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 will be free.
Other programs have free and paid versions, such as HitFilm, which offers a free basic program 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’s important to note that some mostly free programs, such as VSDC Free Video Editor, offer the full software for free, but you have to pay for technical support.
If you decide to pay for video editing software, you can also choose between purchasing the software with a one-time license, such as Corel VideoStudio or which cost $99.99, 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, like Adobe Premiere Elements, are truly cross-platform. If you’re using Linux, your options are likely 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 be slow unless you’re using a very powerful computer. You may not mind waiting a while for videos to load or play; in fact, that’s pretty much to be expected. However, some programs, such as HitFilm, require a more powerful device to use without frustration, while others, such as CyberLink PowerDirector and Corel VideoStudio, are faster.
Supported Video File Formats
Another point to consider is which file formats are supported by the video editing program. This applies to both the formats you can use when uploading the video to the program and the output formats. Finally, it is important to make sure that your editing program is compatible with 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 will also need a program that can export the final video 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, including 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 features you’ll look for in a video editing software is the variety of features it includes. And that’s also the most fun part. Some video editing programs, like Blender or Adobe Premier Pro, include hundreds of features—so many that we couldn’t possibly 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, ranging from a few filters to dozens of advanced effects like 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 more common among video editing programs. It allows you to work on and combine multiple camera angles simultaneously, although each program supports a different number of camera streams.
3D editing is another popular option, as well as 360-degree video editing 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.
