The Best Video Editing Software for Mac, Windows and Online

Were you looking for a video editing app for your next project? Well, I understand your needs. But there are too many apps to consider and contest for the race of the best video editing software for Mac and Windows.

As video artists and animators, we usually get lost in the crowd of thousands of apps — even those which are popular and have competitors of the same mettle.

Take Adobe Premiere Pro for example.

There is Adobe Premiere Pro and then again there is Adobe Premiere Elements. Which one should you choose?

Well, you will find the answer to that by following the list.

But wait. There is also an After Effects app from the same brand (Adobe) and it works even better if you have a set of skills.

Apple has Final Cut Pro, the best video editor for Mac. While Canva sports the title of the best online video editor.

These names and these options — all make you confused about which one to choose for your own projects.

Best Video Editing Software

"Intro music, please. 😂"

In this article, I will compare, rate and discuss the top video making and editing tools for video editors, YouTubers and movie makers. These will be sorted by their types – Mac video editors, Windows video editors, online video editors and so on. But before that, I will list all the video editors and review them one by one.

Why Videos and Video Editors?

A video is possibly the best way to show things — because people fall in love with it. You can use a video or a set of videos for not only your entertainment needs but also for business purposes.

In the last couple of years, the demands for video editors, animators and visual effects editors have increased by several folds.

From movies to web series to animations and not forget, for education — videos have a part of our daily lives totally.

What to look for in a Video Editor Software?

If you are an experienced campaigner, I think you already know this. But if you are just starting, let me tell you what you must expect from your video editing software.

  1. First of all the app should be fast. Video editing is heavy work and rendering things take hours, even days or weeks. So an app should be as fast as possible. Online video editors are fast because all their processing happens on the cloud or virtual servers. But in reality, you cannot rely on these for heavy projects.
  2. You will be working offline and you will have to choose amongst those who work totally offline. Online video editors are great for quick and lighter marketing & YouTube projects though.
  3. The video editing software that you're using must be compatible with the latest file formats, especially MKV, MP4.H265, WEBM etc. All products in this list support popular and latest video formats.
  4. Customer support or community support must be readily accessible. Most of the best video editing software (except Blender 💕) are commercial and come with dedicated support. So not many worries here as well.

Alright. Enough now. Let's skip to the main material. In the next section, I will list and review the popular video editing software.

The Best Video Editing Software in 2024 (Reviewed)

iMovie is one of the best video editing software for mac and windows.

In this part, I have included the best video editing software and programs ranging from creating simple videos consisting of pictures and music, to making more advanced videos, and making professional adjustments like color grading using LUTs & visual effects. I will consider adding both free & paid best video editing software for Windows and macOS.

DaVinci Resolve 

DaVinci Resolve is my pick of the best video editing software. It is a fantastic video editor for both beginners and experts. What's best? It is totally free (unless you want to optionally upgrade to Studio version for $295 - one-time & totally worth.).

DaVinci is excellent software; you get a seamless experience that most other software does not provide. Using DaVinci may be intimidating at first glance because of its interface layout with all the windows and tabs, and tools, but once you get the hang of it, the software is the best one out there.

It provides its users highly advanced color grading tools which they can use to create great content. The software has tons of features to offer to its users. It lets you color correct, applies visual effects and motion graphics, and also post-production audio.

Other features include audio capture, playback speed customization, multiple collaboration tools, a vast media library, split and merge, and video stabilization. And it is packed with essential video editing tools like trim, composite, effects, and much more. Also, DaVinci is compatible with all three – Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the best and possibly the most popular video editors for both Mac and Windows. Adobe Premiere Pro is a part of Adobe Creative Cloud but can also be bought on a separate subscription.

If you are a professional or need detailed editing of your videos, Adobe Premiere Pro can be your best option. I have seen many YouTubers, celebrities and even filmmakers use Adobe Premiere Pro for their projects.

If you are not sure to buy, you can opt for a free 30-days trial. In any case, if you want to use it to make videos and profit from your videos, the price is worth every penny.

You can download and buy it here.

Adobe Premiere Elements

Not ready for the complexities of Adobe Premiere Pro yet? Try Elements. It is a simpler and rundown version of Pro and offers most of the features. This is possibly the best choice for beginners and YouTubers to be honest as it has an easier learning curve.

You can download and buy it here.

Final Cut Pro X

This program is only available for Mac OS, and it is the ideal choice for Mac users. It has a lot of great features and capabilities that enable you to do almost anything.

Through it, you can adjust the colors (it contains a very advanced system for gradation of colors), and through it, you can remove noise from the video. It enables you to modify the videos depicted in 360 technology.

This program is paid for, and it costs approximately $300 one time. It is a great option for professionals who use Mac OS.

Here is the download and purchase link.

Blender

Blender specializes in creating 3D videos. It is an open source app — that means it is free and extensible. Using Blender you can create great 3D and 2D animation videos. It comes with advanced design features. The learning curve for Blender may not be as easy but once you get used to it, you will fall in love with this app.

Blender is undoubtedly the best video editing software for 3D animators, plus it is free.

You can download Blender using this link.

iMovie

iMovie is a free video editing software for Mac, designed exclusively by Apple for MacOS. It is one of the easiest professional video editing apps and hands down the best free video editor. You can use it to make, edit and share videos for your personal as well as professional needs. As the name suggests, this is directed to be a movie maker for MacOS, an alternative for Windows Movie Maker.

iMovie comes with great templates and even greater effects. You can slow and fasten things and do even more. It is easy to learn and master.

It is a great choice for anyone who wants to make short videos of high quality, either for personal use or for marketing purposes.

Here is the download link.

Windows Movie Maker

If you want a simple and easy program to make a video, Windows Movie Maker is what you specifically need. It has a good number of features that enable you to create a high-quality video, and it contains major video editing features such as cutting, merging or converting videos.

Excellent if your videos are a photo slideshow with music in the background. There are many options for how to display the images continuously. You can add any text to each image separately. There are also a lot of options for how to display the text on the images.

The program is easy to use and represents an excellent choice for beginners in the world of video design and editing. The official support for Windows Movie Maker has ended but you can download it from DownloadCrew.com page.

ssemble

ssemble is a state-of-the-art online video editing tool. It provides various functions such as trimming, zooming, rotating, and adding music, sound effects, and text to videos. It has powerful plugins for enhanced editing. Moreover, ssemble also has a feature that allows you to download your edited video in your preferred format and quality for easy sharing on other platforms.

Here's the link to ssemble from where you can use it.

Type Studio

Type Studio is a new and easy way to edit your content-focused videos. You can edit your video without having any video editing skills. Upload your video in Type Studio and your spoken words will be transcribed into text. After that, you edit your video by just editing the transcribed text. It is as easy as editing in Google Docs.

It is an online text-based video editor that lives in your browser. So you can use it on Windows as well on a Mac PC without downloading anything.

Since everything runs online, you can store all your footage online in Type Studio’s Content Hub. This provides a performance advantage because the rendering will also be done in the cloud. So you don’t need any specific hardware or high-end PC.

Additionally, you can use Type Studio to add subtitles automatically to your video. All this can be done with just one click because your video is already transcribed. Optionally, you can also download the transcript of the video or SRT files.

Type Studio offers a free version that includes a certain monthly upload limit. The paid plan starts at 14$ per month and includes all features.

Filmora9

Filmora 9 by Wondershare is a bit advanced video editing app. It offers the basic editing features and loads of pro features and thus caters to a wider user base.

You can use its features like trimming, overlaying, transitions, and various effects to make your video unique and appealing. Its three-panel interface layout consisting of source content, video preview, and timeline makes it very pleasing.

It also offers various aspect ratios before you can start editing.

It also comes with other amazing editing options, such as:

  • instant cutter
  • numeral aesthetic transitions to choose from
  • special effects and color editing
  • text and title effects, audio editing
  • 172 pre-included existing audio tracks to choose from and easy sharing via other platforms. 

You can save your finished product as AVI, FLV, MOV, MP4, HEVC, MKV, and WMV. GIF option is available too. Also, while downloading the final product and file format, you can adjust the quality in setting to Best, Better, and Good. Easy sharing comes with direct options to upload to Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo movies, and DVD burning. In the latest version with H.265 codec, it supports 4k.

Fillmora 9 offers three different pricing plans depending on time duration viz. Monthly, annually, and lifetime.

Here is the download link.

VEED.io

VEED is a simple online video editor. If you want to trim, filter, rotate, crop, add text, draw and more on your videos and don't have time or the know-how VEED is the tool designed exactly for that. Video editing should be easy, simple and accessible to all and that is exactly what veed.io thinks. It is designed for content creators, social publishers, dank memers and anyone who wants to get involved in making video content.  

VEED is the perfect place to add subtitles to videos. You can add subtitles automatically with our auto generated subtitle tool, create subtitles manually and also via uploading a subtitle file.

Here is the download link.

Camtasia Studio

Camtasia is a powerful video editing app developed by Techsmith which is available for both Windows and macOS. It is great for beginners as well as professional video editors. Camtasia Studio lets you make visually appealing videos easily and quickly.

Also, it has a free mobile version for Android and iOS, so you can quickly transfer content from your mobile to desktop and vice versa. Furthermore, it gives you direct sharing options to platforms like Youtube, Vimeo, Google Drive, and Screencast.com after you complete your editing. Also, Camtasia is very to learn to use as a tutorial is pre-provided by TechSmith. So, people who know nothing about video editing can also edit a video in no time.

Camtasia studio is preferred because it offers complete effect control, a professional set of features, tutorial support, easy sharing options, and mobile-friendly. But there are a few things that make the editor less likable. It is expensive compared to what it has to offer and also has a limited preset media library.

Overall, Camtasia is a good video editor and gets the job done with occasional crashing and bugs. Camtasia has a 30 day free trial with a watermark. After that, it has a $249 one-time purchase fee.

Camtasia Studio is a paid tool and one of the best video editing software, but you can get a full month free trial here.

Canva Video Maker

Video editing doesn’t need to be complicated. Working on it can be made fun and easy with Canva. In just a couple of minutes, publish your desired video outcome with results that will leave your audience wanting more.

Canva’s simple drag-and-drop tool allows you to add images, illustrations, and other elements to get your video rolling. You may also easily upload your media files or browse through millions of highly-curated stock photos and videos made available directly from their library. There are also music, fonts, graphics, and animations you could use with free or premium access.

If you are looking for options to quickly bring your vision to life, you may pick a ready-made video template from their library’s collection that best suits your theme. Then, you can customize it by adding your flair.

Craft your videos seamlessly on your desktop or through the app via the Play Store and App Store. Get your custom video for free and without watermarks, then share it with the world.

Canva is free to use and it can be used online. It is possibly the best online video editing app. Start creating with Canva here.

FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video editor and is best suited for people just getting into video editing. It lets you create awesome videos in just a few steps. Flexclip is a free editor, and you can use it without any monthly or yearly charges. Flexclip also offers various video editing tools and features that any basic editor provides.

You can create, convert, edit, trim and compress videos instantly with Flexclip. You can trim your videos without degrading the video quality. Flexclip also lets you add captions, texts, and titles to your video. You can also merge multiple videos or photos into a single video clip with its help.

Another exciting feature of Flexclip is that it offers voice recording. You do not have to pre-record any audio, and you can directly narrate while editing your video. You can even create a video from scratch just by using templates provided in the editor. It also gives you pre-included free videos, photos, and audio that you can use while creating videos.

Flexclip is very easy to navigate through and use and a great choice for beginners. It also offers three more pricing plans other than its free version viz. Basic ($5.99/month, $71.88 paid annually), Plus ($9.99/month, $119.88 paid annually), and Business ($19.99/month, $239.88 paid annually).

FlexClip is a great option for anyone who wants to make a modern video for marketing purposes or social events.

Promo

Promo is an excellent video editor that offers tools and content to its users to create or edit awesome video clips. Whether for vlogging or business campaigns, Promo is dedicated to creating engaging videos for its users. With its easy-to-use and intuitive UI, create astonishing videos in no time.

The editor comes with a library of 12 million templates and video clips that you can use to create new videos or enhance existing ones. It also lets you create custom text and logos. Promo comes with tons of features, including audio capture, brand overlay, closed captions, tools for collaboration, customizable branding, animation, drag and drop features, huge media library, split/merge, speed adjustment, and more.

It is also compatible with mobiles and has strict privacy options. Also, you can check out the analytics here. Promo lets you create videos with HD resolution, and after creating, you can directly share your videos to social platforms. It has three priced annual plans. Those are annual starter ($12 per month, $144 paid annually), annual business ($29 per month, $348 paid annually), and annual agency($99 per month, $1188 paid annually). Choose a plan that suits your needs and get started.

Regarding learning to use, Promo has a set of articles that explain how to use the program in a clear and simple way. It is an excellent choice for every brand that wants to invest in making professional promotional videos.

Biteable

Biteable is an easy-to-use, browser-based platform for business owners who want to reap the benefits of professional video marketing without a significant time investment. Make a video from scratch with personal photos and footage, or take advantage of 1.8 million stock images and clips included in all plans.

Biteable also has hundreds of professional-quality video templates designed for a wide variety of use-cases, including sales, internal comms, explainers, and more. Visit the Biteable template library to see for yourself.

Minitool moviemaker 

Minitool moviemaker is free video-making software. With Minitool moviemaker, you can create awesome videos. It has a very basic and easy-to-use UI (User Interface), and you do not need practice or tutorials to learn to use it. But in case you can not figure out it’s working, you can click on the Manual option for reference.

You get the basic editing tools like trim, split, merge, rotate, mix videos, video effects, speed adjustment, adding or removing audio, and others. You can also add personalized animated texts, subtitles, and end credits to your video. Also, make slideshows with the help of images and audio and add transitions and filters to it.

The editor keeps the quality of the video in check and aims for HD and 4k video qualities. It also has some advanced features like mute video, advanced timeline, speed controller, and transition library for even minute control over your editing. It is an excellent software for beginners, and on top, it is free too. But if you are a professional editor, you may not like the software as it may be too basic for you. Though annoyingly, sometimes, while using Minitool moviemaker, you may face glitches. 

VSDC free video editor 

VSDC is a free non-linear video editing software compatible with Windows. Non-linear software means you can merge video and image files in any order. Thus it gives you more flexibility compared to other linear editors like that of Movie Maker. VSDC lets you work with layers, place various objects in a single scene, overlap objects, blend fragments, and control any scene’s transparency. There are other features included, such as:  

  • you can put pictures in another picture
  • keep pictures side by side, color correct
  • split-screen videos 
  • put a video in text effect 
  • add double exposure
  • remove the green screen (Chroma Key) and many more. 

You can even edit 4k videos with it. It is also very easy to use so that someone without any prior knowledge of video editing can also edit with it. Thus, it is suitable for both beginners and professionals. The video editor also supports all audio, video, and image formats and codecs.

VSDC also lets you record vice commentaries directly and screen capturing. VSDC is especially good for people such as YouTubers, video gamers, and action cameramen. VSDC has many features you won’t find in other free video editors and thus lets you create and edit unique videos with more control over what you do. It is fantastic software and entirely free to use!

InVideo 

Invideo is another awesome video editing software that allows you to create stunning videos of all kinds. Invideo offers three types of templates: blank templates, preconfigured templates, and premium templates, which you can use to make videos. The editor is very easy to use and does not require any professional editing skills. Thus it is beginner-friendly. With Invideo, you can also create videos with blog posts.

Before editing, it also offers specific dimensions that you can choose from to create videos that are well suited for Facebook stories, YouTube landscape, Instagram Story, Instagram Post, LinkedIn Newsfeed, Facebook Newsfeed, Twitter timeline, IGTV, Facebook Carousel Ad, Snapchat story, and YouTube story.  

Invideo offers lots of features which include:

  • audio tools and pre-made templates
  • vast media library
  • speed customization
  • split/merge tools, text overlay, numerous existing fonts
  • article to video conversion
  • video capture and stabilization
  • unlimited length of character
  • 1000+ sticker collection
  • visual effects, insertable shape collection
  • copyright-free music and much more.

InVideo also has a 60-day money-back guarantee. In addition, the invoice offers three pricing plans viz. Free ($0 per month, no payment required ever), Business ($10 per month, $120 paid annually), and unlimited ($30 per month, $360 paid annually).

Openshot 

Openshot is an amazing and professional video editing software. The most important thing about the software is that it is entirely free. This software has a really easy-to-use and understand interface. So, it is suitable for beginners who have zero experience in video editing. The user interface is minimal and sleek, which is great as it helps you navigate through the software while using it without being confusing.

You can change between the Simple and Advanced views depending on your need. The 'advanced view' does not offer more tools or features but displays more tools on the screen for easier access. The user interface is also highly customizable. Openshout lets you work with all major file formats for audio files, video files, and images. It also supports 4k and has an impressive library of

transitions to choose from. OpenShot is available in 70+ languages, and it can be translated into many more languages using LaunchPad. Though it only offers 14 effects. One most prominent drawback of Openshot is that it can not open AVCHD files which are pretty backdated considering this day and age. But unlike many other editors, Openshot allows 3D video editing even though it is entirely free. 

Videopad video editor 

Videopad video editor is a video-making and editing desktop software available for both Mac and Windows computers. Videopad video editor helps you make flawless and professional videos in no time. You can also add visual effects and transitions and work with 3D videos too. The editor lets you add copyright-free music tracks, captions and customize video playback speed.

You can also create GIFs with its help. VideoPad offers other numerous features like audio capture, video capture, brand overlay, split and merge, drag and drop, huge media library, playback speed customization, numerous templates, text overlay, text to video, and more. You get all your videos in fine HD and 4k resolutions.

Also, VideoPad enables direct social sharing after you complete your editing, and thus you can directly share your final product to popular social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, etc. The software is quite stable, and therefore, users get less blurry and shaking effects in their clips.

VideoPad also lets you save your files in Android and iPhone. Videopad offers two editions which are VideoPad Home Edition and VideoPad Masters Edition. The home edition pricing starts at $39.95 (one time), and the master's edition pricing is at $69.95 (one time). 

Shotcut 

Shotcut is a free video editing and creating software available for all Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. It is open-source software and a great choice, especially for Linux users, as they have limited options. Being open-source software gives you the liberty to change its source code to create an even better version and use it to your needs. It is a highly professional video editor considering it is cross-platform and free. It is a great editor for freelancers and small to medium businesses to create engaging content. Shotcut offers a wide variety of features. 

Besides the basic editing, it features:

  • trimming, overlaying, transitions, merge, split, and more
  • The Shotcut supports the wide-format
  • provides video effects, is cross-platform
  • It has multiple audio features
  • It comes with Codec independence with hardware support
  • It has excellent display and monitoring. 

Shotcut offers a fine 4k resolution, so you get the best premium quality videos. Shotcut is free software, so you do not need to commit to it by paying for it. Simply download and see whether it suits your needs or not. Shotcut even integrates with The Qt Company, Webm, and FFmpeg. It also supports popular image formats like GIF, PNG, JPEG, BMP, TGA, SVG, TIFF, and image sequences. Overall it is pretty good and gets the job done for free. 

Lightworks 

Lightworks is another video-making and editing software that is quite popular nowadays. It is an excellent choice mostly because though it has two versions - free and premium, you get most of the tools and features in the free version itself. The video editor's user interface is divided into four tabs viz edit, log, audio, and VFX.

Lightworks is very easy to use and an incredible tool to start video editing if you are new. It offers its users excellent editing tools, video cuts, audio, images, and a union of videos. It also supports all major video, image, and audio formats. Lightworks also keeps the video quality great after the editing. It offers several formats like 2k, 4k, NTSC, PAL, and HD qualities. Lightworks is quite professional, and no matter what format your raw clips are off, it will support the clip.

It supports NLE. MXF, AVI, ProRes, Avid DNxHD, Quicktime, AVC-Intra, DVCPRO HD, H.264, XDCAM EX / HD 422, DPX, AVCHD, RED R3D, and so much more. So, you do not need to go through the hassle of converting your video formats before uploading them to the software. Lightworks' premium version pricing starts from $24.99 /month (monthly). It also has a yearly ($174.99/year) and a one-time payment plan ($437.99).

Power director 

Power director by CyberLink is a flexible video editing software that comes with a phenomenal user interface and unique features. Power director provides a fully equipped tool kit so that you can edit your videos without any issues. However, you want.

The plus point of Power director is its flexibility, and it has four different interface mods viz. It features Full mode, Storyboard mode, Slideshow creator, and the newer Auto mode. It also lets you select the aspect ratio of your videos like 16:9 (default), 1:1, 9:16, 4:3, or 360. It also gives you free access to plugins and effects offered by CyberLink. It provides other features like mask and blend (layer, shape, and blend), keyframing, Green screen, motion tracking, audio capture, vast media library, split/merge, video capture, and video stabilization.

The edited videos are supported by HD resolution so that you do not have to compromise on the quality. The software pricing starts at $19.99 /month. Power director is affordable and has good reviews all across from users. At first glance, the tool may be a bit overbearing, but it grows on you while you use it. It is one of the finest video editing tools out there in the market.

Vegas Pro 

Vegas Pro is a video editing software for professional use and beginners, YouTubers, and vloggers. It has an easy-to-use universal interface and comes with numerous features. 

Some of its features include:

  • Basic editing tools like trim, merge, overlay and transition
  • audio capture, video capture, color customization
  • huge media library to choose from
  • video stabilization
  • It supports almost all major video and audio formats
  • various creative effects
  • sync link
  • multi-camera video editing and much more.

It provides HD resolution to its products so that you do not have to compromise on video quality. Also, do not fret if using the software feels tricky, as Vegas Pro offers many tutorials to guide you. It is great software, but sadly it is not available on Mac OS. Also, a massive downside of the software is that it cannot save videos in AVCHD format, which is almost used everywhere in today's world.

Vegas Pro offers a subscription-based use or a one-time payment basis. The subscription basis usage offers two plans - Monthly plan ($23.99 per month) and Yearly plan ($19.99 per month, total amount billed annually). The one-time payment billing depends on the version of Vegas Pro you want to buy. The VEGAS Pro Edit costs $399, the Vegas Pro costs $599, and the Vegas Pro Suite costs $799.

Motionbox

Remote work is so common today that we need to find new and interesting ways to collaborate. Now you can do so with video content thanks to, Motionbox, an online video editing tool. Think of it as the far more advanced version of a collaborative word processing tool like Google Docs.

You can create videos, add aminated text, slide in headings and subtitles, cut and adjust them, and do so much more. It’s an ideal all-in-one solution for those needing a cost-effective media manipulator for their marketing materials.

Conclusion

Whether you are a beginner or a professional, if you need to create a video from scratch or edit a video, you will find one in this list of the best video editing software for Mac and Windows. Some may have many GBs of download while others run in your browser. Depending on your requirements, you can choose what you really need.