Today’s video editing software is incredibly powerful. You can create professional-quality, Hollywood-quality videos on your computer if you use the right software. Basic video editing tasks, such as trimming and splitting frames, adding text and art overlays, and adding animated clips, are now standard in almost all video editing programs. Today’s best video editing software competes with features like 3D editing, speed, and the number of special effects available.
It’s important to know what features to look for when comparing different video editing software options on the market. We’ve put together this guide to what to look for in the best video editing software for those who aren’t sure which software is best for their needs.
Ease of Use
One of the most important factors when choosing a video editing software is ease of use, compared to the program’s features. Some video editing tools are simpler and easier to use. On the one hand, this makes them less powerful, but it also means that beginners can create simple movies without difficulty. Corel VideoStudio focuses on making movie editing easier for new users, and Adobe Premiere Elements takes a similar approach, offering ease of use through advanced features.
If you’re looking for powerful features but don’t yet have much experience with video editing, we recommend programs like HitFilm or CyberLink PowerDirector, which include an extensive library of tutorials and videos. You can also manage it yourself if you choose a program with an intuitive interface, such as Apple iMovie.
Users with experience in video editing can probably handle the less common interfaces of advanced programs like VSDC Free Video Editor and Shotcut, both of which offer extremely comprehensive features, as well as complex and sophisticated interfaces. If you decide to use a professional program but don’t have any prior video editing experience, a program like Adobe Premiere Pro, which has an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, good tutorials, and a wide range of features, will likely be helpful.
Price
Today’s video editing programs range in price from free to premium. Not all “free” video editing programs are actually free. Many claim to be free, but reserve most of their features for paid users or include watermarks on footage. However, iMovie, Shotcut, and Apple’s Blender are among the completely free programs you can use. Blender is open source, so you can be sure that it’s free.
Other programs have both free and paid versions, such as HitFilm, which offers a free basic version and a premium version for $349 for use on up to three computers. You can also pay to buy additional tools in addition to the free basic version. It is important to note that there are mostly free programs, such as VSDC Free Video Editor, which offers the complete software for free, but you have to pay to get technical support.
If you decide to pay for video editing software, you can also choose to purchase it with a one-time license, such as Corel VideoStudio or Adobe Premiere Elements, which cost $99.99 each, or with an ongoing monthly subscription, such as Adobe Premiere Pro.
Operating System
Obviously, you’ll want to make sure you choose a video editing program that’s compatible with your operating system. Some options, such as Adobe Premiere Elements, are truly cross-platform. If you’re using Linux, your options will likely be more limited, but Avidemux, Blender, and Shotcut are still available to you, as well as Windows and Mac users. It’s worth noting that Apple’s iMovie only works on Macs, while VSDC Free Video Editor is designed exclusively for Windows devices.
Speed of Performance
The more features your video editing program offers, the more likely it is to run slowly unless you’re using a very powerful computer. You may not mind waiting a while for videos to load or play; in fact, it’s pretty much to be expected. However, some programs, like HitFilm, require a more powerful device to use without frustration, while others, like CyberLink PowerDirector and Corel VideoStudio, are faster.
Supported Video File Formats
Another point to consider is which file formats a particular video editing program supports. This applies to both the formats you can use when uploading a video to the program and the output formats. Finally, it’s important to make sure that the editing program can open the format used by your digital camera. If you want to get feedback on the video or use it in presentations or marketing campaigns, you’ll also need a program that can export the final content in the format you need.
Fortunately, most programs can import and export many different file formats. Many programs even support the 4K XAVC-S format, such as Adobe Premiere Elements, Corel VideoStudio, CyberLink PowerDirector, and more. The export formats offered by Avidemux include AVI, DVD, MPEG, MP4, and QuickTime, to name a few.
Features
One of the most important aspects of video editing software is its versatility. This is also the most fun part. Some video editing programs, such as Blender or Adobe Premier Pro, include hundreds of features, so many that we couldn’t list them all. However, these are some of the most common features you should look for when comparing video editing programs.
All video editing programs have special effects, from a few filters to dozens of advanced effects such as smoke, selective effects, motion tracking, transparency, and more.
Chroma keying, also known as green screen, allows you to create exotic backgrounds and seamlessly place your characters in a wide range of unexpected locations. Simply select the chroma key options and select your preferred background.
Color correction and adjustment tools allow you to adjust brightness, hue, and saturation levels, sometimes to an extremely complex level. Adobe Premiere Pro offers the Lumetri Color tool, which provides Photoshop-level color correction for your videos.
Multi-camera functionality is becoming increasingly popular in video editing software. It allows you to work on and combine multiple camera angles simultaneously, although each program supports a different number of streams.
3D editing is another popular option, as well as editing 360-degree videos in new and popular video formats.
Create Professional Videos with Video Editing Software
Whether you’re a vlogger, a marketing professional, an avid home video creator, or just want to have fun experimenting with video effects, you can find video editing software that fits your experience level, budget, and device.
