Add Zoom Blur Effect In Photoshop [Step by Step]

People add blurry effects to their photos to add a sense of focus effortlessly. It helps to grasp the viewers’ attention as blurry effects add a depth of field. There are various kinds of blurry effects, such as motion blur, zoom blur, etc.

One of the commonly used blurry effects is zoom blur which helps to highlight a specific area of the image. This article will help you to add zoom blur Photoshop through simple means.

1. GIFGIT.com
2. Luxa.org
3. Wondershare Filmora

Part 1: What is Zoom Blur?

Zoom blur is a creative effect that adds a new dimension to your captured photos. It creates an illusion where the captured shot appears to blur from the center direction. It gives an abstract feel and adds a certain movement to the picture. You can quickly draw attention to your subject by adding a zoom motion blur.

To create a zoom blur effect while capturing the photo, you should consider some conditions. For example, you can successfully create this effect by taking a picture in low-light conditions. Moreover, you should use a tripod to acquire the best results.

Part 2: How to Add Zoom Blur Effect to Photos in Photoshop?

Photoshop is widely used to alter images with distinct features. It can easily handle diverse file types with great efficiency. It gives complete control to the user as it comprises a friendly user interface. Moreover, you can utilize its color grading tools to adjust the saturation, hue, contrast, and brightness of the photo.

You can also discover AI-supported neural filters that can be a game-changer for you. It also provides a sky replacement tool that you can use to replace the sky in your captured photos effortlessly. For zoom blur Photoshop, you can manually create this effect with a few clicks. For this purpose, you can take help from the following guidelines:

Step1 Navigate to your Photoshop tool and import your desired photo. Go to the “Layers” section on your screen and press “Ctrl + J” to duplicate the first layer. If you are a MacBook user, you can press “Command + J.”

Step2 To proceed, go to the “Filter” option given above and select the “Blur” option. From its drop-down menu, select “Radial Blur .”Now you would be able to see a new window of Radial Blur on your screen. Here, change the amount to 10, and under the “Blur Method” section, select “Zoom .”Also, choose “Best” in the “Quality” section.

Step3 By staying on the Radial Blur window, adjust the “Blur Center” according to your desire. It will add focus to the central point while blurring the surroundings of your image. Once done, hit the “OK” button. To add further modifications, you can open the Radial Blur window again and modify the “Blur Center” easily.

Part 3: Add the Motion Blur with an Alternative to Photoshop

Are you searching the alternatives to Photoshop? It may be possible that you don’t get desired final results using zoom blur Photoshop. For this, you can check the following tools to achieve the best results.

1. GIFGIT.com

This online tool is an easy-to-use platform through which you can edit your images without any complications. It contains different tools through which you can add modifications instantly. For instance, you can utilize its advanced features such as Color Picker, Background Eraser, Gradient Tool, Magic Eraser, etc. Through its Blur Tool, you can defocus an image precisely in the desired manner.

To use this tool, navigate to the website of GIFGIT through your web browser. From its various tools, select the “Blur” tool. Afterward, click the “Choose File” button and upload your image. From the above editing toolbar, access the “Zoom Blur” slider to use the blur option. Adjust the ratio of the blur by increasing or decreasing the value through the slider or by entering the number inside the box.

2. Luxa.org

Do you want a professional tool to add a zoom blur effect? Luxa.org has a friendly user interface that comprises different options, such as PDF tools and image tools. For the image tools, you can find various options to execute the editing. For instance, you can add colored borders to your images and text in the desired font. You can also modify the brightness level of your pictures through this tool.

To add a zoom motion blur effect, this tool provides a special online blur tool. To utilize it, access the website of Luxa.org and go to its image tools. From there, navigate to the zoom blur feature. Now upload your image on this tool and set the horizontal and vertical strengths. Also, adjust the blur strength accordingly. Once the zoom blur effect gets added to your photo, click on the “Download” button.

3. Wondershare Filmora

Have you ever tried Wondershare Filmora before? Filmora is a complete toolbox through which you can execute basic and advanced image editing without complications. It contains different kinds of built-in presets that can help you express your creativity. Moreover, it provides stock images that you use without any restrictions.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

To enhance your images, Filmora provides you with tons of professional effects. Using these effects, you can also add a zoom blur effect to your photos along with modification options. Furthermore, you can also export the edited image in the desired file format and resolution on this platform. To use this platform for adding a zoom blur effect, check the following instructions:

Step1 Import the Particular Image

After launching Filmora, select the “Create New Project” option to begin. Afterward, import the image from your computer to which you want to add the zoom blur effect. Once done, drag and drop the picture into the timeline.

Step2 Add the Zoom Blur Effect

Go to the Effect section and select “Utility” under the “Video Effects” section. From there, search “Tilt-Shift Circle” effect. Select and drop this effect to the timeline to proceed. Also, make sure to adjust the duration of the added effect according to your clip.

Step3 Adjust the Blur Settings

Now, double-click the added effect to adjust the intensity of the effect. Through the circle, you can apply the zoom blur effect to the photo precisely. You can adjust the intensity and size of the zoom motion blur effect.

Last Words

The zoom blur effect can instantly add focus to the subject in a dramatic manner. It can also highlight a specific point of the image effortlessly. In this article, we have addressed how to add zoom motion blur using Photoshop. To use the best alternative to Photoshop, we highly recommend using Wondershare Filmora. This tool has an easy-to-use interface and enables you to add a zoom blur effect easily.

Part 1: What is Zoom Blur?

Zoom blur is a creative effect that adds a new dimension to your captured photos. It creates an illusion where the captured shot appears to blur from the center direction. It gives an abstract feel and adds a certain movement to the picture. You can quickly draw attention to your subject by adding a zoom motion blur.

To create a zoom blur effect while capturing the photo, you should consider some conditions. For example, you can successfully create this effect by taking a picture in low-light conditions. Moreover, you should use a tripod to acquire the best results.

Part 2: How to Add Zoom Blur Effect to Photos in Photoshop?

Photoshop is widely used to alter images with distinct features. It can easily handle diverse file types with great efficiency. It gives complete control to the user as it comprises a friendly user interface. Moreover, you can utilize its color grading tools to adjust the saturation, hue, contrast, and brightness of the photo.

You can also discover AI-supported neural filters that can be a game-changer for you. It also provides a sky replacement tool that you can use to replace the sky in your captured photos effortlessly. For zoom blur Photoshop, you can manually create this effect with a few clicks. For this purpose, you can take help from the following guidelines:

Step1 Navigate to your Photoshop tool and import your desired photo. Go to the “Layers” section on your screen and press “Ctrl + J” to duplicate the first layer. If you are a MacBook user, you can press “Command + J.”

Step2 To proceed, go to the “Filter” option given above and select the “Blur” option. From its drop-down menu, select “Radial Blur .”Now you would be able to see a new window of Radial Blur on your screen. Here, change the amount to 10, and under the “Blur Method” section, select “Zoom .”Also, choose “Best” in the “Quality” section.

Step3 By staying on the Radial Blur window, adjust the “Blur Center” according to your desire. It will add focus to the central point while blurring the surroundings of your image. Once done, hit the “OK” button. To add further modifications, you can open the Radial Blur window again and modify the “Blur Center” easily.

Part 3: Add the Motion Blur with an Alternative to Photoshop

Are you searching the alternatives to Photoshop? It may be possible that you don’t get desired final results using zoom blur Photoshop. For this, you can check the following tools to achieve the best results.

1. GIFGIT.com

This online tool is an easy-to-use platform through which you can edit your images without any complications. It contains different tools through which you can add modifications instantly. For instance, you can utilize its advanced features such as Color Picker, Background Eraser, Gradient Tool, Magic Eraser, etc. Through its Blur Tool, you can defocus an image precisely in the desired manner.

To use this tool, navigate to the website of GIFGIT through your web browser. From its various tools, select the “Blur” tool. Afterward, click the “Choose File” button and upload your image. From the above editing toolbar, access the “Zoom Blur” slider to use the blur option. Adjust the ratio of the blur by increasing or decreasing the value through the slider or by entering the number inside the box.

2. Luxa.org

Do you want a professional tool to add a zoom blur effect? Luxa.org has a friendly user interface that comprises different options, such as PDF tools and image tools. For the image tools, you can find various options to execute the editing. For instance, you can add colored borders to your images and text in the desired font. You can also modify the brightness level of your pictures through this tool.

To add a zoom motion blur effect, this tool provides a special online blur tool. To utilize it, access the website of Luxa.org and go to its image tools. From there, navigate to the zoom blur feature. Now upload your image on this tool and set the horizontal and vertical strengths. Also, adjust the blur strength accordingly. Once the zoom blur effect gets added to your photo, click on the “Download” button.

3. Wondershare Filmora

Have you ever tried Wondershare Filmora before? Filmora is a complete toolbox through which you can execute basic and advanced image editing without complications. It contains different kinds of built-in presets that can help you express your creativity. Moreover, it provides stock images that you use without any restrictions.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

To enhance your images, Filmora provides you with tons of professional effects. Using these effects, you can also add a zoom blur effect to your photos along with modification options. Furthermore, you can also export the edited image in the desired file format and resolution on this platform. To use this platform for adding a zoom blur effect, check the following instructions:

Step1 Import the Particular Image

After launching Filmora, select the “Create New Project” option to begin. Afterward, import the image from your computer to which you want to add the zoom blur effect. Once done, drag and drop the picture into the timeline.

Step2 Add the Zoom Blur Effect

Go to the Effect section and select “Utility” under the “Video Effects” section. From there, search “Tilt-Shift Circle” effect. Select and drop this effect to the timeline to proceed. Also, make sure to adjust the duration of the added effect according to your clip.

Step3 Adjust the Blur Settings

Now, double-click the added effect to adjust the intensity of the effect. Through the circle, you can apply the zoom blur effect to the photo precisely. You can adjust the intensity and size of the zoom motion blur effect.

Last Words

The zoom blur effect can instantly add focus to the subject in a dramatic manner. It can also highlight a specific point of the image effortlessly. In this article, we have addressed how to add zoom motion blur using Photoshop. To use the best alternative to Photoshop, we highly recommend using Wondershare Filmora. This tool has an easy-to-use interface and enables you to add a zoom blur effect easily.

Take Your Video Editing to the Next Level with Video Scopes

All video editors have been there. You edit and color-correct your video project only to find out that the final product is not what you expected. The contract and colors dramatically shift when viewed on a different device. In most cases, this is caused by improperly calibrated monitors, but it could also be your eyes playing tricks on you. Video scopes help in preventing this problem ensuring that the color in your video is consistent across devices. With video editing scope, you get the exact representation of the elements that make up your image, including lightness and color values. In this article, we explain what video scopes are and how you can use them in your editing projects.

Color Correction Editor An easy-to-use video editor helps you make color correction and color grading experience for videos!

Free Download Use Vectorscope in Filmora Try Color Correction

Part 1. Introduction to Video Scopes: What are They and Why You Should Use them

When grading and color correcting your videos, it is important to accurately assess your video signal. This allows you to know whether you’re crushing the blacks in the night shot or clipping the whites in the clouds. You also get to know the exact saturation and hue your logo has. Video scopes are simply monitoring tools and measurements that are used during video editing to analyze and optimize the technical quality of video signals.

Video scopes are important because your monitor may not be properly calibrated. It will likely give you inaccurate results and cannot be trusted with the video editing process. Since our eyes will naturally adapt to the image, they cannot be trusted either. However, video scopes never lie and will let you know the exact status of your video. In fact, the scope of video editing is beneficial in several ways:

• Increased Accuracy: Color correction and grading require accurate information that cannot be guaranteed by our eyes. Video scopes are highly accurate, confirming the true color and assuring you are making the correct adjustments
• Reliability: Video scopes provide reliable verification by ensuring you are not influenced by perception or what may appear as the right color grading.
• Professional Editing: The use of scopes in video editing is professional and allows you to make precise corrections of colors.
• Matching Color Between Shots: You can easily use video scopes to match your work and access various shots.

Video scopes are indeed useful in video editing. They give you the extra reassurance that your color grading and correction are accurate and representative of what you want. While they may sound intimidating for beginners, video scopes are a useful addition to video editing once you learn how to interpret them.

Part 2. Essential Video Scopes for Beginners: A List of the Most Common Ones

Scope in video editing can be a lifesaver, especially when you know what you are doing. Some are readily available for adjustment while recording, but the post-production ones are equally important. They ensure you are making the right adjustments without being interfered with by the appearance of your monitor. The scope of video editing ensures that our video will look the same across all devices. Here are the most commonly used video scopes:

• Waveform Scopes
• Histogram
• RGB Parade
• Vector Scopes

1. Waveform Scopes

Waveform video scope allows you to see how dark or light your image is. In other words, the waveform represents the luminance distribution across your image, allowing you to easily identify the bright and dark elements of your image. The lightness of the picture of the image is represented as a waveform. The rule of thumb is that black is 0 while white is 100 when you are editing HD. Levels below 0 at the bottom of the scope and those above 100 near the top of the scope will be clipped. So, you have to keep your levels within the 0-100 range, which is also the true Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) video. With Ultra-HD standard, the whites can go up to 10,000, which is the High Dynamic Range.

2. Histogram

The histogram video scope allows you to see the tonal value of your clip. Most people associate histograms with still photography, but it is also useful for video work. Specifically, the histogram represents the highlights, shadows, and midtones of your image. For a standard 8-bit image, pure white has a value of 255 while dark black has a value of 0. The histogram gives you the distribution of colored pixels in every value of lightness or darkness. Although other video scopes like the waveform and vectorscope will do much of the work, a histogram is still a useful measure in video editing.

3. RGB Parade

This is one of the most common post-production video scopes. The RGB parade allows you to see all three colors in one scope. It shows the waveform of the three colors side by side, and not on top of each other. This way, the RGB parade measures the saturation of the colors red, green, and blue in an image. It becomes clear which colors are more saturated compared to others in different areas of the image. To achieve a well-balanced image, keep each color within the lower and upper limits of the video scope. This ensures that the colors are not under or over-saturated.

4. Vector Scopes

This is another common visual post-production scope. It measures the color and color saturation of your image or video on a six-point color wheel. When working with vector scopes, you have two options to choose from: YUV and HLS vector scopes. The YUV vector scopes display the saturation and hue of the colors in the image on the circular graph. The colors in the graph include red, blue, magenta, yellow, and cyan-green. Color becomes more saturated the further it is from the center. On the other hand, the HLS vector scopes show saturation and hue, but in a more detailed picture of the number of pixels that fall into each area of the video scope.

Part 3. Unlock the Power of Video Scopes with Filmora

The use of scope in video editing will up your game and improve the overall quality of your videos. They give you an effective way of balancing and correcting colors. For pro video scopes for Mac and Windows, Wondashare Filmora is a great choice. The professional video editor comes with four types of video scopes that provide exceptional results. In addition to a histogram, Filmora V13 offers more options for color balancing and correcting. Let’s have a look at how to use video scopes on Filmora.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Using Video Scopes in Filmora

Filmora has made it easy for users to utilize video scopes in their editing projects. Once you have launched Filmora and started a New Project, video scopes are easily accessible via the highlighted icon.

The four video scopes offered by Filmora allow you to achieve specific color adjustments in your video projects. Let’s have a look at how each can be used in video editing.

1. Parade RGB

The parade RGB video scope is used to change the color channel of your visual images from RBG to YCbCr or YRGB. It displays the red, green, and blue channels of the video signal, which can be helpful when you are identifying areas of the video that are too dark or too bright. You can also use the parade to check the color balance of the video.

2. Waveform

The Waveform video scope in Filmora is used to adjust the color channels of your images or videos in different ways. It displays the brightness of the video signal, allowing you to heck the contrast level.

3. Vectorscope

The vectorscope helps to identify and adjust the skin tone of your subjects. It displays the color saturation of the video signal, helping you identify areas that are too saturated or desaturated. This way, you can easily check the skin tones in the video.

4. Histogram

The histogram, and video scope display multiple adjustments graphically while adjusting color channels. It displays the distribution of brightness values in the video, allowing you to check the overall brightness level.

Conclusion

Video scopes are important measures for tracing color elements when color correcting and enhancing your video. For an accurate and easy way of using video scopes in your projects, we highly recommend Wondershar Filmora. With the recent upgrades on Filmora, users now have access to pro video scopes that give you professional editing experience. Explore the four available video scopes, including waveform and Histogram. Parade, and vectorscope to achieve better color grading and quality of your videos.

Free Download Use Vectorscope in Filmora Try Color Correction

Part 1. Introduction to Video Scopes: What are They and Why You Should Use them

When grading and color correcting your videos, it is important to accurately assess your video signal. This allows you to know whether you’re crushing the blacks in the night shot or clipping the whites in the clouds. You also get to know the exact saturation and hue your logo has. Video scopes are simply monitoring tools and measurements that are used during video editing to analyze and optimize the technical quality of video signals.

Video scopes are important because your monitor may not be properly calibrated. It will likely give you inaccurate results and cannot be trusted with the video editing process. Since our eyes will naturally adapt to the image, they cannot be trusted either. However, video scopes never lie and will let you know the exact status of your video. In fact, the scope of video editing is beneficial in several ways:

• Increased Accuracy: Color correction and grading require accurate information that cannot be guaranteed by our eyes. Video scopes are highly accurate, confirming the true color and assuring you are making the correct adjustments
• Reliability: Video scopes provide reliable verification by ensuring you are not influenced by perception or what may appear as the right color grading.
• Professional Editing: The use of scopes in video editing is professional and allows you to make precise corrections of colors.
• Matching Color Between Shots: You can easily use video scopes to match your work and access various shots.

Video scopes are indeed useful in video editing. They give you the extra reassurance that your color grading and correction are accurate and representative of what you want. While they may sound intimidating for beginners, video scopes are a useful addition to video editing once you learn how to interpret them.

Part 2. Essential Video Scopes for Beginners: A List of the Most Common Ones

Scope in video editing can be a lifesaver, especially when you know what you are doing. Some are readily available for adjustment while recording, but the post-production ones are equally important. They ensure you are making the right adjustments without being interfered with by the appearance of your monitor. The scope of video editing ensures that our video will look the same across all devices. Here are the most commonly used video scopes:

• Waveform Scopes
• Histogram
• RGB Parade
• Vector Scopes

1. Waveform Scopes

Waveform video scope allows you to see how dark or light your image is. In other words, the waveform represents the luminance distribution across your image, allowing you to easily identify the bright and dark elements of your image. The lightness of the picture of the image is represented as a waveform. The rule of thumb is that black is 0 while white is 100 when you are editing HD. Levels below 0 at the bottom of the scope and those above 100 near the top of the scope will be clipped. So, you have to keep your levels within the 0-100 range, which is also the true Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) video. With Ultra-HD standard, the whites can go up to 10,000, which is the High Dynamic Range.

2. Histogram

The histogram video scope allows you to see the tonal value of your clip. Most people associate histograms with still photography, but it is also useful for video work. Specifically, the histogram represents the highlights, shadows, and midtones of your image. For a standard 8-bit image, pure white has a value of 255 while dark black has a value of 0. The histogram gives you the distribution of colored pixels in every value of lightness or darkness. Although other video scopes like the waveform and vectorscope will do much of the work, a histogram is still a useful measure in video editing.

3. RGB Parade

This is one of the most common post-production video scopes. The RGB parade allows you to see all three colors in one scope. It shows the waveform of the three colors side by side, and not on top of each other. This way, the RGB parade measures the saturation of the colors red, green, and blue in an image. It becomes clear which colors are more saturated compared to others in different areas of the image. To achieve a well-balanced image, keep each color within the lower and upper limits of the video scope. This ensures that the colors are not under or over-saturated.

4. Vector Scopes

This is another common visual post-production scope. It measures the color and color saturation of your image or video on a six-point color wheel. When working with vector scopes, you have two options to choose from: YUV and HLS vector scopes. The YUV vector scopes display the saturation and hue of the colors in the image on the circular graph. The colors in the graph include red, blue, magenta, yellow, and cyan-green. Color becomes more saturated the further it is from the center. On the other hand, the HLS vector scopes show saturation and hue, but in a more detailed picture of the number of pixels that fall into each area of the video scope.

Part 3. Unlock the Power of Video Scopes with Filmora

The use of scope in video editing will up your game and improve the overall quality of your videos. They give you an effective way of balancing and correcting colors. For pro video scopes for Mac and Windows, Wondashare Filmora is a great choice. The professional video editor comes with four types of video scopes that provide exceptional results. In addition to a histogram, Filmora V13 offers more options for color balancing and correcting. Let’s have a look at how to use video scopes on Filmora.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Using Video Scopes in Filmora

Filmora has made it easy for users to utilize video scopes in their editing projects. Once you have launched Filmora and started a New Project, video scopes are easily accessible via the highlighted icon.

The four video scopes offered by Filmora allow you to achieve specific color adjustments in your video projects. Let’s have a look at how each can be used in video editing.

1. Parade RGB

The parade RGB video scope is used to change the color channel of your visual images from RBG to YCbCr or YRGB. It displays the red, green, and blue channels of the video signal, which can be helpful when you are identifying areas of the video that are too dark or too bright. You can also use the parade to check the color balance of the video.

2. Waveform

The Waveform video scope in Filmora is used to adjust the color channels of your images or videos in different ways. It displays the brightness of the video signal, allowing you to heck the contrast level.

3. Vectorscope

The vectorscope helps to identify and adjust the skin tone of your subjects. It displays the color saturation of the video signal, helping you identify areas that are too saturated or desaturated. This way, you can easily check the skin tones in the video.

4. Histogram

The histogram, and video scope display multiple adjustments graphically while adjusting color channels. It displays the distribution of brightness values in the video, allowing you to check the overall brightness level.

Conclusion

Video scopes are important measures for tracing color elements when color correcting and enhancing your video. For an accurate and easy way of using video scopes in your projects, we highly recommend Wondershar Filmora. With the recent upgrades on Filmora, users now have access to pro video scopes that give you professional editing experience. Explore the four available video scopes, including waveform and Histogram. Parade, and vectorscope to achieve better color grading and quality of your videos.

Instagram Doesn’t Offer Native Support for GIF Files. So, in This Post, We’ll Learn How to Convert a GIF to a Video for Instagram Using Multiple Methods. ‘

Instagram is one of the best apps to share fun and relatable animated GIFs. But unfortunately, you’ll have to convert GIF to video for Instagram before transferring. The thing is that Instagram only supports PNG, JPG, and MP4 formats. But fret not if you want to share a compelling GIF file on Instagram. You can convert GIFs to MP4 and upload them on the app without restrictions. So, this article discusses the best desktop, mobile, and online apps to convert GIF to video for Instagram.

1. Wondershare Filmora
2. Movavi Video Converter Premium
3. MiniTool Movie Maker

• How to Turn a GIF into an Instagram video on iPhone or Android

1. GIF Cracker
2. GIF to MP4
3. Video2Me
4. GifVid
5. GIF to Video

• Top 5 Online Tools to turn a GIF into a video on Instagram

1. Adobe Express
2. GIFtoMP4
3. AConvert
4. Ezgif
5. Convertio

• Hot FAQs on GIF Instagram

Part 1: Convert GIF to Video for Instagram on Desktop

Let’s begin this post with the best desktop solutions to convert GIFs to MP4 for Instagram. Remember, the video aspect ratio for Instagram videos is 9:16 or 1:1.

Wondershare Filmora

Rating: 4.5/5

Compatibility: macOS and Windows

Wondershare Filmora is a professional-grade video editing program for both macOS and Windows computers. It features an intuitive, multitrack interface with advanced video editing features and templates to help you create the best Instagram videos. This program lets you exploit themed elements like filters, effects, transitions, and emojis.

In the meantime, you can customize your video with the inbuilt royalty-free music and sound effects. You can also cut, trim, resize, and crop your video before exporting it to various formats, including MP4, MOV, WebM, GIF, etc.

But here is a reminder; free users will have a “Wondershare Filmora” watermark on their outputs. However, you can still exploit all the features with the free account.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Follow these steps to convert a GIF to a video for Instagram using Filmora :

Step1Run Filmora and start a project.

Install and run Wondershare Filmora on your PC and select the Project Aspect Ratio. To create an Instagram video, choose 1:1. Now tap New Project and click File to browse and load the GIF file from your local storage. Then, drag the GIF file to the editing timeline.

Step2 Edit and customize the GIF file (Optional).

Before exporting GIF to MP4, it’s vital to add a few touches to it. For example, you may want to speed up or slow down the GIF’s playback speed. In that case, right-click the video track and then tap Edit Properties. Now click the Speed tab to ramp up the speed or slow it down.

You’ll also see tabs for adding animations, color enhancements, stabilization, and more. So, play around with the video editing tools until you get what works for you. Just remember not to overdo your video.

Step3Customize the video settings and export it to MP4.

Last but not least, click File > Project Settings to crosscheck the file properties. You can change the aspect ratio, video resolution, frame rate, and color space before clicking Ok.

Finally, tap Export, then select Crete Video. Now choose MP4 under the Local tab before setting the video name and folder path. If satisfied, press Export to convert GIF to a video for Instagram. That’s all there is!

Pros

• Easy enough for green hands.
• High-quality sound/video effects and transitions.
• Fast rendering speed.
• Reasonably priced.

Cons

• Watermarked outputs for free users.
• Hidden advanced features.

Movavi Video Converter Premium

Rating: 4.3/5

Compatibility: macOS and Windows

As the name hints, Movavi Video Converter is a video converter cum editor for macOS and Windows PCs. It’s a simple-to-use program that easily converts any video, audio, or image format. Actually, it supports 180+ formats, including MP4, GIF, MOV, AVI, VOB, MP3, and many others.

Besides converting, Movavi Video Converter allows you to trim, cut, merge, and crop your videos. Also, you can losslessly compress files and add subtitles automatically using artificial intelligence. And lest I forget that you can convert videos to device-optimized formats like iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Apple TV, and more.

Follow these steps:

Step1Download, install, and open Movavi Video Converter and click the Add Media button to load your GIF file on the program.

Step2Next up, edit your video to make it look more attractive. For instance, you can trim, cut, and merge it. Movavi Video Converter also allows you to add effects, watermarks, and audio/sound effects.

Step3Click the Video tab at the bottom of the screen and choose MP4 as the target format. Lastly, click Convert to encode GIF to MP4 with Movavi Video Converter.

Pros

• Super easy to use.
• Multiple input/output formats.
• Affordable pricing.
• Essential video editing tools.

Cons

• No free account.
• Professional editors should stick to Filmora .

MiniTool Movie Maker

Rating: 4.4/5

Compatibility: Windows

MiniTool Movie Maker is a video editing program for Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. It boasts an intuitive user interface with rich and advanced features to give your Instagram videos stunning looks. After uploading your GIF file to this video editor, you can trim, crop, and add elements like emojis, arrows, and props.

Also, MiniTool Movie Maker allows you to adjust the video contrast, brightness, and saturation. In addition, you can adjust the video playback speed to make it quicker or slower. Another thing, this program houses hundreds of free video templates to exploit.

Steps to convert a GIF file to MP4 for Instagram with MiniTool Movie Maker:

Step1Install and run MiniTool Movie Maker on your PC and create a new project. Then, click Media > Import Media Files to upload the GIF file.

Step2Now drag and drop the GIF file to the editing timeline and tap the Split icon to trim and cut the video. After that, press the Speed icon to make the video playback speed faster, slower, or reverse the video. You can also add texts, emojis, effects, and more.

Step3Click the Export button on the preview screen to name the video and set the folder path. Remember to choose MP4 as the target format before clicking Export to save your video.

Pros

• Multiple input/output formats.
• Export 1080P MP4 for free.
• Export videos without watermarks.
• Multiple video effects, texts, sounds, elements, etc.

Cons

• Free users can create 2-minute videos only.
• No macOS version.

Part 2: How to Turn a GIF into an Instagram video on iPhone or Android

What desktops can do, smartphones can equally do these days. So, without dilly-dallying, let’s list the best GIF to Instagram converters for Android/iPhone.

GIF Cracker

Rating: 4.3/5

GIF Cracker is a highly rated iPhone app for converting GIF files to videos and pictures. It’s simple to use and comes with multiple video customization options. For example, you can look, adjust the playback speed, rotate, and resize the GIF file before converting it to MP4. GIF Cracker also boasts multiple filters to spice up your new video or image. What’s more, you can access files from Camera Roll Album.

Pros

• Multiple video customization options.
• Easy to understand and use.
• Convert and edit files from Camera Roll.

Cons

• Annoying adverts.
• Slow conversion speed.

GIF to MP4

Rating: 4.7/5

GIF to MP4 is another highly-rated iPhone app to help you convert any GIF file to MP4. It’s easy to use as you only need to upload the GIF file, choose the video format, and tap “Save” to convert. That’s not all. This GIF-to-video converter allows you to export the converted video to Gmail, Facebook, and other social networks.

Pros

• It’s 100% free to use.
• Easy to use and export videos.
• Fast rendering.

Cons

• Multiple adverts.
• Lagging video frames.

Video2Me

Come, close Android users! Video2Me is an excellent Android video editor, GIF maker, and GIF-to-video converter. With it, you can convert any GIF file to an MP4 video. But before converting, you can adjust the playback speed, repeat the video, add background audio, and reverse. Interestingly, you can convert GIFs to a boomerang video for Instagram.

Pros

• Fast and easy to use.
• Convert GIF to Instagram Boomerang.
• Create high-quality GIF files.

Cons

• It crashes sometimes.
• Watermarked outputs.

GifVid

Rating: 2.7/5

GifVid is another free app to convert GIF files to MP4 on an iPhone or iPad. As expected, it’s quick and easy to use. Just load the GIF file, and GifVid will automatically convert it to MP4. After conversion, you can share the video with your friends on Imgur, Tumblr, iMessage, Gmail, etc. Unfortunately, it will cost you $0.99 to get the app.

Pros

• Quick and easy to use.
• No watermarks.
• Direct exports to social apps.

Cons

• Not free to download and use.
• Pesky adverts.

GIF to Video

Rating: 4.0/5

GIF to Video is an Android app with more than 1 million downloads so far. This app allows you to browse local GIF files or search for animated GIFs from websites such as Tenor, GIPHY, and Reddit. After adding the GIF file to this app, you’ll losslessly convert it to a short video before sharing it with your friends on Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, and more. You can also trim, cut, crop, and loop before converting.

Pros

• Intuitive video editing features.
• Upload GIFs from galleries or GIF websites.
• Directly export GIF to Instagram.

Cons

• Every conversion triggers an ad.
• Lots of in-app purchases.

Part 3: Top 5 Online Tools to turn a GIF into a video on Instagram

The good thing about online GIF converters is that they can convert video to GIF instantly on a browser. In other words, you don’t need to install anything to convert a GIF to a video for Instagram. And yes, most online apps are compatible with mobile and PC browsers. Let’s look at the best five!

Adobe Express

Rating: 4.5/5

Adobe Express is an online service for creating amazing graphics without any experience. It replaces the Adobe Spark product, coming with a simplified and feature-rich platform. With Adobe Express, you can create designs from scratch or choose from the hundreds of free templates. You can customize your video with texts, stickers, emojis, background audio, and more. Even better, you can directly share your project on social apps.

Pros

• Free to use.
• Thousands of free templates.
• Excellent file conversion capabilities.
• 2GB free cloud storage.

Cons

• Not so intuitive.
• Lots of hidden tools.

GIFtoMP4

Rating: N/A

GIFtoMP4 is a relatively straightforward website that lets you convert GIF animations to high-quality MP4 videos. It can convert up to 20 GIF animations at a go. The conversion process is super-fast, and you can download all converted files in a ZIP folder. In addition to converting GIF to MP4, you can also convert GIF to PNG, PNG to GIF, and compress GIF files. Moreover, the site offers maximum file security by deleting all converted GIFs after an hour.

Pros

• Straightforward user interface.
• Batch conversion is supported.
• Excellent GIF compression capability.

Cons

• Lots of annoying adverts.
• Not for advanced users.

AConvert

Rating: 4.4/5

AConvert is a popular online converter for images, videos, audio, and GIF files. This software can convert GIFs to a host of formats, including MP4, AVI, 3GP, VOB, MTS, and more. Also, AConvert supports batch conversions up to 200MB. And after converting, you can download the file using a QR code or save the video on Google Drive and Dropbox.

Pros

• Multiple video output formats are supported.
• Resize and customize the GIF frame.
• Batch conversion is supported.

Cons

• Limited video editing features.
• 200MB maximum file size.

Ezgif

Rating: 4.6/5

Ezgif is an excellent online GIF maker and editor. It’s free, simple, fast, and converts GIFs to MP4 for Instagram without watermarks. You can upload GIF files from local storage or paste the image URL from cloud services. Just upload your GIF file, then click the “Convert to MP4” button to process it. But before converting, you can crop, resize, speed up, cut, split, and more. Sadly, the maximum file conversion limit is a mere 50MB.

Pros

• It supports batch conversion.
• Fast and straightforward to use.
• Multiple GIF editing tools.

Cons

• 50MB maximum file limit.
• Annoying adverts.

Convertio

Rating: 4.5/5

Still unimpressed by the online GIF to MP4 converters above? Try Convertio! It’s an easy GIF converter for mobile and PC browsers. To convert GIF to MP4 on Convertio, upload the GIF file on local storage or cloud and customize the frame rate, playback duration, codec, etc. But like all online GIF converters on this list, Convertio has a maximum file limit of 100MB.

Pros

• Multiple GIF customization tools.
• 200+ formats supported.
• Batch GIF to MP4 conversion.

Cons

• 100MB file limit.
• Ad-supported conversion.

Part 4: Hot FAQs on GIF Instagram

How can I send a GIF on Instagram DM?

You can easily share a GIF file directly on Instagram DM by clicking the Share icon at the top-right corner before opening a chat. Now tap the Stickers icon on the text message field and choose GIF. Search for a GIF file from GIPHY and click GIF to share it. It’s that easy!

How can I add a GIF to Instagram Story using a sticker?

To add a GIF Sticker on Instagram, you’ll first need to convert GIF to APNG (Animated PNG) using a program like Ezgif . Then, upload the APNG file on GIPHY Sticker Maker and generate a sticker. Now launch Instagram and choose a photo to post on your story. Then, click the Sticker icon and search for your username on GIPHY. Lastly, choose the GIF sticker you had created earlier and upload it.

How can I post GIFs to my Instagram Feed and Stories?

Posting a GIF file on Instagram Feeds and Stories is nothing complex. Simply install the GIPHY app and then choose a GIF file you want to share. After that, hit the Share button and then click the Instagram logo. Finally, select Post or Stories and share the GIF file.

Final Words

Although you may not be able to upload GIFs on Instagram directly, the above methods make it a breeze by converting GIFs to MP4 with lossless quality. Remember that you can easily share a GIF on your Instagram Story or Feed directly from GIPHY. But you can only do that using the iPhone or Android GIPHY app. Give it a try!

• GIF Cracker
• GIF to MP4
• Video2Me
• GifVid
• GIF to Video
• Top 5 Online Tools to turn a GIF into a video on Instagram

1. Adobe Express
2. GIFtoMP4
3. AConvert
4. Ezgif
5. Convertio

• Hot FAQs on GIF Instagram

Part 1: Convert GIF to Video for Instagram on Desktop

Let’s begin this post with the best desktop solutions to convert GIFs to MP4 for Instagram. Remember, the video aspect ratio for Instagram videos is 9:16 or 1:1.

Wondershare Filmora

Rating: 4.5/5

Compatibility: macOS and Windows

Wondershare Filmora is a professional-grade video editing program for both macOS and Windows computers. It features an intuitive, multitrack interface with advanced video editing features and templates to help you create the best Instagram videos. This program lets you exploit themed elements like filters, effects, transitions, and emojis.

In the meantime, you can customize your video with the inbuilt royalty-free music and sound effects. You can also cut, trim, resize, and crop your video before exporting it to various formats, including MP4, MOV, WebM, GIF, etc.

But here is a reminder; free users will have a “Wondershare Filmora” watermark on their outputs. However, you can still exploit all the features with the free account.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Follow these steps to convert a GIF to a video for Instagram using Filmora :

Step1Run Filmora and start a project.

Install and run Wondershare Filmora on your PC and select the Project Aspect Ratio. To create an Instagram video, choose 1:1. Now tap New Project and click File to browse and load the GIF file from your local storage. Then, drag the GIF file to the editing timeline.

Step2 Edit and customize the GIF file (Optional).

Before exporting GIF to MP4, it’s vital to add a few touches to it. For example, you may want to speed up or slow down the GIF’s playback speed. In that case, right-click the video track and then tap Edit Properties. Now click the Speed tab to ramp up the speed or slow it down.

You’ll also see tabs for adding animations, color enhancements, stabilization, and more. So, play around with the video editing tools until you get what works for you. Just remember not to overdo your video.

Step3Customize the video settings and export it to MP4.

Last but not least, click File > Project Settings to crosscheck the file properties. You can change the aspect ratio, video resolution, frame rate, and color space before clicking Ok.

Finally, tap Export, then select Crete Video. Now choose MP4 under the Local tab before setting the video name and folder path. If satisfied, press Export to convert GIF to a video for Instagram. That’s all there is!

Pros

• Easy enough for green hands.
• High-quality sound/video effects and transitions.
• Fast rendering speed.
• Reasonably priced.

Cons

• Watermarked outputs for free users.
• Hidden advanced features.

Movavi Video Converter Premium

Rating: 4.3/5

Compatibility: macOS and Windows

As the name hints, Movavi Video Converter is a video converter cum editor for macOS and Windows PCs. It’s a simple-to-use program that easily converts any video, audio, or image format. Actually, it supports 180+ formats, including MP4, GIF, MOV, AVI, VOB, MP3, and many others.

Besides converting, Movavi Video Converter allows you to trim, cut, merge, and crop your videos. Also, you can losslessly compress files and add subtitles automatically using artificial intelligence. And lest I forget that you can convert videos to device-optimized formats like iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Apple TV, and more.

Follow these steps:

Step1Download, install, and open Movavi Video Converter and click the Add Media button to load your GIF file on the program.

Step2Next up, edit your video to make it look more attractive. For instance, you can trim, cut, and merge it. Movavi Video Converter also allows you to add effects, watermarks, and audio/sound effects.

Step3Click the Video tab at the bottom of the screen and choose MP4 as the target format. Lastly, click Convert to encode GIF to MP4 with Movavi Video Converter.

Pros

• Super easy to use.
• Multiple input/output formats.
• Affordable pricing.
• Essential video editing tools.

Cons

• No free account.
• Professional editors should stick to Filmora .

MiniTool Movie Maker

Rating: 4.4/5

Compatibility: Windows

MiniTool Movie Maker is a video editing program for Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. It boasts an intuitive user interface with rich and advanced features to give your Instagram videos stunning looks. After uploading your GIF file to this video editor, you can trim, crop, and add elements like emojis, arrows, and props.

Also, MiniTool Movie Maker allows you to adjust the video contrast, brightness, and saturation. In addition, you can adjust the video playback speed to make it quicker or slower. Another thing, this program houses hundreds of free video templates to exploit.

Steps to convert a GIF file to MP4 for Instagram with MiniTool Movie Maker:

Step1Install and run MiniTool Movie Maker on your PC and create a new project. Then, click Media > Import Media Files to upload the GIF file.

Step2Now drag and drop the GIF file to the editing timeline and tap the Split icon to trim and cut the video. After that, press the Speed icon to make the video playback speed faster, slower, or reverse the video. You can also add texts, emojis, effects, and more.

Step3Click the Export button on the preview screen to name the video and set the folder path. Remember to choose MP4 as the target format before clicking Export to save your video.

Pros

• Multiple input/output formats.
• Export 1080P MP4 for free.
• Export videos without watermarks.
• Multiple video effects, texts, sounds, elements, etc.

Cons

• Free users can create 2-minute videos only.
• No macOS version.

Part 2: How to Turn a GIF into an Instagram video on iPhone or Android

What desktops can do, smartphones can equally do these days. So, without dilly-dallying, let’s list the best GIF to Instagram converters for Android/iPhone.

GIF Cracker

Rating: 4.3/5

GIF Cracker is a highly rated iPhone app for converting GIF files to videos and pictures. It’s simple to use and comes with multiple video customization options. For example, you can look, adjust the playback speed, rotate, and resize the GIF file before converting it to MP4. GIF Cracker also boasts multiple filters to spice up your new video or image. What’s more, you can access files from Camera Roll Album.

Pros

• Multiple video customization options.
• Easy to understand and use.
• Convert and edit files from Camera Roll.

Cons

• Annoying adverts.
• Slow conversion speed.

GIF to MP4

Rating: 4.7/5

GIF to MP4 is another highly-rated iPhone app to help you convert any GIF file to MP4. It’s easy to use as you only need to upload the GIF file, choose the video format, and tap “Save” to convert. That’s not all. This GIF-to-video converter allows you to export the converted video to Gmail, Facebook, and other social networks.

Pros

• It’s 100% free to use.
• Easy to use and export videos.
• Fast rendering.

Cons

• Multiple adverts.
• Lagging video frames.

Video2Me

Come, close Android users! Video2Me is an excellent Android video editor, GIF maker, and GIF-to-video converter. With it, you can convert any GIF file to an MP4 video. But before converting, you can adjust the playback speed, repeat the video, add background audio, and reverse. Interestingly, you can convert GIFs to a boomerang video for Instagram.

Pros

• Fast and easy to use.
• Convert GIF to Instagram Boomerang.
• Create high-quality GIF files.

Cons

• It crashes sometimes.
• Watermarked outputs.

GifVid

Rating: 2.7/5

GifVid is another free app to convert GIF files to MP4 on an iPhone or iPad. As expected, it’s quick and easy to use. Just load the GIF file, and GifVid will automatically convert it to MP4. After conversion, you can share the video with your friends on Imgur, Tumblr, iMessage, Gmail, etc. Unfortunately, it will cost you $0.99 to get the app.

Pros

• Quick and easy to use.
• No watermarks.
• Direct exports to social apps.

Cons

• Not free to download and use.
• Pesky adverts.

GIF to Video

Rating: 4.0/5

GIF to Video is an Android app with more than 1 million downloads so far. This app allows you to browse local GIF files or search for animated GIFs from websites such as Tenor, GIPHY, and Reddit. After adding the GIF file to this app, you’ll losslessly convert it to a short video before sharing it with your friends on Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, and more. You can also trim, cut, crop, and loop before converting.

Pros

• Intuitive video editing features.
• Upload GIFs from galleries or GIF websites.
• Directly export GIF to Instagram.

Cons

• Every conversion triggers an ad.
• Lots of in-app purchases.

Part 3: Top 5 Online Tools to turn a GIF into a video on Instagram

The good thing about online GIF converters is that they can convert video to GIF instantly on a browser. In other words, you don’t need to install anything to convert a GIF to a video for Instagram. And yes, most online apps are compatible with mobile and PC browsers. Let’s look at the best five!

Adobe Express

Rating: 4.5/5

Adobe Express is an online service for creating amazing graphics without any experience. It replaces the Adobe Spark product, coming with a simplified and feature-rich platform. With Adobe Express, you can create designs from scratch or choose from the hundreds of free templates. You can customize your video with texts, stickers, emojis, background audio, and more. Even better, you can directly share your project on social apps.

Pros

• Free to use.
• Thousands of free templates.
• Excellent file conversion capabilities.
• 2GB free cloud storage.

Cons

• Not so intuitive.
• Lots of hidden tools.

GIFtoMP4

Rating: N/A

GIFtoMP4 is a relatively straightforward website that lets you convert GIF animations to high-quality MP4 videos. It can convert up to 20 GIF animations at a go. The conversion process is super-fast, and you can download all converted files in a ZIP folder. In addition to converting GIF to MP4, you can also convert GIF to PNG, PNG to GIF, and compress GIF files. Moreover, the site offers maximum file security by deleting all converted GIFs after an hour.

Pros

• Straightforward user interface.
• Batch conversion is supported.
• Excellent GIF compression capability.

Cons

• Lots of annoying adverts.
• Not for advanced users.

AConvert

Rating: 4.4/5

AConvert is a popular online converter for images, videos, audio, and GIF files. This software can convert GIFs to a host of formats, including MP4, AVI, 3GP, VOB, MTS, and more. Also, AConvert supports batch conversions up to 200MB. And after converting, you can download the file using a QR code or save the video on Google Drive and Dropbox.

Pros

• Multiple video output formats are supported.
• Resize and customize the GIF frame.
• Batch conversion is supported.

Cons

• Limited video editing features.
• 200MB maximum file size.

Ezgif

Rating: 4.6/5

Ezgif is an excellent online GIF maker and editor. It’s free, simple, fast, and converts GIFs to MP4 for Instagram without watermarks. You can upload GIF files from local storage or paste the image URL from cloud services. Just upload your GIF file, then click the “Convert to MP4” button to process it. But before converting, you can crop, resize, speed up, cut, split, and more. Sadly, the maximum file conversion limit is a mere 50MB.

Pros

• It supports batch conversion.
• Fast and straightforward to use.
• Multiple GIF editing tools.

Cons

• 50MB maximum file limit.
• Annoying adverts.

Convertio

Rating: 4.5/5

Still unimpressed by the online GIF to MP4 converters above? Try Convertio! It’s an easy GIF converter for mobile and PC browsers. To convert GIF to MP4 on Convertio, upload the GIF file on local storage or cloud and customize the frame rate, playback duration, codec, etc. But like all online GIF converters on this list, Convertio has a maximum file limit of 100MB.

Pros

• Multiple GIF customization tools.
• 200+ formats supported.
• Batch GIF to MP4 conversion.

Cons

• 100MB file limit.
• Ad-supported conversion.

Part 4: Hot FAQs on GIF Instagram

How can I send a GIF on Instagram DM?

You can easily share a GIF file directly on Instagram DM by clicking the Share icon at the top-right corner before opening a chat. Now tap the Stickers icon on the text message field and choose GIF. Search for a GIF file from GIPHY and click GIF to share it. It’s that easy!

How can I add a GIF to Instagram Story using a sticker?

To add a GIF Sticker on Instagram, you’ll first need to convert GIF to APNG (Animated PNG) using a program like Ezgif . Then, upload the APNG file on GIPHY Sticker Maker and generate a sticker. Now launch Instagram and choose a photo to post on your story. Then, click the Sticker icon and search for your username on GIPHY. Lastly, choose the GIF sticker you had created earlier and upload it.

How can I post GIFs to my Instagram Feed and Stories?

Posting a GIF file on Instagram Feeds and Stories is nothing complex. Simply install the GIPHY app and then choose a GIF file you want to share. After that, hit the Share button and then click the Instagram logo. Finally, select Post or Stories and share the GIF file.

Final Words

Although you may not be able to upload GIFs on Instagram directly, the above methods make it a breeze by converting GIFs to MP4 with lossless quality. Remember that you can easily share a GIF on your Instagram Story or Feed directly from GIPHY. But you can only do that using the iPhone or Android GIPHY app. Give it a try!

Top 18 Video Editors for PC and Mac

More and more people love to share their knowledge, experience and daily life via videos. Platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Vimeo are continuing to attract more and more people. But most people don’t know much about video editing. Which video editor they can use? How to apply the effects to improve the video visually? This post will give you all the tips and answers on editing a video.

Contents

01 [Video Editing Basics ](#Part 1)

02 [Editor’s Top 3 Picks ](#Part 2)

03 [Open-Source Video Editors](#Part 3)

04 [Freemium and Freeware Video Editors](#Part 4)

05 [Proprietary Video Editing Software](#Part 5)

06 [How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor](#Part 6)

07 [Video Editing Tips for Newbies](#Part 7)

08 [Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor](#Part 8)

Part 1: Video Editing Basics

Before going to the best video editors, you should be aware of the basics of video editing. Here are the basic concepts of video editing that you must know as they are common across all video editors.

1. The Timeline: The timeline is an area of a video editor where you place your video clips sequentially. When you play the video after editing, the video will play from the start of the timeline and finish at the end of the timeline where your video content ends. The timeline is where you can place your audio clips, video effects, and graphical elements as per your requirements.

2. The Canvas: The canvas is an area of a video editor where you view your video clips frame by frame. The canvas allows you to edit the video starting from cropping to adding graphical elements. You can view all the changes you make to the video before applying them permanently.

3. Basic editing: The basic editing of a video includes splitting and trimming out important parts of a large video file and, thereafter, joining the different video clips to make an engaging video. The basic editing also includes adding audio clips, adjusting video parameters such as color, brightness, contrast as well as adding texts to the video.

4. Aspect Ratio: The aspect ratio of a video represents the ratio of width to height of the video in terms of pixels. For example, a video with aspect ratio of 16:9 means the video is 1920p x 1080p. You can edit the aspect ratio depending on where you want to publish the video. For example, social media videos use 1:1 and 9: 16 aspect ratio, tablets use 4:3 aspect ratio, and 16:9 is the standard aspect ratio.

5. B-roll: B-roll is a secondary video footage that you can add to your primary video(A-roll) to enhance the video creativity and aesthetic value. B-roll could be a cinematic shot, a slow-motion footage, a close-up shot from different angles, as well as a shot mixed with wide-angle, pans, and tilts.

6. Frame Rate: Frame rate refers to the number of images or frames displayed per second in a video. In short, frame rate refers to frames per second in a video. For example, a video of 30fps means the video is showing 30 different images per second. The 24fps is used for movies and the 30fps is used for online and TV videos. Even 60fps videos are becoming common as they produce a smoother video experience.

Part 2: Editor’s Top 3 Picks - Choose The Best Video Editor

Best Video Editor for All Creators - Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is the ideal video editor with an intuitive user interface. You get all the standard and advanced video editing features packed into its platform. You can record videos of external webcam and computer screen as well. There are unlimited video effects and graphical elements to turn your raw videos into eye-catching videos instantly.

Best for Professional Editing - Premiere Pro

Adobe Premium Pro is the best professional video editor where all the advanced features of video editing are available. The software supports editing multiple projects simultaneously. You can edit VR, Multicam, and 3D videos as well. It is a perfect platform for a professional video editing team to work in sync.

Best for Online Video Editing - WeVideo

WeVideo is by far the best online video editor with 30 million users. Starting from standard video editing options and uploading directly to social media platforms, WeVideo is a full-fledged video editor. You can also record videos and create your own video templates. Moreover, you can collaborate with other video creators and make the best use of the unlimited stock media library.

Part 3: Open-Source Video Editors

Open-source video editors have compatibility with all the desktop operating systems. Moreover, due to their codes readily available online, these video editing software applications are available completely free of cost. Here are the best open-source video editors for beginners and experienced users.

# For Beginner Users

1. Blender

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor with balanced features

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

Blender is an open-source video editing suite that is popular for its 3D models. Since it is a suite, you can use the platform not only for video editing but also for creating animated videos and games.

Starting from basic video editing such as trim and split to advance video editing such as masking and color adjustment, all options are readily available. Besides, there are options for audio mixing and live preview of editing works.

Reason to Choose:-

• Video cropping, trimming, splitting, joining, and adjusting speed.
• Different slots to add videos, images, scenes, audio clips, effects and masks.
• Different transitions, filters, effects, waveforms, and keyframes available.
• Create 3D models and animated videos with proper audio mixing.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Takes time to get used to the platform.
• Reports of bugs have become a regular occurrence.

2. Avidemux

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for basic editing

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Avidemux from Soundforge is a lightweight and basic video editor. Starting from trimming and cutting videos to applying filters and encoding videos, all the options are readily available. The software supports a wide range of video file formats for editing.

The platform also supports scripting through which you can automate tasks to perform on videos. Besides, there are options for color adjustments, video conversion, and advanced interlacing. The simple user interface is perfect for beginners to edit videos intuitively.

Reason to Choose:-

• Quick video editing for trimming, cutting, rotating, and cropping.
• Change speed and use different filters for color adjustments and subtitles.
• Supports different video file formats in import and export.
• The user interface is simple and suitable for beginners.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Does not have a traditional timeline for video editing.
• Limited effects, filters, and advanced features.

3. Kdenlive

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for all

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

Kdenlive video editor is a versatile video editor with standard and advanced video editing features balanced properly. The open-source software allows multi-track timeline and supports dual monitor setup for video editing. The user interface is simple, and you can configure it as per your preference.

Kdenlive supports a wide range of video and audio files, and you can use configurable keyboard shortcuts for easy operation. The automatic backup feature is highly useful in the professional video editing world. Similarly, the presence of keyframe-based effects and advanced effects can make a video stand out.

Reason to Choose:-

• Multi-track timeline for working with multiple video and audio clips.
• Keyframeable effects, transitions, color correction and unlimited online resources.
• Vast set of options for creating stunning texts and titles.
• Smooth preview, configurable interface, and automatic backup.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks GPU acceleration and hence, slow response at times.
• Speed adjustment effect is not efficient.

# For Advanced Users

4. OpenShot

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS

Best for: Best open source editor for all desktop users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

OpenShot is a cross-platform, open-source video editor where you can work on one project on different operating systems. It works on keyframe animation framework, and you can choose from different interpolations. The platform offers you to work with unlimited video and audio clips as well as layers.

You can perform all the basic video editing operations as well as go for advanced editing. The features and tools are well-balanced for regular as well as professional video editing. Starting from video effects and audio mixing to chroma key and time-mapping, everything is available under one roof.

Reason to Choose:-

• Basic video editing with panning, zooming, and scrolling features.
• Wide range of transitions, effects, time and speed control.
• Time-mapping, audio mixing, overlays, and composting.
• Supports 3D animations and objects, templates for titles and sub-titles.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Hardware acceleration is not very powerful.
• Not suitable for 4K video editing as it gets extremely slow.

5. Shotcut

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best for video editors who love filters and effects

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

Shotcut is another open-source and cross-platform video editor with a professional user interface. The software supports importing different file formats of video and audio files. It is suitable for editing 4K videos, and it is a full-fledged audio editor as well.

Its vast video filters and effects are comparable to premium video editors. You can work with multi-track timeline and keyframes with markers and rangers. Besides, you can keep notes on your project easily. Overall, it is a balanced video editor in terms of features and functionalities.

Reason to Choose:-

• Wide categories of video effects, transitions, and filters.
• Multi-track and multi-format timeline and detailed audio editor.
• Standard and advanced editing options with hardware acceleration.
• Export video in high-resolution and in different formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The user interface can take some time to get used to.
• The stock media library is rather limited.

6. NATRON

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best open-source video editor with visual effects

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

NATRON is a robust video editor with powerful tracking tool for 2D and planar tracking. You can work with multiple layers and clips and avail various keying options on your video editing project. In fact, it is a full-fledged video compositing software for better video production with multi-layer structure.

The hardware acceleration of the software produces faster rendering. You get to work with presets, tracker nodes, rotoscoping, multi-plane and motion editing. The option of multi-view workflow along with real-time playback is extremely useful while editing multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

• Superior visual effects and motion editing.
• Multi-tasking with multi-view workflow.
• Option of rotoscoping and python scripting.
• Supports different open-source plugins.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The user interface is quite advanced and needs some learning time.
• It gets unstable and slow while previewing high-resolution videos.

Part 4: Freemium and Freeware Video Editors

Freeware video editors are available completely free of cost and they are mostly exclusive to a certain operating system. On the other hand, freemium video editors have certain features completely free while it charges users a small fee for certain advanced features. Here is the list of the best freemium and freeware video editors.

# For Beginner Users

7. ActivePresenter

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: best video editing software for learning videos.

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

ActivePresenter from AtomiSystems is a video editor with screen recording options. The software is particularly useful in making and editing learning videos. There are different templates available for editing videos quickly. Besides, you can use the platform for standard editing options for any video.

Starting from working with multiple timelines to making videos interactive and responsive, there are various out-of-box features. Moreover, you can edit your audio and export your edited video in different file formats.

Reason to Choose:-

• Multiple timelines for editing various video and audio clips.
• Basic video and audio editing options and greenscreen effects.
• Webcam and screen recording with audio from different sources.
• Export videos with different file formats, HTML, xAPI, SCORM and much more.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The learning curve is slightly steep.
• Not suitable for editing all types of videos.

8. Microsoft Photos

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best built-in video editor for Windows users

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

Microsoft Photos is the inbuilt video editor for Windows users. The app comes pre-installed in Windows and it is mostly used for viewing photos. But there is an inbuilt video editor where you can do the basic video editing works.

You can trim a video, add texts, and apply 3D effects as well as different filters available. There are also options for rotating videos, applying background music and customizing audio. The user interface is very simple for all users.

Reason to Choose:-

• Instant basic video editing options available.
• Apply effects, filters, as well as music.
• Simple and intuitive user interface for everyone.
• Comes pre-installed and completely free of cost.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Very limited video editing options.
• Very limited video file formats supported.

9. iMovie

Compatibility: Mac

Best for: Best built-in video editor for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

iMovie is the inbuilt video editor for Mac users as it comes pre-installed on macOS. The application is free to use and it is compatible with iPhone and iPad as well. You can perform all the basic video editing works starting from trimming to rotating videos.

Besides, there is a wide range of effects and filters available to apply on your videos. The best part is that it supports editing 4K videos. There are also various graphical elements available and you can share your video easily on different platforms.

Reason to Choose:-

• Trim, rotate, split and crop videos easily.
• Work across Mac, iPhone and iPad seamlessly.
• Wide range of effects, filters, and objects available.
• Supports editing 4K videos without any lag.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks advanced editing options though it is a dedicated video editor.
• Supports very limited video file formats.

# For Advanced Users

10. Lightworks

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best for social media video creators

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

Lightworks is a freemium video editor where most features are reserved for premium users. If you are a social media creator or learning video creator, Lightworks Create is best for you. If you are a professional video creator, you should opt for Lightworks Pro.

The software supports almost all file formats, and you can export videos on social media instantly. The timeline is advanced with proxy editing, autosave and background processing features. You can share projects with your teammates and work collaboratively.

Reason to Choose:-

• Powerful and advanced timeline for quick editing.
• Motion graphics and tilting along with advanced metadata.
• Flexible user interface with proxy workflow and storyboard bin.
• Suitable for collaborating works and cloud storage.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Can crash while working with 4K videos.
• Limited options for advanced video editing.

11. VideoPad

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best video editor for short video creators.

G2 rating: 4.1 out of 5

VideoPad by NCH Software is an intuitive video editor that supports over 60 different video file formats. There are tools available for basic editing such as trimming and cropping. Besides, there are various effects and transitions available to apply on your video.

The video editor also lets you edit audio files and you can edit 360-degree videos as well. There are video stabilization and chroma key effect available. The video editor is available free for non-commercial use with certain limitations that you can overcome with its premium plan.

Reason to Choose:-

• Edit in Storybook or Timeline mode and perfect all basic editing works.
• Audio editing options with different audio effects.
• Add 3D video effects, special filters, and change video speed.
• Supports a wide range of video file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Can crash while editing 4K videos.
• Lacks advanced editing options.

12. VSDC Free Video Editor

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Free feature-rich video editing suite

G2 rating: 4.0 out of 5

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free suite that includes both video and audio editor. You can use the software for recording screen as well as voiceovers. The software is suitable for low-end computers as it is a lightweight application.

Apart from basic editing, you can edit 360 videos. Starting from color correction and zooming to split-screen effect and chroma key, it is full-fledged feature-rich software. For more advanced features, you can opt for VSDC Video Editor Pro version.

Reason to Choose:-

• Zooming, panning, and color correction options.
• Wide range of effects and filters present.
• Chrome key option as well as 360 degree video editing.
• Work with multiple layers and sync objects perfectly.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks advanced video editing options.
• No masking or video stabilization option available.

Part 5: Proprietary Video Editing Software

If you are a regular video creator and you want to invest in video editing to improve the quality of your video content, you have to opt for a proprietary video editing software. All professional video creators prefer proprietary video editing software over freeware and freemium video editors. Here are the best premium video videos with the most advanced video editing options.

# For Beginner Users

13. Filmora

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Best video editors for YouTubers and vloggers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Wondershare Filmora is a feature-rich video editor but an intuitive user interface. Therefore, it is perfectly suitable for beginners who want all the features and tools for advanced video editing without a steep learning curve. Filmora is also useful if you want to record screen or webcam video.

Starting from tons of video effects and transitions to a large stock library and graphical elements, Filmora is tailor-made for editing all types of videos. It also supports a wide range of file formats and you can edit 4K videos as well as audio files comfortably.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Reason to Choose:-

• Trim, split, join, crop and work with multiple video and audio clips.
• Large collection of video and audio effects, transitions, and graphical elements.
• Large stock library of free media files and animations.
• Work with multiple layers and clips effortlessly on its smooth timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The processing time for videos could be on the higher side.

14. Camtasia

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Teachers and students to edit tutorial videos

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

Camtasia by Techsmith is a premium video editor and it is equally popular as a video recorder. It is particularly useful for recording and editing tutorial videos as there are different templates available. Coming to video editing part, you can perform all the basic video editing works instantly.

There are various trendy effects, transitions, and presets available. You can remove green screen and apply different frames for video compatibility on different devices. Besides, you can upload the editing video different on different platforms instantly.

Reason to Choose:-

• Quick trimming, splitting, cropping options.
• Large collection of templates and presets.
• Wide range of effects, annotations, and transitions.
• Import, export, and share different file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• No motion tracking option.
• Reports of frequent crashes.

15. Final Cut Pro

Compatibility: Mac only.

Best for: best professional video editors for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Final Cut Pro from Apple is an extremely popular premium video editor among professional video creators who are Mac users. It is a powerful and advanced video editor that can handle high resolution videos smoothly. It is a perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing features.

Starting from editing multicam and VR videos to 3D and 360 degree videos, Final Cut Pro is suitable for all. There are unlimited presets and effects present and you can edit 4K videos as well as large video files smoothly.

Reason to Choose:-

• Basic and advanced video and audio editing features.
• Supports editing all the different video types such as 3D, 4K, VR videos.
• Supports plug-ins, external tools and cinematic effects.
• Renders high resolution, large video files in short time.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Learning curve is quite steep.
• Pricing is on the higher side.

# For Beginner Users

16. Adobe Premiere Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: best professional video editing software for most people

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

Adobe Premiere Pro is the ultimate video editor in the professional video editing world. You get all the different advanced features of video editing packed in the application. Even though the learning curve is steep, Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most used video editors in professional video creation.

Adobe Premiere Pro supports all the different video file formats and you can edit various videos simultaneously. It is a perfect tool for editing a large video project collaboratively. It supports editing VR videos, 3D videos, as well as multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

• Standard and advanced editing options with quick rendering.
• Suitable for multi-tasking and collaborative work in video editing.
• Supports almost all types of videos and audio file formats.
• Flexible and configurable user interface and advanced timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Learning curve is very steep.
• Not suitable for low-end computers.

17. Vegas Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Video & audio editing for professionals

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

Vegas Pro from Sony is a professional video and audio editor. You can work with multiple video and audio files and you can choose from timeline or storyboard layout. In fact, there are options for nested timeline and multicam editing. The customized workflow and layouts make the application suitable for everyone.

You can enhance your video with its large collection of filters, effects, and titles. There are options for keyframing, scene detection, color correction, and light adjustments. The artificial intelligence makes editing faster with automation control.

Reason to Choose:-

• Powerful timeline and storyboard mode with keyframing.
• Advanced HDR color correction and grading.
• Artificial intelligence for quick and repeated editing.
• Multicam editing, motion tracking, and support for 3D videos.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Stability of the application is questionable.
• Pricing is steep and lacks tutorial guide.

18. Hitfilm Express

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: Best for video effects lovers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Hitfilm Express is particularly popular for its unlimited video effects that make the video stand out easily. The user interface is quite simple to use, and you can apply effects to turn your raw video into professional video instantly. In fact, it has the largest VFX toolkit with industry-grade effects.

You can edit 4K videos, and there are options for motion tracking and video animations. You can also opt for color correction and grading. You can also edit vertical videos and upload them on social media platforms. You can also edit audio clips and use composting and layering features to enhance your video.

Reason to Choose:-

• Advanced timeline for better workflow.
• Standard and advanced video editing options.
• Largest collection of video effects of different categories.
• Color grading, correction, and free training and support.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks green screen editing option.
• Rendering is not always swift.

Part 6: How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor?

The most important part of video editing is to choose the most suitable video editor for your videos. Here are some important factors to consider while choosing a video editor.

1. Budget and Price: If you are getting started, you can opt for a free video editor. But eventually, you have to go for a premium video editor if you are serious about video editing. You should opt for that video editor that fits your budget and offers more features for the price charged in comparison to its competitors.

2. Learning Curve: You should always opt for a video editor that has a low learning curve. If the video editor is complicated to operate, you will get frustrated, and you won’t be able to unlock the full potential of the video editor. Besides, you will have to lose a lot of time in learning and perfecting the usage of the application.

3. Stock Library: The video editor you are choosing must have a sizeable stock media library. A stock library is where you can find video clips and audio clips that are free to use for everyone. You can incorporate them into your video to enhance the content quality and bring variety to your audiences.

4. Audio control: Video editing is incomplete without proper audio editing. Your video editor should have a separate timeline for audio clips so that you can place them perfect to go in sync with the video clips. Some video editors have dedicated options for audio mixing and editing as per requirements.

5. upport video formats: Your video editor must support a wide range of video file formats that you have to include from time to time. If it supports only the popular file formats, you will not be able to include the interesting videos you may get from different sources which the video editor does not support.

6. Software stability: If you need to edit high-resolution videos, you have to ensure that the video editor you are choosing can stay stable throughout. There are many popular video editors available that become unstable while editing and rendering high-resolution videos. You have to read reviews to come to a conclusion about software stability.

7. Customer Support: Last but most importantly, your video editor must have a good customer support team. In your video editing journey, you will need the help of technical customer support to clarify issues related to the software so that you can excel in your video editing sessions.

Part 7: Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Here are some basic video editing tips that you should keep in mind while editing any video.

1. Try Tight Cuts: Your video should not be too long so that it gets boring for the viewers. Therefore, you have to make tight cuts which means you have to cut out pauses, gaps between dialogs, and anything that is unnecessary for viewers. If you think that tight cuts will take more time than usual, you can consider reshooting the part to save time.

2. Put The Story Before The Footage: When you are shooting a planned video, you must be shooting the video with multiple cameras from different angles. While editing and choosing the perfect angle for a certain video segment, you have to select the one that enhances the story you are telling through your video. For example, in an interview video, you should know when to emphasize and show close angles to capture the emotion of the speaker.

3. Chop Out Mistakes: The most basic work in video editing is to cut out the mistakes. This is because you are sure to make mistakes while shooting, and you will reshoot a lot of mistakes to correct them. Therefore, take your time to chop out mistakes but make sure that the video feels continuous, and if required, you can reshoot. To avoid mistakes in action, you can use different camera angles, blur portions, and bleep out certain words.

4. Learn to use color: Color correction and adjustment is a majorly neglected part of video editing that can make your video different from others. When you are shooting in outdoor conditions, the color of the video could get disturbed depending on the color of your dress as well as your surrounding. While editing, you need to correct them so that the video looks visually pleasing to the eyes.

5. Cut to music: Audio plays a very important role in any video, and hence, you should not neglect it. Always opt for a video editor that has a good collection of stock music so that you can apply them to your video in appropriate places. Music helps to break the monotony and grab the attention of the audience instantly.

6. Back up your work: It takes hours to shoot a video but only a second to lose it. Instead of blindingly relying on your storage device, you should take back up of your work on multiple devices. Taking backup in the cloud storage area is the best option as you can access your work from anywhere.

Part 8: Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor

What is the best video editor?

Wondershare Filmora is the best video editor as it has the perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing options. The user interface is intuitive and easy to operate for every video creator.

What editor do YouTubers use on PC?

The most commonly used video editors by YouTubers are Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and Filmora. Unless you are a pro in video editing, we recommend Filmora and Shotcut for your YouTube videos.

How can I edit videos for free?

If you are a Windows user, you can use Microsoft Photos and Openshot for editing your videos for free. For Mac users, iMovie is the best free video editor with balanced features.

Does Windows 10 have a free video editor?

Yes, Windows 10 does come with a free video editor and it is called Microsoft Photos. You can edit your photos and videos with the application.

Is Filmora Free?

No, Filmora is a premium video editor. However, you can download its free trial version to understand its features and functionalities. Thereafter, you can purchase its premium plan as per your suitability.

02 [Editor’s Top 3 Picks ](#Part 2)

03 [Open-Source Video Editors](#Part 3)

04 [Freemium and Freeware Video Editors](#Part 4)

05 [Proprietary Video Editing Software](#Part 5)

06 [How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor](#Part 6)

07 [Video Editing Tips for Newbies](#Part 7)

08 [Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor](#Part 8)

Part 1: Video Editing Basics

Before going to the best video editors, you should be aware of the basics of video editing. Here are the basic concepts of video editing that you must know as they are common across all video editors.

1. The Timeline: The timeline is an area of a video editor where you place your video clips sequentially. When you play the video after editing, the video will play from the start of the timeline and finish at the end of the timeline where your video content ends. The timeline is where you can place your audio clips, video effects, and graphical elements as per your requirements.

2. The Canvas: The canvas is an area of a video editor where you view your video clips frame by frame. The canvas allows you to edit the video starting from cropping to adding graphical elements. You can view all the changes you make to the video before applying them permanently.

3. Basic editing: The basic editing of a video includes splitting and trimming out important parts of a large video file and, thereafter, joining the different video clips to make an engaging video. The basic editing also includes adding audio clips, adjusting video parameters such as color, brightness, contrast as well as adding texts to the video.

4. Aspect Ratio: The aspect ratio of a video represents the ratio of width to height of the video in terms of pixels. For example, a video with aspect ratio of 16:9 means the video is 1920p x 1080p. You can edit the aspect ratio depending on where you want to publish the video. For example, social media videos use 1:1 and 9: 16 aspect ratio, tablets use 4:3 aspect ratio, and 16:9 is the standard aspect ratio.

5. B-roll: B-roll is a secondary video footage that you can add to your primary video(A-roll) to enhance the video creativity and aesthetic value. B-roll could be a cinematic shot, a slow-motion footage, a close-up shot from different angles, as well as a shot mixed with wide-angle, pans, and tilts.

6. Frame Rate: Frame rate refers to the number of images or frames displayed per second in a video. In short, frame rate refers to frames per second in a video. For example, a video of 30fps means the video is showing 30 different images per second. The 24fps is used for movies and the 30fps is used for online and TV videos. Even 60fps videos are becoming common as they produce a smoother video experience.

Part 2: Editor’s Top 3 Picks - Choose The Best Video Editor

Best Video Editor for All Creators - Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is the ideal video editor with an intuitive user interface. You get all the standard and advanced video editing features packed into its platform. You can record videos of external webcam and computer screen as well. There are unlimited video effects and graphical elements to turn your raw videos into eye-catching videos instantly.

Best for Professional Editing - Premiere Pro

Adobe Premium Pro is the best professional video editor where all the advanced features of video editing are available. The software supports editing multiple projects simultaneously. You can edit VR, Multicam, and 3D videos as well. It is a perfect platform for a professional video editing team to work in sync.

Best for Online Video Editing - WeVideo

WeVideo is by far the best online video editor with 30 million users. Starting from standard video editing options and uploading directly to social media platforms, WeVideo is a full-fledged video editor. You can also record videos and create your own video templates. Moreover, you can collaborate with other video creators and make the best use of the unlimited stock media library.

Part 3: Open-Source Video Editors

Open-source video editors have compatibility with all the desktop operating systems. Moreover, due to their codes readily available online, these video editing software applications are available completely free of cost. Here are the best open-source video editors for beginners and experienced users.

# For Beginner Users

1. Blender

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor with balanced features

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

Blender is an open-source video editing suite that is popular for its 3D models. Since it is a suite, you can use the platform not only for video editing but also for creating animated videos and games.

Starting from basic video editing such as trim and split to advance video editing such as masking and color adjustment, all options are readily available. Besides, there are options for audio mixing and live preview of editing works.

Reason to Choose:-

• Video cropping, trimming, splitting, joining, and adjusting speed.
• Different slots to add videos, images, scenes, audio clips, effects and masks.
• Different transitions, filters, effects, waveforms, and keyframes available.
• Create 3D models and animated videos with proper audio mixing.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Takes time to get used to the platform.
• Reports of bugs have become a regular occurrence.

2. Avidemux

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for basic editing

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Avidemux from Soundforge is a lightweight and basic video editor. Starting from trimming and cutting videos to applying filters and encoding videos, all the options are readily available. The software supports a wide range of video file formats for editing.

The platform also supports scripting through which you can automate tasks to perform on videos. Besides, there are options for color adjustments, video conversion, and advanced interlacing. The simple user interface is perfect for beginners to edit videos intuitively.

Reason to Choose:-

• Quick video editing for trimming, cutting, rotating, and cropping.
• Change speed and use different filters for color adjustments and subtitles.
• Supports different video file formats in import and export.
• The user interface is simple and suitable for beginners.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Does not have a traditional timeline for video editing.
• Limited effects, filters, and advanced features.

3. Kdenlive

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for all

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

Kdenlive video editor is a versatile video editor with standard and advanced video editing features balanced properly. The open-source software allows multi-track timeline and supports dual monitor setup for video editing. The user interface is simple, and you can configure it as per your preference.

Kdenlive supports a wide range of video and audio files, and you can use configurable keyboard shortcuts for easy operation. The automatic backup feature is highly useful in the professional video editing world. Similarly, the presence of keyframe-based effects and advanced effects can make a video stand out.

Reason to Choose:-

• Multi-track timeline for working with multiple video and audio clips.
• Keyframeable effects, transitions, color correction and unlimited online resources.
• Vast set of options for creating stunning texts and titles.
• Smooth preview, configurable interface, and automatic backup.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks GPU acceleration and hence, slow response at times.
• Speed adjustment effect is not efficient.

# For Advanced Users

4. OpenShot

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS

Best for: Best open source editor for all desktop users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

OpenShot is a cross-platform, open-source video editor where you can work on one project on different operating systems. It works on keyframe animation framework, and you can choose from different interpolations. The platform offers you to work with unlimited video and audio clips as well as layers.

You can perform all the basic video editing operations as well as go for advanced editing. The features and tools are well-balanced for regular as well as professional video editing. Starting from video effects and audio mixing to chroma key and time-mapping, everything is available under one roof.

Reason to Choose:-

• Basic video editing with panning, zooming, and scrolling features.
• Wide range of transitions, effects, time and speed control.
• Time-mapping, audio mixing, overlays, and composting.
• Supports 3D animations and objects, templates for titles and sub-titles.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Hardware acceleration is not very powerful.
• Not suitable for 4K video editing as it gets extremely slow.

5. Shotcut

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best for video editors who love filters and effects

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

Shotcut is another open-source and cross-platform video editor with a professional user interface. The software supports importing different file formats of video and audio files. It is suitable for editing 4K videos, and it is a full-fledged audio editor as well.

Its vast video filters and effects are comparable to premium video editors. You can work with multi-track timeline and keyframes with markers and rangers. Besides, you can keep notes on your project easily. Overall, it is a balanced video editor in terms of features and functionalities.

Reason to Choose:-

• Wide categories of video effects, transitions, and filters.
• Multi-track and multi-format timeline and detailed audio editor.
• Standard and advanced editing options with hardware acceleration.
• Export video in high-resolution and in different formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The user interface can take some time to get used to.
• The stock media library is rather limited.

6. NATRON

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best open-source video editor with visual effects

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

NATRON is a robust video editor with powerful tracking tool for 2D and planar tracking. You can work with multiple layers and clips and avail various keying options on your video editing project. In fact, it is a full-fledged video compositing software for better video production with multi-layer structure.

The hardware acceleration of the software produces faster rendering. You get to work with presets, tracker nodes, rotoscoping, multi-plane and motion editing. The option of multi-view workflow along with real-time playback is extremely useful while editing multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

• Superior visual effects and motion editing.
• Multi-tasking with multi-view workflow.
• Option of rotoscoping and python scripting.
• Supports different open-source plugins.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The user interface is quite advanced and needs some learning time.
• It gets unstable and slow while previewing high-resolution videos.

Part 4: Freemium and Freeware Video Editors

Freeware video editors are available completely free of cost and they are mostly exclusive to a certain operating system. On the other hand, freemium video editors have certain features completely free while it charges users a small fee for certain advanced features. Here is the list of the best freemium and freeware video editors.

# For Beginner Users

7. ActivePresenter

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: best video editing software for learning videos.

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

ActivePresenter from AtomiSystems is a video editor with screen recording options. The software is particularly useful in making and editing learning videos. There are different templates available for editing videos quickly. Besides, you can use the platform for standard editing options for any video.

Starting from working with multiple timelines to making videos interactive and responsive, there are various out-of-box features. Moreover, you can edit your audio and export your edited video in different file formats.

Reason to Choose:-

• Multiple timelines for editing various video and audio clips.
• Basic video and audio editing options and greenscreen effects.
• Webcam and screen recording with audio from different sources.
• Export videos with different file formats, HTML, xAPI, SCORM and much more.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The learning curve is slightly steep.
• Not suitable for editing all types of videos.

8. Microsoft Photos

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best built-in video editor for Windows users

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

Microsoft Photos is the inbuilt video editor for Windows users. The app comes pre-installed in Windows and it is mostly used for viewing photos. But there is an inbuilt video editor where you can do the basic video editing works.

You can trim a video, add texts, and apply 3D effects as well as different filters available. There are also options for rotating videos, applying background music and customizing audio. The user interface is very simple for all users.

Reason to Choose:-

• Instant basic video editing options available.
• Apply effects, filters, as well as music.
• Simple and intuitive user interface for everyone.
• Comes pre-installed and completely free of cost.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Very limited video editing options.
• Very limited video file formats supported.

9. iMovie

Compatibility: Mac

Best for: Best built-in video editor for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

iMovie is the inbuilt video editor for Mac users as it comes pre-installed on macOS. The application is free to use and it is compatible with iPhone and iPad as well. You can perform all the basic video editing works starting from trimming to rotating videos.

Besides, there is a wide range of effects and filters available to apply on your videos. The best part is that it supports editing 4K videos. There are also various graphical elements available and you can share your video easily on different platforms.

Reason to Choose:-

• Trim, rotate, split and crop videos easily.
• Work across Mac, iPhone and iPad seamlessly.
• Wide range of effects, filters, and objects available.
• Supports editing 4K videos without any lag.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks advanced editing options though it is a dedicated video editor.
• Supports very limited video file formats.

# For Advanced Users

10. Lightworks

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best for social media video creators

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

Lightworks is a freemium video editor where most features are reserved for premium users. If you are a social media creator or learning video creator, Lightworks Create is best for you. If you are a professional video creator, you should opt for Lightworks Pro.

The software supports almost all file formats, and you can export videos on social media instantly. The timeline is advanced with proxy editing, autosave and background processing features. You can share projects with your teammates and work collaboratively.

Reason to Choose:-

• Powerful and advanced timeline for quick editing.
• Motion graphics and tilting along with advanced metadata.
• Flexible user interface with proxy workflow and storyboard bin.
• Suitable for collaborating works and cloud storage.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Can crash while working with 4K videos.
• Limited options for advanced video editing.

11. VideoPad

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best video editor for short video creators.

G2 rating: 4.1 out of 5

VideoPad by NCH Software is an intuitive video editor that supports over 60 different video file formats. There are tools available for basic editing such as trimming and cropping. Besides, there are various effects and transitions available to apply on your video.

The video editor also lets you edit audio files and you can edit 360-degree videos as well. There are video stabilization and chroma key effect available. The video editor is available free for non-commercial use with certain limitations that you can overcome with its premium plan.

Reason to Choose:-

• Edit in Storybook or Timeline mode and perfect all basic editing works.
• Audio editing options with different audio effects.
• Add 3D video effects, special filters, and change video speed.
• Supports a wide range of video file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Can crash while editing 4K videos.
• Lacks advanced editing options.

12. VSDC Free Video Editor

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Free feature-rich video editing suite

G2 rating: 4.0 out of 5

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free suite that includes both video and audio editor. You can use the software for recording screen as well as voiceovers. The software is suitable for low-end computers as it is a lightweight application.

Apart from basic editing, you can edit 360 videos. Starting from color correction and zooming to split-screen effect and chroma key, it is full-fledged feature-rich software. For more advanced features, you can opt for VSDC Video Editor Pro version.

Reason to Choose:-

• Zooming, panning, and color correction options.
• Wide range of effects and filters present.
• Chrome key option as well as 360 degree video editing.
• Work with multiple layers and sync objects perfectly.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks advanced video editing options.
• No masking or video stabilization option available.

Part 5: Proprietary Video Editing Software

If you are a regular video creator and you want to invest in video editing to improve the quality of your video content, you have to opt for a proprietary video editing software. All professional video creators prefer proprietary video editing software over freeware and freemium video editors. Here are the best premium video videos with the most advanced video editing options.

# For Beginner Users

13. Filmora

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Best video editors for YouTubers and vloggers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Wondershare Filmora is a feature-rich video editor but an intuitive user interface. Therefore, it is perfectly suitable for beginners who want all the features and tools for advanced video editing without a steep learning curve. Filmora is also useful if you want to record screen or webcam video.

Starting from tons of video effects and transitions to a large stock library and graphical elements, Filmora is tailor-made for editing all types of videos. It also supports a wide range of file formats and you can edit 4K videos as well as audio files comfortably.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Reason to Choose:-

• Trim, split, join, crop and work with multiple video and audio clips.
• Large collection of video and audio effects, transitions, and graphical elements.
• Large stock library of free media files and animations.
• Work with multiple layers and clips effortlessly on its smooth timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The processing time for videos could be on the higher side.

14. Camtasia

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Teachers and students to edit tutorial videos

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

Camtasia by Techsmith is a premium video editor and it is equally popular as a video recorder. It is particularly useful for recording and editing tutorial videos as there are different templates available. Coming to video editing part, you can perform all the basic video editing works instantly.

There are various trendy effects, transitions, and presets available. You can remove green screen and apply different frames for video compatibility on different devices. Besides, you can upload the editing video different on different platforms instantly.

Reason to Choose:-

• Quick trimming, splitting, cropping options.
• Large collection of templates and presets.
• Wide range of effects, annotations, and transitions.
• Import, export, and share different file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• No motion tracking option.
• Reports of frequent crashes.

15. Final Cut Pro

Compatibility: Mac only.

Best for: best professional video editors for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Final Cut Pro from Apple is an extremely popular premium video editor among professional video creators who are Mac users. It is a powerful and advanced video editor that can handle high resolution videos smoothly. It is a perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing features.

Starting from editing multicam and VR videos to 3D and 360 degree videos, Final Cut Pro is suitable for all. There are unlimited presets and effects present and you can edit 4K videos as well as large video files smoothly.

Reason to Choose:-

• Basic and advanced video and audio editing features.
• Supports editing all the different video types such as 3D, 4K, VR videos.
• Supports plug-ins, external tools and cinematic effects.
• Renders high resolution, large video files in short time.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Learning curve is quite steep.
• Pricing is on the higher side.

# For Beginner Users

16. Adobe Premiere Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: best professional video editing software for most people

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

Adobe Premiere Pro is the ultimate video editor in the professional video editing world. You get all the different advanced features of video editing packed in the application. Even though the learning curve is steep, Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most used video editors in professional video creation.

Adobe Premiere Pro supports all the different video file formats and you can edit various videos simultaneously. It is a perfect tool for editing a large video project collaboratively. It supports editing VR videos, 3D videos, as well as multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

• Standard and advanced editing options with quick rendering.
• Suitable for multi-tasking and collaborative work in video editing.
• Supports almost all types of videos and audio file formats.
• Flexible and configurable user interface and advanced timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Learning curve is very steep.
• Not suitable for low-end computers.

17. Vegas Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Video & audio editing for professionals

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

Vegas Pro from Sony is a professional video and audio editor. You can work with multiple video and audio files and you can choose from timeline or storyboard layout. In fact, there are options for nested timeline and multicam editing. The customized workflow and layouts make the application suitable for everyone.

You can enhance your video with its large collection of filters, effects, and titles. There are options for keyframing, scene detection, color correction, and light adjustments. The artificial intelligence makes editing faster with automation control.

Reason to Choose:-

• Powerful timeline and storyboard mode with keyframing.
• Advanced HDR color correction and grading.
• Artificial intelligence for quick and repeated editing.
• Multicam editing, motion tracking, and support for 3D videos.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Stability of the application is questionable.
• Pricing is steep and lacks tutorial guide.

18. Hitfilm Express

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: Best for video effects lovers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Hitfilm Express is particularly popular for its unlimited video effects that make the video stand out easily. The user interface is quite simple to use, and you can apply effects to turn your raw video into professional video instantly. In fact, it has the largest VFX toolkit with industry-grade effects.

You can edit 4K videos, and there are options for motion tracking and video animations. You can also opt for color correction and grading. You can also edit vertical videos and upload them on social media platforms. You can also edit audio clips and use composting and layering features to enhance your video.

Reason to Choose:-

• Advanced timeline for better workflow.
• Standard and advanced video editing options.
• Largest collection of video effects of different categories.
• Color grading, correction, and free training and support.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks green screen editing option.
• Rendering is not always swift.

Part 6: How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor?

The most important part of video editing is to choose the most suitable video editor for your videos. Here are some important factors to consider while choosing a video editor.

1. Budget and Price: If you are getting started, you can opt for a free video editor. But eventually, you have to go for a premium video editor if you are serious about video editing. You should opt for that video editor that fits your budget and offers more features for the price charged in comparison to its competitors.

2. Learning Curve: You should always opt for a video editor that has a low learning curve. If the video editor is complicated to operate, you will get frustrated, and you won’t be able to unlock the full potential of the video editor. Besides, you will have to lose a lot of time in learning and perfecting the usage of the application.

3. Stock Library: The video editor you are choosing must have a sizeable stock media library. A stock library is where you can find video clips and audio clips that are free to use for everyone. You can incorporate them into your video to enhance the content quality and bring variety to your audiences.

4. Audio control: Video editing is incomplete without proper audio editing. Your video editor should have a separate timeline for audio clips so that you can place them perfect to go in sync with the video clips. Some video editors have dedicated options for audio mixing and editing as per requirements.

5. upport video formats: Your video editor must support a wide range of video file formats that you have to include from time to time. If it supports only the popular file formats, you will not be able to include the interesting videos you may get from different sources which the video editor does not support.

6. Software stability: If you need to edit high-resolution videos, you have to ensure that the video editor you are choosing can stay stable throughout. There are many popular video editors available that become unstable while editing and rendering high-resolution videos. You have to read reviews to come to a conclusion about software stability.

7. Customer Support: Last but most importantly, your video editor must have a good customer support team. In your video editing journey, you will need the help of technical customer support to clarify issues related to the software so that you can excel in your video editing sessions.

Part 7: Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Here are some basic video editing tips that you should keep in mind while editing any video.

1. Try Tight Cuts: Your video should not be too long so that it gets boring for the viewers. Therefore, you have to make tight cuts which means you have to cut out pauses, gaps between dialogs, and anything that is unnecessary for viewers. If you think that tight cuts will take more time than usual, you can consider reshooting the part to save time.

2. Put The Story Before The Footage: When you are shooting a planned video, you must be shooting the video with multiple cameras from different angles. While editing and choosing the perfect angle for a certain video segment, you have to select the one that enhances the story you are telling through your video. For example, in an interview video, you should know when to emphasize and show close angles to capture the emotion of the speaker.

3. Chop Out Mistakes: The most basic work in video editing is to cut out the mistakes. This is because you are sure to make mistakes while shooting, and you will reshoot a lot of mistakes to correct them. Therefore, take your time to chop out mistakes but make sure that the video feels continuous, and if required, you can reshoot. To avoid mistakes in action, you can use different camera angles, blur portions, and bleep out certain words.

4. Learn to use color: Color correction and adjustment is a majorly neglected part of video editing that can make your video different from others. When you are shooting in outdoor conditions, the color of the video could get disturbed depending on the color of your dress as well as your surrounding. While editing, you need to correct them so that the video looks visually pleasing to the eyes.

5. Cut to music: Audio plays a very important role in any video, and hence, you should not neglect it. Always opt for a video editor that has a good collection of stock music so that you can apply them to your video in appropriate places. Music helps to break the monotony and grab the attention of the audience instantly.

6. Back up your work: It takes hours to shoot a video but only a second to lose it. Instead of blindingly relying on your storage device, you should take back up of your work on multiple devices. Taking backup in the cloud storage area is the best option as you can access your work from anywhere.

Part 8: Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor

What is the best video editor?

Wondershare Filmora is the best video editor as it has the perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing options. The user interface is intuitive and easy to operate for every video creator.

What editor do YouTubers use on PC?

The most commonly used video editors by YouTubers are Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and Filmora. Unless you are a pro in video editing, we recommend Filmora and Shotcut for your YouTube videos.

How can I edit videos for free?

If you are a Windows user, you can use Microsoft Photos and Openshot for editing your videos for free. For Mac users, iMovie is the best free video editor with balanced features.

Does Windows 10 have a free video editor?

Yes, Windows 10 does come with a free video editor and it is called Microsoft Photos. You can edit your photos and videos with the application.

Is Filmora Free?

No, Filmora is a premium video editor. However, you can download its free trial version to understand its features and functionalities. Thereafter, you can purchase its premium plan as per your suitability.

02 [Editor’s Top 3 Picks ](#Part 2)

03 [Open-Source Video Editors](#Part 3)

04 [Freemium and Freeware Video Editors](#Part 4)

05 [Proprietary Video Editing Software](#Part 5)

06 [How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor](#Part 6)

07 [Video Editing Tips for Newbies](#Part 7)

08 [Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor](#Part 8)

Part 1: Video Editing Basics

Before going to the best video editors, you should be aware of the basics of video editing. Here are the basic concepts of video editing that you must know as they are common across all video editors.

1. The Timeline: The timeline is an area of a video editor where you place your video clips sequentially. When you play the video after editing, the video will play from the start of the timeline and finish at the end of the timeline where your video content ends. The timeline is where you can place your audio clips, video effects, and graphical elements as per your requirements.

2. The Canvas: The canvas is an area of a video editor where you view your video clips frame by frame. The canvas allows you to edit the video starting from cropping to adding graphical elements. You can view all the changes you make to the video before applying them permanently.

3. Basic editing: The basic editing of a video includes splitting and trimming out important parts of a large video file and, thereafter, joining the different video clips to make an engaging video. The basic editing also includes adding audio clips, adjusting video parameters such as color, brightness, contrast as well as adding texts to the video.

4. Aspect Ratio: The aspect ratio of a video represents the ratio of width to height of the video in terms of pixels. For example, a video with aspect ratio of 16:9 means the video is 1920p x 1080p. You can edit the aspect ratio depending on where you want to publish the video. For example, social media videos use 1:1 and 9: 16 aspect ratio, tablets use 4:3 aspect ratio, and 16:9 is the standard aspect ratio.

5. B-roll: B-roll is a secondary video footage that you can add to your primary video(A-roll) to enhance the video creativity and aesthetic value. B-roll could be a cinematic shot, a slow-motion footage, a close-up shot from different angles, as well as a shot mixed with wide-angle, pans, and tilts.

6. Frame Rate: Frame rate refers to the number of images or frames displayed per second in a video. In short, frame rate refers to frames per second in a video. For example, a video of 30fps means the video is showing 30 different images per second. The 24fps is used for movies and the 30fps is used for online and TV videos. Even 60fps videos are becoming common as they produce a smoother video experience.

Part 2: Editor’s Top 3 Picks - Choose The Best Video Editor

Best Video Editor for All Creators - Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is the ideal video editor with an intuitive user interface. You get all the standard and advanced video editing features packed into its platform. You can record videos of external webcam and computer screen as well. There are unlimited video effects and graphical elements to turn your raw videos into eye-catching videos instantly.

Best for Professional Editing - Premiere Pro

Adobe Premium Pro is the best professional video editor where all the advanced features of video editing are available. The software supports editing multiple projects simultaneously. You can edit VR, Multicam, and 3D videos as well. It is a perfect platform for a professional video editing team to work in sync.

Best for Online Video Editing - WeVideo

WeVideo is by far the best online video editor with 30 million users. Starting from standard video editing options and uploading directly to social media platforms, WeVideo is a full-fledged video editor. You can also record videos and create your own video templates. Moreover, you can collaborate with other video creators and make the best use of the unlimited stock media library.

Part 3: Open-Source Video Editors

Open-source video editors have compatibility with all the desktop operating systems. Moreover, due to their codes readily available online, these video editing software applications are available completely free of cost. Here are the best open-source video editors for beginners and experienced users.

# For Beginner Users

1. Blender

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor with balanced features

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

Blender is an open-source video editing suite that is popular for its 3D models. Since it is a suite, you can use the platform not only for video editing but also for creating animated videos and games.

Starting from basic video editing such as trim and split to advance video editing such as masking and color adjustment, all options are readily available. Besides, there are options for audio mixing and live preview of editing works.

Reason to Choose:-

• Video cropping, trimming, splitting, joining, and adjusting speed.
• Different slots to add videos, images, scenes, audio clips, effects and masks.
• Different transitions, filters, effects, waveforms, and keyframes available.
• Create 3D models and animated videos with proper audio mixing.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Takes time to get used to the platform.
• Reports of bugs have become a regular occurrence.

2. Avidemux

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for basic editing

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Avidemux from Soundforge is a lightweight and basic video editor. Starting from trimming and cutting videos to applying filters and encoding videos, all the options are readily available. The software supports a wide range of video file formats for editing.

The platform also supports scripting through which you can automate tasks to perform on videos. Besides, there are options for color adjustments, video conversion, and advanced interlacing. The simple user interface is perfect for beginners to edit videos intuitively.

Reason to Choose:-

• Quick video editing for trimming, cutting, rotating, and cropping.
• Change speed and use different filters for color adjustments and subtitles.
• Supports different video file formats in import and export.
• The user interface is simple and suitable for beginners.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Does not have a traditional timeline for video editing.
• Limited effects, filters, and advanced features.

3. Kdenlive

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for all

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

Kdenlive video editor is a versatile video editor with standard and advanced video editing features balanced properly. The open-source software allows multi-track timeline and supports dual monitor setup for video editing. The user interface is simple, and you can configure it as per your preference.

Kdenlive supports a wide range of video and audio files, and you can use configurable keyboard shortcuts for easy operation. The automatic backup feature is highly useful in the professional video editing world. Similarly, the presence of keyframe-based effects and advanced effects can make a video stand out.

Reason to Choose:-

• Multi-track timeline for working with multiple video and audio clips.
• Keyframeable effects, transitions, color correction and unlimited online resources.
• Vast set of options for creating stunning texts and titles.
• Smooth preview, configurable interface, and automatic backup.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks GPU acceleration and hence, slow response at times.
• Speed adjustment effect is not efficient.

# For Advanced Users

4. OpenShot

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS

Best for: Best open source editor for all desktop users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

OpenShot is a cross-platform, open-source video editor where you can work on one project on different operating systems. It works on keyframe animation framework, and you can choose from different interpolations. The platform offers you to work with unlimited video and audio clips as well as layers.

You can perform all the basic video editing operations as well as go for advanced editing. The features and tools are well-balanced for regular as well as professional video editing. Starting from video effects and audio mixing to chroma key and time-mapping, everything is available under one roof.

Reason to Choose:-

• Basic video editing with panning, zooming, and scrolling features.
• Wide range of transitions, effects, time and speed control.
• Time-mapping, audio mixing, overlays, and composting.
• Supports 3D animations and objects, templates for titles and sub-titles.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Hardware acceleration is not very powerful.
• Not suitable for 4K video editing as it gets extremely slow.

5. Shotcut

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best for video editors who love filters and effects

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

Shotcut is another open-source and cross-platform video editor with a professional user interface. The software supports importing different file formats of video and audio files. It is suitable for editing 4K videos, and it is a full-fledged audio editor as well.

Its vast video filters and effects are comparable to premium video editors. You can work with multi-track timeline and keyframes with markers and rangers. Besides, you can keep notes on your project easily. Overall, it is a balanced video editor in terms of features and functionalities.

Reason to Choose:-

• Wide categories of video effects, transitions, and filters.
• Multi-track and multi-format timeline and detailed audio editor.
• Standard and advanced editing options with hardware acceleration.
• Export video in high-resolution and in different formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The user interface can take some time to get used to.
• The stock media library is rather limited.

6. NATRON

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best open-source video editor with visual effects

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

NATRON is a robust video editor with powerful tracking tool for 2D and planar tracking. You can work with multiple layers and clips and avail various keying options on your video editing project. In fact, it is a full-fledged video compositing software for better video production with multi-layer structure.

The hardware acceleration of the software produces faster rendering. You get to work with presets, tracker nodes, rotoscoping, multi-plane and motion editing. The option of multi-view workflow along with real-time playback is extremely useful while editing multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

• Superior visual effects and motion editing.
• Multi-tasking with multi-view workflow.
• Option of rotoscoping and python scripting.
• Supports different open-source plugins.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The user interface is quite advanced and needs some learning time.
• It gets unstable and slow while previewing high-resolution videos.

Part 4: Freemium and Freeware Video Editors

Freeware video editors are available completely free of cost and they are mostly exclusive to a certain operating system. On the other hand, freemium video editors have certain features completely free while it charges users a small fee for certain advanced features. Here is the list of the best freemium and freeware video editors.

# For Beginner Users

7. ActivePresenter

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: best video editing software for learning videos.

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

ActivePresenter from AtomiSystems is a video editor with screen recording options. The software is particularly useful in making and editing learning videos. There are different templates available for editing videos quickly. Besides, you can use the platform for standard editing options for any video.

Starting from working with multiple timelines to making videos interactive and responsive, there are various out-of-box features. Moreover, you can edit your audio and export your edited video in different file formats.

Reason to Choose:-

• Multiple timelines for editing various video and audio clips.
• Basic video and audio editing options and greenscreen effects.
• Webcam and screen recording with audio from different sources.
• Export videos with different file formats, HTML, xAPI, SCORM and much more.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The learning curve is slightly steep.
• Not suitable for editing all types of videos.

8. Microsoft Photos

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best built-in video editor for Windows users

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

Microsoft Photos is the inbuilt video editor for Windows users. The app comes pre-installed in Windows and it is mostly used for viewing photos. But there is an inbuilt video editor where you can do the basic video editing works.

You can trim a video, add texts, and apply 3D effects as well as different filters available. There are also options for rotating videos, applying background music and customizing audio. The user interface is very simple for all users.

Reason to Choose:-

• Instant basic video editing options available.
• Apply effects, filters, as well as music.
• Simple and intuitive user interface for everyone.
• Comes pre-installed and completely free of cost.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Very limited video editing options.
• Very limited video file formats supported.

9. iMovie

Compatibility: Mac

Best for: Best built-in video editor for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

iMovie is the inbuilt video editor for Mac users as it comes pre-installed on macOS. The application is free to use and it is compatible with iPhone and iPad as well. You can perform all the basic video editing works starting from trimming to rotating videos.

Besides, there is a wide range of effects and filters available to apply on your videos. The best part is that it supports editing 4K videos. There are also various graphical elements available and you can share your video easily on different platforms.

Reason to Choose:-

• Trim, rotate, split and crop videos easily.
• Work across Mac, iPhone and iPad seamlessly.
• Wide range of effects, filters, and objects available.
• Supports editing 4K videos without any lag.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks advanced editing options though it is a dedicated video editor.
• Supports very limited video file formats.

# For Advanced Users

10. Lightworks

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best for social media video creators

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

Lightworks is a freemium video editor where most features are reserved for premium users. If you are a social media creator or learning video creator, Lightworks Create is best for you. If you are a professional video creator, you should opt for Lightworks Pro.

The software supports almost all file formats, and you can export videos on social media instantly. The timeline is advanced with proxy editing, autosave and background processing features. You can share projects with your teammates and work collaboratively.

Reason to Choose:-

• Powerful and advanced timeline for quick editing.
• Motion graphics and tilting along with advanced metadata.
• Flexible user interface with proxy workflow and storyboard bin.
• Suitable for collaborating works and cloud storage.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Can crash while working with 4K videos.
• Limited options for advanced video editing.

11. VideoPad

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best video editor for short video creators.

G2 rating: 4.1 out of 5

VideoPad by NCH Software is an intuitive video editor that supports over 60 different video file formats. There are tools available for basic editing such as trimming and cropping. Besides, there are various effects and transitions available to apply on your video.

The video editor also lets you edit audio files and you can edit 360-degree videos as well. There are video stabilization and chroma key effect available. The video editor is available free for non-commercial use with certain limitations that you can overcome with its premium plan.

Reason to Choose:-

• Edit in Storybook or Timeline mode and perfect all basic editing works.
• Audio editing options with different audio effects.
• Add 3D video effects, special filters, and change video speed.
• Supports a wide range of video file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Can crash while editing 4K videos.
• Lacks advanced editing options.

12. VSDC Free Video Editor

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Free feature-rich video editing suite

G2 rating: 4.0 out of 5

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free suite that includes both video and audio editor. You can use the software for recording screen as well as voiceovers. The software is suitable for low-end computers as it is a lightweight application.

Apart from basic editing, you can edit 360 videos. Starting from color correction and zooming to split-screen effect and chroma key, it is full-fledged feature-rich software. For more advanced features, you can opt for VSDC Video Editor Pro version.

Reason to Choose:-

• Zooming, panning, and color correction options.
• Wide range of effects and filters present.
• Chrome key option as well as 360 degree video editing.
• Work with multiple layers and sync objects perfectly.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks advanced video editing options.
• No masking or video stabilization option available.

Part 5: Proprietary Video Editing Software

If you are a regular video creator and you want to invest in video editing to improve the quality of your video content, you have to opt for a proprietary video editing software. All professional video creators prefer proprietary video editing software over freeware and freemium video editors. Here are the best premium video videos with the most advanced video editing options.

# For Beginner Users

13. Filmora

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Best video editors for YouTubers and vloggers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Wondershare Filmora is a feature-rich video editor but an intuitive user interface. Therefore, it is perfectly suitable for beginners who want all the features and tools for advanced video editing without a steep learning curve. Filmora is also useful if you want to record screen or webcam video.

Starting from tons of video effects and transitions to a large stock library and graphical elements, Filmora is tailor-made for editing all types of videos. It also supports a wide range of file formats and you can edit 4K videos as well as audio files comfortably.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Reason to Choose:-

• Trim, split, join, crop and work with multiple video and audio clips.
• Large collection of video and audio effects, transitions, and graphical elements.
• Large stock library of free media files and animations.
• Work with multiple layers and clips effortlessly on its smooth timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The processing time for videos could be on the higher side.

14. Camtasia

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Teachers and students to edit tutorial videos

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

Camtasia by Techsmith is a premium video editor and it is equally popular as a video recorder. It is particularly useful for recording and editing tutorial videos as there are different templates available. Coming to video editing part, you can perform all the basic video editing works instantly.

There are various trendy effects, transitions, and presets available. You can remove green screen and apply different frames for video compatibility on different devices. Besides, you can upload the editing video different on different platforms instantly.

Reason to Choose:-

• Quick trimming, splitting, cropping options.
• Large collection of templates and presets.
• Wide range of effects, annotations, and transitions.
• Import, export, and share different file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• No motion tracking option.
• Reports of frequent crashes.

15. Final Cut Pro

Compatibility: Mac only.

Best for: best professional video editors for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Final Cut Pro from Apple is an extremely popular premium video editor among professional video creators who are Mac users. It is a powerful and advanced video editor that can handle high resolution videos smoothly. It is a perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing features.

Starting from editing multicam and VR videos to 3D and 360 degree videos, Final Cut Pro is suitable for all. There are unlimited presets and effects present and you can edit 4K videos as well as large video files smoothly.

Reason to Choose:-

• Basic and advanced video and audio editing features.
• Supports editing all the different video types such as 3D, 4K, VR videos.
• Supports plug-ins, external tools and cinematic effects.
• Renders high resolution, large video files in short time.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Learning curve is quite steep.
• Pricing is on the higher side.

# For Beginner Users

16. Adobe Premiere Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: best professional video editing software for most people

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

Adobe Premiere Pro is the ultimate video editor in the professional video editing world. You get all the different advanced features of video editing packed in the application. Even though the learning curve is steep, Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most used video editors in professional video creation.

Adobe Premiere Pro supports all the different video file formats and you can edit various videos simultaneously. It is a perfect tool for editing a large video project collaboratively. It supports editing VR videos, 3D videos, as well as multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

• Standard and advanced editing options with quick rendering.
• Suitable for multi-tasking and collaborative work in video editing.
• Supports almost all types of videos and audio file formats.
• Flexible and configurable user interface and advanced timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Learning curve is very steep.
• Not suitable for low-end computers.

17. Vegas Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Video & audio editing for professionals

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

Vegas Pro from Sony is a professional video and audio editor. You can work with multiple video and audio files and you can choose from timeline or storyboard layout. In fact, there are options for nested timeline and multicam editing. The customized workflow and layouts make the application suitable for everyone.

You can enhance your video with its large collection of filters, effects, and titles. There are options for keyframing, scene detection, color correction, and light adjustments. The artificial intelligence makes editing faster with automation control.

Reason to Choose:-

• Powerful timeline and storyboard mode with keyframing.
• Advanced HDR color correction and grading.
• Artificial intelligence for quick and repeated editing.
• Multicam editing, motion tracking, and support for 3D videos.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Stability of the application is questionable.
• Pricing is steep and lacks tutorial guide.

18. Hitfilm Express

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: Best for video effects lovers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Hitfilm Express is particularly popular for its unlimited video effects that make the video stand out easily. The user interface is quite simple to use, and you can apply effects to turn your raw video into professional video instantly. In fact, it has the largest VFX toolkit with industry-grade effects.

You can edit 4K videos, and there are options for motion tracking and video animations. You can also opt for color correction and grading. You can also edit vertical videos and upload them on social media platforms. You can also edit audio clips and use composting and layering features to enhance your video.

Reason to Choose:-

• Advanced timeline for better workflow.
• Standard and advanced video editing options.
• Largest collection of video effects of different categories.
• Color grading, correction, and free training and support.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks green screen editing option.
• Rendering is not always swift.

Part 6: How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor?

The most important part of video editing is to choose the most suitable video editor for your videos. Here are some important factors to consider while choosing a video editor.

1. Budget and Price: If you are getting started, you can opt for a free video editor. But eventually, you have to go for a premium video editor if you are serious about video editing. You should opt for that video editor that fits your budget and offers more features for the price charged in comparison to its competitors.

2. Learning Curve: You should always opt for a video editor that has a low learning curve. If the video editor is complicated to operate, you will get frustrated, and you won’t be able to unlock the full potential of the video editor. Besides, you will have to lose a lot of time in learning and perfecting the usage of the application.

3. Stock Library: The video editor you are choosing must have a sizeable stock media library. A stock library is where you can find video clips and audio clips that are free to use for everyone. You can incorporate them into your video to enhance the content quality and bring variety to your audiences.

4. Audio control: Video editing is incomplete without proper audio editing. Your video editor should have a separate timeline for audio clips so that you can place them perfect to go in sync with the video clips. Some video editors have dedicated options for audio mixing and editing as per requirements.

5. upport video formats: Your video editor must support a wide range of video file formats that you have to include from time to time. If it supports only the popular file formats, you will not be able to include the interesting videos you may get from different sources which the video editor does not support.

6. Software stability: If you need to edit high-resolution videos, you have to ensure that the video editor you are choosing can stay stable throughout. There are many popular video editors available that become unstable while editing and rendering high-resolution videos. You have to read reviews to come to a conclusion about software stability.

7. Customer Support: Last but most importantly, your video editor must have a good customer support team. In your video editing journey, you will need the help of technical customer support to clarify issues related to the software so that you can excel in your video editing sessions.

Part 7: Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Here are some basic video editing tips that you should keep in mind while editing any video.

1. Try Tight Cuts: Your video should not be too long so that it gets boring for the viewers. Therefore, you have to make tight cuts which means you have to cut out pauses, gaps between dialogs, and anything that is unnecessary for viewers. If you think that tight cuts will take more time than usual, you can consider reshooting the part to save time.

2. Put The Story Before The Footage: When you are shooting a planned video, you must be shooting the video with multiple cameras from different angles. While editing and choosing the perfect angle for a certain video segment, you have to select the one that enhances the story you are telling through your video. For example, in an interview video, you should know when to emphasize and show close angles to capture the emotion of the speaker.

3. Chop Out Mistakes: The most basic work in video editing is to cut out the mistakes. This is because you are sure to make mistakes while shooting, and you will reshoot a lot of mistakes to correct them. Therefore, take your time to chop out mistakes but make sure that the video feels continuous, and if required, you can reshoot. To avoid mistakes in action, you can use different camera angles, blur portions, and bleep out certain words.

4. Learn to use color: Color correction and adjustment is a majorly neglected part of video editing that can make your video different from others. When you are shooting in outdoor conditions, the color of the video could get disturbed depending on the color of your dress as well as your surrounding. While editing, you need to correct them so that the video looks visually pleasing to the eyes.

5. Cut to music: Audio plays a very important role in any video, and hence, you should not neglect it. Always opt for a video editor that has a good collection of stock music so that you can apply them to your video in appropriate places. Music helps to break the monotony and grab the attention of the audience instantly.

6. Back up your work: It takes hours to shoot a video but only a second to lose it. Instead of blindingly relying on your storage device, you should take back up of your work on multiple devices. Taking backup in the cloud storage area is the best option as you can access your work from anywhere.

Part 8: Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor

What is the best video editor?

Wondershare Filmora is the best video editor as it has the perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing options. The user interface is intuitive and easy to operate for every video creator.

What editor do YouTubers use on PC?

The most commonly used video editors by YouTubers are Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and Filmora. Unless you are a pro in video editing, we recommend Filmora and Shotcut for your YouTube videos.

How can I edit videos for free?

If you are a Windows user, you can use Microsoft Photos and Openshot for editing your videos for free. For Mac users, iMovie is the best free video editor with balanced features.

Does Windows 10 have a free video editor?

Yes, Windows 10 does come with a free video editor and it is called Microsoft Photos. You can edit your photos and videos with the application.

Is Filmora Free?

No, Filmora is a premium video editor. However, you can download its free trial version to understand its features and functionalities. Thereafter, you can purchase its premium plan as per your suitability.

02 [Editor’s Top 3 Picks ](#Part 2)

03 [Open-Source Video Editors](#Part 3)

04 [Freemium and Freeware Video Editors](#Part 4)

05 [Proprietary Video Editing Software](#Part 5)

06 [How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor](#Part 6)

07 [Video Editing Tips for Newbies](#Part 7)

08 [Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor](#Part 8)

Part 1: Video Editing Basics

Before going to the best video editors, you should be aware of the basics of video editing. Here are the basic concepts of video editing that you must know as they are common across all video editors.

1. The Timeline: The timeline is an area of a video editor where you place your video clips sequentially. When you play the video after editing, the video will play from the start of the timeline and finish at the end of the timeline where your video content ends. The timeline is where you can place your audio clips, video effects, and graphical elements as per your requirements.

2. The Canvas: The canvas is an area of a video editor where you view your video clips frame by frame. The canvas allows you to edit the video starting from cropping to adding graphical elements. You can view all the changes you make to the video before applying them permanently.

3. Basic editing: The basic editing of a video includes splitting and trimming out important parts of a large video file and, thereafter, joining the different video clips to make an engaging video. The basic editing also includes adding audio clips, adjusting video parameters such as color, brightness, contrast as well as adding texts to the video.

4. Aspect Ratio: The aspect ratio of a video represents the ratio of width to height of the video in terms of pixels. For example, a video with aspect ratio of 16:9 means the video is 1920p x 1080p. You can edit the aspect ratio depending on where you want to publish the video. For example, social media videos use 1:1 and 9: 16 aspect ratio, tablets use 4:3 aspect ratio, and 16:9 is the standard aspect ratio.

5. B-roll: B-roll is a secondary video footage that you can add to your primary video(A-roll) to enhance the video creativity and aesthetic value. B-roll could be a cinematic shot, a slow-motion footage, a close-up shot from different angles, as well as a shot mixed with wide-angle, pans, and tilts.

6. Frame Rate: Frame rate refers to the number of images or frames displayed per second in a video. In short, frame rate refers to frames per second in a video. For example, a video of 30fps means the video is showing 30 different images per second. The 24fps is used for movies and the 30fps is used for online and TV videos. Even 60fps videos are becoming common as they produce a smoother video experience.

Part 2: Editor’s Top 3 Picks - Choose The Best Video Editor

Best Video Editor for All Creators - Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is the ideal video editor with an intuitive user interface. You get all the standard and advanced video editing features packed into its platform. You can record videos of external webcam and computer screen as well. There are unlimited video effects and graphical elements to turn your raw videos into eye-catching videos instantly.

Best for Professional Editing - Premiere Pro

Adobe Premium Pro is the best professional video editor where all the advanced features of video editing are available. The software supports editing multiple projects simultaneously. You can edit VR, Multicam, and 3D videos as well. It is a perfect platform for a professional video editing team to work in sync.

Best for Online Video Editing - WeVideo

WeVideo is by far the best online video editor with 30 million users. Starting from standard video editing options and uploading directly to social media platforms, WeVideo is a full-fledged video editor. You can also record videos and create your own video templates. Moreover, you can collaborate with other video creators and make the best use of the unlimited stock media library.

Part 3: Open-Source Video Editors

Open-source video editors have compatibility with all the desktop operating systems. Moreover, due to their codes readily available online, these video editing software applications are available completely free of cost. Here are the best open-source video editors for beginners and experienced users.

# For Beginner Users

1. Blender

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor with balanced features

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

Blender is an open-source video editing suite that is popular for its 3D models. Since it is a suite, you can use the platform not only for video editing but also for creating animated videos and games.

Starting from basic video editing such as trim and split to advance video editing such as masking and color adjustment, all options are readily available. Besides, there are options for audio mixing and live preview of editing works.

Reason to Choose:-

• Video cropping, trimming, splitting, joining, and adjusting speed.
• Different slots to add videos, images, scenes, audio clips, effects and masks.
• Different transitions, filters, effects, waveforms, and keyframes available.
• Create 3D models and animated videos with proper audio mixing.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Takes time to get used to the platform.
• Reports of bugs have become a regular occurrence.

2. Avidemux

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for basic editing

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Avidemux from Soundforge is a lightweight and basic video editor. Starting from trimming and cutting videos to applying filters and encoding videos, all the options are readily available. The software supports a wide range of video file formats for editing.

The platform also supports scripting through which you can automate tasks to perform on videos. Besides, there are options for color adjustments, video conversion, and advanced interlacing. The simple user interface is perfect for beginners to edit videos intuitively.

Reason to Choose:-

• Quick video editing for trimming, cutting, rotating, and cropping.
• Change speed and use different filters for color adjustments and subtitles.
• Supports different video file formats in import and export.
• The user interface is simple and suitable for beginners.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Does not have a traditional timeline for video editing.
• Limited effects, filters, and advanced features.

3. Kdenlive

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for all

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

Kdenlive video editor is a versatile video editor with standard and advanced video editing features balanced properly. The open-source software allows multi-track timeline and supports dual monitor setup for video editing. The user interface is simple, and you can configure it as per your preference.

Kdenlive supports a wide range of video and audio files, and you can use configurable keyboard shortcuts for easy operation. The automatic backup feature is highly useful in the professional video editing world. Similarly, the presence of keyframe-based effects and advanced effects can make a video stand out.

Reason to Choose:-

• Multi-track timeline for working with multiple video and audio clips.
• Keyframeable effects, transitions, color correction and unlimited online resources.
• Vast set of options for creating stunning texts and titles.
• Smooth preview, configurable interface, and automatic backup.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks GPU acceleration and hence, slow response at times.
• Speed adjustment effect is not efficient.

# For Advanced Users

4. OpenShot

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS

Best for: Best open source editor for all desktop users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

OpenShot is a cross-platform, open-source video editor where you can work on one project on different operating systems. It works on keyframe animation framework, and you can choose from different interpolations. The platform offers you to work with unlimited video and audio clips as well as layers.

You can perform all the basic video editing operations as well as go for advanced editing. The features and tools are well-balanced for regular as well as professional video editing. Starting from video effects and audio mixing to chroma key and time-mapping, everything is available under one roof.

Reason to Choose:-

• Basic video editing with panning, zooming, and scrolling features.
• Wide range of transitions, effects, time and speed control.
• Time-mapping, audio mixing, overlays, and composting.
• Supports 3D animations and objects, templates for titles and sub-titles.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Hardware acceleration is not very powerful.
• Not suitable for 4K video editing as it gets extremely slow.

5. Shotcut

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best for video editors who love filters and effects

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

Shotcut is another open-source and cross-platform video editor with a professional user interface. The software supports importing different file formats of video and audio files. It is suitable for editing 4K videos, and it is a full-fledged audio editor as well.

Its vast video filters and effects are comparable to premium video editors. You can work with multi-track timeline and keyframes with markers and rangers. Besides, you can keep notes on your project easily. Overall, it is a balanced video editor in terms of features and functionalities.

Reason to Choose:-

• Wide categories of video effects, transitions, and filters.
• Multi-track and multi-format timeline and detailed audio editor.
• Standard and advanced editing options with hardware acceleration.
• Export video in high-resolution and in different formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The user interface can take some time to get used to.
• The stock media library is rather limited.

6. NATRON

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best open-source video editor with visual effects

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

NATRON is a robust video editor with powerful tracking tool for 2D and planar tracking. You can work with multiple layers and clips and avail various keying options on your video editing project. In fact, it is a full-fledged video compositing software for better video production with multi-layer structure.

The hardware acceleration of the software produces faster rendering. You get to work with presets, tracker nodes, rotoscoping, multi-plane and motion editing. The option of multi-view workflow along with real-time playback is extremely useful while editing multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

• Superior visual effects and motion editing.
• Multi-tasking with multi-view workflow.
• Option of rotoscoping and python scripting.
• Supports different open-source plugins.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The user interface is quite advanced and needs some learning time.
• It gets unstable and slow while previewing high-resolution videos.

Part 4: Freemium and Freeware Video Editors

Freeware video editors are available completely free of cost and they are mostly exclusive to a certain operating system. On the other hand, freemium video editors have certain features completely free while it charges users a small fee for certain advanced features. Here is the list of the best freemium and freeware video editors.

# For Beginner Users

7. ActivePresenter

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: best video editing software for learning videos.

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

ActivePresenter from AtomiSystems is a video editor with screen recording options. The software is particularly useful in making and editing learning videos. There are different templates available for editing videos quickly. Besides, you can use the platform for standard editing options for any video.

Starting from working with multiple timelines to making videos interactive and responsive, there are various out-of-box features. Moreover, you can edit your audio and export your edited video in different file formats.

Reason to Choose:-

• Multiple timelines for editing various video and audio clips.
• Basic video and audio editing options and greenscreen effects.
• Webcam and screen recording with audio from different sources.
• Export videos with different file formats, HTML, xAPI, SCORM and much more.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The learning curve is slightly steep.
• Not suitable for editing all types of videos.

8. Microsoft Photos

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best built-in video editor for Windows users

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

Microsoft Photos is the inbuilt video editor for Windows users. The app comes pre-installed in Windows and it is mostly used for viewing photos. But there is an inbuilt video editor where you can do the basic video editing works.

You can trim a video, add texts, and apply 3D effects as well as different filters available. There are also options for rotating videos, applying background music and customizing audio. The user interface is very simple for all users.

Reason to Choose:-

• Instant basic video editing options available.
• Apply effects, filters, as well as music.
• Simple and intuitive user interface for everyone.
• Comes pre-installed and completely free of cost.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Very limited video editing options.
• Very limited video file formats supported.

9. iMovie

Compatibility: Mac

Best for: Best built-in video editor for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

iMovie is the inbuilt video editor for Mac users as it comes pre-installed on macOS. The application is free to use and it is compatible with iPhone and iPad as well. You can perform all the basic video editing works starting from trimming to rotating videos.

Besides, there is a wide range of effects and filters available to apply on your videos. The best part is that it supports editing 4K videos. There are also various graphical elements available and you can share your video easily on different platforms.

Reason to Choose:-

• Trim, rotate, split and crop videos easily.
• Work across Mac, iPhone and iPad seamlessly.
• Wide range of effects, filters, and objects available.
• Supports editing 4K videos without any lag.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks advanced editing options though it is a dedicated video editor.
• Supports very limited video file formats.

# For Advanced Users

10. Lightworks

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best for social media video creators

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

Lightworks is a freemium video editor where most features are reserved for premium users. If you are a social media creator or learning video creator, Lightworks Create is best for you. If you are a professional video creator, you should opt for Lightworks Pro.

The software supports almost all file formats, and you can export videos on social media instantly. The timeline is advanced with proxy editing, autosave and background processing features. You can share projects with your teammates and work collaboratively.

Reason to Choose:-

• Powerful and advanced timeline for quick editing.
• Motion graphics and tilting along with advanced metadata.
• Flexible user interface with proxy workflow and storyboard bin.
• Suitable for collaborating works and cloud storage.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Can crash while working with 4K videos.
• Limited options for advanced video editing.

11. VideoPad

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best video editor for short video creators.

G2 rating: 4.1 out of 5

VideoPad by NCH Software is an intuitive video editor that supports over 60 different video file formats. There are tools available for basic editing such as trimming and cropping. Besides, there are various effects and transitions available to apply on your video.

The video editor also lets you edit audio files and you can edit 360-degree videos as well. There are video stabilization and chroma key effect available. The video editor is available free for non-commercial use with certain limitations that you can overcome with its premium plan.

Reason to Choose:-

• Edit in Storybook or Timeline mode and perfect all basic editing works.
• Audio editing options with different audio effects.
• Add 3D video effects, special filters, and change video speed.
• Supports a wide range of video file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Can crash while editing 4K videos.
• Lacks advanced editing options.

12. VSDC Free Video Editor

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Free feature-rich video editing suite

G2 rating: 4.0 out of 5

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free suite that includes both video and audio editor. You can use the software for recording screen as well as voiceovers. The software is suitable for low-end computers as it is a lightweight application.

Apart from basic editing, you can edit 360 videos. Starting from color correction and zooming to split-screen effect and chroma key, it is full-fledged feature-rich software. For more advanced features, you can opt for VSDC Video Editor Pro version.

Reason to Choose:-

• Zooming, panning, and color correction options.
• Wide range of effects and filters present.
• Chrome key option as well as 360 degree video editing.
• Work with multiple layers and sync objects perfectly.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks advanced video editing options.
• No masking or video stabilization option available.

Part 5: Proprietary Video Editing Software

If you are a regular video creator and you want to invest in video editing to improve the quality of your video content, you have to opt for a proprietary video editing software. All professional video creators prefer proprietary video editing software over freeware and freemium video editors. Here are the best premium video videos with the most advanced video editing options.

# For Beginner Users

13. Filmora

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Best video editors for YouTubers and vloggers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Wondershare Filmora is a feature-rich video editor but an intuitive user interface. Therefore, it is perfectly suitable for beginners who want all the features and tools for advanced video editing without a steep learning curve. Filmora is also useful if you want to record screen or webcam video.

Starting from tons of video effects and transitions to a large stock library and graphical elements, Filmora is tailor-made for editing all types of videos. It also supports a wide range of file formats and you can edit 4K videos as well as audio files comfortably.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Reason to Choose:-

• Trim, split, join, crop and work with multiple video and audio clips.
• Large collection of video and audio effects, transitions, and graphical elements.
• Large stock library of free media files and animations.
• Work with multiple layers and clips effortlessly on its smooth timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

• The processing time for videos could be on the higher side.

14. Camtasia

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Teachers and students to edit tutorial videos

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

Camtasia by Techsmith is a premium video editor and it is equally popular as a video recorder. It is particularly useful for recording and editing tutorial videos as there are different templates available. Coming to video editing part, you can perform all the basic video editing works instantly.

There are various trendy effects, transitions, and presets available. You can remove green screen and apply different frames for video compatibility on different devices. Besides, you can upload the editing video different on different platforms instantly.

Reason to Choose:-

• Quick trimming, splitting, cropping options.
• Large collection of templates and presets.
• Wide range of effects, annotations, and transitions.
• Import, export, and share different file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

• No motion tracking option.
• Reports of frequent crashes.

15. Final Cut Pro

Compatibility: Mac only.

Best for: best professional video editors for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Final Cut Pro from Apple is an extremely popular premium video editor among professional video creators who are Mac users. It is a powerful and advanced video editor that can handle high resolution videos smoothly. It is a perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing features.

Starting from editing multicam and VR videos to 3D and 360 degree videos, Final Cut Pro is suitable for all. There are unlimited presets and effects present and you can edit 4K videos as well as large video files smoothly.

Reason to Choose:-

• Basic and advanced video and audio editing features.
• Supports editing all the different video types such as 3D, 4K, VR videos.
• Supports plug-ins, external tools and cinematic effects.
• Renders high resolution, large video files in short time.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Learning curve is quite steep.
• Pricing is on the higher side.

# For Beginner Users

16. Adobe Premiere Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: best professional video editing software for most people

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

Adobe Premiere Pro is the ultimate video editor in the professional video editing world. You get all the different advanced features of video editing packed in the application. Even though the learning curve is steep, Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most used video editors in professional video creation.

Adobe Premiere Pro supports all the different video file formats and you can edit various videos simultaneously. It is a perfect tool for editing a large video project collaboratively. It supports editing VR videos, 3D videos, as well as multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

• Standard and advanced editing options with quick rendering.
• Suitable for multi-tasking and collaborative work in video editing.
• Supports almost all types of videos and audio file formats.
• Flexible and configurable user interface and advanced timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Learning curve is very steep.
• Not suitable for low-end computers.

17. Vegas Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Video & audio editing for professionals

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

Vegas Pro from Sony is a professional video and audio editor. You can work with multiple video and audio files and you can choose from timeline or storyboard layout. In fact, there are options for nested timeline and multicam editing. The customized workflow and layouts make the application suitable for everyone.

You can enhance your video with its large collection of filters, effects, and titles. There are options for keyframing, scene detection, color correction, and light adjustments. The artificial intelligence makes editing faster with automation control.

Reason to Choose:-

• Powerful timeline and storyboard mode with keyframing.
• Advanced HDR color correction and grading.
• Artificial intelligence for quick and repeated editing.
• Multicam editing, motion tracking, and support for 3D videos.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Stability of the application is questionable.
• Pricing is steep and lacks tutorial guide.

18. Hitfilm Express

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: Best for video effects lovers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

Hitfilm Express is particularly popular for its unlimited video effects that make the video stand out easily. The user interface is quite simple to use, and you can apply effects to turn your raw video into professional video instantly. In fact, it has the largest VFX toolkit with industry-grade effects.

You can edit 4K videos, and there are options for motion tracking and video animations. You can also opt for color correction and grading. You can also edit vertical videos and upload them on social media platforms. You can also edit audio clips and use composting and layering features to enhance your video.

Reason to Choose:-

• Advanced timeline for better workflow.
• Standard and advanced video editing options.
• Largest collection of video effects of different categories.
• Color grading, correction, and free training and support.

Reason to Avoid:-

• Lacks green screen editing option.
• Rendering is not always swift.

Part 6: How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor?

The most important part of video editing is to choose the most suitable video editor for your videos. Here are some important factors to consider while choosing a video editor.

1. Budget and Price: If you are getting started, you can opt for a free video editor. But eventually, you have to go for a premium video editor if you are serious about video editing. You should opt for that video editor that fits your budget and offers more features for the price charged in comparison to its competitors.

2. Learning Curve: You should always opt for a video editor that has a low learning curve. If the video editor is complicated to operate, you will get frustrated, and you won’t be able to unlock the full potential of the video editor. Besides, you will have to lose a lot of time in learning and perfecting the usage of the application.

3. Stock Library: The video editor you are choosing must have a sizeable stock media library. A stock library is where you can find video clips and audio clips that are free to use for everyone. You can incorporate them into your video to enhance the content quality and bring variety to your audiences.

4. Audio control: Video editing is incomplete without proper audio editing. Your video editor should have a separate timeline for audio clips so that you can place them perfect to go in sync with the video clips. Some video editors have dedicated options for audio mixing and editing as per requirements.

5. upport video formats: Your video editor must support a wide range of video file formats that you have to include from time to time. If it supports only the popular file formats, you will not be able to include the interesting videos you may get from different sources which the video editor does not support.

6. Software stability: If you need to edit high-resolution videos, you have to ensure that the video editor you are choosing can stay stable throughout. There are many popular video editors available that become unstable while editing and rendering high-resolution videos. You have to read reviews to come to a conclusion about software stability.

7. Customer Support: Last but most importantly, your video editor must have a good customer support team. In your video editing journey, you will need the help of technical customer support to clarify issues related to the software so that you can excel in your video editing sessions.

Part 7: Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Here are some basic video editing tips that you should keep in mind while editing any video.

1. Try Tight Cuts: Your video should not be too long so that it gets boring for the viewers. Therefore, you have to make tight cuts which means you have to cut out pauses, gaps between dialogs, and anything that is unnecessary for viewers. If you think that tight cuts will take more time than usual, you can consider reshooting the part to save time.

2. Put The Story Before The Footage: When you are shooting a planned video, you must be shooting the video with multiple cameras from different angles. While editing and choosing the perfect angle for a certain video segment, you have to select the one that enhances the story you are telling through your video. For example, in an interview video, you should know when to emphasize and show close angles to capture the emotion of the speaker.

3. Chop Out Mistakes: The most basic work in video editing is to cut out the mistakes. This is because you are sure to make mistakes while shooting, and you will reshoot a lot of mistakes to correct them. Therefore, take your time to chop out mistakes but make sure that the video feels continuous, and if required, you can reshoot. To avoid mistakes in action, you can use different camera angles, blur portions, and bleep out certain words.

4. Learn to use color: Color correction and adjustment is a majorly neglected part of video editing that can make your video different from others. When you are shooting in outdoor conditions, the color of the video could get disturbed depending on the color of your dress as well as your surrounding. While editing, you need to correct them so that the video looks visually pleasing to the eyes.

5. Cut to music: Audio plays a very important role in any video, and hence, you should not neglect it. Always opt for a video editor that has a good collection of stock music so that you can apply them to your video in appropriate places. Music helps to break the monotony and grab the attention of the audience instantly.

6. Back up your work: It takes hours to shoot a video but only a second to lose it. Instead of blindingly relying on your storage device, you should take back up of your work on multiple devices. Taking backup in the cloud storage area is the best option as you can access your work from anywhere.

Part 8: Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor

What is the best video editor?

Wondershare Filmora is the best video editor as it has the perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing options. The user interface is intuitive and easy to operate for every video creator.

What editor do YouTubers use on PC?

The most commonly used video editors by YouTubers are Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and Filmora. Unless you are a pro in video editing, we recommend Filmora and Shotcut for your YouTube videos.

How can I edit videos for free?

If you are a Windows user, you can use Microsoft Photos and Openshot for editing your videos for free. For Mac users, iMovie is the best free video editor with balanced features.

Does Windows 10 have a free video editor?

Yes, Windows 10 does come with a free video editor and it is called Microsoft Photos. You can edit your photos and videos with the application.

Is Filmora Free?

No, Filmora is a premium video editor. However, you can download its free trial version to understand its features and functionalities. Thereafter, you can purchase its premium plan as per your suitability.

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