As every YouTube creator knows, video editing is a crucial part of the post-production process. When done right, video editing can make your videos look clean, professional, and engaging. Whether you are on YouTube to build a business, run a community, or just to have some fun, the correct software for making YouTube videos can make a huge difference to your success.
With so many new video editing software in the market, it can be hard to choose the one that fits your needs the best. The top video editing video software may not be consistent with your needs. The right way to decide would take into account your skill-level, audience size, personal requirements, etc.
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How To Choose The Best Video Editor For Your Channel?
First things first, if you are a beginner to YouTube and video-editing, choose a software that is beginner-friendly and easy-to-use. Explore the challenging features in that software and then up your game to more pro-level video editing software.
If you are on an intermediate level with already a decent audience on YouTube, choose a software that has advanced features to enhance the aesthetic of your videos. Consider upgrading to a Pro level version if necessary.
And lastly, if you are a professional YouTuber with advanced skills in video editing, choose a software that meets all your feature requirements. Explore a little before settling on one.
In this article, you will find the ten best video editing software in the market, along with all the details (and a comparison table) to help you choose your next video editing software:
1. Adobe Premiere Pro CC: Video Editing Software Designed For YouTubers
Compatibility: Windows, Mac OS
User experience | 4/5 |
Learning curve | 4/5 |
System requirements | 2/5 |
Editing features | 5/5 |
Additional functionalities | 5/5 |
One of the most popular ones in the market, Adobe Premier surpasses the editing needs of most YouTubers. It enables you to edit 360-degree movie clips, add motion graphics, add plugins, and integrate it with other Adobe products. However, the system requirements are a little high, and installing the application can take a while. My device also crashed/hanged multiple times while the software was installing.
It is made keeping YouTubers and their needs in mind, so any editing feature that you will need is available. Adobe also offers 4K support, making it super easy to make professional videos. The interface is simple and easy-to-use. It is beginner-friendly and expert-friendly.
Mobile Add-on: Premiere Rush
This app will be super useful for you if you prefer editing a lot of your videos on the phone. You can use almost all the quick and basic editing features of Adobe Premier on the app too along with accessing the Adobe stock pictures, motion graphic templates, etc. The best part is that all editing is done on the cloud. You can pick up where you left off even if you change your device. I personally found the Android app to be super-efficient and extremely easy to use. It is perfect for any creator wishing to edit on the go.
Pricing: Adobe remains one of the most expensive video editing software in the market. You can choose from a variety of plans basis the features you want. There is also a free trial available for 7 days.
Pros | Cons |
Beginner-friendly and expert-friendly | Costly compared to its competitors |
Mobile app with cloud editing | High System Requirements (may crash or slows down your device) |
Advanced editing features | |
Customizable plugins and features available | |
Can be integrated with other Adobe products |
2. Filmora9: Video Editing Software For Beginners
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
User experience | 4/5 |
Learning curve | 5/5 |
System requirements | 4/5 |
Editing features | 4/5 |
Additional functionalities | 3.5/5 |
Filmora9 has two video editing software: FilmoraX and FilmoraPro. If you are a beginner, Filmoara9 recommends Filmora X. I tested this by downloading the FilmoraPro version in Windows and found it to be useful only for intermediate or advanced level. The system requirements and pricing also differ for the two versions.
FilmoraX is amazingly user-friendly for beginners. It allows you to do the basic editing, trimming, video-stabilization, de-noise, color enhancement, frame preview, etc. FilmoraX also offers royalty-free audios including music tracks and sound effects. It also has a few advanced features in video editing like an audio mixer, advanced text editing, split-screen, scene detection, etc. You can share the video made in Filmora to YouTube directly.
One deal-breaker for me was how much the application crashed in Windows. It made my entire system slow and hanged. I also tried deleting FilmoraPro after I installed FilmoraX to see if that aids in making the system smoother – but it was to no avail.
Pricing: Filmora9 offers 3 types of pricing plans – individual, business, and educational. The individual plan has three sub-plans billed monthly, annually, or for a lifetime. The Business Annual plan charges you on the basis of user count. If you have more than 5 users, you need to request a quoted pricing. The Educational Plan is for students and teachers at discounted rates.
There is also a free version but it has Filmora’s watermark on all the videos.
Pros | Cons |
Beginner-friendly (FilmoraX) | Watermark in all videos edited from the free version |
Intermediate learning curve | Crash possibility in Windows |
Free version available | May not suit advanced needs for editing |
Royalty-free audios | |
4k video editing | |
Basic and advanced video editing tools available (PIP, Green Screen, Effects, Video Stabilization) |
3. Windows Movie Maker: Basic Video Editor For Beginners
Compatibility: Windows
User experience | 4/5 |
Learning curve | 5/5 |
System requirements | 4/5 |
Editing features | 2/5 |
Additional functionalities | 1/5 |
Windows Movie Maker is intuitive and extremely beginner-friendly. The features provided are basic and easy to use. However, only the basic features available in the free version make it a little less useful for any YouTube creator looking for even intermediate editing features. Many advanced features are present in the Pro Version, but still, the software remains functionally limited compared to its competitors.
You can change the transition of the video, control how the audio plays out, trim, cut, have a text or sound overlay, and arrange clips according to your requirement. There are a few enhancement features available. Beyond that, the free version is limited to any advanced video editing.
Pricing: Windows Movie Maker is completely free. There is a Pro Version too for a one-time payment of $11. There are many features like a green screen, extra effects, etc. that are only available in the Pro version.
Pros | Cons |
Beginner-friendly | Limited editing features in the free version |
Easy learning curve | Lack of advanced functionality |
Free version available | Unsuitable for intermediate or advanced creators |
4. Lightworks: Video Editing Software For Professional YouTubers Looking To Create Hollywood Level Videos
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
User experience | 3/5 |
Learning curve | 2/5 |
System requirements | 3/5 |
Editing features | 4/5 |
Additional functionalities | 4.5/5 |
Lightworks can be intimidating for beginners. Although the advanced features are user-friendly, there is a learning curve to it. It is a goldmine for professional YouTubers experienced enough though. It is famous for creating Hollywood-level videos. There is a rich selection of audios, video effects, and transitions.
One thing that particularly stood out for me was the speed of this software. It was excellent beyond the capabilities offered by its competitors. And another negative that stood out was the negligible export capabilities in the software in the free version. There are barely any media files you can export if you are using the free version.
Pros | Cons |
Top-notch functionalities and editing features | Learning curve intermediate for beginners |
Free version available | Limited export feature in the free version |
Suitable for Linux | |
Excellent speed |
Pricing: Lightworks has a free version and a Pro version. The Pro version starts at $25 and is billed monthly. The cost changes basis the number of activations you select.
5. Blender: Free Video Editing Software For 3D Graphics
Compatibility: Mac, Linux, Windows
User experience | 2/5 |
Learning curve | 1/5 |
System requirements | 2/5 |
Editing features | 2/5 |
Additional functionalities | 3/5 |
Blender is commonly used for three-dimensional graphics. It also has features to create games, VFX, or animation. It is the perfect use for 3D modelers. The basic video editing features like applying filters, adding video, cutting/trimming video are all available in Blender. It also gives you access to some advanced features like live previews, histogram displays, etc.
Video editing is not the primary feature of this software and the functionality for that is pretty limited compared to its competitors. There is audio mixing, waveform, and speed control, but it still cannot be considered a professional video editor. For beginners, it is unnecessary and has a huge learning curve.
Pros | Cons |
Suitable for 3D Modelers, animation, game creation | Huge learning curve |
Free version available | Not enough video editing features for professionals |
Suitable for Linux |
Pricing: Blender is a free video editing software.
6. Animoto: Video Editing Software For Beginners With Low Editing Demands
Compatibility: Works on all up-to-date web browsers (supports Firefox and Google Chrome)
User experience | 3/5 |
Learning curve | 5/5 |
System requirements | 5/5 |
Editing features | 2/5 |
Additional functionalities | 1/5 |
Animoto is the simplest to use video editing software on this list. It is extremely beginner-friendly, web-based, and has a simple drag and drop editing tool. There are many things you can create for YouTube and for marketing on social media including slideshows, tutorials, promos, etc. The best part is that they have pre-built templates along with stocked images & and a music library to make your task even easier.
However, Animoto might not be suitable for someone with high editing demands. The edit styles are limited and how many tiny manipulations you can do to one frame is also negligible. It can be hard to edit individual clips because of the lack of advanced features.
Pros | Cons |
Super-easy learning curve | Cannot meet high editing demands |
Free version available | Limited editing styles |
Web-based | Limited intermediate/advanced editing features |
Easy sharing on social media | Negligible editing of individual clips |
Stocked photos and music library | |
In-built storyboard templates |
Pricing: Animoto has three plans including a free one. The professional and team plans offer certain extra features and removal of Animoto watermark.
7. YouTube Studio Video Editor: Video Editing Software For Basic Edits [After Uploading To YouTube]
Compatibility: Web-based (you just need an account on YouTube)
User experience | 3/5 |
Learning curve | 5/5 |
System requirements | 5/5 |
Editing features | 2/5 |
Additional functionalities | 1/5 |
YouTube Studio Video Editor allows you to do basic video-editing like cutting, trimming, adding/deleting soundtracks, and individual clips.
The features are really basic and insufficient for any professional YouTuber or for even marketing on social media. The benefit is that it allows you to edit already uploaded videos with the original URL, views, and comments intact.
Pros | Cons |
Beginner-friendly | Insufficient for professional editing |
Free | Limited video editing features |
Web-based | |
Editing already uploaded videos without disturbing existing metrics |
Pricing: YouTube Studio Video Editor is completely free of cost.
8. Virtual Dub: Video Editing Software for Beginners With Limited Editing Features
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux [I am not sure about Linux]
User experience | 2/5 |
Learning curve | 4/5 |
System requirements | 4/5 |
Editing features | 2/5 |
Additional functionalities | 1/5 |
This software is no longer used by video creators because of its limiting video editing capacities. It does have fractional frame rates, integrated histogram, noise reduction, cutting/trimming, assembling videos, etc. But it still doesn’t cut the bar for even intermediate-level video editing.
Another huge drawback is that it only supports AVI file formats. I tried uploading a VLC file and failed. The software did not support it. If your camera footage is not in AVI format, you may have to convert it for use. The learning curve is pretty smooth and straightforward.
Pros | Cons |
Beginner-friendly | Lack of advanced features for video editing |
Free | Supports only AVI file formats |
Basic video editing features easy to use |
Pricing: VirtualDub is free of cost.
9. DaVinci Resolve17: Free Video Editing Software For Professional [And Expert] YouTubers
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
User experience | 3/5 |
Learning curve | 1/5 |
System requirements | 1/5 |
Editing features | 5/5 |
Additional functionalities | 4.5/5 |
The software is pro-level. The basic features are all there, but anything beyond basic, and you will need some expert hand. It’s not that beginner-friendly but can be really helpful for a professional YouTuber looking to level up their video editing.
The interface is intuitive but the high-end graphics require a strong PC. This software took the longest to download among the entire list (~60 minutes) and significantly slowed down (and crashed) my Windows laptop. The video effects, motion graphics, color correction, etc. are worth it though for a professional YouTuber.
Pros | Cons |
Free version available without watermarks | Requires a powerful PC and may crash |
Advanced editing | Not beginner-friendly (huge learning curve) |
Intuitive interface for basic edits | Direct export to social media absent |
Pricing: The software is free of cost. However, there is a studio version that includes some extra features like a Neural Engine, stereoscopic 3D tools, added Resolve FX filters, etc.
[Create a final table with pros, cons, utilities, price and trial, system requirements, and other details of the software.]
10. Cyberlink PowerDirector: Low-Cost Video Editing Software Suitable For Both Beginner And Advanced Level
Compatibility: Windows, Mac OS
User experience | 3.5/5 |
Learning curve | 3.5/5 |
System requirements | 4/5 |
Editing features | 4/5 |
Additional functionalities | 4/5 |
The standout feature for Cyberlink is its 360-degree video stabilization. You can get advanced editing features for 360-degree movie clips and do away with blur footages. You can create slideshows, use green-screen, do object tracking or tilting, and even create video collages. There is an audio library, background music clips, stock images, although limited to a few.
One thing I particularly disliked about this software is the number of pop-up ads it showed. The editing features are competitive and interface user-friendly, but there is a learning curve to the advanced features.
Pros | Cons |
Free version available (and cheap subscription plans) | In-built ads within the software |
Advanced editing features available | Big learning curve for advanced features |
Beginner-friendly |
Pricing: Cyberlink Power Director has a free version and a paid version. You can pay for a lifetime license or buy a subscription. Their comparison page is super helpful in evaluating which license or subscription may suit your needs best.
Here is a comparison table that can make choosing a video editor software easier for you.
Note: The numbers are not rankings of the software and are completely arbitrary.
Concluding Thoughts
Video editing is becoming one of the most significant factors in leveling up your game on YouTube. Thus, finding the right video-editing software for your channel becomes of extreme importance.
Apart from the list mentioned here, there is also HitFilm Express that is close to DaVinci Resolve as a free video editing software. If you are looking for other tools with advanced editing software, try Vegas Pro. But it may not be suitable for beginners with its huge learning curve. And lastly, if you want an alternative open-sourced software like VirtualDub, Shotcut is suitable, but please keep in mind that it does not have a user-friendly interface. It can be used for someone who is just starting out in video editing.
If there is any other software that you use for editing your videos, share your recommendations and insights with us in the comments below.
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