains automated versions of Premiere Pro’s features and in this manner it enables its users to utilize professional video editing tools on their prosumer level projects. Even though this Adobe’s software product lacks the power of professional video editing software packages, it still offers enough video editing tools for the production of nicely polished and well-rounded videos.

Features: Adobe Premiere Elements recognizes all popular video file formats, and it offers support for 4K content. In addition to its remarkable file format compatibility, the video editor also features 3D editing and face detection options that can be very useful when working on more complex video projects. The haze-removal effect is extremely efficient at reducing the fog or cigarette smoke in a shot, while the motion titles let you create visually impressive opening titles or end credits. The Adobe Premiere Elements has performed exceptionally well when rendering large video files.

Advantages: The software’s Guided mode provides support to its users and helps them learn how to perform all video editing actions. The asset management tool offers assistance with the organization of large amounts of video and audio files.

Limitations: When compared to other video editors in this guide Adobe Premiere Elements’ device and social media optimization features seem to be in short supply.


Platform: Windows, macOS

**Price:**Free trial, Paid version: $69,99 - $129,99

Level: Semi-pros

cyberlink powerdirector

This is probably one of the best and most popular video editing software packages aimed at amateur and semi-professional users. There are several versions of the software available, and each of them contains a different amount of options and video editing tools. Even with somewhat reduced capability, the least expensive version of the editor supports 360-degree as well as VR options for posting on social media such as Vimeo, Facebook or YouTube. CyberLink PowerDirector isn’t a professional video editing software, but it still offers a lot of extraordinary options that can take you a step closer to producing a professional video.

Features: The 360-degree video editing options are probably the first thing that catches the eye when you look at the list of features the software provides, but its true power lies in its color tools. LUTs, HDR effects or Split Toning options are just the tip of the iceberg since PowerDirector offers countless tools for fine-tuning of the colors in your videos. Animated PIP effects and video collages make this video editing software a perfect choice for the production of tutorials and all other types of online videos.

Advantages: The audio editing options provided by CyberLink PowerDirector are nothing short of amazing since they enable the software’s users to manipulate the audio files in any way they see fit.

Limitations: Motion tracking and color lookup features are not always reliable. The software is a bit overpriced when compared with similar video editing suits.


18. Magix Movie Video Easy

Platform: Windows

Price: Free trial, Paid version: $49,99

Level: Semi-pros

This video editor is a great choice for people who have never edited a video before and who want to learn how to perform basic video editing tasks. Video Easy’s intuitive user interface can be mastered by anyone with enough determination to edit videos with this software on a constant basis. Features this editor offers may not be as impressive as to ones provided by professional video editing suites, but they are powerful enough to produce clean edits that give your videos a professional look.

Features: If you choose to make Magix Movie Video Easy your primary video editing software, you will never have to worry about what type of camera you used to record your videos since the software is compatible with all standard camcorders, digital cameras, and Smartphones. The rich collection of transitions and effects, as well as the intro and outro animations, can all be used to create amazing videos. You can export videos to DVDs, Blu-Ray discs or YouTube directly from the software.

Advantages: If you are looking for a video editor that will enable you to add music to your videos, trim or cut videos quickly and choose from hundreds of effects, then you should look no further because Magix Movie Video Easy provides all of these options, and much more.

Limitations: Doesn’t perform well when used for demanding video editing tasks.


19. Magix Video Pro

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free trial, Paid version: $62,99

Level: Beginners

Magix has been the largest European video editing software manufacturer for more than two decades. Its software products may not enjoy the fame of Adobe’s video editing software packages, but this doesn’t mean that a video editor such as Magix Video Pro cannot be used for the production of professional-looking videos. Besides offering basic video editing tools this video editor also features advanced video editing options such as Stop Motion animation or 360-degree video editing. Magix Video Pro is often labeled as ‘one of the best video editing programs out there’.

Features: Audio editing features that come with this video editor include an audio mixer that enables you to reduce noise levels, control the low, mid and high sounds or simply equalize the sound volume across the entire project. The video editing tools supplied by the Magix Video Pro are as impressive as its audio editing options. Lens correction features, Split screen videos or 360-degree video editing options reveal only a fraction of the software’s capabilities. Magix Video Pro delivers professional video editing features to consumer-level users.

Advantages: The software allows you to place any type of media file on its timeline and use it in your project.

Limitations: The effects library installation process can be time-consuming, although it is well worth the wait.


Part II: Best Video Making Editors Online

20. YouTube

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

The world’s largest video sharing platform also offers basic video editing services. Although Google has discontinued its built-in video editor, it still allows tts users to trim or rotate videos, apply filters or even create time-lapse and slow-motion videos on line. Brightness, contrast or saturation levels can be altered if you want to enhance the colors in your videos. Audio editing features are limited because the platform only allows you to add a single audio file to a project you’re working on. However, some of the most important video editing features like adding the text or creating titles are not available.

Advantages: Allows you to polish your videos before posting them on YouTube for free.

Cons: This online video editor lacks some basic video editing tools such as transitions or audio controls.


21. Online Video Cutter

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

If you were looking for a web app that contains all the tools required to cut a small video file, then Online Video Cutter is one of your best options. You won’t even have to create an account before you start the video editing process. The videos you upload to this online editor can’t exceed the 500 MB size limit. Besides cutting their videos, users of this editor can also rotate or trim their footage for free. Online Video Cutter provides support for nearly all video file formats, so you don’t have to worry about the file format in which your video was captured.

Advantages: Offers a quick way to trim videos online and it is exceptionally easy to use.

Limitations: Lacks even the most basic video editing features other than cutting, trimming and rotating videos.


22. Movie Maker Online

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

This free online editing tool lets you process videos without even registering or creating an account. You can add videos, photos, text, and music into a single project and mix them together into an awesome video. The platform grants you access to its rich filter library, and it also allows you to add text overlays, fade audio and video files or create smooth transitions between shots. Movie Maker Online features its own collection of royalty free music and photos you can use to make your videos look and sound better. The webpage’s design is a little odd, and it may take some time to get used to it.

Advantages: The app offers a lot of different video editing tools and it allows you to perform all basic video editing actions online.

Limitations: Movie Maker Online is funded by ads, and requires you to disable your AdBlock app before you can start editing a video.


23. ClipChamp

Platform: Online

Price: Free trial, Paid: $7 per month

Level: Beginners

clipchamp

ClipChamp lets you upload videos you already recorded or capture new footage using your computer’s webcam. The free version of this web app allows you to export in 1080p video files, but you can’t produce more than five videos in a single month. Both versions of the online video editor require you to create an account, and the videos exported from the free version of the app don’t have a watermark. ClipChamp provides numerous video editing tools, including transition, color adjustments or cropping. The exporting process doesn’t last too long and you can choose whether you want to share the video on social media or download it to your computer.

Advantages: Makes creating webcam videos as well as editing preexisting footage look easy while providing excellent export options.

Limitations: The free version of ClipChamp allows you export only five videos in a month.


24. WeVideo

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

wevideo

The capabilities of WeVideo online video editor surpass the basic level of video editing. The platform offers support for iOS and Android devices as well as desktop computers. Producing square or horizontal videos, creating motion titles or publishing videos in 720p HD resolution are just a few amazing options this online video editor provides. The paid versions of the web app are best suited for skilled video editing professionals or large teams that are working on demanding projects. WeVideo’s free version doesn’t allow its users to publish more than 30 minutes of video content each month and each exported video contains a watermark.

Advantages: Produces videos with great picture quality and offers tons of advanced video editing options.

Limitations: Creating an account is mandatory even for video editors who want to use the free version of WeVideo.


25. Kizoa

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

Kizoa offers a broad spectrum of transitions, visual effects, animation and text effects to its users for free. The video editing platform is frequently used to create goofy short videos that can be easily shared on Facebook or Twitter. The app allows you to add photos to your video projects and it grants you access to an incredibly rich royalty free music collection. However, you will have to create an account on Kizoa in order to be able to export the videos you created. The editor’s timeline is rudimentary, but still functional enough to enable users to combine audio, video, and photo files.

Advantages: Kizoa is a powerful tool for the creation of entertaining social media videos.

Limitations: You must create an account in order to be able to export your projects, and the online video editor doesn’t feature any advanced video editing options.


26. Wideo

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

All video enthusiasts can use Wideo platform to edit their videos, regardless of their skill level. In addition to amazing video editing options, this online video editor also features animations that can be used to create professional presentations. All video content uploaded to Wideo is stored on the cloud, and pricing plans for professionals include unlimited storage space. The Basic version of the editor allows for just ten downloads in a month and it doesn’t let its users upload videos to YouTube. Even though this video editor is easy to use, it is better suited for skilled professionals than it is for inexperienced video editors.

Advantages: Even the Basic pricing plan enables users to export HD videos, while Professional and Enterprise pricing plans include the Full HD export option.

Limitations: Limited audio editing options significantly reduce the capabilities of this online video editing platform.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Free Online Video Editors With No Watermark >>


Part III: Best Video APP for iOS/Android

27. Filmora

Platform: iOS, Andoird

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

You can edit your videos with Filmora in just three simple steps. All you have to do is choose the videos and photos from your phone’s gallery, Instagram or Facebook account, select a theme, insert transitions or add a song and share the video directly from the app on social media or to your email address. Besides the powerful video editing features, this app for iOS and Android devices also allows you to set your video’s aspect ratio to Square 1:1 if you would like to share the clip on Instagram or Cinema 16:9 if the video is shared to YouTube.

Advantages: Supports HD export options and provides a diverse set of video editing options.

Limitations: The app can’t perform advanced video editing tasks.


28. Vlogit

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

The Wondershare’s video editing app for Android and iOS devices is designed to offer assistance to YouTubers and Vloggers who want to edit their videos directly from their Smartphones. Vlogit is equipped with video editing tools that enable you to cut, trim or rotate videos, while its sound editing features include recording voiceovers, adding sound effects or choosing the music you want to use as a soundtrack to your video. The app lets you combine photos and videos within the same project, and it also enables you to create customized openers from animated templates. The videos created and exported with the Vlogit app don’t contain watermarks.

Advantages: Offers powerful video editing features to YouTubers and Vloggers who want to edit their videos from their Smartphones for free.

Limitations: The list of visual effects the app provides could be longer.


29. VideoShop

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

The extensive list of features VideoShop app offers makes it one of the best options for novice video editors who want to quickly create visually impressive videos. This video editing app allows you to work with multiple video files or merge them into a single video. The animated titles enable users of the VideoShop app to create professional-looking intros for their videos, while the transitions feature allows them to seamlessly piece together all shots featured in a project. Tilt-Shift and Stop Motion options are also available to video editors who want to make their videos look more professional.

Advantages: Fun and easy to use video editing app that lets you manipulate footage in any way you want.

Limitations: VideoShop contains ads, and the app’s version for iOS devices only supports videos recorded with iPhones and iPads.


30. Filmmaker Pro

Platform: iOS

Price: Freemium, $5,99 monthly subscription

Level: Semi-pros

iPhone videographers who need access to semi-professional video editing tools will certainly enjoy using this app. Filmmaker Pro offers support for 4K footage filmed on the latest models of iPhone and it enables its users to add an unlimited number of text overlays, video clips, voiceovers or audio tracks to the app’s timeline. The video editor grants you access to over 30 filters, video grading features, as well as Chroma Key and Ken Burns effects. In addition to impressive video and audio editing features, Filmmaker Pro’s users can also record videos with a camera that lets them adjust settings manually directly from the app, although this option must be paid for.

Advantages: Text overlays, audio editing features and the ability to select the aspect ratio for each video you edit with this app, make it one of the best video editing options for iOS devices.

Limitations: Nearly all of the app’s best features must be purchased.


31. KineMaster

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Freemium, contains adds

Level: Semi-pros

This cross-platform video editor is one of the premier options for mobile video editing on both iOS and Android devices. KineMaster is currently the only app that enables Android Smartphone owners to add as many layers of videos, photos, and text to their projects as they want. However, it only supports a limited number of video file formats, which means that the app shouldn’t be used to edit videos that weren’t recorded on an iPhone or Android phone. KineMaster provides a wide range of video exporting options and allows you to share videos on popular social media networks.

Pros: Above average video and audio editing features.

Limitations: Offers a lot of options mobile video editors seldom use.


32. LumaFusion

Platform: iOS

Price: Paid, $29.99

Level: Semi-pros

Creating neatly organized projects with LumaFusion is a simple task because the app features a powerful Project Manager that lets you sort files or select aspect ratios for your videos. In addition, the Media Library lets you import all types of files from a cloud storage or drag and drop media from other apps. Producing slow-motion videos that have 120 or 240fps or creating green screen videos using the Chroma Key effect is easy with LumaFusion. The app’s audio editing features are as impressive as its video editing tools since they provide the complete control over the audio files to the video editor’s users.

Advantages: Color correction options, LUTs or numerous visual effects are all part of the reason why LumaFusion is one of the best apps for mobile video editing.

Limitations: Only available for iOS devices.


33. Vizzywig 2019 4K Video Editor

Platform: iOS

Price: Paid, $79.99

Level: Semi-pros

This award-winning app for iOS devices provides all the tools a skilled video editor could desire. Its features include support for 4K videos, wide selection of aspect ratios as well as stylish intros, end credits, and titles. Besides offering professional video editing tools, Vizzywig also features Multi-Camera recording options that can capture videos in 8K resolution. In addition, the app is capable of producing videos that have eight times more pixels than the Apple’s Facetime HD Camera. The non-linear timeline lets you arrange video clips in any way you see fit, and allows you to add multiple media files to each project you are working on.

Advantages: Lets you control the focus and exposure manually and produce videos with stunning picture quality.

Limitations: Single platform compatibility and a high price narrow down the number of the app’s potential users.


34. PowerDirector

Platform: Android

Price: Freemium, contains ads and in-app purchases

Level: Beginners

Unlike the Adobe’s app for mobile video editing, PowerDirector lives up to all expectations. This user-friendly app lets you create reverse, 4K, or green screen videos. To make things even better, you can easily apply visual and audio effects or add voiceovers to your projects. In addition to the video editor, the PowerDirector app is also equipped with a powerful photo editor that lets you manipulate images in a professional manner. You can use almost any type of video or audio file in this app because it provides support for all commonly used file formats.

Advantages: PowerDirector is designed to help its users polish their video quickly and effortlessly.

Limitations: Videos in 1080p and 4K resolutions can only be exported after you’ve made an in-app purchase.

Ooops…It looks like there isn’t any tool that matches your demand. Please give it another try.

Which Video Editor Do You Think Is Best for You?

Thank you to read this so far. It’s a long but the most comprehensive reviews ever for all hot video editing software compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux, as well as online video editors. I hope you find the tools that you like.

If you want to get quick selections without too much reading, here is my recommendation:

  • Best video editor for Windows and Mac to download: Filmora
  • Best video editing software for Linux to download: Lightworks
  • Best video editor for Android, iOS to download: Filmora , VideoShop
  • Best online video editor to use: WeVideo

If you still can’t find a one Or we missed one of the tools you think which deserves to be listed above?

Either way, let us know by leaving a comment below.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Now, videos are getting increasingly important for you to present your thoughts and feeling on Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook.

But how to make your video looks professional, creative, stunning and deserved to share? A free video editing software can do you a favor.

So, Which is the best video editor available in the market?

If you are not quite certain about the video editing software you should use to edit your videos, you’ve come to the right place. Because we are going to take you through the best video editors including free versions.

Newcomers to the world of the video editing as well as seasoned professionals can use this guide to find the video editing software that will help them produce better visual content.

Let’s dive in and explore all aspects worth considering before you decide which software is best for you. And you can click the Filter button at the left side in this article to find the best video editing software for you.

We spent about a month for researching and testing all popular video making software in the market and now collect 35 best video editors for you. This list of film makers can be used on Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Android, and Linux. Besides, some of them are online video editors you can use directly.

Now, let’s filter through the list to find the best video editor for you. Check it out :

No. Product Name Supported OS Price Best for Overview Download Link
1 Wondershare Filmora Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Android, iOS Free trial; $79.99 perpetual, $49.99/year Beginners, Semi-Pros 4.9 Download
2 Windows Movie Maker Windows7/8/10 Free Beginners 4.1 Download
3 iMovie Mac OS, iOS Free Beginners 4.3 Download
4 Final Cut Pro Mac OS 30 days free trial; $299.99 Professionals 4.4 Download
5 Wondershare Filmii Windows 7/8/10 Free trial; $9.99 Beginners 4.3 Download
6 Lightworks Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free trial; $437.99 Professionals 4.2 Download
7 ShotCut Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Open Source Video Editor Semi-Pros 3.9 Download
8 HitFilm Express Windows, Mac OS Free Semi-Pros 4.1 Download
9 Blender Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free; Fund $6/mo for support Professionals 3.8 Download
10 Avidemux Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Beginners 3.5 Download
11 VideoPad Video Editor Windows, Mac OSX, iOS, Kindle Free Beginners 3.9 Download
12 OpenShot Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Open Source Video Editor Beginners 3.8 Download
13 Kdenlive Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Semi-pros 4.1 Download
14 Adobe Premiere Pro Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS 7 days free trial; $20.99/mo; $33.99 /mo Professionals 4.5 Download
15 Magix Vegas Pro Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $399-$799 Professionals 4.2 Download
16 Adobe Premiere Elements Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $99.99 Semi-pros 4.7 Download
17 CyberLink PowerDirector Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $69,99 - $129,99 Semi-pros 4.5 Download
18 Magix Movie Video Easy Windows only Free trial; $49,99 Semi-pros 3.6 Download
19 Magix Video Pro Windows 10 Free trial; $79.99 Beginners 4.1 Download
20 Media Online Free Beginners 4.75 Check
21 YouTube Online Free Beginners 4.8 Check
22 Online Video Cutter Online Free Beginners 3.6 Check
23 Movie Maker Online Online Free Beginners 3.7 Check
24 ClipChamp Online 14 day free trial; $7/mo Beginners 4.1 Check
25 WeVideo Online Free trial; $11.99-$79.99 Beginners 4.4 Check
26 Kizoa Online Freemium Beginners 3.8 Check
27 Wideo Online Freemium Beginners 4.3 Check
28 Filmora iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.1 Download
29 Vlogit iOS, Android Free Beginners 3.6 Download
30 VideoShop iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.8 Download
31 Filmmaker Pro iOS Freemium; $5.99/mo Semi-pros 4.6 Download
32 KineMaster iOS, Android Freemium Semi-pros 4.4 Download
33 LumaFusion iOS $29.99 Semi-pros 4.8 Download
34 Vizzywig 2019 iOS $79.99 Semi-pros 4.1 Download
35 PowerDirector iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.5 Download

Part I: Best Video Editing Software for Windows/Mac/Linux


1. Wondershare Filmora

Platform: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Price: Free trial; $79.99 perpetual, $49.99/year

Level: Beginners

Free Download

Free Download

Even though it is widely considered as one of the premium entry-level video editing software options, Wondershare Filmora also offers advanced editing tools. The software product comes with detailed learning resources and provides support to its users who have little editing experience. The wide range of file formats and remarkably diverse Export options make Filmora an interesting choice for those who are just entering the world of video editing, but also for more experienced editors.

Features: Filmora’s rich effect library contains over a thousand modern special effects from niches such as gaming, blockbuster or tutorial, and new effects are added every month. The Action Cam tool is designed to make merging footage shot on action cameras easy and quick. Filmora supports a wide range of file formats including AVI, MP4 or MKV, so you don’t have to worry if your footage was shot in 4K or HD because you can easily edit it with this software.

Advantages:

A large number of professional video editing features Filmora offers as well as its modernly designed interface makes it one of the best options for amateur video creators.

Limitations:

You can use all the features in the free trial version, but have to pay to remove the watermark.

Lear more about Wondershare Filmora here: Filmora Official YouTube Channel


2. Windows Movie Maker

Platform: Windows

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

This is probably one of the oldest if not the oldest video editing software for PCs. Microsoft has announced that Windows Movie Maker will no longer be available for download. This software can still be found online, although not on Microsoft’s website, and currently, there are two different versions of Windows Movie Maker available. Even the least experienced video editors can master each of the Movie Maker versions easily.

Features: The classic video editing software is equipped with all the tools you’ll need for basic editing tasks like trimming, changing the video playback speed or rotating videos. It even features a Video Stabilization option that can be useful if you’d like to stabilize a video and remove the distracting camera shakes. Windows Movie Maker lets you add text effects to your video, insert Transitions between two takes, perform basic audio editing or record a screen.

Advantages:

Free, meets your basic editing demands

Limitations:

Service discontinued

No support for modern file formats

Lacks color correction tools, visual effects or any other advanced video editing options.

Check how to use Windows Movie Maker here: Windows Movie Maker User Guide


3. iMovie

Platform: Mac OS, iOS

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

imovie video editor

As the Apple’s version of the Windows Movie Maker, iMovie has a similar status of a classic video editor that is at its best when used for simple video editing tasks. The video editor can also be used on an iPhone or an iPad if you want to edit your videos on the go. Learning your way around iMovie won’t take much of your time since all of its features are easy to use.

Features: Editing 4K videos or making credits or titles are just a few among many options provided by iMovie. Adding transitions, applying split-screen effects or creating PIP videos doesn’t require you to be a skilled video editor, because all of these options are easily accessible and they can be used in any project you are working on.

The iMovie’s audio editing options are equally impressive since the software enables you to add music, use built-in sound effects and record voiceovers. The video editor supports most of the popular file formats.

Advantages:

Free, and comes bundled with your Mac

Intuitive interface

Limitations:

This classic video editor for Apple’s devices doesn’t offer advanced video editing options such as motion tracking or keyframe marking.

Check how to use Windows Movie Maker here: iMovie User Guide


4. Final Cut Pro

Platform: macOS

Price: Paid, $299

Level: Professionals

final cut pro

Final Cut Pro is probably one of the highest praised video editing software ever created. It has been used to edit cinematic masterpieces such as ‘What happened Miss Simone’ or ‘The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo’, which speaks volumes about the software’s capability. Final Cut Pro’s Magnetic Timeline 2 is one of the kind, and it makes organizing large amounts of video and audio files look easy. Although the software’s price may seem discouraging, those who invested in it never had to use another video editor.

Features: A brief look at the list of Final Cut Pro’s video editing tools will leave you wondering if there is anything this software can’t do. Besides basic video editing features, the video editor is also equipped with 360 degrees VR video editing option, Multicam editing, and advanced color grading tools. Final Cut Pro allows its users to add as many audio tracks to the timeline as they want, thus enabling them to create impeccable soundtracks for their videos.

Advantages: Working with large numbers of video files is simplified by the software’s timeline, while options such as 3D titles or VR contribute to the strong impression this editor leaves on all of its users.

Limitations: Final Cut Pro has some lingering glitches that still haven’t been fixed, and its audio editing tool set lacks some important pieces.

If you are new to video editing and you will need a video maker that is tailored for beginners. In such case, you can read this article to get: Best Free Video Editing Software for Beginners >> They are really very easy to use. You can make a stunning video less than an hour.


5. Wondershare Filmii

Platform: Windows

Price: Free, Paid versions

Level: Beginners

filmii

This delicate video editing software is one of the best video editors for newbies. The free version of the software offers a lot of powerful video editing tools, but in order to get rid of the watermnark, you have to pay 9.99$ for its monthly plan. One of the advantages of Filmii is that it has a variety of video templates that can help beginners edit amazing videos with ease due to its auto-create functionality. Besides, its audio editing or creative tools are equally impressive.


6. Lightworks

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free, Paid versions: $437.99

Level: Professionals

lightworks

Lightworks is one of the best video editing software on this list with a long history in the movie-making business. The free version of the software is available, but it has limited export options. A $25 monthly subscription is required in order to gain access to all of the software’s features. Although it may be a somewhat pricey option, purchasing Lightworks is a profitable investment that may help you improve the quality of your videos.

Features: Both free and paid versions of this video editing suite offer support for wide range of video file formats. This can be very useful for video editors who often work on projects shot on different cameras. Multi-cam editing feature enables the software’s users to work with footage shot from separate angles, using more than just one camera. The videos edited with the free version of the software can only be exported to an MPEG4 file format with the maximum size of 1280X 790 pixels, and they must be uploaded to YouTube directly from the editor.

Advantages: Royalty-free media and a remarkable VFX panel make Lightworks a tempting option for professional and amateur video editors alike.

Limitations: The export options on the free version of the software are extremely limited and the software doesn’t provide much support for inexperienced users.


7. ShotCut

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Semi-Pros

shotcut

If you need a video editing software just to piece together a few clips you recorded on the family vacation, then ShotCut may be a bit overwhelming choice for such a task. This open-source software is equipped with a rich collection of audio and video editing features, while it also offers support for nearly all video file formats. It is best suited for users in need of powerful video editing software who don’t want to spend a fortune on purchasing a professional editing suite.

Features: Screen capturing, webcam video recording or audio capturing options are all made available by ShotCut. The software’s video and audio editing features surpass all expectations and allow the software’s users to have complete creative control over their projects. Features such as Chroma Key, Crop or Blur are accompanied by a number of amazing video effects that can be used to enhance the colors in a video. Using ShotCut requires you to just download the software and run its executable file, which means that you don’t have to go through the installation process in order to start editing with this software.

Advantages: 4K videos, as well as numerous other video and audio file formats, are supported by this open-source video editing software. To make things even better ShotCut grants you access to fully customizable filters.

Limitations: The software doesn’t feature preset export profiles, and the transitions it offers are a bit scarce.


8. HitFilm Express

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free

Level: Semi-Pros

hitfilm express

This cross-platform video editor ranks among best video editing software products currently available on the market. Its secret lies in uniting visual effect compositing and video editing options under the same roof. HitFilm Express is aimed at users with an enviable amount of video editing experience, since inexperienced video editors may find the software’s interface difficult to navigate. This video editing suite offers a lot of video editing tools as well as visual and audio effect, that can be easily used to improve the quality of your videos.

Features: The rare combination of VFX compositing and video editing makes HitFilm Express unique, while its motion design and tracking options offer support for more complex video editing actions. The software supports 2D and 3D effects compositing, as well as 4K and 360-degree videos.

HitFilm Express’ titling options are at the basic level, while its Export options are alarmingly narrow. This free editing software doesn’t provide too many options for color adjustments, but its audio editing features can be used to create a video with a superior soundtrack.

Advantages: The software offers a wide spectrum of transitions and video effects and it supports most popular video file formats. HitFilm Express lets you use semi-professional video editing tools for free.

Limitations: In order to export a video from the software you must share a link on a social media platform and then download the file. People who are not familiar with the video editing process may find using HitFilm Express difficult.


9. Blender

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Professionals

blender

Blender started out as an open-source project and over the years animators, scientists, VFX artists and numerous other people have participated in developing this 3D creation suite. The software can be used for modeling, animation, video editing or compositing, to mention only a few of its many purposes. Editing video footage isn’t Blender’s strong suit, but its video editing features are powerful enough to enable you to perform basic editing tasks. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t use this software to create videos that grab the viewer’s attention.

Features: Cutting or trimming videos, adjusting the video’s playback speed or adding keyframes to a video clip is an easy process in Blender. The software’s true strength lies in its animation, 3D modeling or motion tracking features. The latest version of Blender is equipped with a motion tracking option that allows you to import the footage into the software directly from a camera. You can utilize this feature to mask areas of the shot and see the movement on camera in a 3D environment.

Advantages: Blender’s price and its powerful features make it an interesting choice as your primary video editing software.

Limitations: You must have in-depth knowledge of animation, compositing, and 3D techniques in order to be able to use Blender.


10. Avidemux

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

avidemux

This simple video editing software has all the tools you’ll ever need to quickly polish your videos. Its audio and video effects can be utilized to make your videos look and sound professionally, but Avidemux doesn’t offer much more than these basic video editing options.

The software provides support for most of popular video file formats, but its export options are far from perfect. Avidemux doesn’t feature visual effects or transitions, which significantly limits its video editing capabilities.

Features: Newcomers to the video editing world will love the software’s interface, because of its simplicity. The Transform feature allows you to fade in and fade out shots, crop or rotate video clips and even add logos to your videos. Blur or Sharpen effects enable users to enhance their videos, while contrast, brightness, saturation or hue values can be adjusted to make the colors in the video look more vivid. Avidemux also features the Subtitle option, but the software can only add hardcoded subtitles to videos.

Advantages: Solves all your basic video editing problems, and lets you have fun while editing videos. Avidemux also has solid encoding options and its interface is user-friendly.

Limitations: There are no video effects or transitions, which narrows down the software’s video editing options.


11. VideoPad Video Editor

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

videopad

VideoPad is one of the best entry-level cross-platform software products you can use for easy video editing tasks. The free version of the software is available to both Mac and PC users, although the Windows version limits the video exporting options to just two file formats. The VideoPad’s interface doesn’t take much time to get used to, and it perfectly adjusted to the needs of inexperienced video editors. Paid versions of the software are available to advanced editors who want to use VideoPad for more than just basic video editing.

Features: The list of video editing features VideoPad provides includes several pleasant surprises. The 4K video support, as well as 360-video editing features, are aimed at GoPro owners who want a quick and easy way to process their footage. The visual effects this free video editing software provides are impressive, while the Chroma Key option enables its users to create green screen videos. Even though VideoPad allows its users to edit audio files, its audio editing features are fairly modest.

Advantages: Learning how to use VideoPad is simplified by its intuitively designed interface.

Limitations: There are no advanced video editing options like multi-cam editing and motion tracking and certain features become unavailable when using the free version of the software over a longer period of time.

Download link: If you download the trial version instead of the free non-commercial home edition, or do not find a specific link to it on the website, you can trydownloading it from this link , or contact tech support , and they will send you a direct link.


12. OpenShot

Platform: Window, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

openshot best video editor

This award-winning open-source video editor offers a wide range of video editing tools that span from trimming and slicing to Slow Motion and Time effects. OpenShot is an excellent software for training and learning new video editing tricks, but it is best avoided if you are working on a large project. The software’s basic video editing features make it an excellent choice for users who only want to perform simple edits without having to waste too much time.

Features: OpenShot lets you add unlimited video and audio tracks to your projects, but its file management capabilities are far from impressive. The software allows you to trim or arrange the video files in any way you want, and it also provides a lot of different Transitions that can be used to make the videos look smoother. The collection of video and audio effects allows users to try out different solutions for the scenes in their video clips. OpenShot features a Vector Title Editor that can assist you in creating perfect opening titles or end credits.

Advantages: The interface of this open-source video editing software is designed to assist its users through every step of the video editing process. OpenShot is a great choice for all video editors who want to save money and use a powerful video editing software at the same time.

Limitations: More complex video editing options such as Rotoscoping, are not available. You may have to install add-ons if the OS you are using doesn’t meet the software’s system requirements.


13. Kdenlive

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Semi-pros

Almost two decades ago, this open-source project was started by Jason Wood in order to develop a video editing software for Linux OS. Over the years, a small team of developers has created Windows and MacOS versions of the editor that now have a loyal fan base. Even though the software’s features make it a reliable choice for more complex projects, Kdnelive can also be used to perform simple edits. This video editing software combines the simplicity of entry-level video editors with advanced video editing tools frequently used by experienced professionals.

Features: The functionality of this video editor will surprise even the greatest of skeptics. The software’s timeline lets you to add as many videos and audio files to your project as you want, making it a perfect tool for large-scale projects. The visual effects and transitions enable users to manipulate the footage in any way they see fit, while the extremely powerful analysis tools such as histograms, waveforms or vectorscopes enable them to monitor all the adjustments they make on their footage.

Advantages: Kdnlive provides support for nearly all input file formats that can be added easily to the software’s multitrack timeline. The free open-source add-ons can extend the video editor’s capability and thus enable you to perform a wider range of video editing actions.

Limitations: Even though the software provides the screencast recording option, it doesn’t feature the PIP effect. Multi frame-rate editing isn’t possible and software’s updates can last for hours.


14. Adobe Premiere Pro

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Paid, $19.99 per month

Level: Professionals

adobe premiere pro

There are very few video editing suites that can offer as much to its users as Adobe Premiere Pro can. It is probably one of the best video editors ever created, as it has been setting the industry standards for a long time. High-end professionals frequently use Adobe Premiere Pro on their projects, while aspiring filmmakers strive to learn every option this unique video editor has to offer. The much-famed software isn’t the best choice for video editors who are just learning the basics of the trade, although it supplies a staggering amount of tutorials and learning materials.

Features: With each new version of Adobe Premiere Pro the list of the software’s features becomes longer. Its timeline is famous for its ease of use because it enables you to add as much new audio or video tracks as your project requires. This is arguably one of the best color correction software packages on the market, while its color grading features are no less impressive. Adobe Premiere Pro provides support for a wide range of video file formats including 4K, HDR, and 360 VR videos.

Advantages: Perfect for collaborative projects that involve large teams of experienced professionals. The software is at its best when used with other Adobe’s products that enable you to develop projects beyond the boundaries set by the Adobe Premiere Pro’s limitations.

Limitations: You cannot purchase the lifetime license to use this video editing software, and paying monthly subscriptions may be hard on the budget of some of its potential users.


15. Magix Vegas Pro

Platform: Windows

**Price:**Paid: $399

Level: Professionals

vegas pro

Successful independent artists, film producers, and all other film and video enthusiasts can only benefit from purchasing this video editing suite. The software belonged to Sony Creative Software for much of its history, but on May 20. 2016 the company sold it to Magix. Previously known as Vegas Pro or just Vegas, this video editing software is widely accepted as one of the best professional video editing tools ever created. There is virtually no video editing task that cannot be completed in Magix Vegas Pro video editing software.

Features: This video editor is designed to provide support to its users from the beginning until the very end of the video editing process. Magix Vegas Pro recognizes almost all video file formats, even those captured with professional RED or ARRI Alexa cameras. You can use this software to edit 3D or 4K videos, while the Multicamera-Editing feature lets you switch between any number of video sources with a single mouse click. Effects such as Automatic Crossfades allow you to create transitions between shots effortlessly.

Advantages: The seemingly unlimited amount of learning resources makes editing with Magix Vegas Pro a lot easier and it enables less experienced video editors to learn new tricks.

Limitations: There aren’t as many visual effects as you would hope for and the software’s interface isn’t aesthetically pleasing, but it is very functional.


16. Adobe Premiere Elements

Platform: Windows, macOS

**Price:**Paid: $99.99

Level: Semi-pros

Although it is often regarded as a simplified version of Premiere Pro, this video editing suite offers enough video editing tools to edit videos at the semi-professional level. Adobe Premiere Elements contains automated versions of Premiere Pro’s features and in this manner it enables its users to utilize professional video editing tools on their prosumer level projects. Even though this Adobe’s software product lacks the power of professional video editing software packages, it still offers enough video editing tools for the production of nicely polished and well-rounded videos.

Features: Adobe Premiere Elements recognizes all popular video file formats, and it offers support for 4K content. In addition to its remarkable file format compatibility, the video editor also features 3D editing and face detection options that can be very useful when working on more complex video projects. The haze-removal effect is extremely efficient at reducing the fog or cigarette smoke in a shot, while the motion titles let you create visually impressive opening titles or end credits. The Adobe Premiere Elements has performed exceptionally well when rendering large video files.

Advantages: The software’s Guided mode provides support to its users and helps them learn how to perform all video editing actions. The asset management tool offers assistance with the organization of large amounts of video and audio files.

Limitations: When compared to other video editors in this guide Adobe Premiere Elements’ device and social media optimization features seem to be in short supply.


Platform: Windows, macOS

**Price:**Free trial, Paid version: $69,99 - $129,99

Level: Semi-pros

cyberlink powerdirector

This is probably one of the best and most popular video editing software packages aimed at amateur and semi-professional users. There are several versions of the software available, and each of them contains a different amount of options and video editing tools. Even with somewhat reduced capability, the least expensive version of the editor supports 360-degree as well as VR options for posting on social media such as Vimeo, Facebook or YouTube. CyberLink PowerDirector isn’t a professional video editing software, but it still offers a lot of extraordinary options that can take you a step closer to producing a professional video.

Features: The 360-degree video editing options are probably the first thing that catches the eye when you look at the list of features the software provides, but its true power lies in its color tools. LUTs, HDR effects or Split Toning options are just the tip of the iceberg since PowerDirector offers countless tools for fine-tuning of the colors in your videos. Animated PIP effects and video collages make this video editing software a perfect choice for the production of tutorials and all other types of online videos.

Advantages: The audio editing options provided by CyberLink PowerDirector are nothing short of amazing since they enable the software’s users to manipulate the audio files in any way they see fit.

Limitations: Motion tracking and color lookup features are not always reliable. The software is a bit overpriced when compared with similar video editing suits.


18. Magix Movie Video Easy

Platform: Windows

Price: Free trial, Paid version: $49,99

Level: Semi-pros

This video editor is a great choice for people who have never edited a video before and who want to learn how to perform basic video editing tasks. Video Easy’s intuitive user interface can be mastered by anyone with enough determination to edit videos with this software on a constant basis. Features this editor offers may not be as impressive as to ones provided by professional video editing suites, but they are powerful enough to produce clean edits that give your videos a professional look.

Features: If you choose to make Magix Movie Video Easy your primary video editing software, you will never have to worry about what type of camera you used to record your videos since the software is compatible with all standard camcorders, digital cameras, and Smartphones. The rich collection of transitions and effects, as well as the intro and outro animations, can all be used to create amazing videos. You can export videos to DVDs, Blu-Ray discs or YouTube directly from the software.

Advantages: If you are looking for a video editor that will enable you to add music to your videos, trim or cut videos quickly and choose from hundreds of effects, then you should look no further because Magix Movie Video Easy provides all of these options, and much more.

Limitations: Doesn’t perform well when used for demanding video editing tasks.


19. Magix Video Pro

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free trial, Paid version: $62,99

Level: Beginners

Magix has been the largest European video editing software manufacturer for more than two decades. Its software products may not enjoy the fame of Adobe’s video editing software packages, but this doesn’t mean that a video editor such as Magix Video Pro cannot be used for the production of professional-looking videos. Besides offering basic video editing tools this video editor also features advanced video editing options such as Stop Motion animation or 360-degree video editing. Magix Video Pro is often labeled as ‘one of the best video editing programs out there’.

Features: Audio editing features that come with this video editor include an audio mixer that enables you to reduce noise levels, control the low, mid and high sounds or simply equalize the sound volume across the entire project. The video editing tools supplied by the Magix Video Pro are as impressive as its audio editing options. Lens correction features, Split screen videos or 360-degree video editing options reveal only a fraction of the software’s capabilities. Magix Video Pro delivers professional video editing features to consumer-level users.

Advantages: The software allows you to place any type of media file on its timeline and use it in your project.

Limitations: The effects library installation process can be time-consuming, although it is well worth the wait.


Part II: Best Video Making Editors Online

20. YouTube

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

The world’s largest video sharing platform also offers basic video editing services. Although Google has discontinued its built-in video editor, it still allows tts users to trim or rotate videos, apply filters or even create time-lapse and slow-motion videos on line. Brightness, contrast or saturation levels can be altered if you want to enhance the colors in your videos. Audio editing features are limited because the platform only allows you to add a single audio file to a project you’re working on. However, some of the most important video editing features like adding the text or creating titles are not available.

Advantages: Allows you to polish your videos before posting them on YouTube for free.

Cons: This online video editor lacks some basic video editing tools such as transitions or audio controls.


21. Online Video Cutter

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

If you were looking for a web app that contains all the tools required to cut a small video file, then Online Video Cutter is one of your best options. You won’t even have to create an account before you start the video editing process. The videos you upload to this online editor can’t exceed the 500 MB size limit. Besides cutting their videos, users of this editor can also rotate or trim their footage for free. Online Video Cutter provides support for nearly all video file formats, so you don’t have to worry about the file format in which your video was captured.

Advantages: Offers a quick way to trim videos online and it is exceptionally easy to use.

Limitations: Lacks even the most basic video editing features other than cutting, trimming and rotating videos.


22. Movie Maker Online

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

This free online editing tool lets you process videos without even registering or creating an account. You can add videos, photos, text, and music into a single project and mix them together into an awesome video. The platform grants you access to its rich filter library, and it also allows you to add text overlays, fade audio and video files or create smooth transitions between shots. Movie Maker Online features its own collection of royalty free music and photos you can use to make your videos look and sound better. The webpage’s design is a little odd, and it may take some time to get used to it.

Advantages: The app offers a lot of different video editing tools and it allows you to perform all basic video editing actions online.

Limitations: Movie Maker Online is funded by ads, and requires you to disable your AdBlock app before you can start editing a video.


23. ClipChamp

Platform: Online

Price: Free trial, Paid: $7 per month

Level: Beginners

clipchamp

ClipChamp lets you upload videos you already recorded or capture new footage using your computer’s webcam. The free version of this web app allows you to export in 1080p video files, but you can’t produce more than five videos in a single month. Both versions of the online video editor require you to create an account, and the videos exported from the free version of the app don’t have a watermark. ClipChamp provides numerous video editing tools, including transition, color adjustments or cropping. The exporting process doesn’t last too long and you can choose whether you want to share the video on social media or download it to your computer.

Advantages: Makes creating webcam videos as well as editing preexisting footage look easy while providing excellent export options.

Limitations: The free version of ClipChamp allows you export only five videos in a month.


24. WeVideo

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

wevideo

The capabilities of WeVideo online video editor surpass the basic level of video editing. The platform offers support for iOS and Android devices as well as desktop computers. Producing square or horizontal videos, creating motion titles or publishing videos in 720p HD resolution are just a few amazing options this online video editor provides. The paid versions of the web app are best suited for skilled video editing professionals or large teams that are working on demanding projects. WeVideo’s free version doesn’t allow its users to publish more than 30 minutes of video content each month and each exported video contains a watermark.

Advantages: Produces videos with great picture quality and offers tons of advanced video editing options.

Limitations: Creating an account is mandatory even for video editors who want to use the free version of WeVideo.


25. Kizoa

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

Kizoa offers a broad spectrum of transitions, visual effects, animation and text effects to its users for free. The video editing platform is frequently used to create goofy short videos that can be easily shared on Facebook or Twitter. The app allows you to add photos to your video projects and it grants you access to an incredibly rich royalty free music collection. However, you will have to create an account on Kizoa in order to be able to export the videos you created. The editor’s timeline is rudimentary, but still functional enough to enable users to combine audio, video, and photo files.

Advantages: Kizoa is a powerful tool for the creation of entertaining social media videos.

Limitations: You must create an account in order to be able to export your projects, and the online video editor doesn’t feature any advanced video editing options.


26. Wideo

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

All video enthusiasts can use Wideo platform to edit their videos, regardless of their skill level. In addition to amazing video editing options, this online video editor also features animations that can be used to create professional presentations. All video content uploaded to Wideo is stored on the cloud, and pricing plans for professionals include unlimited storage space. The Basic version of the editor allows for just ten downloads in a month and it doesn’t let its users upload videos to YouTube. Even though this video editor is easy to use, it is better suited for skilled professionals than it is for inexperienced video editors.

Advantages: Even the Basic pricing plan enables users to export HD videos, while Professional and Enterprise pricing plans include the Full HD export option.

Limitations: Limited audio editing options significantly reduce the capabilities of this online video editing platform.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Free Online Video Editors With No Watermark >>


Part III: Best Video APP for iOS/Android

27. Filmora

Platform: iOS, Andoird

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

You can edit your videos with Filmora in just three simple steps. All you have to do is choose the videos and photos from your phone’s gallery, Instagram or Facebook account, select a theme, insert transitions or add a song and share the video directly from the app on social media or to your email address. Besides the powerful video editing features, this app for iOS and Android devices also allows you to set your video’s aspect ratio to Square 1:1 if you would like to share the clip on Instagram or Cinema 16:9 if the video is shared to YouTube.

Advantages: Supports HD export options and provides a diverse set of video editing options.

Limitations: The app can’t perform advanced video editing tasks.


28. Vlogit

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

The Wondershare’s video editing app for Android and iOS devices is designed to offer assistance to YouTubers and Vloggers who want to edit their videos directly from their Smartphones. Vlogit is equipped with video editing tools that enable you to cut, trim or rotate videos, while its sound editing features include recording voiceovers, adding sound effects or choosing the music you want to use as a soundtrack to your video. The app lets you combine photos and videos within the same project, and it also enables you to create customized openers from animated templates. The videos created and exported with the Vlogit app don’t contain watermarks.

Advantages: Offers powerful video editing features to YouTubers and Vloggers who want to edit their videos from their Smartphones for free.

Limitations: The list of visual effects the app provides could be longer.


29. VideoShop

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

The extensive list of features VideoShop app offers makes it one of the best options for novice video editors who want to quickly create visually impressive videos. This video editing app allows you to work with multiple video files or merge them into a single video. The animated titles enable users of the VideoShop app to create professional-looking intros for their videos, while the transitions feature allows them to seamlessly piece together all shots featured in a project. Tilt-Shift and Stop Motion options are also available to video editors who want to make their videos look more professional.

Advantages: Fun and easy to use video editing app that lets you manipulate footage in any way you want.

Limitations: VideoShop contains ads, and the app’s version for iOS devices only supports videos recorded with iPhones and iPads.


30. Filmmaker Pro

Platform: iOS

Price: Freemium, $5,99 monthly subscription

Level: Semi-pros

iPhone videographers who need access to semi-professional video editing tools will certainly enjoy using this app. Filmmaker Pro offers support for 4K footage filmed on the latest models of iPhone and it enables its users to add an unlimited number of text overlays, video clips, voiceovers or audio tracks to the app’s timeline. The video editor grants you access to over 30 filters, video grading features, as well as Chroma Key and Ken Burns effects. In addition to impressive video and audio editing features, Filmmaker Pro’s users can also record videos with a camera that lets them adjust settings manually directly from the app, although this option must be paid for.

Advantages: Text overlays, audio editing features and the ability to select the aspect ratio for each video you edit with this app, make it one of the best video editing options for iOS devices.

Limitations: Nearly all of the app’s best features must be purchased.


31. KineMaster

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Freemium, contains adds

Level: Semi-pros

This cross-platform video editor is one of the premier options for mobile video editing on both iOS and Android devices. KineMaster is currently the only app that enables Android Smartphone owners to add as many layers of videos, photos, and text to their projects as they want. However, it only supports a limited number of video file formats, which means that the app shouldn’t be used to edit videos that weren’t recorded on an iPhone or Android phone. KineMaster provides a wide range of video exporting options and allows you to share videos on popular social media networks.

Pros: Above average video and audio editing features.

Limitations: Offers a lot of options mobile video editors seldom use.


32. LumaFusion

Platform: iOS

Price: Paid, $29.99

Level: Semi-pros

Creating neatly organized projects with LumaFusion is a simple task because the app features a powerful Project Manager that lets you sort files or select aspect ratios for your videos. In addition, the Media Library lets you import all types of files from a cloud storage or drag and drop media from other apps. Producing slow-motion videos that have 120 or 240fps or creating green screen videos using the Chroma Key effect is easy with LumaFusion. The app’s audio editing features are as impressive as its video editing tools since they provide the complete control over the audio files to the video editor’s users.

Advantages: Color correction options, LUTs or numerous visual effects are all part of the reason why LumaFusion is one of the best apps for mobile video editing.

Limitations: Only available for iOS devices.


33. Vizzywig 2019 4K Video Editor

Platform: iOS

Price: Paid, $79.99

Level: Semi-pros

This award-winning app for iOS devices provides all the tools a skilled video editor could desire. Its features include support for 4K videos, wide selection of aspect ratios as well as stylish intros, end credits, and titles. Besides offering professional video editing tools, Vizzywig also features Multi-Camera recording options that can capture videos in 8K resolution. In addition, the app is capable of producing videos that have eight times more pixels than the Apple’s Facetime HD Camera. The non-linear timeline lets you arrange video clips in any way you see fit, and allows you to add multiple media files to each project you are working on.

Advantages: Lets you control the focus and exposure manually and produce videos with stunning picture quality.

Limitations: Single platform compatibility and a high price narrow down the number of the app’s potential users.


34. PowerDirector

Platform: Android

Price: Freemium, contains ads and in-app purchases

Level: Beginners

Unlike the Adobe’s app for mobile video editing, PowerDirector lives up to all expectations. This user-friendly app lets you create reverse, 4K, or green screen videos. To make things even better, you can easily apply visual and audio effects or add voiceovers to your projects. In addition to the video editor, the PowerDirector app is also equipped with a powerful photo editor that lets you manipulate images in a professional manner. You can use almost any type of video or audio file in this app because it provides support for all commonly used file formats.

Advantages: PowerDirector is designed to help its users polish their video quickly and effortlessly.

Limitations: Videos in 1080p and 4K resolutions can only be exported after you’ve made an in-app purchase.

Ooops…It looks like there isn’t any tool that matches your demand. Please give it another try.

Which Video Editor Do You Think Is Best for You?

Thank you to read this so far. It’s a long but the most comprehensive reviews ever for all hot video editing software compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux, as well as online video editors. I hope you find the tools that you like.

If you want to get quick selections without too much reading, here is my recommendation:

  • Best video editor for Windows and Mac to download: Filmora
  • Best video editing software for Linux to download: Lightworks
  • Best video editor for Android, iOS to download: Filmora , VideoShop
  • Best online video editor to use: WeVideo

If you still can’t find a one Or we missed one of the tools you think which deserves to be listed above?

Either way, let us know by leaving a comment below.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Now, videos are getting increasingly important for you to present your thoughts and feeling on Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook.

But how to make your video looks professional, creative, stunning and deserved to share? A free video editing software can do you a favor.

So, Which is the best video editor available in the market?

If you are not quite certain about the video editing software you should use to edit your videos, you’ve come to the right place. Because we are going to take you through the best video editors including free versions.

Newcomers to the world of the video editing as well as seasoned professionals can use this guide to find the video editing software that will help them produce better visual content.

Let’s dive in and explore all aspects worth considering before you decide which software is best for you. And you can click the Filter button at the left side in this article to find the best video editing software for you.

We spent about a month for researching and testing all popular video making software in the market and now collect 35 best video editors for you. This list of film makers can be used on Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Android, and Linux. Besides, some of them are online video editors you can use directly.

Now, let’s filter through the list to find the best video editor for you. Check it out :

No. Product Name Supported OS Price Best for Overview Download Link
1 Wondershare Filmora Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Android, iOS Free trial; $79.99 perpetual, $49.99/year Beginners, Semi-Pros 4.9 Download
2 Windows Movie Maker Windows7/8/10 Free Beginners 4.1 Download
3 iMovie Mac OS, iOS Free Beginners 4.3 Download
4 Final Cut Pro Mac OS 30 days free trial; $299.99 Professionals 4.4 Download
5 Wondershare Filmii Windows 7/8/10 Free trial; $9.99 Beginners 4.3 Download
6 Lightworks Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free trial; $437.99 Professionals 4.2 Download
7 ShotCut Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Open Source Video Editor Semi-Pros 3.9 Download
8 HitFilm Express Windows, Mac OS Free Semi-Pros 4.1 Download
9 Blender Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free; Fund $6/mo for support Professionals 3.8 Download
10 Avidemux Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Beginners 3.5 Download
11 VideoPad Video Editor Windows, Mac OSX, iOS, Kindle Free Beginners 3.9 Download
12 OpenShot Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Open Source Video Editor Beginners 3.8 Download
13 Kdenlive Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS, Linux Free Semi-pros 4.1 Download
14 Adobe Premiere Pro Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS 7 days free trial; $20.99/mo; $33.99 /mo Professionals 4.5 Download
15 Magix Vegas Pro Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $399-$799 Professionals 4.2 Download
16 Adobe Premiere Elements Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $99.99 Semi-pros 4.7 Download
17 CyberLink PowerDirector Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS $69,99 - $129,99 Semi-pros 4.5 Download
18 Magix Movie Video Easy Windows only Free trial; $49,99 Semi-pros 3.6 Download
19 Magix Video Pro Windows 10 Free trial; $79.99 Beginners 4.1 Download
20 Media Online Free Beginners 4.75 Check
21 YouTube Online Free Beginners 4.8 Check
22 Online Video Cutter Online Free Beginners 3.6 Check
23 Movie Maker Online Online Free Beginners 3.7 Check
24 ClipChamp Online 14 day free trial; $7/mo Beginners 4.1 Check
25 WeVideo Online Free trial; $11.99-$79.99 Beginners 4.4 Check
26 Kizoa Online Freemium Beginners 3.8 Check
27 Wideo Online Freemium Beginners 4.3 Check
28 Filmora iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.1 Download
29 Vlogit iOS, Android Free Beginners 3.6 Download
30 VideoShop iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.8 Download
31 Filmmaker Pro iOS Freemium; $5.99/mo Semi-pros 4.6 Download
32 KineMaster iOS, Android Freemium Semi-pros 4.4 Download
33 LumaFusion iOS $29.99 Semi-pros 4.8 Download
34 Vizzywig 2019 iOS $79.99 Semi-pros 4.1 Download
35 PowerDirector iOS, Android Freemium Beginners 4.5 Download

Part I: Best Video Editing Software for Windows/Mac/Linux


1. Wondershare Filmora

Platform: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Price: Free trial; $79.99 perpetual, $49.99/year

Level: Beginners

Free Download

Free Download

Even though it is widely considered as one of the premium entry-level video editing software options, Wondershare Filmora also offers advanced editing tools. The software product comes with detailed learning resources and provides support to its users who have little editing experience. The wide range of file formats and remarkably diverse Export options make Filmora an interesting choice for those who are just entering the world of video editing, but also for more experienced editors.

Features: Filmora’s rich effect library contains over a thousand modern special effects from niches such as gaming, blockbuster or tutorial, and new effects are added every month. The Action Cam tool is designed to make merging footage shot on action cameras easy and quick. Filmora supports a wide range of file formats including AVI, MP4 or MKV, so you don’t have to worry if your footage was shot in 4K or HD because you can easily edit it with this software.

Advantages:

A large number of professional video editing features Filmora offers as well as its modernly designed interface makes it one of the best options for amateur video creators.

Limitations:

You can use all the features in the free trial version, but have to pay to remove the watermark.

Lear more about Wondershare Filmora here: Filmora Official YouTube Channel


2. Windows Movie Maker

Platform: Windows

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

This is probably one of the oldest if not the oldest video editing software for PCs. Microsoft has announced that Windows Movie Maker will no longer be available for download. This software can still be found online, although not on Microsoft’s website, and currently, there are two different versions of Windows Movie Maker available. Even the least experienced video editors can master each of the Movie Maker versions easily.

Features: The classic video editing software is equipped with all the tools you’ll need for basic editing tasks like trimming, changing the video playback speed or rotating videos. It even features a Video Stabilization option that can be useful if you’d like to stabilize a video and remove the distracting camera shakes. Windows Movie Maker lets you add text effects to your video, insert Transitions between two takes, perform basic audio editing or record a screen.

Advantages:

Free, meets your basic editing demands

Limitations:

Service discontinued

No support for modern file formats

Lacks color correction tools, visual effects or any other advanced video editing options.

Check how to use Windows Movie Maker here: Windows Movie Maker User Guide


3. iMovie

Platform: Mac OS, iOS

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

imovie video editor

As the Apple’s version of the Windows Movie Maker, iMovie has a similar status of a classic video editor that is at its best when used for simple video editing tasks. The video editor can also be used on an iPhone or an iPad if you want to edit your videos on the go. Learning your way around iMovie won’t take much of your time since all of its features are easy to use.

Features: Editing 4K videos or making credits or titles are just a few among many options provided by iMovie. Adding transitions, applying split-screen effects or creating PIP videos doesn’t require you to be a skilled video editor, because all of these options are easily accessible and they can be used in any project you are working on.

The iMovie’s audio editing options are equally impressive since the software enables you to add music, use built-in sound effects and record voiceovers. The video editor supports most of the popular file formats.

Advantages:

Free, and comes bundled with your Mac

Intuitive interface

Limitations:

This classic video editor for Apple’s devices doesn’t offer advanced video editing options such as motion tracking or keyframe marking.

Check how to use Windows Movie Maker here: iMovie User Guide


4. Final Cut Pro

Platform: macOS

Price: Paid, $299

Level: Professionals

final cut pro

Final Cut Pro is probably one of the highest praised video editing software ever created. It has been used to edit cinematic masterpieces such as ‘What happened Miss Simone’ or ‘The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo’, which speaks volumes about the software’s capability. Final Cut Pro’s Magnetic Timeline 2 is one of the kind, and it makes organizing large amounts of video and audio files look easy. Although the software’s price may seem discouraging, those who invested in it never had to use another video editor.

Features: A brief look at the list of Final Cut Pro’s video editing tools will leave you wondering if there is anything this software can’t do. Besides basic video editing features, the video editor is also equipped with 360 degrees VR video editing option, Multicam editing, and advanced color grading tools. Final Cut Pro allows its users to add as many audio tracks to the timeline as they want, thus enabling them to create impeccable soundtracks for their videos.

Advantages: Working with large numbers of video files is simplified by the software’s timeline, while options such as 3D titles or VR contribute to the strong impression this editor leaves on all of its users.

Limitations: Final Cut Pro has some lingering glitches that still haven’t been fixed, and its audio editing tool set lacks some important pieces.

If you are new to video editing and you will need a video maker that is tailored for beginners. In such case, you can read this article to get: Best Free Video Editing Software for Beginners >> They are really very easy to use. You can make a stunning video less than an hour.


5. Wondershare Filmii

Platform: Windows

Price: Free, Paid versions

Level: Beginners

filmii

This delicate video editing software is one of the best video editors for newbies. The free version of the software offers a lot of powerful video editing tools, but in order to get rid of the watermnark, you have to pay 9.99$ for its monthly plan. One of the advantages of Filmii is that it has a variety of video templates that can help beginners edit amazing videos with ease due to its auto-create functionality. Besides, its audio editing or creative tools are equally impressive.


6. Lightworks

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free, Paid versions: $437.99

Level: Professionals

lightworks

Lightworks is one of the best video editing software on this list with a long history in the movie-making business. The free version of the software is available, but it has limited export options. A $25 monthly subscription is required in order to gain access to all of the software’s features. Although it may be a somewhat pricey option, purchasing Lightworks is a profitable investment that may help you improve the quality of your videos.

Features: Both free and paid versions of this video editing suite offer support for wide range of video file formats. This can be very useful for video editors who often work on projects shot on different cameras. Multi-cam editing feature enables the software’s users to work with footage shot from separate angles, using more than just one camera. The videos edited with the free version of the software can only be exported to an MPEG4 file format with the maximum size of 1280X 790 pixels, and they must be uploaded to YouTube directly from the editor.

Advantages: Royalty-free media and a remarkable VFX panel make Lightworks a tempting option for professional and amateur video editors alike.

Limitations: The export options on the free version of the software are extremely limited and the software doesn’t provide much support for inexperienced users.


7. ShotCut

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Semi-Pros

shotcut

If you need a video editing software just to piece together a few clips you recorded on the family vacation, then ShotCut may be a bit overwhelming choice for such a task. This open-source software is equipped with a rich collection of audio and video editing features, while it also offers support for nearly all video file formats. It is best suited for users in need of powerful video editing software who don’t want to spend a fortune on purchasing a professional editing suite.

Features: Screen capturing, webcam video recording or audio capturing options are all made available by ShotCut. The software’s video and audio editing features surpass all expectations and allow the software’s users to have complete creative control over their projects. Features such as Chroma Key, Crop or Blur are accompanied by a number of amazing video effects that can be used to enhance the colors in a video. Using ShotCut requires you to just download the software and run its executable file, which means that you don’t have to go through the installation process in order to start editing with this software.

Advantages: 4K videos, as well as numerous other video and audio file formats, are supported by this open-source video editing software. To make things even better ShotCut grants you access to fully customizable filters.

Limitations: The software doesn’t feature preset export profiles, and the transitions it offers are a bit scarce.


8. HitFilm Express

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free

Level: Semi-Pros

hitfilm express

This cross-platform video editor ranks among best video editing software products currently available on the market. Its secret lies in uniting visual effect compositing and video editing options under the same roof. HitFilm Express is aimed at users with an enviable amount of video editing experience, since inexperienced video editors may find the software’s interface difficult to navigate. This video editing suite offers a lot of video editing tools as well as visual and audio effect, that can be easily used to improve the quality of your videos.

Features: The rare combination of VFX compositing and video editing makes HitFilm Express unique, while its motion design and tracking options offer support for more complex video editing actions. The software supports 2D and 3D effects compositing, as well as 4K and 360-degree videos.

HitFilm Express’ titling options are at the basic level, while its Export options are alarmingly narrow. This free editing software doesn’t provide too many options for color adjustments, but its audio editing features can be used to create a video with a superior soundtrack.

Advantages: The software offers a wide spectrum of transitions and video effects and it supports most popular video file formats. HitFilm Express lets you use semi-professional video editing tools for free.

Limitations: In order to export a video from the software you must share a link on a social media platform and then download the file. People who are not familiar with the video editing process may find using HitFilm Express difficult.


9. Blender

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Professionals

blender

Blender started out as an open-source project and over the years animators, scientists, VFX artists and numerous other people have participated in developing this 3D creation suite. The software can be used for modeling, animation, video editing or compositing, to mention only a few of its many purposes. Editing video footage isn’t Blender’s strong suit, but its video editing features are powerful enough to enable you to perform basic editing tasks. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t use this software to create videos that grab the viewer’s attention.

Features: Cutting or trimming videos, adjusting the video’s playback speed or adding keyframes to a video clip is an easy process in Blender. The software’s true strength lies in its animation, 3D modeling or motion tracking features. The latest version of Blender is equipped with a motion tracking option that allows you to import the footage into the software directly from a camera. You can utilize this feature to mask areas of the shot and see the movement on camera in a 3D environment.

Advantages: Blender’s price and its powerful features make it an interesting choice as your primary video editing software.

Limitations: You must have in-depth knowledge of animation, compositing, and 3D techniques in order to be able to use Blender.


10. Avidemux

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

avidemux

This simple video editing software has all the tools you’ll ever need to quickly polish your videos. Its audio and video effects can be utilized to make your videos look and sound professionally, but Avidemux doesn’t offer much more than these basic video editing options.

The software provides support for most of popular video file formats, but its export options are far from perfect. Avidemux doesn’t feature visual effects or transitions, which significantly limits its video editing capabilities.

Features: Newcomers to the video editing world will love the software’s interface, because of its simplicity. The Transform feature allows you to fade in and fade out shots, crop or rotate video clips and even add logos to your videos. Blur or Sharpen effects enable users to enhance their videos, while contrast, brightness, saturation or hue values can be adjusted to make the colors in the video look more vivid. Avidemux also features the Subtitle option, but the software can only add hardcoded subtitles to videos.

Advantages: Solves all your basic video editing problems, and lets you have fun while editing videos. Avidemux also has solid encoding options and its interface is user-friendly.

Limitations: There are no video effects or transitions, which narrows down the software’s video editing options.


11. VideoPad Video Editor

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

videopad

VideoPad is one of the best entry-level cross-platform software products you can use for easy video editing tasks. The free version of the software is available to both Mac and PC users, although the Windows version limits the video exporting options to just two file formats. The VideoPad’s interface doesn’t take much time to get used to, and it perfectly adjusted to the needs of inexperienced video editors. Paid versions of the software are available to advanced editors who want to use VideoPad for more than just basic video editing.

Features: The list of video editing features VideoPad provides includes several pleasant surprises. The 4K video support, as well as 360-video editing features, are aimed at GoPro owners who want a quick and easy way to process their footage. The visual effects this free video editing software provides are impressive, while the Chroma Key option enables its users to create green screen videos. Even though VideoPad allows its users to edit audio files, its audio editing features are fairly modest.

Advantages: Learning how to use VideoPad is simplified by its intuitively designed interface.

Limitations: There are no advanced video editing options like multi-cam editing and motion tracking and certain features become unavailable when using the free version of the software over a longer period of time.

Download link: If you download the trial version instead of the free non-commercial home edition, or do not find a specific link to it on the website, you can trydownloading it from this link , or contact tech support , and they will send you a direct link.


12. OpenShot

Platform: Window, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

openshot best video editor

This award-winning open-source video editor offers a wide range of video editing tools that span from trimming and slicing to Slow Motion and Time effects. OpenShot is an excellent software for training and learning new video editing tricks, but it is best avoided if you are working on a large project. The software’s basic video editing features make it an excellent choice for users who only want to perform simple edits without having to waste too much time.

Features: OpenShot lets you add unlimited video and audio tracks to your projects, but its file management capabilities are far from impressive. The software allows you to trim or arrange the video files in any way you want, and it also provides a lot of different Transitions that can be used to make the videos look smoother. The collection of video and audio effects allows users to try out different solutions for the scenes in their video clips. OpenShot features a Vector Title Editor that can assist you in creating perfect opening titles or end credits.

Advantages: The interface of this open-source video editing software is designed to assist its users through every step of the video editing process. OpenShot is a great choice for all video editors who want to save money and use a powerful video editing software at the same time.

Limitations: More complex video editing options such as Rotoscoping, are not available. You may have to install add-ons if the OS you are using doesn’t meet the software’s system requirements.


13. Kdenlive

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Level: Semi-pros

Almost two decades ago, this open-source project was started by Jason Wood in order to develop a video editing software for Linux OS. Over the years, a small team of developers has created Windows and MacOS versions of the editor that now have a loyal fan base. Even though the software’s features make it a reliable choice for more complex projects, Kdnelive can also be used to perform simple edits. This video editing software combines the simplicity of entry-level video editors with advanced video editing tools frequently used by experienced professionals.

Features: The functionality of this video editor will surprise even the greatest of skeptics. The software’s timeline lets you to add as many videos and audio files to your project as you want, making it a perfect tool for large-scale projects. The visual effects and transitions enable users to manipulate the footage in any way they see fit, while the extremely powerful analysis tools such as histograms, waveforms or vectorscopes enable them to monitor all the adjustments they make on their footage.

Advantages: Kdnlive provides support for nearly all input file formats that can be added easily to the software’s multitrack timeline. The free open-source add-ons can extend the video editor’s capability and thus enable you to perform a wider range of video editing actions.

Limitations: Even though the software provides the screencast recording option, it doesn’t feature the PIP effect. Multi frame-rate editing isn’t possible and software’s updates can last for hours.


14. Adobe Premiere Pro

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Paid, $19.99 per month

Level: Professionals

adobe premiere pro

There are very few video editing suites that can offer as much to its users as Adobe Premiere Pro can. It is probably one of the best video editors ever created, as it has been setting the industry standards for a long time. High-end professionals frequently use Adobe Premiere Pro on their projects, while aspiring filmmakers strive to learn every option this unique video editor has to offer. The much-famed software isn’t the best choice for video editors who are just learning the basics of the trade, although it supplies a staggering amount of tutorials and learning materials.

Features: With each new version of Adobe Premiere Pro the list of the software’s features becomes longer. Its timeline is famous for its ease of use because it enables you to add as much new audio or video tracks as your project requires. This is arguably one of the best color correction software packages on the market, while its color grading features are no less impressive. Adobe Premiere Pro provides support for a wide range of video file formats including 4K, HDR, and 360 VR videos.

Advantages: Perfect for collaborative projects that involve large teams of experienced professionals. The software is at its best when used with other Adobe’s products that enable you to develop projects beyond the boundaries set by the Adobe Premiere Pro’s limitations.

Limitations: You cannot purchase the lifetime license to use this video editing software, and paying monthly subscriptions may be hard on the budget of some of its potential users.


15. Magix Vegas Pro

Platform: Windows

**Price:**Paid: $399

Level: Professionals

vegas pro

Successful independent artists, film producers, and all other film and video enthusiasts can only benefit from purchasing this video editing suite. The software belonged to Sony Creative Software for much of its history, but on May 20. 2016 the company sold it to Magix. Previously known as Vegas Pro or just Vegas, this video editing software is widely accepted as one of the best professional video editing tools ever created. There is virtually no video editing task that cannot be completed in Magix Vegas Pro video editing software.

Features: This video editor is designed to provide support to its users from the beginning until the very end of the video editing process. Magix Vegas Pro recognizes almost all video file formats, even those captured with professional RED or ARRI Alexa cameras. You can use this software to edit 3D or 4K videos, while the Multicamera-Editing feature lets you switch between any number of video sources with a single mouse click. Effects such as Automatic Crossfades allow you to create transitions between shots effortlessly.

Advantages: The seemingly unlimited amount of learning resources makes editing with Magix Vegas Pro a lot easier and it enables less experienced video editors to learn new tricks.

Limitations: There aren’t as many visual effects as you would hope for and the software’s interface isn’t aesthetically pleasing, but it is very functional.


16. Adobe Premiere Elements

Platform: Windows, macOS

**Price:**Paid: $99.99

Level: Semi-pros

Although it is often regarded as a simplified version of Premiere Pro, this video editing suite offers enough video editing tools to edit videos at the semi-professional level. Adobe Premiere Elements contains automated versions of Premiere Pro’s features and in this manner it enables its users to utilize professional video editing tools on their prosumer level projects. Even though this Adobe’s software product lacks the power of professional video editing software packages, it still offers enough video editing tools for the production of nicely polished and well-rounded videos.

Features: Adobe Premiere Elements recognizes all popular video file formats, and it offers support for 4K content. In addition to its remarkable file format compatibility, the video editor also features 3D editing and face detection options that can be very useful when working on more complex video projects. The haze-removal effect is extremely efficient at reducing the fog or cigarette smoke in a shot, while the motion titles let you create visually impressive opening titles or end credits. The Adobe Premiere Elements has performed exceptionally well when rendering large video files.

Advantages: The software’s Guided mode provides support to its users and helps them learn how to perform all video editing actions. The asset management tool offers assistance with the organization of large amounts of video and audio files.

Limitations: When compared to other video editors in this guide Adobe Premiere Elements’ device and social media optimization features seem to be in short supply.


Platform: Windows, macOS

**Price:**Free trial, Paid version: $69,99 - $129,99

Level: Semi-pros

cyberlink powerdirector

This is probably one of the best and most popular video editing software packages aimed at amateur and semi-professional users. There are several versions of the software available, and each of them contains a different amount of options and video editing tools. Even with somewhat reduced capability, the least expensive version of the editor supports 360-degree as well as VR options for posting on social media such as Vimeo, Facebook or YouTube. CyberLink PowerDirector isn’t a professional video editing software, but it still offers a lot of extraordinary options that can take you a step closer to producing a professional video.

Features: The 360-degree video editing options are probably the first thing that catches the eye when you look at the list of features the software provides, but its true power lies in its color tools. LUTs, HDR effects or Split Toning options are just the tip of the iceberg since PowerDirector offers countless tools for fine-tuning of the colors in your videos. Animated PIP effects and video collages make this video editing software a perfect choice for the production of tutorials and all other types of online videos.

Advantages: The audio editing options provided by CyberLink PowerDirector are nothing short of amazing since they enable the software’s users to manipulate the audio files in any way they see fit.

Limitations: Motion tracking and color lookup features are not always reliable. The software is a bit overpriced when compared with similar video editing suits.


18. Magix Movie Video Easy

Platform: Windows

Price: Free trial, Paid version: $49,99

Level: Semi-pros

This video editor is a great choice for people who have never edited a video before and who want to learn how to perform basic video editing tasks. Video Easy’s intuitive user interface can be mastered by anyone with enough determination to edit videos with this software on a constant basis. Features this editor offers may not be as impressive as to ones provided by professional video editing suites, but they are powerful enough to produce clean edits that give your videos a professional look.

Features: If you choose to make Magix Movie Video Easy your primary video editing software, you will never have to worry about what type of camera you used to record your videos since the software is compatible with all standard camcorders, digital cameras, and Smartphones. The rich collection of transitions and effects, as well as the intro and outro animations, can all be used to create amazing videos. You can export videos to DVDs, Blu-Ray discs or YouTube directly from the software.

Advantages: If you are looking for a video editor that will enable you to add music to your videos, trim or cut videos quickly and choose from hundreds of effects, then you should look no further because Magix Movie Video Easy provides all of these options, and much more.

Limitations: Doesn’t perform well when used for demanding video editing tasks.


19. Magix Video Pro

Platform: Windows, macOS

Price: Free trial, Paid version: $62,99

Level: Beginners

Magix has been the largest European video editing software manufacturer for more than two decades. Its software products may not enjoy the fame of Adobe’s video editing software packages, but this doesn’t mean that a video editor such as Magix Video Pro cannot be used for the production of professional-looking videos. Besides offering basic video editing tools this video editor also features advanced video editing options such as Stop Motion animation or 360-degree video editing. Magix Video Pro is often labeled as ‘one of the best video editing programs out there’.

Features: Audio editing features that come with this video editor include an audio mixer that enables you to reduce noise levels, control the low, mid and high sounds or simply equalize the sound volume across the entire project. The video editing tools supplied by the Magix Video Pro are as impressive as its audio editing options. Lens correction features, Split screen videos or 360-degree video editing options reveal only a fraction of the software’s capabilities. Magix Video Pro delivers professional video editing features to consumer-level users.

Advantages: The software allows you to place any type of media file on its timeline and use it in your project.

Limitations: The effects library installation process can be time-consuming, although it is well worth the wait.


Part II: Best Video Making Editors Online

20. YouTube

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

The world’s largest video sharing platform also offers basic video editing services. Although Google has discontinued its built-in video editor, it still allows tts users to trim or rotate videos, apply filters or even create time-lapse and slow-motion videos on line. Brightness, contrast or saturation levels can be altered if you want to enhance the colors in your videos. Audio editing features are limited because the platform only allows you to add a single audio file to a project you’re working on. However, some of the most important video editing features like adding the text or creating titles are not available.

Advantages: Allows you to polish your videos before posting them on YouTube for free.

Cons: This online video editor lacks some basic video editing tools such as transitions or audio controls.


21. Online Video Cutter

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

If you were looking for a web app that contains all the tools required to cut a small video file, then Online Video Cutter is one of your best options. You won’t even have to create an account before you start the video editing process. The videos you upload to this online editor can’t exceed the 500 MB size limit. Besides cutting their videos, users of this editor can also rotate or trim their footage for free. Online Video Cutter provides support for nearly all video file formats, so you don’t have to worry about the file format in which your video was captured.

Advantages: Offers a quick way to trim videos online and it is exceptionally easy to use.

Limitations: Lacks even the most basic video editing features other than cutting, trimming and rotating videos.


22. Movie Maker Online

Platform: Online

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

This free online editing tool lets you process videos without even registering or creating an account. You can add videos, photos, text, and music into a single project and mix them together into an awesome video. The platform grants you access to its rich filter library, and it also allows you to add text overlays, fade audio and video files or create smooth transitions between shots. Movie Maker Online features its own collection of royalty free music and photos you can use to make your videos look and sound better. The webpage’s design is a little odd, and it may take some time to get used to it.

Advantages: The app offers a lot of different video editing tools and it allows you to perform all basic video editing actions online.

Limitations: Movie Maker Online is funded by ads, and requires you to disable your AdBlock app before you can start editing a video.


23. ClipChamp

Platform: Online

Price: Free trial, Paid: $7 per month

Level: Beginners

clipchamp

ClipChamp lets you upload videos you already recorded or capture new footage using your computer’s webcam. The free version of this web app allows you to export in 1080p video files, but you can’t produce more than five videos in a single month. Both versions of the online video editor require you to create an account, and the videos exported from the free version of the app don’t have a watermark. ClipChamp provides numerous video editing tools, including transition, color adjustments or cropping. The exporting process doesn’t last too long and you can choose whether you want to share the video on social media or download it to your computer.

Advantages: Makes creating webcam videos as well as editing preexisting footage look easy while providing excellent export options.

Limitations: The free version of ClipChamp allows you export only five videos in a month.


24. WeVideo

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

wevideo

The capabilities of WeVideo online video editor surpass the basic level of video editing. The platform offers support for iOS and Android devices as well as desktop computers. Producing square or horizontal videos, creating motion titles or publishing videos in 720p HD resolution are just a few amazing options this online video editor provides. The paid versions of the web app are best suited for skilled video editing professionals or large teams that are working on demanding projects. WeVideo’s free version doesn’t allow its users to publish more than 30 minutes of video content each month and each exported video contains a watermark.

Advantages: Produces videos with great picture quality and offers tons of advanced video editing options.

Limitations: Creating an account is mandatory even for video editors who want to use the free version of WeVideo.


25. Kizoa

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

Kizoa offers a broad spectrum of transitions, visual effects, animation and text effects to its users for free. The video editing platform is frequently used to create goofy short videos that can be easily shared on Facebook or Twitter. The app allows you to add photos to your video projects and it grants you access to an incredibly rich royalty free music collection. However, you will have to create an account on Kizoa in order to be able to export the videos you created. The editor’s timeline is rudimentary, but still functional enough to enable users to combine audio, video, and photo files.

Advantages: Kizoa is a powerful tool for the creation of entertaining social media videos.

Limitations: You must create an account in order to be able to export your projects, and the online video editor doesn’t feature any advanced video editing options.


26. Wideo

Platform: Online

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

All video enthusiasts can use Wideo platform to edit their videos, regardless of their skill level. In addition to amazing video editing options, this online video editor also features animations that can be used to create professional presentations. All video content uploaded to Wideo is stored on the cloud, and pricing plans for professionals include unlimited storage space. The Basic version of the editor allows for just ten downloads in a month and it doesn’t let its users upload videos to YouTube. Even though this video editor is easy to use, it is better suited for skilled professionals than it is for inexperienced video editors.

Advantages: Even the Basic pricing plan enables users to export HD videos, while Professional and Enterprise pricing plans include the Full HD export option.

Limitations: Limited audio editing options significantly reduce the capabilities of this online video editing platform.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Free Online Video Editors With No Watermark >>


Part III: Best Video APP for iOS/Android

27. Filmora

Platform: iOS, Andoird

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

You can edit your videos with Filmora in just three simple steps. All you have to do is choose the videos and photos from your phone’s gallery, Instagram or Facebook account, select a theme, insert transitions or add a song and share the video directly from the app on social media or to your email address. Besides the powerful video editing features, this app for iOS and Android devices also allows you to set your video’s aspect ratio to Square 1:1 if you would like to share the clip on Instagram or Cinema 16:9 if the video is shared to YouTube.

Advantages: Supports HD export options and provides a diverse set of video editing options.

Limitations: The app can’t perform advanced video editing tasks.


28. Vlogit

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Free

Level: Beginners

The Wondershare’s video editing app for Android and iOS devices is designed to offer assistance to YouTubers and Vloggers who want to edit their videos directly from their Smartphones. Vlogit is equipped with video editing tools that enable you to cut, trim or rotate videos, while its sound editing features include recording voiceovers, adding sound effects or choosing the music you want to use as a soundtrack to your video. The app lets you combine photos and videos within the same project, and it also enables you to create customized openers from animated templates. The videos created and exported with the Vlogit app don’t contain watermarks.

Advantages: Offers powerful video editing features to YouTubers and Vloggers who want to edit their videos from their Smartphones for free.

Limitations: The list of visual effects the app provides could be longer.


29. VideoShop

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Freemium

Level: Beginners

The extensive list of features VideoShop app offers makes it one of the best options for novice video editors who want to quickly create visually impressive videos. This video editing app allows you to work with multiple video files or merge them into a single video. The animated titles enable users of the VideoShop app to create professional-looking intros for their videos, while the transitions feature allows them to seamlessly piece together all shots featured in a project. Tilt-Shift and Stop Motion options are also available to video editors who want to make their videos look more professional.

Advantages: Fun and easy to use video editing app that lets you manipulate footage in any way you want.

Limitations: VideoShop contains ads, and the app’s version for iOS devices only supports videos recorded with iPhones and iPads.


30. Filmmaker Pro

Platform: iOS

Price: Freemium, $5,99 monthly subscription

Level: Semi-pros

iPhone videographers who need access to semi-professional video editing tools will certainly enjoy using this app. Filmmaker Pro offers support for 4K footage filmed on the latest models of iPhone and it enables its users to add an unlimited number of text overlays, video clips, voiceovers or audio tracks to the app’s timeline. The video editor grants you access to over 30 filters, video grading features, as well as Chroma Key and Ken Burns effects. In addition to impressive video and audio editing features, Filmmaker Pro’s users can also record videos with a camera that lets them adjust settings manually directly from the app, although this option must be paid for.

Advantages: Text overlays, audio editing features and the ability to select the aspect ratio for each video you edit with this app, make it one of the best video editing options for iOS devices.

Limitations: Nearly all of the app’s best features must be purchased.


31. KineMaster

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Freemium, contains adds

Level: Semi-pros

This cross-platform video editor is one of the premier options for mobile video editing on both iOS and Android devices. KineMaster is currently the only app that enables Android Smartphone owners to add as many layers of videos, photos, and text to their projects as they want. However, it only supports a limited number of video file formats, which means that the app shouldn’t be used to edit videos that weren’t recorded on an iPhone or Android phone. KineMaster provides a wide range of video exporting options and allows you to share videos on popular social media networks.

Pros: Above average video and audio editing features.

Limitations: Offers a lot of options mobile video editors seldom use.


32. LumaFusion

Platform: iOS

Price: Paid, $29.99

Level: Semi-pros

Creating neatly organized projects with LumaFusion is a simple task because the app features a powerful Project Manager that lets you sort files or select aspect ratios for your videos. In addition, the Media Library lets you import all types of files from a cloud storage or drag and drop media from other apps. Producing slow-motion videos that have 120 or 240fps or creating green screen videos using the Chroma Key effect is easy with LumaFusion. The app’s audio editing features are as impressive as its video editing tools since they provide the complete control over the audio files to the video editor’s users.

Advantages: Color correction options, LUTs or numerous visual effects are all part of the reason why LumaFusion is one of the best apps for mobile video editing.

Limitations: Only available for iOS devices.


33. Vizzywig 2019 4K Video Editor

Platform: iOS

Price: Paid, $79.99

Level: Semi-pros

This award-winning app for iOS devices provides all the tools a skilled video editor could desire. Its features include support for 4K videos, wide selection of aspect ratios as well as stylish intros, end credits, and titles. Besides offering professional video editing tools, Vizzywig also features Multi-Camera recording options that can capture videos in 8K resolution. In addition, the app is capable of producing videos that have eight times more pixels than the Apple’s Facetime HD Camera. The non-linear timeline lets you arrange video clips in any way you see fit, and allows you to add multiple media files to each project you are working on.

Advantages: Lets you control the focus and exposure manually and produce videos with stunning picture quality.

Limitations: Single platform compatibility and a high price narrow down the number of the app’s potential users.


34. PowerDirector

Platform: Android

Price: Freemium, contains ads and in-app purchases

Level: Beginners

Unlike the Adobe’s app for mobile video editing, PowerDirector lives up to all expectations. This user-friendly app lets you create reverse, 4K, or green screen videos. To make things even better, you can easily apply visual and audio effects or add voiceovers to your projects. In addition to the video editor, the PowerDirector app is also equipped with a powerful photo editor that lets you manipulate images in a professional manner. You can use almost any type of video or audio file in this app because it provides support for all commonly used file formats.

Advantages: PowerDirector is designed to help its users polish their video quickly and effortlessly.

Limitations: Videos in 1080p and 4K resolutions can only be exported after you’ve made an in-app purchase.

Ooops…It looks like there isn’t any tool that matches your demand. Please give it another try.

Which Video Editor Do You Think Is Best for You?

Thank you to read this so far. It’s a long but the most comprehensive reviews ever for all hot video editing software compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux, as well as online video editors. I hope you find the tools that you like.

If you want to get quick selections without too much reading, here is my recommendation:

  • Best video editor for Windows and Mac to download: Filmora
  • Best video editing software for Linux to download: Lightworks
  • Best video editor for Android, iOS to download: Filmora , VideoShop
  • Best online video editor to use: WeVideo

If you still can’t find a one Or we missed one of the tools you think which deserves to be listed above?

Either way, let us know by leaving a comment below.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Unleash Your Creativity: The Best Time-Lapse Video Editing Software

Best Time-Lapse Video Editing Software in 2024

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

All types of vistas change as time passes. Consequently, an outdoor scene looks differently throughout different parts of the day, which makes it impossible to capture the full extent of its beauty by snapping a single photo or recording a short video of it.

That is why you must utilize the time-lapse technique to depict the passage of time at a particular shooting location and create a sequence in your video that suggests that a certain amount of time has passed by. So in this article, we will take you through some of the best time-lapse video editing software you can find on the market in 2024.

Best Time-Lapse Video Post-Production Software in 2024

There are two different recording methods you can use to create time-lapse videos. You can either record videos or take photos at a precisely set interval, but regardless of the approach you choose, you must have the right equipment for the job.

This means that you must have a time-lapse tripod that ensures the smooth movement of your camera, an intervalometer, and a camera setup capable of taking pictures or recording videos over an extended period of time.

Most importantly, you must have access to a video editor that enables you to process the footage and control its playback rate. Let’s take a look at the best post-production software products that allow its users to create stunning time-lapses video.

1. Filmora : Best Time-lapse Software for Beginners [Windows & Mac]

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Mac and PC users can create time-lapse videos with Filmora effortlessly, even though the actual steps you will need to take throughout the process depend on the type of footage you’re using to create a time-lapse. If you decide to make a time-lapse out of still images, you must ensure that you have enough footage since the video you’re producing must have 24 or 30 frames per second. That’s why you need 30 or 24 photos for each second of your time-lapse video, and you must arrange all of these images on the editor’s timeline before you begin adjusting their duration.

 Filmora Timelapse video making

Select all timeline photos placed in the timeline panel, right-click to access the Duration setting, and then set the input duration of each picture to 0.01 seconds.

Click OK to continue, and you’ll find that the duration of all timelapse photos has changed to a brief second. Click the playback button in the Preview window, and you’ll see the time-lapse video is made already.

 made  Timelapse video with Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

If you are working with video files, you should double the playback rate to create the time-lapse effect. The results you will get largely depend on the quality of the footage you’ve recorded. You must do everything in your power to capture the photos or videos properly before you start the video editing process.

You can check the details about two ways of making a time-lapse video in Filmora here.

2. iMovie : Best Free Time-lapse Software for Mac

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS and iOS

iMovie may not be the most advanced video editing software for Mac computers, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use iMovie to create time-lapse videos. In fact, all you have to do to make a time-lapse video with this software is to arrange the photos on the editor’s timeline and change their duration to 0.1 seconds from the Clip Information panel.

However, if you do this, your time-lapse video will play only 10 frames per second, so to speed it up , you first have to export the video you’ve created in this manner and then import it back into iMovie.

Afterward, you can select the Custom option from the Speed menu that lets you select the playback speed of a video clip. Making a time-lapse video in iMovie is a slow process that requires a lot of patience, especially if you are working with a large number of photos or video clips.

If you want to edit videos further with iMovie, here is a brief tutorial about How to Use iMovie to Edit Videos .

3. VirtualDub : Free Time-lapse Video Editor for Windows

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows

This open-source video editor is commonly used for batch-processing of AVI video files and sets of BMP image files. Even though VirtualDub doesn’t offer a lot of video editing tools, its batch-processing capabilities make it a perfect choice for all PC users who want to create time-lapse videos.

Nonetheless, the process of making a time-lapse in VirtualDub is highly technical as you’ll need to make sure that all the images you want to use in the video are the same size. Besides, you’ll have to set up the video’s frame rate , aspect ratio , and compression manually, before you can apply it to all files you imported into the video editor. That’s why you first need to familiarize yourself with VirtualDub and then start using it to make time-lapse videos.

4. GoPro Quik : Best Video Editor for Creating Time-Lapse Photos Shot With GoPro

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

GoPro cameras offer a plethora of ways to capture the footage you can later turn into time-lapse videos. Besides a GoPro camera, you will also need additional equipment like rotating camera mounts, extra batteries, or several memory cards to record the time-lapse footage properly.

GoPro’s Quik video editor features all the tools you’re going to need to organize large quantities of video and photo files and create time-lapse videos. The software also enables you to add panning effects to your time-lapses that simulate the camera movement. However, GoPro Quik is a good choice only for filmmakers and video content creators who record most of their footage with different models of GoPro cameras.

5. Final Cut Pro X : Best Professional Video Editing Software for Time-lapse Video on Mac

Price: $299.99

Compatibility: macOS

Controlling the playback speed of the files you import into a project in FCPX is simple, since you just have to place the photos or videos on the timeline and select them. Afterward, you should head over to the Retime submenu that is located in the Modify drop-down menu and select one of the Custom Speed, Blade Speed or Fast options.

You will have to tweak the particular settings depending on the option you select, but your main goal should be to speed up the footage just enough to suggest the rapid passage of time. Try out different values to find the playback speed that is best suited for the time-lapse video you’re working on.

Learn more details about Making a Time Lapse Video in Final Cut Pro .

6. Adobe Premiere Pro : Best Professional Video Editing Software for Time-lapse Video on Windows

Price: $20.99 per month as a single app

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

The way you capture your photos and organize them is crucial in creating a time-lapse video in Adobe Premiere Pro. You must arrange all the photos numerically, and once you’re ready to import them into the software, you must make sure that the Image Sequence checkbox is selected. Adobe Premiere Pro will automatically generate a video from the photos so you can add a video file to the timeline instead of hundreds of still images. This professional video editing software provides with a broad range of video editing tools you can use to simulate camera movement, perform color correction or control the video’s playback speed. The process of creating a time-lapse video with Adobe Premiere Pro isn’t complicated, but you must be prepared for each step of this process if you want to go through it smoothly.

7. LRTimelapse

Price: Free trial available, subscription plans start at $99.00

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

The time-lapse photos you take with your camera must be edited before you can turn them into a video. LRTimelapse software is designed to reduce the amount of time you have to spend editing the footage. It allows you to process each image in Adobe Lightroom and then import those edits into the project you created in LRTimelapse. Furthermore, this app for PC and Mac computers lets you fade in and fade out time lapses, adjust the white balance throughout the sequence you’re creating, or get rid of the unwanted flickering effect. LRTimelapse allows you to export videos in resolutions up to 8K, making it a perfect choice for all filmmakers and photographers in need of powerful time-lapse post-production software.

Conclusion

Preparation is the most important segment of the time-lapse video production process. The photos or video clips you want to include in the video must be captured perfectly to depict the passage of time seamlessly. Moreover, the video editing software you choose must provide you with all the tools you’re going to need to create a professionally-looking time-lapse video. Each of the time-lapse post-production software products we featured in this article enables you to create a time-lapse video with ease. Which video editing software are you using to create time-lapse videos? Leave a comment and let us know.

Download Filmora Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

All types of vistas change as time passes. Consequently, an outdoor scene looks differently throughout different parts of the day, which makes it impossible to capture the full extent of its beauty by snapping a single photo or recording a short video of it.

That is why you must utilize the time-lapse technique to depict the passage of time at a particular shooting location and create a sequence in your video that suggests that a certain amount of time has passed by. So in this article, we will take you through some of the best time-lapse video editing software you can find on the market in 2024.

Best Time-Lapse Video Post-Production Software in 2024

There are two different recording methods you can use to create time-lapse videos. You can either record videos or take photos at a precisely set interval, but regardless of the approach you choose, you must have the right equipment for the job.

This means that you must have a time-lapse tripod that ensures the smooth movement of your camera, an intervalometer, and a camera setup capable of taking pictures or recording videos over an extended period of time.

Most importantly, you must have access to a video editor that enables you to process the footage and control its playback rate. Let’s take a look at the best post-production software products that allow its users to create stunning time-lapses video.

1. Filmora : Best Time-lapse Software for Beginners [Windows & Mac]

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Mac and PC users can create time-lapse videos with Filmora effortlessly, even though the actual steps you will need to take throughout the process depend on the type of footage you’re using to create a time-lapse. If you decide to make a time-lapse out of still images, you must ensure that you have enough footage since the video you’re producing must have 24 or 30 frames per second. That’s why you need 30 or 24 photos for each second of your time-lapse video, and you must arrange all of these images on the editor’s timeline before you begin adjusting their duration.

 Filmora Timelapse video making

Select all timeline photos placed in the timeline panel, right-click to access the Duration setting, and then set the input duration of each picture to 0.01 seconds.

Click OK to continue, and you’ll find that the duration of all timelapse photos has changed to a brief second. Click the playback button in the Preview window, and you’ll see the time-lapse video is made already.

 made  Timelapse video with Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

If you are working with video files, you should double the playback rate to create the time-lapse effect. The results you will get largely depend on the quality of the footage you’ve recorded. You must do everything in your power to capture the photos or videos properly before you start the video editing process.

You can check the details about two ways of making a time-lapse video in Filmora here.

2. iMovie : Best Free Time-lapse Software for Mac

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS and iOS

iMovie may not be the most advanced video editing software for Mac computers, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use iMovie to create time-lapse videos. In fact, all you have to do to make a time-lapse video with this software is to arrange the photos on the editor’s timeline and change their duration to 0.1 seconds from the Clip Information panel.

However, if you do this, your time-lapse video will play only 10 frames per second, so to speed it up , you first have to export the video you’ve created in this manner and then import it back into iMovie.

Afterward, you can select the Custom option from the Speed menu that lets you select the playback speed of a video clip. Making a time-lapse video in iMovie is a slow process that requires a lot of patience, especially if you are working with a large number of photos or video clips.

If you want to edit videos further with iMovie, here is a brief tutorial about How to Use iMovie to Edit Videos .

3. VirtualDub : Free Time-lapse Video Editor for Windows

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows

This open-source video editor is commonly used for batch-processing of AVI video files and sets of BMP image files. Even though VirtualDub doesn’t offer a lot of video editing tools, its batch-processing capabilities make it a perfect choice for all PC users who want to create time-lapse videos.

Nonetheless, the process of making a time-lapse in VirtualDub is highly technical as you’ll need to make sure that all the images you want to use in the video are the same size. Besides, you’ll have to set up the video’s frame rate , aspect ratio , and compression manually, before you can apply it to all files you imported into the video editor. That’s why you first need to familiarize yourself with VirtualDub and then start using it to make time-lapse videos.

4. GoPro Quik : Best Video Editor for Creating Time-Lapse Photos Shot With GoPro

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

GoPro cameras offer a plethora of ways to capture the footage you can later turn into time-lapse videos. Besides a GoPro camera, you will also need additional equipment like rotating camera mounts, extra batteries, or several memory cards to record the time-lapse footage properly.

GoPro’s Quik video editor features all the tools you’re going to need to organize large quantities of video and photo files and create time-lapse videos. The software also enables you to add panning effects to your time-lapses that simulate the camera movement. However, GoPro Quik is a good choice only for filmmakers and video content creators who record most of their footage with different models of GoPro cameras.

5. Final Cut Pro X : Best Professional Video Editing Software for Time-lapse Video on Mac

Price: $299.99

Compatibility: macOS

Controlling the playback speed of the files you import into a project in FCPX is simple, since you just have to place the photos or videos on the timeline and select them. Afterward, you should head over to the Retime submenu that is located in the Modify drop-down menu and select one of the Custom Speed, Blade Speed or Fast options.

You will have to tweak the particular settings depending on the option you select, but your main goal should be to speed up the footage just enough to suggest the rapid passage of time. Try out different values to find the playback speed that is best suited for the time-lapse video you’re working on.

Learn more details about Making a Time Lapse Video in Final Cut Pro .

6. Adobe Premiere Pro : Best Professional Video Editing Software for Time-lapse Video on Windows

Price: $20.99 per month as a single app

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

The way you capture your photos and organize them is crucial in creating a time-lapse video in Adobe Premiere Pro. You must arrange all the photos numerically, and once you’re ready to import them into the software, you must make sure that the Image Sequence checkbox is selected. Adobe Premiere Pro will automatically generate a video from the photos so you can add a video file to the timeline instead of hundreds of still images. This professional video editing software provides with a broad range of video editing tools you can use to simulate camera movement, perform color correction or control the video’s playback speed. The process of creating a time-lapse video with Adobe Premiere Pro isn’t complicated, but you must be prepared for each step of this process if you want to go through it smoothly.

7. LRTimelapse

Price: Free trial available, subscription plans start at $99.00

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

The time-lapse photos you take with your camera must be edited before you can turn them into a video. LRTimelapse software is designed to reduce the amount of time you have to spend editing the footage. It allows you to process each image in Adobe Lightroom and then import those edits into the project you created in LRTimelapse. Furthermore, this app for PC and Mac computers lets you fade in and fade out time lapses, adjust the white balance throughout the sequence you’re creating, or get rid of the unwanted flickering effect. LRTimelapse allows you to export videos in resolutions up to 8K, making it a perfect choice for all filmmakers and photographers in need of powerful time-lapse post-production software.

Conclusion

Preparation is the most important segment of the time-lapse video production process. The photos or video clips you want to include in the video must be captured perfectly to depict the passage of time seamlessly. Moreover, the video editing software you choose must provide you with all the tools you’re going to need to create a professionally-looking time-lapse video. Each of the time-lapse post-production software products we featured in this article enables you to create a time-lapse video with ease. Which video editing software are you using to create time-lapse videos? Leave a comment and let us know.

Download Filmora Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

All types of vistas change as time passes. Consequently, an outdoor scene looks differently throughout different parts of the day, which makes it impossible to capture the full extent of its beauty by snapping a single photo or recording a short video of it.

That is why you must utilize the time-lapse technique to depict the passage of time at a particular shooting location and create a sequence in your video that suggests that a certain amount of time has passed by. So in this article, we will take you through some of the best time-lapse video editing software you can find on the market in 2024.

Best Time-Lapse Video Post-Production Software in 2024

There are two different recording methods you can use to create time-lapse videos. You can either record videos or take photos at a precisely set interval, but regardless of the approach you choose, you must have the right equipment for the job.

This means that you must have a time-lapse tripod that ensures the smooth movement of your camera, an intervalometer, and a camera setup capable of taking pictures or recording videos over an extended period of time.

Most importantly, you must have access to a video editor that enables you to process the footage and control its playback rate. Let’s take a look at the best post-production software products that allow its users to create stunning time-lapses video.

1. Filmora : Best Time-lapse Software for Beginners [Windows & Mac]

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Mac and PC users can create time-lapse videos with Filmora effortlessly, even though the actual steps you will need to take throughout the process depend on the type of footage you’re using to create a time-lapse. If you decide to make a time-lapse out of still images, you must ensure that you have enough footage since the video you’re producing must have 24 or 30 frames per second. That’s why you need 30 or 24 photos for each second of your time-lapse video, and you must arrange all of these images on the editor’s timeline before you begin adjusting their duration.

 Filmora Timelapse video making

Select all timeline photos placed in the timeline panel, right-click to access the Duration setting, and then set the input duration of each picture to 0.01 seconds.

Click OK to continue, and you’ll find that the duration of all timelapse photos has changed to a brief second. Click the playback button in the Preview window, and you’ll see the time-lapse video is made already.

 made  Timelapse video with Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

If you are working with video files, you should double the playback rate to create the time-lapse effect. The results you will get largely depend on the quality of the footage you’ve recorded. You must do everything in your power to capture the photos or videos properly before you start the video editing process.

You can check the details about two ways of making a time-lapse video in Filmora here.

2. iMovie : Best Free Time-lapse Software for Mac

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS and iOS

iMovie may not be the most advanced video editing software for Mac computers, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use iMovie to create time-lapse videos. In fact, all you have to do to make a time-lapse video with this software is to arrange the photos on the editor’s timeline and change their duration to 0.1 seconds from the Clip Information panel.

However, if you do this, your time-lapse video will play only 10 frames per second, so to speed it up , you first have to export the video you’ve created in this manner and then import it back into iMovie.

Afterward, you can select the Custom option from the Speed menu that lets you select the playback speed of a video clip. Making a time-lapse video in iMovie is a slow process that requires a lot of patience, especially if you are working with a large number of photos or video clips.

If you want to edit videos further with iMovie, here is a brief tutorial about How to Use iMovie to Edit Videos .

3. VirtualDub : Free Time-lapse Video Editor for Windows

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows

This open-source video editor is commonly used for batch-processing of AVI video files and sets of BMP image files. Even though VirtualDub doesn’t offer a lot of video editing tools, its batch-processing capabilities make it a perfect choice for all PC users who want to create time-lapse videos.

Nonetheless, the process of making a time-lapse in VirtualDub is highly technical as you’ll need to make sure that all the images you want to use in the video are the same size. Besides, you’ll have to set up the video’s frame rate , aspect ratio , and compression manually, before you can apply it to all files you imported into the video editor. That’s why you first need to familiarize yourself with VirtualDub and then start using it to make time-lapse videos.

4. GoPro Quik : Best Video Editor for Creating Time-Lapse Photos Shot With GoPro

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

GoPro cameras offer a plethora of ways to capture the footage you can later turn into time-lapse videos. Besides a GoPro camera, you will also need additional equipment like rotating camera mounts, extra batteries, or several memory cards to record the time-lapse footage properly.

GoPro’s Quik video editor features all the tools you’re going to need to organize large quantities of video and photo files and create time-lapse videos. The software also enables you to add panning effects to your time-lapses that simulate the camera movement. However, GoPro Quik is a good choice only for filmmakers and video content creators who record most of their footage with different models of GoPro cameras.

5. Final Cut Pro X : Best Professional Video Editing Software for Time-lapse Video on Mac

Price: $299.99

Compatibility: macOS

Controlling the playback speed of the files you import into a project in FCPX is simple, since you just have to place the photos or videos on the timeline and select them. Afterward, you should head over to the Retime submenu that is located in the Modify drop-down menu and select one of the Custom Speed, Blade Speed or Fast options.

You will have to tweak the particular settings depending on the option you select, but your main goal should be to speed up the footage just enough to suggest the rapid passage of time. Try out different values to find the playback speed that is best suited for the time-lapse video you’re working on.

Learn more details about Making a Time Lapse Video in Final Cut Pro .

6. Adobe Premiere Pro : Best Professional Video Editing Software for Time-lapse Video on Windows

Price: $20.99 per month as a single app

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

The way you capture your photos and organize them is crucial in creating a time-lapse video in Adobe Premiere Pro. You must arrange all the photos numerically, and once you’re ready to import them into the software, you must make sure that the Image Sequence checkbox is selected. Adobe Premiere Pro will automatically generate a video from the photos so you can add a video file to the timeline instead of hundreds of still images. This professional video editing software provides with a broad range of video editing tools you can use to simulate camera movement, perform color correction or control the video’s playback speed. The process of creating a time-lapse video with Adobe Premiere Pro isn’t complicated, but you must be prepared for each step of this process if you want to go through it smoothly.

7. LRTimelapse

Price: Free trial available, subscription plans start at $99.00

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

The time-lapse photos you take with your camera must be edited before you can turn them into a video. LRTimelapse software is designed to reduce the amount of time you have to spend editing the footage. It allows you to process each image in Adobe Lightroom and then import those edits into the project you created in LRTimelapse. Furthermore, this app for PC and Mac computers lets you fade in and fade out time lapses, adjust the white balance throughout the sequence you’re creating, or get rid of the unwanted flickering effect. LRTimelapse allows you to export videos in resolutions up to 8K, making it a perfect choice for all filmmakers and photographers in need of powerful time-lapse post-production software.

Conclusion

Preparation is the most important segment of the time-lapse video production process. The photos or video clips you want to include in the video must be captured perfectly to depict the passage of time seamlessly. Moreover, the video editing software you choose must provide you with all the tools you’re going to need to create a professionally-looking time-lapse video. Each of the time-lapse post-production software products we featured in this article enables you to create a time-lapse video with ease. Which video editing software are you using to create time-lapse videos? Leave a comment and let us know.

Download Filmora Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

All types of vistas change as time passes. Consequently, an outdoor scene looks differently throughout different parts of the day, which makes it impossible to capture the full extent of its beauty by snapping a single photo or recording a short video of it.

That is why you must utilize the time-lapse technique to depict the passage of time at a particular shooting location and create a sequence in your video that suggests that a certain amount of time has passed by. So in this article, we will take you through some of the best time-lapse video editing software you can find on the market in 2024.

Best Time-Lapse Video Post-Production Software in 2024

There are two different recording methods you can use to create time-lapse videos. You can either record videos or take photos at a precisely set interval, but regardless of the approach you choose, you must have the right equipment for the job.

This means that you must have a time-lapse tripod that ensures the smooth movement of your camera, an intervalometer, and a camera setup capable of taking pictures or recording videos over an extended period of time.

Most importantly, you must have access to a video editor that enables you to process the footage and control its playback rate. Let’s take a look at the best post-production software products that allow its users to create stunning time-lapses video.

1. Filmora : Best Time-lapse Software for Beginners [Windows & Mac]

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Mac and PC users can create time-lapse videos with Filmora effortlessly, even though the actual steps you will need to take throughout the process depend on the type of footage you’re using to create a time-lapse. If you decide to make a time-lapse out of still images, you must ensure that you have enough footage since the video you’re producing must have 24 or 30 frames per second. That’s why you need 30 or 24 photos for each second of your time-lapse video, and you must arrange all of these images on the editor’s timeline before you begin adjusting their duration.

 Filmora Timelapse video making

Select all timeline photos placed in the timeline panel, right-click to access the Duration setting, and then set the input duration of each picture to 0.01 seconds.

Click OK to continue, and you’ll find that the duration of all timelapse photos has changed to a brief second. Click the playback button in the Preview window, and you’ll see the time-lapse video is made already.

 made  Timelapse video with Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

If you are working with video files, you should double the playback rate to create the time-lapse effect. The results you will get largely depend on the quality of the footage you’ve recorded. You must do everything in your power to capture the photos or videos properly before you start the video editing process.

You can check the details about two ways of making a time-lapse video in Filmora here.

2. iMovie : Best Free Time-lapse Software for Mac

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS and iOS

iMovie may not be the most advanced video editing software for Mac computers, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use iMovie to create time-lapse videos. In fact, all you have to do to make a time-lapse video with this software is to arrange the photos on the editor’s timeline and change their duration to 0.1 seconds from the Clip Information panel.

However, if you do this, your time-lapse video will play only 10 frames per second, so to speed it up , you first have to export the video you’ve created in this manner and then import it back into iMovie.

Afterward, you can select the Custom option from the Speed menu that lets you select the playback speed of a video clip. Making a time-lapse video in iMovie is a slow process that requires a lot of patience, especially if you are working with a large number of photos or video clips.

If you want to edit videos further with iMovie, here is a brief tutorial about How to Use iMovie to Edit Videos .

3. VirtualDub : Free Time-lapse Video Editor for Windows

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows

This open-source video editor is commonly used for batch-processing of AVI video files and sets of BMP image files. Even though VirtualDub doesn’t offer a lot of video editing tools, its batch-processing capabilities make it a perfect choice for all PC users who want to create time-lapse videos.

Nonetheless, the process of making a time-lapse in VirtualDub is highly technical as you’ll need to make sure that all the images you want to use in the video are the same size. Besides, you’ll have to set up the video’s frame rate , aspect ratio , and compression manually, before you can apply it to all files you imported into the video editor. That’s why you first need to familiarize yourself with VirtualDub and then start using it to make time-lapse videos.

4. GoPro Quik : Best Video Editor for Creating Time-Lapse Photos Shot With GoPro

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

GoPro cameras offer a plethora of ways to capture the footage you can later turn into time-lapse videos. Besides a GoPro camera, you will also need additional equipment like rotating camera mounts, extra batteries, or several memory cards to record the time-lapse footage properly.

GoPro’s Quik video editor features all the tools you’re going to need to organize large quantities of video and photo files and create time-lapse videos. The software also enables you to add panning effects to your time-lapses that simulate the camera movement. However, GoPro Quik is a good choice only for filmmakers and video content creators who record most of their footage with different models of GoPro cameras.

5. Final Cut Pro X : Best Professional Video Editing Software for Time-lapse Video on Mac

Price: $299.99

Compatibility: macOS

Controlling the playback speed of the files you import into a project in FCPX is simple, since you just have to place the photos or videos on the timeline and select them. Afterward, you should head over to the Retime submenu that is located in the Modify drop-down menu and select one of the Custom Speed, Blade Speed or Fast options.

You will have to tweak the particular settings depending on the option you select, but your main goal should be to speed up the footage just enough to suggest the rapid passage of time. Try out different values to find the playback speed that is best suited for the time-lapse video you’re working on.

Learn more details about Making a Time Lapse Video in Final Cut Pro .

6. Adobe Premiere Pro : Best Professional Video Editing Software for Time-lapse Video on Windows

Price: $20.99 per month as a single app

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

The way you capture your photos and organize them is crucial in creating a time-lapse video in Adobe Premiere Pro. You must arrange all the photos numerically, and once you’re ready to import them into the software, you must make sure that the Image Sequence checkbox is selected. Adobe Premiere Pro will automatically generate a video from the photos so you can add a video file to the timeline instead of hundreds of still images. This professional video editing software provides with a broad range of video editing tools you can use to simulate camera movement, perform color correction or control the video’s playback speed. The process of creating a time-lapse video with Adobe Premiere Pro isn’t complicated, but you must be prepared for each step of this process if you want to go through it smoothly.

7. LRTimelapse

Price: Free trial available, subscription plans start at $99.00

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

The time-lapse photos you take with your camera must be edited before you can turn them into a video. LRTimelapse software is designed to reduce the amount of time you have to spend editing the footage. It allows you to process each image in Adobe Lightroom and then import those edits into the project you created in LRTimelapse. Furthermore, this app for PC and Mac computers lets you fade in and fade out time lapses, adjust the white balance throughout the sequence you’re creating, or get rid of the unwanted flickering effect. LRTimelapse allows you to export videos in resolutions up to 8K, making it a perfect choice for all filmmakers and photographers in need of powerful time-lapse post-production software.

Conclusion

Preparation is the most important segment of the time-lapse video production process. The photos or video clips you want to include in the video must be captured perfectly to depict the passage of time seamlessly. Moreover, the video editing software you choose must provide you with all the tools you’re going to need to create a professionally-looking time-lapse video. Each of the time-lapse post-production software products we featured in this article enables you to create a time-lapse video with ease. Which video editing software are you using to create time-lapse videos? Leave a comment and let us know.

Download Filmora Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Also read:

  • Title: 2024 Approved Cut to Perfection 10 Acclaimed Films Edited Exclusively with Final Cut Pro
  • Author: Giselle
  • Created at : 2024-04-25 07:34:48
  • Updated at : 2024-04-26 07:34:48
  • Link: https://ai-vdieo-software.techidaily.com/2024-approved-cut-to-perfection-10-acclaimed-films-edited-exclusively-with-final-cut-pro/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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2024 Approved Cut to Perfection 10 Acclaimed Films Edited Exclusively with Final Cut Pro