With the rise of social media apps and short-form content, video has become the medium of choice for content creators and brands.
According to Kyle Denhoff, Director of Marketing at HubSpot, there are two main changes in the market right now that mandate the need for more video content. One is AI-caused disruption and the other is the audience's video-first consumption.
That's why more and more creators are turning to video. An important tool in any video creator's arsenal is a good video editing app.
But what is the best video editing app? Well, that would differ for everyone. That's why you need a selection rather than a single option.
So, let's take a look at some of the best video editing apps you can use.
For this guide, we took insights from X and Quora to see what other video creators recommend. We tried these apps ourselves and narrowed down the list to the top apps based on their features, ease of use, price, and overall performance.
Since most people use desktops for more complex video editing, we'll start our list with the best video editing apps for desktop.
Pricing: Business plan starts at $15 per month and Unlimited at $30 per month. Free plan is also available.
InVideo is one of the best video editing software due to its intuitive interface and advanced features. The app has a comprehensive editing suite, where you can find a media library, stock images, customizable templates, and more.
Some of its notable features include:
InVideo is a good option for companies with social media video needs as it allows unlimited team members to collaborate on a single project.
Pricing: $144.85 for annual subscription
Movavi is another video editing software with a wide range of features, such as AI motion tracking, noise removal, and background removal. It also has drag-and-drop filters, overlays, transitions, and titles to refine your video.
Since Movavi supports screen recording, you can use it to record tutorials, webinars, and testimonials without any third-party app.
Pricing: Plans starting at $9.99 per month. Free plan available.
It wouldn't be possible to talk about the best video editing apps without mentioning Adobe. The Adobe video editing suite has been a staple for professionals and beginners alike.
Adobe Spark boasts of being the only integrated video solution for web and mobile.
The tool has specifically been made for storytelling, making it a good option for brands and freelance marketers. Think TikTok videos, Instagram Reels, story ads, and bite-sized content.
Adobe Spark offers hundreds of templates for personal and professional projects. Plus, there's a selection of royalty-free images, icons, fonts, photos, templates, etc.
The dedicated Adobe Spark mobile app allows you to sync your projects between your smartphone and desktop.
Pricing: $295 for the software. Free version is also available.
DaVinci Resolve claims to be the only video editing solution that combines motion graphics, visual effects, color correction, audio post-production, and editing in one place.
Basically, it's an all-in-one solution that's catered towards professionals who need advanced editing features. You can use it to create animations, add characters, remove objects, or add picture-in-picture.
Since multi-user collaboration is available, the DaVinci Resolve makes an excellent option for large video production teams. It also has some advanced AI features, such as color matching and spatial noise reduction.
Now, let's discuss the best video editing apps for mobile. We've included apps that are available on both iOS and Android.
Pricing: Plans start at $9.99 per month.
It's only fair to have another Adobe mention since the company has a suite of tools for both desktop and mobile. The Adobe Premiere Rush is available on iOS and Android.
It comes in two modes:
Since there's a built-in music library, you can add music to your videos within the app. Adding more photos and videos to your project is easy, thanks to the drag-and-drop functionality.
You also get Adobe Creative Cloud integration, which allows you to access your projects from anywhere.
Pricing: Free with in-app purchases
If you're looking for free video editing software, InShot is a good option. Available for iOS and Android, the video editing app works best for creating Instagram stories and TikTok videos.
You can use it to trim videos, change footage speed, add filters, rotate videos, and so on. What makes InShot one of the best video editing apps is its ease of learning.
It's a great option for beginners who are just starting with video editing.
Pricing: GoPro Plus is available for $1.99 per month. Free plan available.
Quik lives up to its name because it lets you capture and edit videos in no time. Created by GoPro, the app is packed with features that make it a popular choice among action sports enthusiasts.
The app searches for the best moments in your videos and adds transitions to create a captivating final video. If you'd rather have manual control over your edits, you can do that as well.
Some of the newest features in Quik are associated with AI editing assistance. You can play around with AI's suggestions and use them as a starting point for your own edits.
Pricing: Starting at $89.99 per year
Wondershare FilmoraGo is one of the best video editing apps for cross-platform collaboration. Once you get the paid plans, you can export videos without watermark.
The app offers 15 million creative assets that you can use in your videos. It also has more than 100 advanced video editing features, such as adding text, music, transitions, filters and much more.
You also get 1 GB of cloud storage with the paid plans. So, you can store all your social media videos or other content in one place.
Wondershare FilmoraGo also has some new AI features, such as:
Another cool thing about this video editing tool is that it supports many languages, such as Turkish, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, etc. So, if you have customers or clients in different countries, this app will create localized content for all your audiences.
Pricing: Plans start at $12.99 per month. Free version is also available.
Sometimes, you don't necessarily need a super-robust or expensive video editing app. If you're just starting out with creating videos for social media or your brand, Splice will work well for you.
The app allows you to splice together different video clips and add transitions and music to create a cohesive end result. You can also add special effects like filters and animations.
A good use case for Splice is creating short videos for social media. For example, you can use the app to string together clips from your latest product launch or event and add background music instead of creating a deck of static images or a long video.
Pricing: Pro Edition at $3.99 per month. Free basic plan is also available.
If you've ever searched for the best video editing apps on the Google Play Store or the App Store, chances are you've come across Kinemaster. It's one of the oldest and most popular video editing apps available for both iOS and Android users.
The best thing about this tool is that you can edit your video frame by frame. That ultimately translates to better results.
Plus, it lets you adjust everything from video speed to color and brightness. Add animations, layers, effects, filters, and even handwriting to your video.
As compared to many of the other video editing software free versions, Kinemaster offers many features that would only be available in the paid versions. It also comes with backup options to keep your videos safe.
If you don't want to start editing your video from scratch, you can use one of the trending templates. Even better, Kinemaster has green screen options, which makes it the ultimate choice for YouTubers who want to add special effects to their videos.
So, what is the best video editing software? The answer will surely differ from user to user.
Here are some factors that can help you come to a conclusion about which app would be suitable for your use case.
What do you want to do with your video? Do you want to add simple transitions and filters, or do you want to create a masterpiece with advanced effects and animations?
Make a list of the features you want in your video editing app and then compare it with the available options to see which one offers the most functionality.
If you're a solo creator, you might not be able to pay a monthly subscription. On the other hand, big businesses might have a decent budget for their video editing needs.
The good news is there is free video editing software no watermark for those on a tight budget. Some apps also have freemium models.
You can use the basic features for free at first. When you have the budget or your requirements grow, you can upgrade to the paid version.
Some of the best video editing apps have a steeper learning curve. As a beginner, this could be daunting.
If you're a newbie, look for an easy-to-use app. Professionals can opt for advanced apps like Adobe or DaVinci Resolve 18.
With that, our list of the best video editing apps comes to an end. We hope you find an app that meets your needs, whether they are personal or business-oriented.
One last pro tip: as a beginner, start with a simpler app and then move on to more advanced options once you've mastered the basics.