Movavi’s movie maker for Mac has everything you need to create great home movies and photo slideshows. Just import your footage into the program and you can create any kind of presentations: travel videos, wedding documentaries, birthday slideshows – whatever you’d like! Spark Video is a web and mobile app that allows you to create short video stories in minutes— no experience required. Premiere Rush is a video editing app that delivers more creative control for creating and sharing online videos across all your devices.

Best Professional Video Editing Software 2019 - PC and Mac Editors

We started reviewing professional video editing software in 2012. Since that time, our best overall pick has not changed. Adobe Premiere Pro CC is the perfect program for users who have cut their teeth in consumer video editing software and are ready to upgrade. Its traditional timeline layout and easy-to-find editing tools mirror the workflow of the best consumer video editors. Also, your subscription gives you access to the incremental updates Adobe makes to the program.

Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro includes the tools and features professionals demand – this nonlinear editor has the power, versatility and depth to be our top pick.

MAGIX Video Pro X

MAGIX Video Pro X is a powerful, capable application. It can edit projects that hold their own against videos made with its competitors, but you own it outright rather than pay for a subscription.

Final Cut Pro X

If you’re a Mac person, you’ll love Final Cut Pro X. It’s powerful, versatile professional video editing software – plus it’s easy to pick up if you’ve used iMovie.

Best Overall

Adobe Premiere Pro

The basic functionality of professional nonlinear video editors doesn't change much from application to application.

They all have timelines, media bins and a multitude of tools you can use to make advanced alterations, adjustments and outright transformations of raw video, audio and image files. What separates Premiere Pro from the rest is how these features come together. Adobe understands that every editor and project has unique needs, and it created an application that is infinitely customizable to meet those needs.
Media organization is essential to creating video efficiently. Adobe Premiere Pro comes loaded with adaptable media bins and panels, so you can store your media as well as preset attributes before you drag them onto the timeline. Adobe has some great instructional videos on media strategy that can help you optimize your workflow with top-notch bin structure. Once you have a structure that works for you, you can even save a bin template to your hard drive or the cloud. This saves you loads of time at the beginning of each project by eliminating the need to manually create a bin structure each time.
Premiere covers all the bases for transforming your final sequence into a finished work. You can export it as a digital file of any size, from standard definition to ultrahigh definitions like 4K. This application can also burn videos to optical media such as DVD and Blu-ray discs. Additionally, Adobe Media encoder can create a video for any file format or codec.

Best Value

MAGIX Video Pro X

Even though MAGIX Video Pro X’s price falls within the average range for the programs we reviewed, we chose it as our best value pick.

That’s because it includes the tools necessary to make professional-quality projects, plus you own the software outright. Competing programs, such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Media Composer, require a monthly subscription, putting you at risk of losing access if you can’t make the bill. Plus, you get free updates throughout the current version of the software.
MAGIX Video Pro X’s timeline is unique among the applications we reviewed – it’s an “open timeline” that allows you to handle objects such as video, images and audio with more refined precision. This is because you don’t need to convert disparate file formats before you bring them into the workspace.
One of the most compelling things about this software is it’s accessible to users who are just getting into professional video editing. The application is intuitive enough for new users who already have a grasp on the basics of video editing. This is particularly true of people who have used the company’s consumer-grade product, MAGIX Movie Edit Pro.
We would love to see this program adapted for macOS. It would be a natural competitor to Final Cut Pro X and allow cross-platform collaboration.

Best for Mac Users

Final Cut Pro X

In true Apple fashion, Final Cut Pro X’s interface both looks great and is highly functional. For example, you access most of the frequently used tools from the workspace’s main window.

Additionally, you can customize the interface with one of Final Cut’s preset options or organize the windows to fit your preferred workflow. This makes it a good option whether you work on a single display or multiple. Despite its simple design, this program has all the tools necessary to create Hollywood-level movies, commercials, music videos and more.
If you’re steeped in the world of Apple, Final Cut Pro X’s integration with other Apple products, such as iTunes and Photos, is extremely useful – you can access all the music, images and other elements you need to build a video with a personal touch.
Once highly criticized as being too much like iMovie, this has become a strength of Final Cut Pro X. It opens the door of professional movie making to millions of users who might otherwise be intimidated by professional software.
Final Cut Pro X is only available for machines running the OS X operating system. We would like to see Apple do with Final Cut what it did with iTunes and release a version compatible with Windows.

Best for Special Effects

Hitfilm Pro

HitFilm is an interesting entry in our review of the best professional video editing software – it’s a non-linear editor and visual effects and compositing tool rolled up into a single application.

Before you buy this program, understand that it is centrally focused around graphics, compositing and special effects. If you don’t generally work with these features, you’d be better served to look elsewhere and get a plugin. However, if visual masterpieces are your thing, there’s no better program than HitFilm to create them.

Best for Advanced Users

Avid Media Composer

Avid Media Composer is the most popular program used by professional Hollywood editors to create movies, TV shows, commercials, music videos and much more – and for good reason.

It has everything you need to create projects as simple as instructional videos or as complicated as blockbusters like “The Avengers.”
If you choose this program, keep in mind that it will take a long time to learn how to use it to its full potential. If you jump right in without training, you’ll likely get lost very quickly. We recommend learning the basics in a different program first. Media Composer has a free version that’s ideal for getting your head around the interface and workflow.

Why Trust Us

Since 2012 we’ve been evaluating the best video editing software on a periodic basis. In that time, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching, rating and ranking each program. We’ve conducted hands-on editing tests as well as reached out to professional video editors to find out what they look for in the programs they choose.

Richard Dutcher, an independent film director from Salt Lake City, has produced eight feature films including “God’s Army,” “Brigham City,” “Evil Angel” and the upcoming “The Boys at the Bar.”

As we discussed his editing experience, he said, “I learned on Avid, used that until Final Cut Pro X came out,” then added that he’s been using it ever since. He also noted that editors should find what works best for them. “Because of the learning curve and limited amount of time, once I learn something I pretty much stick with it.”

When asked how people new to using professional video editing software can learn to work with the application proficiently, he said, “Classes are great if they’re available and affordable. If not, buy the manuals that are not published by the software companies, such as Final Cut Pro X for Dummies - written by actual users in the language that’s more accessible.”

We also reached out to Drew Tyler, a digital media instructor at Weber State University. He teaches both Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro X to beginning classes. When the class was over, he estimates his students chose Premier over Final Cut at about 65 percent to 45 percent.

He said there are “Two major considerations – does it fit your ecosystem, how much do you want to grow into the software.” Tyler added that you should choose a program that will fit your needs as your skills grow. “Look for something that has the ability to stretch. It might be overkill for what you’re doing now but you don’t want to run into a wall.”

How We Picked the Best

The top editing applications make your job easy and provide the tools you need to make a flawless final cut. We evaluated video editing software based on the following criteria:

Design
We evaluated each program’s interface and workflow to determine the skill level required to use it: basic, intermediate or advanced. We also considered how well each step of the editing process flowed into the next and whether it is customizable enough for editors to adapt it to their personal preferences.

Editing Tools
We evaluated each program’s timeline tool, looking for features that make it easy to arrange and enhance your footage and other elements.

In addition, we checked for features like color correction tools, which adjust the tone, hue, and saturation in your shots so they match and look as vibrant and beautiful as possible. Another feature we looked for was stereoscopic editing, which allows you to create the illusion of depth in your video.

Media Management
The best professional video editing software is compatible with whatever camera, media type and file format you happen to be working with. In our evaluation, we found that every program can import and export all popular video file types, including proprietary files found on cameras and in software.

We also looked for smart media bins that can automatically analyze and sort your production elements. Additionally, we checked for content analyzers that examine your video footage and organize it by shot type, generate metadata, detect faces and recognize speech. Further, we made note of which programs can analyze a video file’s raw sound and match it to a corresponding audio file. This feature alone saves a great deal of effort and frustration by automating the syncing process.

Export & Production
Every product we reviewed can export a video as a stand-alone file on your computer. Any video editing program should be able to export your movies as popular file formats such as MOV and MP4, and the best can export videos in a dozen or more formats.

We also looked for programs let you upload your projects directly to sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo. This is a great feature because the software also optimizes your video for those specific platforms. Additionally, we checked whether each program can author DVDs and Blu-ray discs to take your project from start to finish without needing additional software.

Other Considerations in Choosing Professional Video Editing Software

Will It Run on Your Computer?

Before you spend hundreds of dollars on professional video editing software, you should make sure your computer is equipped to handle it. Start by checking your computer’s specifications. You can usually find them in the control panel’s home screen if you operate a Windows machine. If you’re on a Mac, you simply select “About This Mac” from the Apple Menu in the top left corner of your screen. Then, look up the system requirements of the application you’re considering. These can usually be found somewhere on the software’s official webpage. If you have trouble finding them on your own, simply Google the program’s name and “system requirements.” You can then compare what you find against what your computer has.'

Programs like Avid Media Composer use a lot of resources. And even though your system may have the minimum requirements to run the software, you might still have trouble. Such programs are designed to work with specialized hardware with far more processing and rendering power than your average Windows or Mac machine. If you want to experience the full power of a professional video editing program, you may need to invest in a computer that is specifically designed for editing video and other highly intensive tasks.

Available Training
Many professional video editing programs are becoming more and more accessible to the average user. But editing video is still complicated and time-consuming, and it takes months or years to become proficient at it. Before you select your video editing software, you should take some time to research the training resources available on the internet. Luckily, there are tons of free training videos on sites like YouTube that are made by professional video editors and targeted at users like you. Some software publishers, such as Adobe, partner with learning services like Lynda to provide in-depth training courses that show you how to use all the tools and features in their software. You have to pay for courses like these, but it’s worth the investment if you’re serious about becoming a professional video editor.

Do You Need Professional-Grade Video Editing Software?

In many cases, you can save a lot of time and money by opting for a consumer or prosumer editing program instead of a full-fledged professional application. Think about your project and consider your editing skill level and how much time it will take to learn to use the software you choose. Chances are that if you’re new to editing or have limited experience, programs like PowerDirector, VideoStudio and Pinnacle Studio have enough tools and features to meet your needs. They cost much less, have many of the same tools found in their professional editing counterparts and can produce more or less the same results in many cases.

How Much Does Professional Video Editing Software Cost?
The professional video editing programs we reviewed can cost anywhere from $200 a year with a subscription to $600 to buy outright. The average among the programs we evaluated is about $400. A major consideration should be if you want to pay yearly or monthly or buy a program outright. Subscription programs are advantageous because you get the latest updates immediately. On the other hand, when you buy a program outright, you eliminate the risk of losing access to your work if you fall into hard financial times and can’t pay the subscription.

Professional Video Editors for Free
If you’re making a small- or medium-size project, you may not have to shell out big bucks to buy editing software. Many of the programs we reviewed offer free trials or have free watered-down versions. For example, Adobe Premiere Pro has a 30-day, unrestricted trial period. This is plenty of time to finish post production on a moderately sized project or to at least get a rough cut done before you must pay for a subscription.

The same applies to Final Cut Pro X – it has a 30-day free trial before you have to purchase the software outright. One of the great things about FCP X is you can import iMovie projects. This means you can take your time making a rough cut in iMovie, then activate the FCP X trial, import your project from iMovie and use FCP X’s powerful tools to fine-tune for a month. This is a great strategy if you’re a Mac user who’s working on a budget.

Other programs we reviewed have watered-down versions you can download and use absolutely free – HitFilm Express and Lightworks Free are two examples. You may find these programs have everything you need to complete your videos. In fact, these programs will likely suit your needs in most cases. Even if you’re editing a feature film that will be seen by large audiences, it’s advisable to see if a free program is good enough before you spend money on a paid version. Additionally, these free programs are an excellent place to learn the ins and outs of professional video editors that cost hundreds of dollars.

How to Become a Professional Video Editor
To become a professional video editor, all you have to do is become proficient in the craft. Having a college degree may help you land a job easier, but it’s not a necessity.

You can learn everything you need to know about editing videos for free online. On sites like YouTube, there’s endless content that teaches you both the theory of video editing and the practical use of individual applications. If you’re willing to put in the time to learn, there’s nothing to stop you from mastering all aspects of video editing.

Since your body of work will be the primary way potential employers and clients judge you, it’s critical that your work shines as brightly as possible. A strong reel and completed projects will far outweigh a degree in most people’s eyes. Getting that takes a lot of time and practice, so if you’re forgoing formal training, you’ll need to work at the craft every day until you’re proficient with video editing software.

You should also consider becoming certified in as many editing programs as possible. Adobe offers a certification exam for Premiere Pro, and Apple has an official certification for Final Cut Pro. Certifications enhance your resume and are great augments to a strong demo reel, especially if you don’t have a college degree.

On the face of it, getting hold of the best video editing software is no easy task. There are loads of options out there, all boasting brilliant features and innovative add-ons. But the option that will suit a professional video editor won't necessarily be the best for the enthusiastic amateur. And what about free video editing software?

That's where this TechRadar guide to choosing the best video editing software comes in. We've used all the best (and worst) editors around and distilled them down to an easy-to-digest list of our favorites.

Below you'll see lists of both premium and free video editing software. So if you're ready for something advanced, opting for a paid product will get you high-end extras like 360-degree video support, motion tracking and multi-cam editing, but that's just the start.

The most impressive programs make your everyday tasks like cutting, trimming, combining and applying filters to clips as simple as possible - that's true regardless of whether you demand the absolute best video editor out there, or if you were hoping for free video editing software instead. Downloading an inferior option will lead only to frustration and a less polished finished product. The tools we've picked out for you in this guide are the very best in their class.

Keep reading to get the best of both worlds, with Adobe Premiere Pro leading the way as our #1 favorite. And further down the page we have an FAQ to answer all your burning questions about video editing software.

• Need the hardware, too? Discover the best laptops for video editing

The overall best video editing software

These premium video editors can't be matched - not even by the very greatest free options. The extra resources available to commercial projects help to refine the entire package, often bringing more accurate and configurable effects, an enhanced interface and a faster rendering engine. If it's the very best video editing software that you're after, then look no further than this quintet:

1. Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Dedicate the time to mastering Premiere Pro and reap the rewards

Platform: Windows/Mac | Free trial: 7 days | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: Yes | 360 support: Yes | Purchase type: Subscription

Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-standard video editor and getting the most from it will require an investment of time as well as cash, but if you’re serious about video then it’s well worth the effort.

There's a vast assortment of stackable audio and video filters, support for 360-degree and VR video, native support for a huge number of raw file formats, and the ability to work collaboratively with others. You can even start editing your videos before they've finished importing.

This kind of power doesn't come cheap and the monthly or annual subscription fee adds up, but the lack of a large initial outlay makes Premiere Pro surprisingly accessible. It's worth downloading a trial of the other video editors here before making a decision, but Premiere Pro is extremely versatile and the cloud-based model means you won't have to pay for upgrades as they're released.

Read our full review: Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Movie Maker & Video Editor Free Download

Adobe Premiere Pro |From $20.99 (£19.97) per month
Like all of Adobe's single app plans, Premier Pro costs around $20/£20 per month when you sign up for a year. That's excellent value for such an impressive piece of software.

2. Apple Final Cut Pro X

A premium editor for Mac owners, with a unique interface

Platform: Mac | Free trial: 30 days | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: Yes | 360 support: Yes | Purchase type: Retail

This is a video editor aimed squarely at the professional end of the market, but Apple Final Cut Pro X is not needlessly complicated. Its interface is a little different to most, and is built around a 'trackless' timeline that encourages you to organize elements into specific 'roles', such as voiceover, music and titles.

If you're looking for a video editor to pair with your drone, Final Cut Pro is an excellent choice. It supports raw video from all the major makes and models, and is regularly updated with additional profiles. It also supports 360-degree video editing (fast becoming mandatory for premium video editing software) and HDR, with advanced color grading.

Rather than adopt a subscription model like Adobe, Apple has chosen to make Final Cut Pro available for a one-off flat fee. It's relatively expensive, but includes all major updates and will work out cheaper than Premiere Pro if you keep using it over a couple of years. If you own a Mac and are torn between Apple and Adobe, we recommend taking the free trials of both for a spin before making up your mind.

3. CyberLink PowerDirector

A video editor that puts premium tools within reach of newcomers

Platform: Windows | Free trial: 30 days | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: Yes | 360 support: Yes | Purchase type: Retail

If Adobe Premiere Elements and Apple Final Cut Pro X are overkill for your video editing projects, take a look at CyberLink PowerDirector.

Although PowerDirector is a premium, feature-packed video editor, it's also very forgiving, and offers a gentle introduction to post production that won't faze complete beginners. The Magic Movie Wizard is the ultimate example, paring the task of combining and optimizing videos down to a few clicks. You'll achieve better results by spending a while in the timeline editor, but for anyone who just wants to quickly piece something together to publish on Facebook, it's ideal.

That's not to say that CyberLink PowerDirector is dumbed down, though; far from it. The software also offers a standard post production interface based around control panels and a timeline. It sometimes takes a little while to drill down to the finer controls, but every filter and option is extremely flexible once you start exploring. Perhaps most impressive of all, CyberLink PowerDirector makes video editing fun.

4. HitFilm Pro

If you're interested in special effects, HitFilm is the editor for you

Platform: Windows | Free trial: No time limit, but can’t export | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: Yes | 360 support: Yes | Purchase type: Retail

HitFilm Pro is a premium video editor that's a firm favourite with fanfilm makers - and with good reason. It's packed with tools for creating stunning special effects, but is accessible enough for home users.

One of HitFilm Pro's biggest selling points is the ability to tackle pretty much every aspect of video post-production within the editor. Animations, titles, audio editing and color grading are all accessible with a couple of clicks, but the interface is intuitively designed and never feels cluttered.

Unlike the other video editors in this roundup, HitFilm Pro supports importing and animating of custom 3D models, complete with simulated 3D cameras, custom shadows and dynamic lighting. There are also impressive particle effects, and superb chroma-keying to minimize annoying spill.

5. Adobe Premiere Elements

A friendly introduction to video editing for complete beginners

Platform: Windows/Mac | Free trial: 30 days | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: No | 360 support: No | Purchase type: Retail

Of all the premium video editors in this roundup, Adobe Premiere Elements is the most beginner-oriented. It's designed to make video editing as easy as possible, and even its Expert interface is extremely straightforward.

Unlike Adobe's premium software (like Premiere Pro), Premiere Elements is only available as a one-off purchase, so you aren't committed to paying a monthly fee to keep using it. It's also one of the most affordable video editors around, which is impressive for a huge name like Adobe.

Some video editors assume a certain degree of familiarity before you begin, but Premiere Elements is ideal even for total beginners. Its interface features large buttons, clearly labelled. There are also some excellent tutorials included to help bridge the gap between creating a video using wizards and using the more traditional multi-track timeline.

The best free video editing software

If you're a beginner, there are free video editors that will make the whole process as easy as can be and don't cost a penny. These user-friendly editors offer a gentle introduction to editing, so you'll learn the basics and be able to make the step up to a more advanced premium program when you're ready. We've picked our the five best video editing software choices below.

1. Lightworks

The best free video editing software available, for any level of expertise

Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: No | 360 support: No

Lightworks is an incredible tool that's published free with the noble aim of making professional quality video editing software available to everyone. As you would expect for such a powerful video editor, you won't be able to master it overnight, but that's certainly not something you could hold against it and hasn't stopped us naming it as our number one best video editing software on the web.

If you've tried other free editors you'll probably find that the interface is a little different to anything you're used to, but you can arrange the various controls and windows to create something that suits your way of working.

There's a paid version, Lightworks Pro, which adds the ability to export in formats other than MPEG, publish 4K video directly to YouTube, and export 3D videos, but the free video editing software includes everything else you need to make impressive videos.

2. Hitfilm Express

A powerful free video editor that's expandable if you outgrow it

Platform: Windows/Mac | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: No | 360 support: Requires add-on

Hitfilm Express is another video editor that promises pro-level features for free – and it delivers. The basic editor is very impressive, with advanced cutting tools, a great set of audio and video filters, layers and masking, compositing options, and chroma keying for creating green screen effects.

Additional tools are available for a fee, starting at £8.85 (about US$10, AU$15) for a pack featuring color-correction, exposure adjustment, split screen masking, and various creative filters. But the free video editor is well worth a look, too.

The downside of all this power is that Hitfilm Express is much more demanding than either Lightworks or Shotcut, which is the main reason it's dropped to third place. Make sure you check the technical requirements before downloading it to avoid disappointment.

3. Shotcut

It might look unusual, but master it and you'll reap the benefits

Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux | Upload straight to YouTube: No | 8K support: No | 360 support: No

Shotcut is another professional-feeling free video editor that requires a little patience if you are achieve the results it is so capable of delivering. The slightly unusual interface can be put down to the fact that this started life as a Linux application, and little has changed in its conversion to Windows.

To start with, the interface may seem a little stark. You will need to not only load a video, but also choose which editing mode you would like to work in and which tools you'd like to use.

There's no getting away from the fact that Shotcut has a steep learning curve. It's possible to achieve some impressive results by simply applying one of its many filters to your video, but the real rewards will only be reaped by those willing to invest the time and energy in fully getting to grips with what's on offer.

4. DaVinci Resolve

Premium quality software for advanced video and audio editing

Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux | Upload straight to YouTube: No | 8K support: Yes | 360 support: Requires add-on

DaVinci Resolve is a free version of a premium video editing suite, but as with Lightworks, it's so feature-packed you probably won't miss the few tools it lacks.

DaVinci Resolve is a professional-grade free video editing software, with intuitive interfaces for editing, color correction, audio mastering and exporting. Color correction is one of DaVinci Resolve's standout features, whether you want to adjust a whole video or just a selected part. There's HDR support, and you can work on raw files directly from your camera.

A few of the filters are exclusive to the premium DaVinci Resolve Studio, and there's a maximum export resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, but those are the only limitations. It's overkill if you just want to trim a video and upload it to YouTube, but for bigger projects DaVinci Resolve is hard to beat.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

A non-linear editor stacked with tools, with more added all the time

Platform: Windows | Upload straight to YouTube: Yes | 8K support: No | 360 support: Yes

VSDC Free Video Editor is highly capable, and can yield superb results. As a non-linear editor, it works in rather a different way to many other similar tools, letting you position clips and other elements on the timeline wherever you like and edit them there.

With the ability to not only work with multiple scenes and transitions, but also to add sprites and text to videos, you can create a professional-quality movie if you're willing to stick with VSDC's slightly unusual workflow – though its interface has recently had a total overhaul, making it look much more slick and modern. You can now detach the timeline too, which gives you lots of extra flexibility – particularly when working on multiple monitors.

VSDC's free video editing software lets you add extra artistic effects, including smoke. There's also a dedicated Instagram export profile and automatic image stabilization. You also get look-up tables (LUTs) for professional color grading, the ability to export footage at 120fps, and automatic alignment when dragging objects. An excellent choice for creative video projects.

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Video editing software FAQ

How do I choose video editing software?

There are several key factors, and price isn’t necessarily the most important: if it were, every Hollywood movie would be made in Apple’s free iMovie!

Let’s start at the end. What kind of video do you intend to make, and where is it for? There’s a world of difference between quick editing of home videos you’ll watch on TV and editing something for Netflix or cinema distribution.

You’ll need to consider what formats the software needs to export in, what level of quality it needs to output (HD? 4K? 8K?) and whether it can deliver the kind of visual effects you want to use. If you’ll be collaborating, your app will need to be compatible with the other people’s apps too.

There’s also you to consider. Are you experienced, or would a simpler app that takes you step by step through the whole process be more helpful? Do you want to have complete control over every pixel, or would you rather let the computer do most of the work? How future-proof do you need your app to be?

And then there’s price. Most but not all cheap or free apps are very limited; most but not all high-end editors are frighteningly expensive. It’s possible to pay too much and end up with an app that’s overkill, or to pay too little and end up inventing new and colourful swears when the app refuses to do what you need it to do.

Remember too that the more you can do, the more you’ll want it to do. Can your chosen app grow with your imagination?

Why should I care about video editing software?

Video is the new rock’n’roll: where children used to dream of being rock stars, now they dream of being YouTube vloggers. Meanwhile video has become the lingua franca of the internet, from viral clips and video responses to indie films and glossy corporate presentations.

Movie Maker Free Video Editor For Mac

The one thing they almost all have in common is editing. That could be simple trimming to cut a clip at the appropriate place, or it could involve mixing multiple clips together, changing the soundtrack and adding a whole bunch of special effects. To do these things you’ll need a video editing app.

Free video editing software vs premium video editors

To state the blindingly obvious, premium video editors tend to have advantages that free ones don’t. Those advantages tend to come in the form of resources: resources to develop apps that squeeze the most performance out of high-end hardware, resources to develop better effects, resources to fix show-stopping bugs, resources to make sure the app works on the latest hardware, resources to polish the interface and create help files and how-tos and all the other things you’d expect from professional software. But of course, that comes at a price – $300ish for Final Cut Pro X, for example.

If you’re a pro, time is money so you spend money to save time, whether that’s the time it takes to render your footage or the time you can’t afford to spend shouting 'WHY GOD, WHY?' when the app doesn’t do exactly what you want or crashes mid-edit.

Free apps are aimed at a more forgiving and less demanding kind of user. That’s not to say they can’t do great things. They can. But they often take a hand-holding approach that focuses on the basics and doesn’t give you access to the fine detail. They might take a good-enough approach to performance rather than a “Steven Spielberg needs this NOW!” no-compromise approach, and their effects may be simpler than the pro ones.

So is free video editing software worth getting?

It can be. Movies made in Apple’s iMovie have wowed crowds at film festivals over the years, and some people have made perfectly good movies using just it and an iPhone.

There are many decent free video apps out there, but there are a few things to consider. Performance, especially encoding and exporting, isn’t always up there with the big hitters, and you’ll often find that features are only available if you buy in-app purchases or just aren’t there at all. Some stick an enormous watermark over everything you output; few offer any kind of technical support. Pro-level features are rarely offered because these apps aren’t designed for video pros.

It’s worth being a bit pedantic here and differentiating between free commercial software and free open source software. The former is often a cut-down version of a full product offered for free in the hope you’ll buy its big brother. The latter is usually a full product made available by individuals or teams of volunteers with no expectation of any financial reward. While open source acts can sometimes lack the polish and/or user-friendliness of commercial software they may well deliver all the features you need without requiring you to spend any money.

What video editing software features should I look out for?

That depends on the kind of editing you’d like to do. For example, you might not need much in the way of visual effects if you’re just splicing together clips from Uncle George’s 90th birthday party. But there are some key things to consider.

First up, what formats and resolutions does the app support? Can it use the footage from your camera without converting? Can it export to the places you want to share your finished footage?

Do you need features such as green screen or picture in picture (if you’re a YouTuber, the answers to those to are probably yes)? Can you share directly with social media, if that’s your thing?

How many tracks can you use? Can you pull in footage and audio from multiple files, swapping between them as needed, or will you need to do some pre-production first because the app can only handle a couple of tracks at once?

Does the app have any smart features to make everyday editing easier, such as smart trimming of clips or simple editing modes? Is it easy to add titles, transitions between scenes or to adjust the colours?

If it’s a mobile app, can you transfer your project to continue editing in a desktop equivalent of the app?

What does 8K support mean for video editing?

8K is a screen resolution: that is, it tells you how many pixels (dots) make up the picture.

Here’s a list of the resolutions for TV and movies formats in recent years.

VHS 335 x 480

DVD 720 x 480

HD 1,280 x 720

Full HD 1,920 x 1,080

Then there was 4K. 4K can mean a few different things, but the version you’ll get on a 4K TV is called 4K Ultra HD and delivers 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. Take those numbers, double them and boom! 8K!

Do you need it? Almost certainly not. Chances are you don’t know a soul with an 8K TV or monitor, and that you don’t have and can’t afford a camera capable of recording in that quality.

What is 360 support for video editing?

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Traditional cameras can only point in one direction, but 360 video uses clever cameras and/or clever processing combining the input from multiple lenses to get a full 360-degree video recording. You’ve probably seen it on Facebook or in a VR app: if you move up or down or left or right the video moves accordingly just as it would if you were actually there.

In fact, editing 360 video isn’t significantly more difficult than editing 2D video, but exporting is more complicated and many apps just can’t cope with 360-degree video in the first place. The video sharing site Vimeo strongly recommends using Adobe’s Premiere Pro CC (yep, our number one recommended video editing software) our if you’re serious about 360-degree video editing.

What video editing software do most YouTubers use?

iMovie remains massively popular among YouTubers because it’s really easy and it comes free on their MacBooks, iPhones or iPads. For straightforward face-to-camera videos you don’t really need anything more complicated: iMovie has all the cutting, titling and transition effects you’re likely to need, and it supports green/blue screens for when you want to put yourself over something such as footage of gameplay. On PC, Microsoft Photos is an underrated gem. Adobe Premiere Pro CC, the entry-level version of Premiere Pro, is very popular too.

Generally speaking YouTubers tend to go for simple, effective and affordable apps. One of the best free apps is Lightworks, which you can get for Windows, Mac and Linux devices. It has integrated YouTube exporting and a bunch of really impressive real-time effects. It looks absolutely terrifying compared to something like Microsoft Photos but it doesn’t take long to learn and it’s a really good editing app.

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There are lots of other good options too. HitFilm Pro has a free version but also offers a powerful professional version. The free app DaVinci Resolve is very good, especially on colour correction, and while the VSDC Free Video Editor lacks the hardware acceleration of paid-for editing apps that’s not really an issue if you’re not in a busy working environment.

What video editing software do professionals use?

That depends on your definition of professionals and the industry or sector you’re thinking of. Go to Hollywood or a major TV studio and the editing’s almost certainly being done in Avid Media Composer Ultimate. In ad agencies, indie film studios and businesses making YouTube films you’re more likely to see Adobe Premiere Pro CC or Apple Final Cut Pro X and associated apps such as Adobe’s After Effects, a motion graphics and visual effects app - see above for how well we rate those. These are very, very good tools designed to run on very, very good computers.