Video editing app is a program that lets you assemble and arrange visual and audio clips to create complex, intricate, and coherent videos. It gives the user the capability to manipulate video footage through features such as trimming, splicing, merging, applying effects, and audio additions.
Some of the most common uses for a video editing app are to create content like movies, TV shows, and videos for social media (YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram). A video editing app can be used by beginners to get started on their content creation journey. However, it is also used widely by professionals in the filmmaking and video production segments.
Our video experts at Geekflare have tested and listed the top apps to edit video based on elements such as price, amount of time editing, number of built-in transitions, level of color grading, and platform availability.
- Movavi Video Editor – Best for User-Friendly Video Editing
- FilmoraGo – Best for Easy Mobile Video Editing with Templates
- CapCut – Best for TikTok-Style Videos
- PowerDirector – Best for Effects-Heavy Video Editing
- InShot – Best for Social Media Content Creation
- Magisto – Best for Social Media Content Creation on Mobile
- GoPro Quik – Best for Automatic Highlight Videos
- Adobe Premiere Rush – Best for Cross-Platform Editing
- Splice – Best for Manual Control in Mobile Video Editing
- DaVinci Resolve – Best for Professional Editing
- iMovie – Best for Apple Devices
- Stop Motion Studio – Best for Creating Stop-Motion Animations
- LumaFusion – Best for Professional-Level Video Editing on iPad
- Clipchamp – Best for Windows Users
- Show less
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Movavi Video Editor
Best for User-Friendly Video Editing
If you’re a beginner who is struggling with the options and features of advanced video editing apps like Adobe Premiere Pro, you can start with Movavi Video Editor. With a simple user interface, Movavi Video Editor is great for those beginning their video editing journey. This user-friendly video editor streamlines content creation by letting you upload footage from any device and allows you to post the finished product on social media directly from the app.
Movavi Video Editor is easy to use. Additionally, its simplicity allows you to learn tricks and unique techniques by experimenting with its multiple features. It also provides unique visual effects that can be added to your next social media video.
Movavi Video Editor is available on Windows and Mac.
Movavi Video Editor Pros
The tools are intuitive
AI-enhanced background and noise removal makes repairing footage easy
Being able to drag and drop transitions, filters, and effects is convenient
Movavi Video Editor Cons
Lots of paywalls in the free version
Poor customer service
Rare issues with videos getting deleted
Pricing of Movavi Video Editor
- Video Editor plan ($18 per month)
- Yearly Video Editor Plus plan ($155 per year)
- Lifetime Video Editor Plus plan ($202 for a one-time purchase)
- Video Suite Plus plan ($90 per year)
FilmoraGo
Best for Easy Mobile Video Editing with Templates
FilmoraGo is a mobile-friendly video editor made by the same company as Wondershare Filmora. With built-in templates, FilmoraGo lets you create mobile videos with ease. You can record, edit, and share videos directly from this video editing app. Combined with a library of royalty-free music, you’ll be able to enhance your video with appropriate audio components and sound effects.
There aren’t too many people discussing FilmoraGo on discussion and user review boards. However, some people brought up technical issues with FilmoraGo on YouTube. In this video and the comment section, users mention that FilmoraGo often has bugs that prevent the thumbnail preview of videos on the editing timeline, and issues with placing photos over videos.
FilmoraGo is available on iPhone and Android.
FilmoraGo Pros
Access to a large library of royalty-free music cuts down on editing time
Lots of video effects
The user interface is optimized well for editing on mobile devices
FilmoraGo Cons
Frequent bugs and technical issues
Crashes are common
You have to pay to remove the watermark
Pricing of FilmoraGo
FilmoraGo is free to download, but there are in-app purchases.
CapCut
Best for TikTok-Style Videos
Thanks to many great templates, CapCut is a nice choice for those seeking to create polished video content quickly and easily—especially on TikTok. This lets you move from pre-production into content creation fluidly.
Built-in tools like the background remover and video upscaler increase the quality of any video you make using this editing app. Furthermore, CapCut has text-to-speech and speech-to-text capabilities, allowing you to further streamline your process.
CapCut’s mobile version is excellent for creating TikToks (and other short social media videos). However, the desktop app of CapCut pales in comparison to more robust alternatives such as Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve.
CapCut is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, but it can also be used through your web browser.
CapCut Pros
Easy to use
Lots of creative templates and tools
Offline and online editing capabilities are convenient
CapCut Cons
Sync issues are uncommon but possible
The app can’t seem to register how much disk space you have and may malfunction as a result
Poor customer service
Pricing of CapCut
Get 7-day free trial of CapCut and when happy with the results, you can upgrade to the Pro plan which costs $99.99 per year.
PowerDirector
Best for Effects-Heavy Video Editing
To create a video with multiple effects, you can try PowerDirector. One of the most unique features of this app for video editing is the AI tool that lets you convert video clips into anime.
In addition, the other AI tools help you perform a wide range of complex video manipulations, like modifying voices or removing backgrounds. Out of all the options online, PowerDirector also has advanced tools for color correction.
Despite the plentiful AI tools, PowerDirector finds it difficult to handle the CPU-heavy elements. There are multiple threads on Reddit regarding people complaining about crashes. According to such discussions, the issues with crashing mostly began around the time PowerDirector started introducing AI tools; prior to these additions, the program ran without many problems.
PowerDirector is available on Windows and Mac.
PowerDirector Pros
Has loads of effects and filters not found anywhere else
AI tools are novel and worth trying
Built-in screen recording is useful for many projects
PowerDirector Cons
Constantly crashes
The heavy use of AI slows down the program
Price of PowerDirector
- Perpetual License (one-time fee of $139.99)
- PowerDirector 365 Annual Plan ($54.99 per year)
- Director Suite 365 Annual Plan ($99.99 per year)
InShot
Best for Social Media Content Creation
Those looking for a solid mobile video editor for social media content creation will find InShot useful. It has a wealth of novel features, like replacing elements such as the sky and a subject’s clothes, creating cutout collages, and generating 3D visuals from 2D footage. InShot also comes with a music library of licensed tracks.
InShot is simple and reliable, but you may encounter technical problems like black screens while editing or may not be able to export videos. Nonetheless, the aforementioned problems are relatively rare.
InShot is available on iPhone and Android.
InShot Pros
Unique special effects and filters not found elsewhere enhance video creativity
Access to licensed music instead of royalty-free songs
Auto captions are convenient for making mobile videos for YouTube and TikTok
InShot Cons
Rare issues with screens going black
Uncommon exporting difficulties
In-app ads hamper the user experience
Pricing of InShot
InShot is free, but there are in-app purchases.
Magisto
Best for Social Media Content Creation on Mobile
Backed by video hosting and sharing brand Vimeo, Magisto is a powerful video editing app for mobile thanks to its many convenient features. It offers a massive pile of stock footage for you to edit with—including photos, videos, and soundtracks. Furthermore, you can make GIFs easily with Magisto.
Although Magisto gets lots of high-quality stock footage from its connection to Vimeo, there are downsides to this partnership as well. Before Vimeo acquired Magisto, the AI tools were simple but effective. However, since then, Magisto has suffered from general performance issues.
Magisto is browser-based and can be used on Windows and Mac. Moreover, there’s a mobile app version that’s compatible with iPhone and Android devices.
Magisto Pros
The library of high-quality stock footage makes getting a B-roll for videos quick and easy
The GIF creator is great for making posts on social platforms and discussion boards
The free version is versatile and doesn’t have many paywalls
Magisto Cons
Poor customer service
Some users get charged even after canceling their subscription
Pricing of Magisto
- Free plan ($0)
- Annual Starter plan ($12 per month)
- Annual Standard plan ($20 per month)
- Annual Advanced plan ($65 per month)
GoPro Quik
Best for Automatic Highlight Videos
GoPro Quik is characterized by its efficiency through automation. You can import recordings easily and also work with the user-friendly editing interface to adjust video elements precisely through quick edits.
With the Automatic Highlight feature, you can import videos, charge your camera, upload footage to the cloud, and transfer it to your phone. All of this can be done by plugging your GoPro into your chosen device, making the app very efficient!
Despite the automated nature of GoPro Quik, users who try to use it as a more traditional video editing app have problems with any complex edits; it can be slow, buggy, and unreliable.
This program is meant to drastically decrease the time between capture and upload. Furthermore, GoPro Quik forces you to use the Automatic Highlight feature as you open the app—even when it is not required.
GoPro Quik is available on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android.
GoPro Quik Pros
Perfect for quickly uploading mostly unedited footage
Letting you use your phone as a remote for your GoPro is convenient
The user interface is clean and intuitive
GoPro Quik Cons
Not robust enough for complex editing
Forced use of the Automatic Highlight feature is annoying
It can lose connection to your chosen device
Pricing of GoPro Quik
- Free (with in-app purchases)
- Premium plan ($24.99 during the first year for time-time subscribers but renews at $49.99 per year)
- Premium+ plan ($99.99 per year)
Adobe Premiere Rush
Best for Cross-Platform Editing
If you’re in a hurry to get some videos made quickly, Adobe Premiere Rush is a decent choice. With the capability to sync your video projects across mobile and desktop versions of this video editing app, you can work on your next bit of visual content on the go.
Consider Adobe Premiere Rush as a quicker and simpler version of Adobe Premiere Pro, as it has a lot of the same features but is geared more towards creating shorter videos for social media.
Content creators online have discussed whether it is worth using Adobe Premiere Rush over Adobe Premiere Pro, and the consensus is that Rush is quicker for producing social media content while Pro is more for professional and traditional editing—such as for movies and TV shows.
Overall, people find Adobe Premiere Rush to be a great option for making short videos in almost any aspect ratio. Many find the intuitive interface to be appealing for its ease of use. Use these details to determine whether you should get the free or premium version of this app.
Adobe Premiere Rush is available on Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android.
Adobe Premiere Rush Pros
Easy to use for beginners
You can work on the same project across multiple devices
The free version is sufficient for social media content creation
Adobe Premiere Rush Cons
The cross-platform editing capability is restricted to the paid version
Lacks many features found in Adobe Premiere Pro (albeit by design)
No cloud storage for the free version
Pricing of Adobe Premiere Rush
- Premiere Rush Starter plan (Free)
- Adobe Express plan ($9.99 per month)
Splice
Best for Manual Control in Mobile Video Editing
With innovative and advanced features, Splice is a good option for creating social media video content. Splice understands what people want from a video editing app that is meant for short and fun videos, as it provides many simple yet useful tools.
For example, there’s a speed ramp feature, which lets users adjust the speeds of various parts of a video easily and intuitively. Furthermore, unlike some other social media-oriented video editing apps, Splice has multiple tracks!
Despite the excellent quality of this video editing app, Splice has unfortunately decided to paywall a lot of its features recently. This was not always the case; however, as products get more popular, companies often desire to increase their income from said products.
That seems to be the situation with Splice—even basic features like exporting videos are paywalled. You’ll be able to download and use this app for free, but when you want to output a video, you’ll need to pay for it.
Splice is available on iPhone, iPad, and Android.
Splice Pros
Has many unique editing tools
Multiple music tracks enable more complex editing than some other options
Continuously adds new features
Splice Cons
Paywalls for most features
It’s incompatible with some Samsung devices for unknown reasons
Transferring subscriptions to new devices is a hassle
Pricing of Splice
Splice is free to download but has multiple paywalls for various features.
DaVinci Resolve
Best for Professional Editing
Used by many renowned filmmakers, DaVinci Resolve is one of the best choices for creating a professional video thanks to its robust software framework that lets it handle complex tools such as virtual lighting, audio mix automation, and more.
To give you a frame of reference, hit movies like Midsommer, The Green Knight, and many from Marvel Studios use DaVinci Resolve as their main post-production tool.
Although DaVinci Resolve is great in terms of program quality, it’s relatively expensive and has a steep learning curve. It’s recommended to experimenting with the free version before purchasing the full product, so you know exactly what you’re getting.
However, there are almost no issues with the program itself or the price. Blackmagic Design (the makers of DaVinci Resolve) are very transparent about their products and costs, so customers are rarely disappointed.
DaVinci Resolve is available on Mac, Windows, and Linux.
DaVinci Resolve Pros
High-quality video editing tools
Pricing is straightforward; there are no unexpected paywalls
There are many accessories available to enhance your editing experience
DaVinci Resolve Cons
Fairly expensive
There’s a steep learning curve for new editors
You need sufficient RAM so DaVinci Resolve can run properly (at least 16 GB)
Pricing of DaVinci Resolve
- DaVinci Resolve 18 is free
- DaVinci Resolve Studio 18 has a one-time purchase cost of $295
iMovie
Best for Apple Devices
iMovie is the go-to video editing app for Mac users. It is famous for its simplicity and reliability. Earlier, iMovie was the only viable option for Mac users who wanted to edit videos. Today, this is not the case, but many people stick with iMovie because it’s an easy video editing program for beginners and has nostalgic value for experienced editors. You won’t find powerful and complex tools on iMovie, but you’ll find reliable and easy-to-use tools.
iMovie is great for the basics but not for advanced operations. You can cut clips, rearrange them, insert photos, and adjust the speed of clips—among other standard editing features. Unfortunately, you can’t perform more complex edits, such as customizing transitions or turning speech into text.
iMovie is available on Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
iMovie Pros
The simple user interface is great for beginners
There are no paywalls
Moving projects between Apple devices is easy
iMovie Cons
Lacks advanced editing tools
Only available on Apple devices
The overall look of the app is bland
Pricing of iMovie
iMovie is free.
Stop Motion Studio
Best for Creating Stop-Motion Animations
As opposed to traditional video editing apps, like Adobe Premiere Pro, Stop Motion Studio focuses on creating stop-motion animation. In this regard, Stop Motion Studio is fairly unique yet still offers decent tools for your next stop-motion story thanks to well-made editing tools such as rotoscoping, shutter removal, and time-lapse functions.
New editors interested in creating stop-motion animation should try Stop Motion Studio because of its ease of use and availability on mobile devices. Despite its perks, Stop Motion Studio struggles with green screen editing, as it tends not to key out the entire screen unless your lighting is even, which is a difficult feat unless you have a professional green screen setup.
Stop Motion Studio is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Chromebook, and Amazon Fire HD.
Stop Motion Studio Pros
Built-in tutorials help you learn how to use the app effectively
There’s a range of effects to add to the video
You can use a stylus in the app to draw on tablet devices for a fluid creation process
Stop Motion Studio Cons
Green and blue screen functions are awkward to use
The Windows version does not have as many features as the iOS version
A lot of the auto-adjustment features don’t work well
Pricing of Stop Motion Studio
The price for Stop Motion Studio varies depending on the platform you buy it on.
- Windows: $9.99
- Mac: $9.99
- iOS: $5.99
- Android: $7.49
- Amazon Fire: $5.99
LumaFusion
Best for Professional-Level Video Editing on iPad
Built for tablets, LumaFusion is a solid choice for video editors who prefer to work with touchscreen interfaces. This change from using a mouse and keyboard to edit opens up a new market for video editors.
Furthermore, this trait extends to other mobile devices as well, such as smartphones. Due to this, you can edit with LumaFusion from most handheld devices, at any location. LumaFusion acts as the middle ground between simple editing programs like iMovie and professional software such as DaVinci Resolve.
Additionally, if you want to edit videos on a tablet, LumaFusion is your best option by default, as there aren’t many other editing programs geared specifically towards tablets. There are plenty of choices for mobile platforms, but few prioritize the interface of tablets.
LumaFusion is available on iOS and Android.
LumaFusion Pros
The touchscreen interface is responsive and intuitive to use
You can use many tracks while editing
Payment for this app is a one-time purchase
LumaFusion Cons
It’s not as robust as other editing apps
A few users report rare exporting issues
Bugs may arise when projects get above 8 GB in size
Pricing of LumaFusion
Across all platforms, LumaFusion has a one-off purchase price of $29.99.
Clipchamp
Best for Windows Users
As the official video editing app for Windows, users and enthusiasts of this operating system can use Clipchamp to create great videos. Clipchamp’s interface is streamlined, and the controls are intuitive. The simplicity allows you to import footage, cut and arrange it as needed, and then export it in a variety of video formats—including mobile-friendly aspect ratios.
It would be fair to compare Clipchamp to iMovie, as they are the respective default options for the two major operating systems used today—Windows and Mac. They are both basic programs that help you with simple edits but lack the powerful features that come with more complex video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. Moreover, the app will be challenging to use for beginners.
Clipchamp’s desktop version is only available on Windows, and its mobile version is only available on iOS devices.
Clipchamp Pros
The simple interface makes editing easy
It can be used on desktop and mobile equally well
Beginners can learn how to edit on this app before moving to more complex programs
Clipchamp Cons
You cannot export 4K videos unless you sign up for the premium plan
Very short video and audio clips (less than 5 frames) are hard to select and move
It doesn’t have as many features as other editing apps
Pricing of Clipchamp
- Free plan ($0)
- Premium plan ($11.99/month)
Best Video Editing Apps Comparison
In the table below, all the video editing apps on the list are compared, based on their annual price, transition variety, color grading, and supported platforms.
| Video Editing Apps | Starting Price USD (annually) | Transition Variety | Color Grading | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movavi Video Editor | $216 | Large | Basic | -Windows -Mac |
| FilmoraGo | FREE | Large | Advanced | -iPhone -Android |
| PowerDirector | $54.99 | Large | Advanced | -Windows -Mac |
| InShot | FREE | Large | Advanced | -iPhone -Android |
| Magisto | FREE | Small | Basic | -Windows -Mac -iPhone -Android -Browser |
| GoPro Quik | FREE | Small | Basic | -Mac -iPhone -iPad -Android |
| Adobe Premiere Rush | FREE | Small | Basic | -Windows -Mac -iOS -Android |
| Splice | FREE | Small | Advanced | -iPhone -iPad -Android |
| DaVinci Resolve | FREE | Large | Advanced | -Windows -Mac -Linux |
| CapCut | FREE | Large | Advanced | -Windows -Mac -iOS -Android -Browser |
| iMovie | FREE | Small | Basic | -Mac -iPhone -iPad |
| Stop Motion Studio | $5.99 | None | Basic | -Windows -Mac -iOS -Android -Chromebook -Amazon Fire HD |
| LumaFusion | $29.99 | Large | Advanced | -iOS -Android |
| Clipchamp | FREE | Small | Basic | -Windows -iOS |
Benefits of a Video Editing App
There are 5 main benefits of a video editing app.
- Allows users to create complex video content by adding special effects, transitions, and audio to manipulate the original video footage.
- Gives a professional look to basic videos, thereby enhancing the post-production value.
- Makes video editing accessible to everyone, regardless of their platform of choice. Users can edit on smartphones, tablets, and PCs using a video editing app of their choice.
- Reduces the workflow for editing videos, as it comes with advanced features that cut down on the time required for editing a video.
- Helps the user to express themselves and their creativity through video edits on their favorite types of videos, such as movies, anime, or social media content.
How to Choose a Video Editing App?
Firstly, you should consider what platform you want to edit on and whether you prefer desktop PCs or smartphones and tablets.
Next, consider your budget, as you don’t want to overpay for a product you’re not going to use extensively or settle for something less complex than you need.
You also need to ponder what your goals are in terms of content creation, as using a movie-making app for social media platforms (and vice versa) is not efficient or effective.
Afterward, gauge your level of video editing experience and how well you can use respective editing programs; diving into complicated video editing programs as a beginner can lead to confusion and loss of passion.
Lastly, you need to make sure your device—whether it is a computer, tablet, or smartphone—has technical specifications that can run the program you want. Opt for devices or PCs that have a higher amount of RAM, a modern processor, and a powerful GPU, especially if you use a video editing app that has plenty of AI features.
How to Add Audio to Video?
There are many high-quality tools to add audio to video today. Most of them involve using a simple editing program featuring a two-track timeline: one track for video and the other for audio.
After placing a video file on the top track, drag and drop the audio file onto the track below. Move the audio file along the bottom track to sync it up to the video file. Once this is done, you can download the file containing the video and audio clip you synced together.
Two of the best apps for adding audio to video are Adobe Express and Clideo.
FAQs
Yes, there are many free video editing apps. An excellent free video editing app is the free version of DaVinci Resolve, as it’s a robust program full of excellent features. Furthermore, DaVinci Resolve is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Other great options are Magisto and Adobe Premiere Rush for similar reasons.
For platform-specific choices, consider iMovie for Mac and Clipchamp for Windows, although these two are more basic (and beginner-friendly) than DaVinci Resolve, Magisto, and Adobe Premiere Rush.
Pexels, Videvo, and Videezy are three stock library options that require the least amount of work and money for great stock videos.