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Best video editing apps and programs
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Our video editing professionals have gathered information on the best video editing apps and programs available in 2022 for professional or personal use. This list of the best video editing apps helps you to find the right program for your needs as well as the type of equipment available for editing, from computers to phones and tablets.
The best video editing app are:
- Premiere Pro
- Final Cut Pro
- Avid Media Composer
- Premiere Rush
- Premiere Elements
- iMovie
- LumaFusion
- PowerDirector
- KineMaster Pro
- Magisto
After you’ve selected the best tools, you can attend video editing classes to learn the skills necessary for creating films, commercials, promotional videos and other content for personal or professional use, including classes to learn Premiere Pro and After Effects or learn Final Cut.
Best Video Editing Apps and Programs
Video Editing | Compatible devices | Free trial |
---|---|---|
Premiere Pro | Mac and PC | Yes |
Final Cut Pro | Mac | Yes |
Media Composer | Mac and PC | Yes |
Premiere Rush | iPhone, iPad, | Yes |
LumaFusion | iPad and iPhone | No |
PowerDirector | Android and PC | Yes |
Premiere Elements | Mac and PC | Yes |
iMovie | Apple devices | N/A |
KineMaster Pro | Mac, Windows, iOS, | Yes |
Magisto | Mac, Windows, iOS, | Yes |
Details for the Best Video Editing apps
AGI has assembled destials on each of the best video editing apps, and included links to the developers where you can find the programs.
Adobe Premiere Pro
This popular video editing app is available as a stand-alone program or as part of the Creative Cloud. It operates on Mac and Windows computers. Premiere Pro is a professional level tool and is widely used in broadcast, film, journalism, and marketing. Subscriptions cost between $20 and $31 per month. Available from Adobe Systems: https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere.html.
Final Cut Pro
Apple’s video editing app operates on Mac computers. Final Cut is also a professional tool and is used frequently in film and marketing. Final Cut Pro is available as a one-time purchase from Apple: https://www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/.
Avid Media Composer
Avid Technology’s video editing app operates on Mac and Windows computers and is a growing favorite of industry professionals. In 2019, each film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards was edited using Avid. Subscriptions cost between $24 and $35 per month or $239 per year. Available from Avid Technology: https://www.avid.com/media-composer.
LumaFusion
Made for producers, mobile journalists, and filmmakers, LumaFusion is compatible with iPad and iPhone. The app offers a magnetic timeline with extended features such as linking, overwriting, color correction, layered effects, and unlimited keyframes. Collaborators can add markers to communicate about edits and share presets. LumaFusion is available as a one-time purchase from LumaTouch: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lumafusion/id1062022008.
Adobe Premiere Rush
Premiere Rush is a video editor designed to quickly generate content, predominantly for social media, and can be used on both desktop and mobile. Subscriptions cost $10 per month or $120 per year. A free plan is available to Creative Cloud members, including the app, 2 GB of Cloud storage, unlimited free mobile exports, and three desktop exports. Available from Adobe Systems: https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere-rush.html.
iMovie
Use AirDrop or iCloud Drive to transfer projects and work between Apple devices with iMovie. Equipped with the essentials for video editing, projects can be cast onto external displays in 4K, shared over iMessage, or exported directly to social media or YouTube. The app is available for free on Mac computers.
Adobe Premiere Elements
Adobe offers this scaled-down version of Premiere Pro that employs AI to help consumers who are interested in editing personal videos. The app is not a part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud service and is available as a one-time purchase from Adobe Systems: https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere-elements.html.
PowerDirector
PowerDirector is available on iPhone, iPad, and PC with a free version, a subscription, or a perpetual license. YouTubers, vloggers, and Instagrammers can access premium photos, background music, sound clips, and royalty stock footage from Shutterstock, as well as 50 GB of storage for the year. Subscriptions cost $20 per month or $70 per month on a prepaid annual plan. Available from CyberLink.
KineMaster Pro
Vloggers and influencers may prefer KineMaster Pro’s social media-oriented features, such as chroma key and thousands of pre-made assets. The app’s developer also created a YouTube channel with savvy tutorials led by instructors. Consumers can download the app on Mac and Windows computers, as well as iOS and Android devices. Subscriptions cost $3.49 per month for a basic plan or $3.99 per month for a premium plan. Available from KineMaster: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nexstreaming.app.kinemasterfree&hl=en_US, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kinemaster-video-editor/id1223932558.
Magisto
Magisto uses an AI-driven smart editor to edit media by adding graphic, effects, filters and music, which may help novice video editors get a handle on the basics. It also offers a commercially-licensed song library, although it can’t be used for monetized social media. Consumers can download the app on Mac and Windows computers, as well as iOS and Android devices. Subscriptions cost $5 per month for premium plans, $10 per month for professional plans, and $35 per month for business plans. Available from Vimeo: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.magisto&hl=en_US, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magisto-video-editor/id486781045.
Cost of Top 10 Video Editing Apps and User Types
Video Editing App | Users | Costs |
---|---|---|
Premiere Pro | Film/television/news industry professionals, |
|
Final Cut Pro | Film/television/news industry professionals, |
|
Media Composer | Film/television/news industry professionals, |
|
Premiere Rush | YouTubers, vloggers, influencers, and mobile journalists |
|
LumaFusion | Producers, mobile journalists, and filmmakers |
|
PowerDirector | YouTubers, vloggers, influencers, and hobbyists |
|
Premiere Elements | Novice video editors and hobbyists |
|
iMovie | Novice video editors and hobbyists |
|
KineMaster Pro | YouTubers, vloggers, influencers, novice video editors, and hobbyists |
|
Magisto | YouTubers, vloggers, influencers, novice video editors, and hobbyists |
|
What to know before you select a video editing app
Before selecting a video editing app, there are several things to consider to make sure it is something you can use and will meet your needs:
- Compatibility: Some video editing apps are only functional on specified devices or mobile operating systems. Many are exclusively engineered for mobile devices, while others allow projects to be shared between mobile and desktop devices. Check to see which type of computer, or mobile platform: Apple and Android products the app is available on before making any purchases.
- Type of use: Mobile journalists, filmmakers, hobbyists, and influencers are all users that use video editing apps. Each requires features tailored to their project and needs. Influencers may prefer apps with options for filters, stickers, free background music, and options to export directly to social media. There are even apps made for specific platforms like Tik Tok and YouTube. Filmmakers may need apps with more advanced features, including animation, green screen, and color correction.
- Integration: Some apps offer additional features by connecting with other apps made by the same developer, or forming partnerships with outside companies. Adobe Premiere Rush functions as Adobe’s mobile editing app and integrates seamlessly with its Adobe Creative Cloud when projects are transferred to a desktop. Powerdirector, a video editing software developed by CyberLink, provides its subscribed users with background music, sound clips, images, and stock footage from Shutterstock.
- Price: Most quality video editing apps come with a price tag. Some have subscriptions with lengths varying between weekly, monthly, and yearly payment options. By researching the quality and quantity of features offered in exchange for the app’s price, users can be satisfied that they are getting bang for their buck. Although most cancellation policies are fairly straightforward, it never hurts to read the fine print.
- Reviews: Reading through the reviews of video editing apps is one of the simplest ways to gauge whether or not it will work for you. They often shed light on the general quality of the app, as well as the most common issues that users encounter. It’s a good sign if the developer is responsive to bugs within the app and any users with questions.
Professional video editing apps vs. consumer apps
Purchasing a commercial video editing app generally provides a wider quantity and quality of video editing features in comparison to free video editing apps. Some are even tailored for specific professions, such as mobile journalists or influencers. Many are also compatible with other apps or have partnerships with other companies to provide users additional features. Many apps marketed for consumer use are free or low in cost. These apps typically utilize AI or other intuitive features to guide novice video editors through the basics, as well as offer tutorials.
Researched by Morgan Keith
About the author
Christopher Smith is president of American Graphics Institute. He is the co-author of Adobe Creative Cloud for Dummies and more than 10 other books on design and digital publishing. He served as publisher and editor of the Digital Classroom book series, which has sold more than one million books on topics relating to InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere Pro and other Creative Cloud apps. At American Graphics Institute, he provides strategic technology consulting to marketing professionals, publishers designers, and large technology companies including Google, Apple, Microsoft, and HP. An expert on web analytics and digital marketing, he also delivers Google Analytics classes along with workshops on digital marketing topics. Christopher did his undergraduate studies the at the University of Minnesota, and then worked for Quark, Inc. prior to joining American Graphics Institute where he has worked for more than 20 years.