Do You Want to Stream and Record at the Same Time but Can’t Find an Easy Solution? This Guide Will Help You Get This Done Using Three Easy-to-Follow Methods

The popularity of live streaming has exploded recently. A live stream is simply a video broadcast in real-time over the internet. It’s a great way to connect with people directly, whether for a gaming session, a cooking show, or a Q&A.

Many reasons are there for which why you might want to live stream and record at the same time. For instance, keep a record of your gameplay or stream highlights for future editing or use your live stream to generate content for your YouTube channel.

Whatever your reasons, this article will show you how to do live streaming and recording at the same time using three different methods.

Way 1. Use OBS To Stream And Record Video At The Same Time

OBS, or Open Broadcaster Software, is a free and open-source tool that allows you to stream and record video at the same time, which can be useful if you want to live-stream your gameplay on Twitch or record a tutorial for YouTube.

Key Features of OBS

• Compatible with Mac OS X, Linux, and Windows operating systems.
• Requires at least 4 GB of storage space and an Intel i5 2000-series processor or higher DirectX 10 capable graphics card.
• High-performance video capturing and mixing in real-time.
• With Custom Transitions, you can set up an unlimited number of scenes you can switch between seamlessly.
• Intuitive audio mixer.
• Easy-to-use and simple configuration options.

Steps

Here’s an easy and quick guide on how to use OBS Studio to stream and record videos simultaneously:

Step1 Download OBS Studio from the official website and install it on your computer or laptop.

Step2 Launch OBS Studio and go to the Settings menu. Find the Recording section under the Output tab.

Step3 Click “Start Recording” to manually start the recording or head to the General Tab and checkmark the box before “Automatically Record When Streaming.”

Step4 Finally, click “Apply” to save your settings. Now when you start your stream, the recording will also begin simultaneously.

Way 2. Use Twitch To Save Your Streams

Twitch is the most popular and best live streaming platform that allows gamers to broadcast their gameplay to a live audience and also gives them the ability to save their past broadcasts, or “streams.”

This feature can be useful to save your live stream for later viewing or share your stream with someone who missed it.

Features

Twitch offers a variety of features that make it a unique and powerful game streaming platform. Some of the most notable ones are:

• Live streaming: Twitch allows gamers to share their gameplay in real-time with other gamers around the world. This live aspect of the platform makes it unique and engaging.
• Social interaction: Twitch offers a variety of features that allow gamers to connect with each other, including chat rooms, forums, and user-generated content.

You can save your stream on Twitch in two ways:

• Use the “Highlights” feature, which allows you to save specific moments from your live stream.
• Download your stream’s entire VOD (video on demand) after it has ended.

Steps

Here are the quick steps to saving a stream on your PC from Twitch. But first, you need to enable Twitch VODs before starting your broadcast in the following way:

Step1 Visit Twitch and sign in to your account. Now, click the “Profile” icons and go to “Creator Dashboard.”

Step2 Head to Setting from the left-sidebar and click the “Stream” option. Scroll down and find the VOD Settings. Toggle the buttons next to “Store Past Broadcasts.”

Step3 To publish your VODs instantly after broadcasting, toggle the button next to “Always Publish VODs.”

Now, to download the recordings of your broadcasts to your PC, do the following steps in sequence:

Step1 Head to the Creator Dashboard, find the “Content” section in the left sidebar, and click “Video Producer.”

Step2 Find the stream (VOD or Highlights) you want to download and on the right side, click the three dots.

Step3 Finally, click the “Download” option and let Twitch prepare your video. You will then get the stream’s recording in MP4 format.

Way 3. Use Screen Recorder To Record Your Streams

Using a screen recorder is a great way to record your live stream because it lets you capture the full screen of your PC. Although there are many different screen recorders to choose from, we recommend using Filmora.

Wondershare Filmora is a powerful editor with easy-to-use screen recording capabilities, giving you everything you need to record and stream your video at the same time. The software is free to use and has an intuitive interface.

Features of Filmora

• Support for both Mac OS X and Windows operating systems.
• Ability to record your PC screen, audio, and webcam all at once
• A variety of video editing features
• An easy-to-use interface

Steps

Here’s how to use Filmora for recording while streaming:

Step1 Head to the official Filmora website, download the software and install it on your PC.

Step2 Launch Filmora 11 and click “New project” in the main interface. Click “File” from the top toolbar and scroll down to “Record media.” From the drop-down menu, select “Record PC Screen.”

Step3 A new “Wondershare Screen Recorder” window will pop up. You can set up a full screen, custom or target screen recording, speaker, and microphone settings. If you want more Settings, click the drop-down icon.

Step4 Click the Start icon to begin your recording. Afterward, click the Stop icon to stop the recording, and your stream will be saved in the selected destination.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve discussed three step-by-step methods to help you do live streaming and recording at the same time. With these solutions at your disposal, you’ll be able to save your VODs with ease.

It is best to choose only one software to start with to avoid the time-consuming trial-and-error process. If you want to add another tool, do so later; otherwise, you will waste your precious time and resources.

Give these methods a shot, and eventually, you will find your groove—and become accustomed to just how easy it is to record and stream a video simultaneously.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

What Is the Best Frame Rate for 4K Videos?

People in the videography ad filmmaking world use complicated terminology like Ultra High Def to describe 4K videos. Even though you are not a complete stranger to the term 4K, you might still be unaware of what it means.

In a nutshell, 4K is the highest resolution you can watch your movies and videos. The details are incredibly crisp, meaning you can see pimples or the pores on an actor’s face through the screen. However, the frame rate will significantly affect how you enjoy a 4K video. Therefore, it would be wise to learn how to choose the ideal frame rate to suit your needs.

Keep reading this article to learn more about frame rates and which is suitable for a 4K video.

How Do Frame Rates Affect Video Viewing?

The motion will appear smoother if your video contains more frames per second. Even though your viewers are not tech-savvy, they will definitely notice the difference.

Consider a video of a duck drinking water from a pond. If you film and playback the same video in 24, 30, and 60fps, you will see a noticeable difference, assuming your shutter speed is set according to the 180-degree shutter rule.

If you are filming quicker motions of wildlife and birds, you are better off sticking to higher resolutions to give the viewer a pleasant experience and ensure the motion is fluid.

On the other hand, lower frame rates like 24fps are ideal for human movements, which are not as smooth as wildlife. Suppose you used 60fps for a cinematic film or a TV show. The video would look a bit odd because that is not how we see things in the natural world. In addition, your viewers aren’t used to such smoothness.

Viewing Requirements of 4K Videos

You may have heard about 4K videos and wondered what people mean by that term. In simple terms, a 4K video is a high-resolution video that is four times the usual 1080p HD video. When it comes to 4K videos, there are two standard resolutions. One of them is the standard for Digital Cinema which is 4096*2160 pixels. The other is for television and is 3840*2160 pixels.

To stream 4K content, you need a bandwidth between 10 and 20 Mbps. On the other hand, streaming platforms like Netflix require higher bandwidths of not less than 15 Mbps. In addition to the bandwidth we mentioned earlier, you need a 4KTV or 4K monitor.

This specification was brought up at the UHD Alliance, a union of more than 50 tech companies working together to support 4K content. Tech companies ought to ensure the devices they produce are compatible with 4K videos, which are becoming increasingly popular.

Below is a list of requirements any electronic device should fulfill before being termed a 4KTV or 4K monitor.

• A resolution of not less than 3840*2160.
• A 10-bit color depth that allows for 1,024 shades of red, yellow, and blue.
• A high dynamic range for color accuracy.
• An excellent combination of black level and peak brightness. The peak brightness should not exceed 1,000 nits, and the black level shouldn’t go below 0.5 nits. Alternatively, the peak brightness shouldn’t exceed 540 nits; neither should the black level plummet below 0.0005 nits.

Best Frame Rate for 4K Video

We all know that the frame rate you choose for your video will significantly impact the viewer’s experience and the overall style of your video. The frame rate will also affect how the video looks. For instance, a frame rate lower than 24fps will make your video look unprofessional and of poor quality. The content will also flicker because there aren’t many still images per second.

On the other hand, a lower FPS causes the file size to be smaller, causing it to consume a lower bandwidth. The vice versa is also true. Now that you understand these facts, you might wonder which frame rate would be best for your 4K videos.

Research reveals that the most acceptable frame rate is 30fps and 60fps. This is because the motion will appear natural to the human eye without being too fast or unrealistic.

If you are wondering what is the best frame rate for 4k videos, we urge you to select 60fps because it contains more detail. The higher frame rate also makes the motion look very smooth and crisp. Perhaps you want to shoot a slow-motion video. In that case, an even higher frame rate of 120fps would be ideal.

How To Choose The Base Frame Rates for Your Next Video

Choosing a frame rate for your videos is not complicated. However, it is not a straightforward process either. There are numerous moving parts that ought to work harmoniously for your video to turn out perfect and guarantee your audience will have a pleasant viewing experience. Before we dive into choosing the best frame rate for your 4K videos, let’s help you understand the filmmaking process.

Most filmmakers and videographers see it fit to shoot videos in 120p or 4K. This step makes their work easier during the editing process. If the raw footage is in 4K, they can de-emphasize or retain specific plot points that would look great in the final video. However, not everyone is shooting a video for Hollywood. Therefore, shooting in 4K on your laptop for your YouTube channel might be difficult.

Below are some factors you should consider when choosing the best frame rate for a 4k video.

File size

Shooting your video at a higher frame rate means more still images are packed into a single second of the video. Therefore, you will end up with a larger file size. If you want to shoot a video for your YouTube channel, it would be wise to stick to a smaller frame rate.

Purpose

It wouldn’t make sense to shoot a talking head video at more than 24fps. However, a higher frame rate would be ideal for a travel vlog, where the details need to be crisp.

Medium of delivery

The standard frame rate for television is 24fps. On the other hand, it would be best to stick to a higher frame rate of 60fps if you intend to shoot content for the silver screen.

Motion in the video

Lastly, the movement within the video will play a massive role in the frame rate you choose. The faster the motion, the higher the frame rate needs to be. For instance, action movies don’t do well in frame rates of less than 60 fps.

How To Set the Frame Rate of Your Editing Tools

Even though you didn’t use the ideal frame rate for 4k video during filming, you could use an editing tool to tweak the frame rate to where you need it to be. In our opinion, Wondershare Filmora is an excellent editing tool to set the ideal frame rate and take your videos to the next level.

Wondershare Filmora is a feature-rich platform that takes the tedium out of editing your videos and makes the outcome look spectacular. People won’t believe you when you say you edited the video yourself!

The platform is user-friendly, eliminating the need for a learning curve. You also don’t need to be an experienced editor or graphic designer to use this platform. Here is a list of nifty features you might find helpful on this platform.

• GIF support
• Audio equalizer
• Advanced text editing
• Noise removal
• Scene detection
• Audio mixer
• Color tuning

Out of all the wonderful features mentioned above, we will zero in on 4K editing support for now. You can use this feature to edit and export videos up to 4K without breaking a sweat.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Wondershare Filmora allows you to customize your 4K videos by zooming in on a particular scene, tilting the video, or incorporating panning to give it a serene effect. We guarantee you will have fun using this platform and will get better at creating exquisite 4K content for your channel.

Below is a simple guide on using Wondershare Filmora to set the 4k video frame rate.

Step1 Launch the platform on your device and select the “File” tab. After a drop-down menu appears, select “Project Settings.”

Step2 In the dialogue box, select “Frame Rate” and choose the frame rate you think is ideal for your video.

Step3 Click “OK” and edit the videos as you like.

Conclusion

4K is the trend of the era, and it would be a shame if you got left behind. The viewer’s expectations are rising steadily, and they would rather skip your video to watch another if the quality is not up to par. In addition to giving you a competitive edge, 4K videos are very crisp and allow you to enjoy deep, vibrant colors.

You can also capture still photos from the video without compromising on quality. We can go on and on about the benefits of adopting 4K resolution in your videos. Therefore, it would be wise to increase your knowledge base and learn everything there is to know about 4K videos and how to set the best frame rates.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Wondershare Filmora allows you to customize your 4K videos by zooming in on a particular scene, tilting the video, or incorporating panning to give it a serene effect. We guarantee you will have fun using this platform and will get better at creating exquisite 4K content for your channel.

Below is a simple guide on using Wondershare Filmora to set the 4k video frame rate.

Step1 Launch the platform on your device and select the “File” tab. After a drop-down menu appears, select “Project Settings.”

Step2 In the dialogue box, select “Frame Rate” and choose the frame rate you think is ideal for your video.

Step3 Click “OK” and edit the videos as you like.

Conclusion

4K is the trend of the era, and it would be a shame if you got left behind. The viewer’s expectations are rising steadily, and they would rather skip your video to watch another if the quality is not up to par. In addition to giving you a competitive edge, 4K videos are very crisp and allow you to enjoy deep, vibrant colors.

You can also capture still photos from the video without compromising on quality. We can go on and on about the benefits of adopting 4K resolution in your videos. Therefore, it would be wise to increase your knowledge base and learn everything there is to know about 4K videos and how to set the best frame rates.

Searching for the Best Video Editor to Make Your Video More Attractive? This Article Introduce You Everything About Choosing a Video Editing Software

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.

Steps to Create Green Screen Videos in After Effects

You’ll probably get the finest results in After Effects out of all the editing programs. Working with green screen footage in After Effects can be done in a variety of ways. Utilizing a built-in preset that combines three effects is advised by Adobe. Due to its ability to deliver speedy (and typically excellent) outcomes, this strategy is great for both beginners and specialists. We’ll demonstrate how to do easily for you.

Let’s start off!

1. Importing your footage

After you have imported your material into the After Effects project, you should next create a new composition using the footage. In the following stage, you have the option of either adding each plugin one at a time or doing it all at once. You may find them grouped together as Keylight, Key Cleaner, and Advanced Spill Suppressor in the Animation Presets box, which is located under the “Image Utilities” heading.

2. Remove the green color

After Effects users can get rid of a green screen by going to the “Animation Presets” window, searching for the “Keylight” preset, dragging, and dropping it over the clip, and then shifting their focus to the “Effects Controls” window. Make sure the Screen Colour is set to the color of your screen’s background (which, in this case, is green). You may do this with the color selector.

3. Clean up the shot

You have no doubt observed that some of the remaining parts do not have the correct keying installed in them. In order to get rid of them, you need to put the view into the Combined Matte mode and turn the Screen Gain up a notch.

Because everything that is not transparent is turned white by Combined Matte, any remaining debris can be seen very clearly after it has been applied. After you have finished cleaning the frame, you should change the view to Intermediate Result. Your footage may become contaminated with artifacts if the Final Result view is inadvertently switched on.

You can go to the “Screen Matte” area if you feel like the frame still needs more tweaking after you’ve applied the previous ones. You can accomplish that with the assistance of Clip Black and Clip White. Feel free to turn the Clip Black dial all the way to the right and turn the Clip White dial to the left. You can also adjust the other settings, if necessary, but based on my observations, everything should be working properly at this point.

The Bottom Line

After completing this lesson, you should have a better understanding of what a chroma key is, how to get rid of a green screen in After Effects, and how to adjust some settings if something goes wrong. Keep in mind that if the footage is not captured properly, you will not be able to successfully key out the green screen in the final video. Extra caution should be taken with the lights, and spills should be avoided at all costs!

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

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