Which is best video editor for YouTube?

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that those who attract the most views on video-sharing platforms are also earning top dollars for it too. With nearly 90 million YouTube subscribers, user MrBeast earned $54 million from his video content last year alone.

It’s not just YouTube that’s attracting large audiences—and money—for its addictive video content, however. TikTok stars Charli and Dixie D’Amelio earned a combined $27.5 million thanks to their regular video content on the platform.

The 10 Best Video Editing Softwares for YouTubers

1. Adobe Premiere Pro

2. Shotcut

3. Apple iMovie

4. Filmora

5. Lightworks

6. Final Cut Pro X

7. CyberLink PowerDirector 365

8. Pinnacle Studio

9. HitFilm

10. Corel VideoStudio Ultimate

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1. Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most popular video editing software on the market. It's used by everyone from professional filmmakers to YouTubers, as it allows you to edit and create videos with ease. It was developed by Adobe Inc. and launched in 2003.

Pros

• The interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, which makes it perfect for beginners who are just starting out on YouTube.

• The availability of a wide variety of effects and animations makes it possible to create professional-looking videos with ease.

• You can add multiple tracks to your videos, and you can also add effects on each track. This gives you more control over the final product.

• You can add music from your own library or purchase it directly from the app.

• Adobe Premiere Pro works with other Adobe software like After Effects and Photoshop. This makes it easy to use these programs together and keep them organized in one place.

Cons

• Adobe Premiere Pro is fast enough for most people's needs, but there are faster options available if you need something quicker than what this program offers.

• The software requires a subscription to use, which can be expensive.

• If you're not familiar with Adobe Premiere Pro already, it can take some time to get used to before your videos start looking good.

What it’s best for

Adobe Premiere Pro is our top option for those looking for more advanced YouTube video editing software. Despite its premium price, it provides outstanding value for money due to its in-depth collection of features, making it the perfect all-rounder for those serious about creating high-quality videos.

Pricing

• Premiere Pro Single App: $20.99

• Adobe Creative Cloud - All Apps: $52.99

• Adobe Creative Cloud - Students and Teachers: $52.99

• Adobe Creative Cloud - Business: $79.99

TrustRadius score: 8.9 out of 10

2. Shotcut

Shotcut is a free, open-source, cross-platform video editor for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Its purpose is to make it easier for users to edit video and audio files and turn them into high-quality final products.

Pros

• Shotcut is available for Windows and Mac computers, and it's compatible with most major video formats. It also supports many audio formats, including MP3 and FLAC.

• Shotcut has an intuitive interface that's easy to learn, so you can get started with your first project right away.

• It comes with a wide range of features, including image stabilization, chroma keying, and 3D animations.

• It also has dozens of built-in filters and transitions that you can apply to your videos.

Cons

• No previews for effects and transitions.

• Less intuitive than commercial applications.

What it’s best for

Shotcut is best for people who want a simple editing experience without all the bells and whistles of more expensive options. It's not as powerful as some other options out there, but if you're looking for something quick and easy to use, Shotcut should do the trick.

Pricing

Free

TechRadar score: 4 out of 5 stars

3. Apple iMovie

iMovie is a free video editing program available for iOS and macOS. It's made exclusively for Apple devices including the iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 4, Mac, and iPod 4. It allows you to import your favorite clips into a timeline, add music and sound effects, add titles and transitions, and then export it to share on social media or with friends and family.

Pros

• It’s free to use and comes preinstalled on Apple products.

• Easy sharing options allow you to upload directly to YouTube or share over email with just one click.

• The interface is very simple and easy to use. Even beginners can learn how to use it quickly and easily.

• It allows you to import images and soundtracks from your computer and add them to your video project easily.

Cons

• It doesn't work on Windows computers or Android phones/tablets.

• While it's free, there are many limitations compared to more expensive programs like Adobe Premiere Pro, which have more advanced features like motion tracking, color correction tools, and advanced audio mixing options available within the same program (versus having separate plugins).

What it’s best for

If you're just looking for a tool that will allow you to trim clips, add transitions between them, and add music, then this tool should work just fine for what you need. For more advanced video editing capabilities, however, you will benefit from software with greater functionality (like Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Prem

iere Pro).

Pricing

Free

TrustRadius score: 8.7 out of 10

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4. Filmora

Filmora is a video editing software from Wondershare. It enables you to quickly and effortlessly produce any form of professional film or movie with various visual and audio effects.

Pros

• Filmora has a library of over 100 pre-made templates for you to choose from.

• You can also create stories with Fimora, which allows you to string multiple clips together into one seamless project for a more fluid viewing experience.

• The layout of the program is easy to understand and navigate, so even beginners will feel comfortable using it.

• The automatic color correction feature makes it easy to correct the color balance in your video footage automatically, so you don't have to spend time manually adjusting each shot.

Cons

• All of your videos in the free edition will have a brand watermark on them.

• You need to upgrade to gain access to features such as keyframing, speed ramping, and 4K output.

What it’s best for

Filmora’s ease of use and variety of features makes it great for both beginner and more experienced video editors alike. The free trial allows users to test out the software and become comfortable with using it, however, you will need to upgrade to the Annual or Perpetual plan to take advantage of more advanced—yet necessary—features.

Pricing

• Free Plan: $0

• Annual Plan: $49.99 USD

• Perpetual Plan (lifetime access): $79.99

TrustRadius score: 8.0 out of 10

5. Lightworks

Lightworks is a video editing software that has been around for over 20 years. It's free, open-source, and cross-platform, which means it can be used on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.

Pros

• The interface is intuitive, making it easy to use even if you are new to video editing.

• The software has a robust set of tools, including color correction, white balance and gamma correction sliders, video stabilization options, and audio mixing capabilities, as well as a full suite of effects such as transitions and titles.

• Lightworks supports many different types of video formats, including AVI, MPEG2, MPEG4, and QuickTime.

• It's great at handling large files, so if you have a large amount of footage or high-resolution video clips, Lightworks will be able to handle them easily.

Cons

• There isn't much documentation available about how specific features work within Lightworks itself. Despite the easy-to-use interface, users may still struggle with some of the more advanced features if they don't know how they work beforehand.

• While the free version is still quite advanced, it doesn’t let you export to 1080p or above.

What it’s best for

Lightworks is an excellent choice for low- or no-budget projects who still want the robust set of video editing tools required to create professional-looking videos at home without spending thousands of dollars on expensive equipment.

Pricing

• Free version: $0

• Lightworks Create: $9.99 USD/month

• Lightworks Pro: $23.99 USD/month

TrustRadius score: 9.8 out of 10

6. Final Cut Pro X

Final Cut Pro X is a video editing software used by professionals and amateurs alike. It was developed by Apple in 1999 and can be used with any Mac OS X operating system.

Pros

• Final Cut Pro X is designed to be simple enough for anyone to pick up and start using right away, even if you don't have any previous experience with video editing software.

• You'll be able to do everything from simple edits like adding text or music to more advanced ones like color correction and motion effects. You can also take advantage of effects like transitions between clips and 3D titles/texts that are animated in real-time as they come into view on screen.

• Final Cut Pro X allows you to import multiple video files at once into one project, so you don't have to sit there and import each one individually.

Cons

• It's one of the more expensive video editing software available.

• It's only compatible with MAC operating systems.

What it’s best for

This software is used by many professionals in the film industry who need to be able to quickly create high-quality videos for their productions. Its high cost makes it more suitable for those who create and edit videos on a full-time basis, rather than hobbyists or beginner YouTubers.

Pricing

One-time fee of $299 USD.

TrustRadius score: 8.8 out of 10

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7. CyberLink PowerDirector 365

The goal of CyberLink's PowerDirector 365 video editing software is to balance user-friendliness with superior editing. It’s available for both Windows and MAC systems.

Pros

• Clean and intuitive interface.

• It contains more than 100 audio and video editing functions. Even inexperienced users can produce stunning slideshows, 3D animated titles, professional themes, and subtitles.

• Even when a user has numerous levels to render, it's able to render these within just minutes (not hours, like other programs).

• It’s capable of editing 360-degree videos in the most sophisticated way.

• It allows users to target a variety of platforms and audiences because it supports practically all audio and video formats.

Cons

• Its color matching feature could do with improvement.

• Numerous users have experienced unanticipated issues, such as bugs or the software occasionally crashing.

What it’s best for

CyberLink PowerDirector 365 might be more affordable than some of the better-known video editing software, such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro X, however, it contains just as many—if not more—features that both beginner and advanced video editors will love. This makes it the perfect all-rounder video editing software, no matter what video project you’re working on.

Pricing

• Monthly plan: $19.99 USD/month

• Annual plan: $69.99 USD/year

TrustRadius score: 7.4 out of 10

8. Pinnacle Studio

Originally created by Pinnacle Systems, Pinnacle Studio is a video editing program containing a wide range of features and tools to support budding videographers.

Pros

• The timeline feature makes it easy for beginners to get started with video editing because you can easily see where everything goes in your timeline without having to think about it too much.

• The Pinnacle Studio website includes detailed tutorials that walk users through all aspects of the software, including how to shoot footage with their phones and how to upload it onto YouTube.

• You can choose from multiple themes when creating your video project, which makes it easier for YouTubers who want their projects to match the visual style of other content they may have created using the software.

• Cheaper, one-time pricing allows for great value for money.

Cons

• Despite its affordability, Pinnacle Studio isn't as robust as other programs on the market, particularly for more advanced editing tasks like color correction or motion tracking.

• It also doesn't allow users to mix multiple tracks together into one song or voiceover track.

What it’s best for

Pinnacle Studio is best for YouTubers, social media influencers, and startups who want to produce high-quality videos but can't afford subscription-based software like Adobe Premiere Pro. Pinnacle Studio comes with many advanced features, making it suitable for beginner and intermediate video editors. However, professional video editors will find some features to be lacking.

Pricing

• Studio: $54.95 USD

• Studio Plus: $89.95

• Studio Ultimate: $109.95

TrustRadius score: 10.0 out of 10

9. HitFilm

HitFilm is a free video editing and visual effects software from the makers of FXhome. With the help of high-quality VFX tools, it helps you create amazing video content—including explainer videos, promotions, movies, and gaming videos—with ease.

Pros

• HitFilm offers a lot of great features in its free version, including 4K support and more than 100 effects and transitions.

• It provides support for workflows at all levels of editing, from entry-level to expert. This includes speedy tutorials, premade templates that make it simple to generate content, and a wide range of additional options like filters.

• HitFilm is compatible with both Windows and MAC operating systems.

• It supports both 360-degree and 4K video.

Cons

• The user interface might be confusing at first glance.

• You will need to pay additional fees to unlock more advanced functionality.

What it’s best for

HitFilm is a great alternative to more expensive video editing software, as it has all of the features you'd expect from a high-end video editing program—such as motion tracking, compositing, and green screen—but it also contains some unique extras that make it stand out from the crowd.

Pricing

It is free, but you can pay a small price to unlock more features and add-on packs.

TechRadar score: 4 out of 5 stars

10. Corel VideoStudio Ultimate

Corel VideoStudio is a video editing software package compatible with Microsoft Windows. It features a wide range of powerful tools designed to make video editing a breeze.

Pros

• It doesn't take long to learn how to use this program, as the interface is intuitive and easy to navigate.

• It's affordable. With the price of this software, you can get many of the same features as more expensive programs without having to pay a premium.

• Corel VideoStudio Ultimate also offers support for multiple languages and allows users to work on projects together, even if they’re not connected online at the same time.

• It comes with hundreds of effects and filters that allow you to customize your videos in countless ways.

• Excellent customer support. The company provides 24/7 technical support via email or phone.

Cons

• It doesn't support high-quality video formats like AVCHD and XDCAM files, but they can be converted using other programs before you import them into Corel VideoStudio Ultimate.

• While the software does have some great features like auto-grading and motion tracking, it lacks some other features that more experienced users may require, such as keyframing or advanced compositing tools like keying.

What it’s best for

Corel VideoStudio’s simplicity makes it more suitable for beginner video editors than advanced ones. It offers a wide range of basic features that allow YouTubers to create high-quality videos at a more affordable price than subscription-based video editing software.

Pricing

• Pro: $79.99 USD

• Ultimate: $99.99 USD

TrustRadius score: 9.4 out of 10

Best Video Editing Software FAQs

What is the best free video editing software?

Shotcut, Apple iMovie, Filmora, Lightworks, and HitFilm all offer free versions of their video editing software, along with a set of helpful features to help you create high-quality videos.

What is the best video editing software for beginners?

Corel VideoStudio, Pinnacle Studio, CyberLink PowerDirector 365, and Shotcut are all great options for those just starting out in video editing, particularly due to their ease of use, customer support, and beginner-targeted features.

Can you edit your videos alone professionally? 

While the software listed in this article makes it possible for you to edit your videos by yourself, some require a steep learning curve or an expensive subscription. Therefore, if you’re lacking in professional video editing experience, you can consider hiring the services of a freelance video editor to get the job done instead.

What do most YouTubers use to edit their videos?

According to many of the YouTuber forums, Final Cut Pro, iMovie, and Premiere Pro appear to be the software of choice for many YouTubers. iMovie is widely used since it comes pre-installed on Apple devices and offers most of what you need to accomplish basic video editing.

Tips for Video Editing

• Use the right software for your needs. You'll need a program that can edit both audio and video, as well as one that allows you to add special effects like transitions or filters.

• Don't overdo it with the effects, as too many filters or titles can make your video look cheap and unprofessional. When in doubt, always try to keep it simple.

• Use transitions that match up with the rhythm of your speech or music (if applicable). If your transitions are too abrupt, it will look like one clip just cuts into another without any natural segue. If your transitions are too subtle, they might not even be noticed at all.

• Make sure your audio levels are balanced throughout the whole video. If some parts sound louder than others (like when there's music playing over dialogue), use equalizers to adjust them.

• Use B-roll sparingly, and always make sure it's relevant to the story you're telling.

• Try cutting down on unnecessary shots, as well as cutting back on how many times you repeat yourself in order to make sure each clip is only as long as it needs to be for its purpose in the final product.

• Don’t be afraid to hire the services of a professional video editorif you’re lacking in time or experience.It could be the best investment you make for increasing your YouTube success.

Take Your Video Editing to the Next Level

It’s no secret that video editing is an art form. It takes skill, patience, and a whole lot of trial and error to get it right. With the perfect software on-hand, however, creating high-quality and engaging YouTube videos can be a simple and fun process.

Which video editor do YouTubers use?

Which software is best for YouTube editing?