From Amateur to Pro: The Top 10 Video Editing Software for All Levels

Top 10 Professional Video Editing Software [Free Download]

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The advent of digital video technology has opened an unprecedented opportunity for novice and professional filmmakers alike. Professional video editing software is an essential tool to create high-quality productions and visuals with accuracy, speed, and flexibility.

Whether you are a filmmaker looking to create content for the big screen or a commercial director trying to make your mark in the industry, a professional video editing program can give you the tools needed to produce highly polished visuals. Today’s advanced editors come with preloaded templates and effects that enable filmmakers to save time without sacrificing quality.

We’ve done some extensive research on what some consider to be the 10 best professional video editing software currently on the market, and we’re here to present what we’ve managed to find.

• Part 1: Top 10 Professional Video Editing Software Free Download
• Part 2: Tips for Choosing Professional Video Editing Software
• Part 3: FAQ about Professional Video Editing Software

Part 1: Top 10 Professional Video Editing Software Free Download

Here is the 10 best professional video editing software for you to free download.

1. Filmora

Price: $79.99 Customers can add $36.96/month for effects and plugins, $49.99 Customers can add $18.99/month for effects and plugins

Pros: The best value on the list, covers everything a pro video editor should have, Easy-to-use.

The newly released professional video editor app from Wondershare is specially designed for pros looking for a quick way to edit videos in a professional way.

The Filmora video editing software makes professional video editing easy. You can add unlimited video and audio tracks and control the panels at your hand.

You can also use customizable animations to establish your style and use high-quality presets to get a detailed color correction.

2. EDIUS

Price: $499, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Genderless video editing, 4K HDR workflow, flexible user interface, real-time conversion rates, support for a wide variety of video formats, fast AVCHD editing, motion tracking, 3-way color correction.

Cons: Relatively broadcast-oriented.

EDIUS is a free download video editing software that evolved out of what was originally a number of Adobe Premiere Plus plugins.

Ever since its release, EDIUS has gained a loyal following that appreciates both its business model and the operations that the program can perform.

More than a handful of broadcasters worldwide use EDIUS as their program of choice, both due to its flexibility when dealing with various video formats and because it’s quite easy to use when compared to some of its competitors.

Why do so many people swear by EDIUS? Well, according to its fanbase, EDIUS tends to be quite fast when processing, importing, editing, and exporting videos - couple that with the fact that EDIUS doesn’t require a subscription, and you’ve got yourself a thoroughly solid video editing software that can go toe to toe with its rivals.

3. Autodesk Smoke

Price: $190, Monthly Subscription, 1505$, Yearly Subscription

Pros: Timeline-based creative workflow, node-based compositing, ability to flawlessly make use of 3D animations and modeling, a high degree of stability (no crashes!).

Cons: Can only be used on a single monitor. Furthermore, Autodesk Smoke is exclusively for Mac users.

Autodesk is a video editing software that is favored by many people to due to its node-based compositing.

To put it as simple as possible, the video editor achieves a higher level of complexity than other popular software.

Smoke’s real strength lies in editorial and finishing functions. While the professional video editing software that is free to download doesn’t necessarily offer anything that its competitors don’t, this video editing software comes out on top when it comes to 3D effects.

4. Avid Media Composer

Price: $199.99 for a Year’s Subscription, or $24.99 Monthly

Pros: Free download, Advanced color-correction, built-in metadata and effect tools, HDR support, Multicam editing, FrameFlex, keyboard mapping, background rendering, real-time editing, a very high degree of stability, and serves as a great starting point for budding video editors.

Cons: Steep learning curve and outdated interface. However, learning how to use Avid Media Composer will enable you to jump right into other video editing software with ease.

Check the detailed tutorial about How to Edit Videos with avidemux

Most people interested in the business have heard of Avid Media Composer because it’s what most professional video editors use for big blockbuster Hollywood movies.

Avid Media Composer is, arguably, the video editing industry’s preferred software you can download freely - and it’s easy to see why, since it pretty much has everything you might ever need, all rolled up into one neat package.

While some complain that it’s hard to use and the interface looks very outdated, many insist that this allows you to build a solid foundation from which your video editing career can skyrocket.

As a matter of fact, its popularity only serves to show that people prefer it for a reason: and that’s because Avid Media Composer is stunningly robust.

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor

Filmora - Best Professional Video Editor Ever

• Easily to create and edit videos with plenty of pro effects and filters

• Automatically convert audio to text for adding subtitiles and captions

• Cross-platform supported - (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

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5. Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Price: $31.49 Monthly Subscription, $239.88 Yearly Subscription

Pros: Highly customizable and streamlined interface, easy to use for people with past experience in Adobe products but no previous video editing experience, a large variety of tools such as color matching and multi-camera rendering, and a fast rendering speed.

Cons: New updates might have a couple of bugs, so you should be a bit patient before you update if you want to keep it on the safe side. Mac users also report that it runs a bit slow on their systems.

You may also like: Best Transition Plugins for Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro CC is one of the best choices an amateur video editor could make when choosing his apparatus.

Both affordable and intuitive, this software has been at the top of the market for more than a couple of years, and now shows no sign of stopping, since it is constantly being supplied with new updates with free downloading.

If you’re looking to achieve a professional level of video editing with little to no previous experience, then look no further, as Adobe Premiere Pro CC might just be the perfect tool for you. With that being said, professional video editors should not shy away from this Adobe video editing software.

6. Final Cut Pro

Price: $299, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Support for 360-degree VR, HDR, multi-camera editing, fast rendering speed, a large variety of interesting tools, expansive library of plugins, and easy-to-use color correction, grading, and adjustment tools. Final Cut Pro has also been designed and optimized for Mac operating systems.

Cons: Only for Mac users. Large project files can also be slow.

You may also like: How to Edit YouTube Videos in FCP

Final Cut Pro is Apple’s response to video editing software. The UI design is sleek and modern, the workflow is intuitive and easy to work with, and the program is impressively fast, even when working with 4K resolutions.

For many Mac users, Final Cut Pro is the definitive answer to their search for a strong video editing software that has been created with macOS in mind (free download).

7. HitFilm Pro

Price: $341.01, One-Time Purchase, $0 for Hitfilm Express (Free)

Pros: Color grading, familiar workflow, a large variety of video effects and presets, automatic audio syncing, impressive 3D graphics.

Cons: Complex for beginners. Effects oriented.

HitFilm Pro is an NLE that puts a heavy focus on the graphical aspect of such free download software. Additions like the automatic audio syncing is highly valued as a convenient quality of life tool. Multiple plugins can be added, though they cost a fee.

The program features several video tutorials that are targeted towards amateur video editors, as well.

Filmora Video Editor

Create AI-Generated Video

Filmora video editor offers a ChatGPT plug-in and AI tools to enhance your creative vision. Make your idea into reality. Combine AI with this professional video editing software!

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8. Lightworks

Price: $24.99 monthly for Lightworks Pro, $0 (Free)

Pros: Simplified video editing process, extensive format and codec support, a large number of effects and tools, photo slideshows, 4K support, audio mixing, and 60 fps rendering.

Cons: Outdated UI, learning curve.

You may also like: Best Plugins for Lightworks

Lightworks is a flexible video editing software that has gained a good position on the mark due to its consistent design structure.

The workspace is customizable, and while the UI can feel outdated at first, those with experience in video editing should not find it too much of a hassle.

Lightworks is the type of software that is robust all-around - and there’s also a free version out there, so amateurs can get to know what they’re getting into.

9. Blender

Price: $0 (Free)

Pros: Easy to use, with a good variety of tools and the ability to quickly add text and effects to produced animations. Compositing is very impressive.

Cons: No audio editing. Lacks complexity when compared to a couple of its competitors.

While Blender is mostly known for being a software whose main focus is animation, it also features a built-in video editor that is by no means lackluster. Blender has the bonus of being able to work on 3D animations and take care of the video editing process at the same time.

10. Magix Video Pro X

Price: $399, One-Time Purchase

Pros: Supports free download, Wide format support, multi-cam editing, lookup table handling, 3-way color correction, 360 degree video support, many available effects, strong performance.

Cons: Does not work with Mac operating systems. No import tools.

Learn some Magix Movie Edit Pro Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Magix Video Pro X is an NLE that has recently been making a name for itself due to its consistency and welcoming attitude towards amateur video editors. This tool is versatile and can deal with a wide range of situations head-on with no issue whatsoever.

While this isn’t the easiest program to start using, if you don’t quite know what you’re doing, you’ll be happy to know that Magix Video Pro X features a basic mode that has been designed to ease newcomers into the industry.

Try Filmora to Make Professional Videos!

Filmora Video Editor is an expert in creating and editing videos, you can follow the easy-to-use interface to make videos like a pro! It can also capture any area of the PC screen and webcam, and add different effects and filters to upgrade your video to an upper level! Worth to have a try!

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Part 2: Tips for Choosing Professional Video Editing Software

1. Check your computer specification and performance before purchasing

Professional video editing software may use lots of resources. It is recommended that you check computer specification and the system requirements of the professional editing software that you want to purchase.

To get the full experience of professional video editing, your computer would be better to equipped higher than meeting the mini requirements.

2. How to master the professional video editing software

If you have limited video editing experience and want to become a professional video editor, it is recommended to spend time in editing and take some training or course to master it.

You can find many tutorials about Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Final Cut Pro X on YouTube. Or, you can attain online courses on Udemy or Lynda. If you want to convince people that you are a professional video editor, it is recommended to take some certifications.

As you may know that Adobe and Apple both provide official certification exams. A certification will be more convincing when people doubt your editing skills.

3. What should I consider before going for a Pro video editor

If you are reading this line, you can ask yourself a question ‘what intrigues me to choose a pro video editor? It is because you see other professional YouTuber using them? Do I have the time to learn these professional video editors?;’ If it is the case, you should consider the price you’re paying and whether those high-end features and functions are the things you’ll need.

With its extremely low-learning-curve and user-friendly interface, Filmora can deal with 95% of your video editing needs with just $49.99 per year. With Filmora, you don’t have to spend time on a boring guide and you can do video editing right away since everything is designed for this purpose.

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Part 3: FAQ about Professional Video Editing Software

What software do professional video editors use?

Many people ask what software professional video editors use. The truth is for professional editors use various tools to improve video editing efficiency. For audio editing, they use Adobe Audition. For color grading, many people choose Final Cut Pro. For video editing workflow, they also use Premiere Pro and Lightworks. For semi-pros, they use Filmora to accelerate the video editing process.

What do most YouTubers use to edit their videos?

Most YouTubers, they like easy to use a video editor to make YouTube videos. They choose Filmora to add more than 300 built-in effects, intros, text, and transitions. A group of YouTubers with advanced video editing skills, tend to use Premiere Pro.

What is the best video editing software for beginners?

For beginners, the most important criteria you need to consider are simplicity and price. They like to use Filmora, Movavi, Powerdirector, and iMovie on their PC. For mobile video editing, they like to use LumaFusion, KineMaster, and Apple Clips.

Is Adobe Premiere Pro free?

No, it is not free. Adobe Premiere Pro includes 3 different price plans. Annual plan, paid monthly at $20.99/month. Annual plan, prepaid $239.98/year. A monthly plan, $31.48/month.

Conclusion

We hope this list will have guided you toward making the right choice when it comes to investing in professional video editing software. While this was by no means an extensive list, we aimed to summarize professional video editing software information to help you make an informed decision when purchasing your tool of the trade.

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

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