The Thousand Solutions Blog

The Top 11 video editing software and apps to use with YouTube by 2022 (Free and Paid)

Apr 27, 2022

Make better videos and expand your YouTube account with the top video editing software and top software choices.

Every successful creator and business owner knows that quality video content is gold. Videos can allow you to reach new customers at scale via YouTube as well as be seen in more rooms than you ever have been in in-person.

But picking the right video-editing software can be a challenge and especially for novice content creators. If you're budget-conscious then you may want a program which can handle all of the basic functions and gives you the best value to your money. The most ambitious editors may require more editing equipment, particularly when their expertise and knowledge grow.

Thank goodness, we've already done the necessary research to help your benefit. This article includes videos that are edited with free and paid software for Mac and PC in addition to apps for Android as well as iOS (iPad and iPhone). All the video editing tools you'll ever require are here, no matter what your skill level.

So read on--and we'll help you pick the video editing software that's right for you. This is the complete list of topics we'll discuss, in case you want to take a leap:

The top software for video editing in 2022.

  Final Cut Pro  

There's two industry standards to edit video, and If you're using Mac then Apple's Final Cut Pro is our best choice. (If you're running PC keep on us; we've got you covered, too. )

The interface is simple enough for beginners who want more advanced tools than iMovie offers. However it's rich in editing tools for audio and video, visual effects, and built-in AI software make it the perfect tool for professional editors. It's impossible to outgrow the Final Cut Pro program. It will do just about anything you need it to.

There are features like an electronic timeline as well as grouping tools, 360-degree videos, color grading as well as a huge selection of effects. That's not even the beginning of. Apple updates Final Cut Pro regularly. Recent updates include AI-powered cropping tools to edit social media video, as well as support for Apple's brand-new series of silicon M1-based machines.

There's only one problem? It's not possible to get Final Cut Pro on PC. If you frequently collaborate with other PC users, you might require a video editing program which is available on all platforms.

Platform: Mac

Cost: $399.99

  Motives to Buy:  

  • Industry standard for Mac
  • Optimized for performance on Mac
  • Lifetime license, no monthly fees
  • Massive base of online tutorials

  Reasons to avoid:  

  • is not available on Windows
  • Steep once-time payments

  Adobe Premiere Pro  

Besides Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro is the other industry standard.

Anyone from amateur film makers to Hollywood editors utilize the software and it's loaded with tools that can make accurate editing simpler.

Premiere Pro is arranged into distinct workspaces which are able to switch through at various points during edit process. Each workspace is set up to make color grading, cutting and arranging clips, audio editing as well as adding effects super-fast. Premiere Pro is compatible with 4K, 8K, and VR editing. Additionally, it lets you organize an unlimited amount of audio tracks.

Like Final Cut Pro, this will not be a software that you'll want to replace. Adobe releases updates to Premiere Pro regularly, and the depth of features makes this a perfect choice for course designers and editors at any level. What is it's performance up with Final Cut Pro?

Premiere Pro's biggest advantage is being available on both Mac and Windows, which allows for cross-platform collaboration. The program is also a bit more popular in comparison to Final Cut Pro. However, the user interface is more difficult to masterand annual subscription costs will cost more long-term as Final Cut Pro.

You're free to choose, but you can't make a mistake with either.

Platforms: Windows, Mac

Cost: $49.94/month

  The reasons to purchase:  

  • Industry standard that works on both PC as well as Mac
  • Highly powerful capabilities
  • The largest base of online tutorials
  • Gets regular updates from Adobe

  Why you should avoid:  

  • Requires subscription
  • Cost per minute is higher than Final Cut Pro

  DaVinci Resolve  

DaVinci Resolve is another pro-level software that comes with every video editing function you'll require. Keyframing, color grading, audio editing, motion graphics and much more. You name it, Resolve has it.

Resolve stands out for its post-production tools, which have been employed in blockbuster films such as The Avengers and The Hunger Games. DaVinci has included hundreds of pro-level audio editing tools that make it easy to get industry-quality sound. It has a multi-cam editing workflow, specially designed coloring tools and multi-user collaboration , which lets you share work with ease.

All of these are amazing options, but let us highlight the main reason why we would recommend DaVinci Resolve: the free version of the program is quite good. Shelling out hundreds of dollars upfront or making a commitment to a subscription can be a bit daunting. Resolve's free version Resolve gives you all the time that you require to master the fundamentals before paying for premium options.

Platforms: Mac , Windows

Price: Free/$295 for the full version

Reasons to buy:

  • Lifetime license--no monthly subscription
  • Includes motion graphics as well as audio editing tools, which other editors don't include
  • Free version provides a wealth of resources for new editors

  Reasons to avoid:  

  • A difficult learning curve, but less learning resources on the internet
  • It requires lots of processing power in order to function.

  Adobe Premiere Elements  

Adobe Premiere Elements takes the base of Premiere Pro and strips out the most complicated features, which makes it a perfect choice for newer editors.

Elements was designed to be user-friendly and is geared towards creators documenting moments in their own lives. It comes with guided editing workflows, which coach you through the most difficult parts in the process of making videos.

Despite being a stripped down software, Elements does include some more advanced options, such as multi-track and keyframe editing. But professional editors may find themselves wanting more. Notably, Elements doesn't have multi-cam support and 360deg editing.

But one plus you can't ignore: Elements is offered at a single cost of $99.99 which means you'll be able to avoid those hefty Creative Cloud subscription fees. (Your pocket will thank you for your generosity. )

Platforms: Windows, Mac.

Cost: $99.99 USD

  Motives to Buy:  

  • One-time purchase (unlike Adobe Premiere Pro)
  • A simple interface that is accessible for beginners
  • Multi-platform support

  The reasons to stay clear of:  

  • Slower to export video files
  • Advanced features do not have depth
  • No multi-cam support

Free video editing software to help budget-conscious users.

  IMovie  

Unlike the previous software tools that Apple has, iMovie is free. If you have an Mac PC, then you've been able to install it. This is a fantastic software for video editors starting out.

The interface for users of iMovie is user-friendly, and geared towards amateur video makers. Apple includes over 35 visual effects, plus many different transitions, audio effects, and backgrounds. iMovie can be downloaded for iPhone as well as iPad and allows editing in 60 and 4k video files. If your creative environment is solely on Apple devices, then you'll be ready to create wherever you go, regardless of what gadget you're using.

On the flipside, iMovie doesn't have anywhere near the amount of features as Final Cut Pro (its paid alternative) does. iMovie is missing many of the audio and color editing features which makes Final Cut Pro so useful If you're an experienced editor, it could leave you looking for more. (And Windows users are completely out of luck!)

Platforms: iOS (Mac, iPhone, iPad)

cost: Free

  The reasons to use it:  

  • Completely free on iOS
  • Available across all Apple devices
  • Simple to use

  The reasons to stay clear of:  

  • Very rarely up-to-date
  • Only accessible on Mac/iOS
  • Features lack depth
  • Doesn't sync between devices

  Shotcut  

Shotcut is an open source video editor designed for small projects. It's free and maintained by a core team of developers, and is intended to be simple to use to beginners.

Shotcut's team of developers has developed several useful tools such as ripple editing, a high-end timeline maker, as well as audio and video filters. After you've finished editing, you can export your video in a dozen preconfigured video profiles--including one that is specifically optimized for YouTube.

Shotcut is missing several essential features, though. Particularly, Shotcut offers almost no organization tools to help users sort through imported videos. There's no way to make collections of clips to keep them organized, or assign them color codes. It's not a huge issue for small assignments, but when managing a large number of videos, organization could make a huge impact.

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

Cost: Free

  Reasons to use:  

  • 100% completely free
  • Open-source
  • Large library of filters and transitions

  The reasons to stay clear of:  

  • There are no tools to organize import clips
  • Filters and effects must be applied to individual videos (no mass editing)

One of the best mobile video editing applications for 2022

  LumaFusion  

LumaFusion is the first professional-level video editor for iOS it comes with features that other mobile editing apps don't have--like keyframing.

The interface has a slightly steeper learning curve than other mobile-first video editing apps However, it's definitely worth your time. The primary interface has a look like a lot of desktop editing suites. The arrangement timeline is located below, and a media search above, and then an unassuming preview screen. A quick double-tap will reveal every effect you can create, and this is where LumaFusion really shines.

It is worth noting that LumaFusion has chroma keys for accurate color grade. You can keyframe any effect you want, as well as fine-tune audio edits with the 12 audio tracks that LumaFusion has. Features like masking or motion tracking (that most desktop apps include) aren't included, but LumaFusion is still ahead of competitors on mobile devices in terms of features.

Platforms: iOS

Cost: $39.99

  The reasons to purchase:  

  • A low cost one-time purchase (no annual fee)
  • Detailed color, audio and effects of transition
  • Supports keyframe editing

  The reasons to stay clear of:  

  • A complex interface when compared with other mobile applications
  • Less intuitive than apps such as iMovie or Premiere Rush

  Adobe Premiere Rush  

Adobe Premiere Rush is geared towards social video creators, who're juggling busy content calendars and trying to make the content, edit it, and market their works. Premiere Rush started as a exclusively for mobile, but now it's accessible on the desktop.

Rush's workflow can be described as a simplified version of the workflows available within Premiere Pro and Elements. It has a monitor panel that lets you look at the edited clips, as well as a timeline which lets you organize the clips. Tools for import and effects can be found on the opposite side on the timeline.

Rush also includes social publishing tools to enable you to directly publish to social networks. If you're on TikTok, YouTube, Facebook or Behance You'll appreciate this capability. That said: Rush is missing some of the files navigation and editing tools which help make Elements or Premiere Pro so powerful.

But, when you consider that the app is mobile-first, it has a significant punch.

Platforms: iOS, Android, Mac, Windows

Cost: $9.99/month

  Motives to Buy:  

  • A lower monthly cost as compared to Premiere Pro
  • Simple interface for on-the-go editing
  • fully compatible With Premiere Pro
  • Rapid performance on mobile devices

  Why you should avoid:  

  • Transition and effects libraries are very limited.
  • A few audio editing tools
  • Can't choose the type of file to export.

  KineMaster  

A lot of mobile editing applications barely scratch the surface when regards features. KineMaster is a complete package. If you're in need of serious editing features with a simple, compact application, KineMaster might be the tool that you need.

A little bit of a surprise, KineMaster isn't equipped with the media library to list the available videos, but that's not an advantage. Instead, KineMaster takes your device's camera roll as its raw input, and lets you move videos and images from your camera roll into the timeline. The editing tools that are displayed on screen will change based the option you select, in order to minimize visual clutter. minimal.

When it comes to effects, KineMaster has lots. You'll be able to do keyframing, color grading, and even chroma-keying. The process of adding transitions is also simple simply click on the "+" icon next to the clips choose from any from 38 different options for transitions.

KineMaster's biggest drawback is its subscription-based model. The majority of applications for mobile video editing for cash, but professionals who are busy would prefer to pay a larger one-time fee instead of a monthly subscription.

Platforms: Android, iOS

Cost: $4.99/month (or $39.99/year)

  Reasons to buy:  

  • Simple, clear interface
  • Fast editing performance on most devices

  Why you should avoid:  

  • Subscription models are higher priced than the other mobile apps
  • Hidden features outside of the main interface could be hard to find

Free mobile video editing applications for budget-conscious users

  It is the iMovie mobile app  

If you're on iPhone The selection of the free software for editing videos begins and stops with iMovie. Most of the free editing tools for mobile exist in trial versions of paid applications however, iMovie does not have watermarks and isn't trying to upsell you.

iMovie has many strong points. We've talked before about its user-friendly interface for beginners, as well as the wide array of effects for audio, video effects, and transitions. Additionally, it's available on Mac and iPad, so you can transfer projects from one platform to another as-needed. This is a huge advantage that even apps like KineMaster as well as LumaFusion are struggling with.

One major drawback of iMovie: your aspect ratio will be locked to 16:9. This isn't an inherently bad thing. However, if you're trying create a social media-friendly video and you're looking to upgrade to a paid app for mobile or desktop version.

Platforms: iOS

Cost: Free

  Reasons to use:  

  • Completely Free
  • Easy to collaborate on Mac
  • Easy to Use

  The reasons to stay clear of:  

  • Does not have features commonly found in paid mobile applications
  • Only accessible for Mac as well as iOS
  • Cross-device sync is not supported
  • aspect ratio of 16:9.

  FilmoraGo  

We've already mentioned that the majority of applications for free are limited versions of paid ones. But FilmoraGo's cost-free version has enough functionality to make it worth the effort particularly if you're a new editor.

FilmoraGo's trial version includes all the basics, including trimming, transition, as well as overlay options. One thing that distinguishes it is its template workflow. There's twenty basic templates, broken down into categories like Fashion, Food and Festival. However, only four are absolutely free. Each template will tell you the number of clips you require, and how long each one must be. This eliminates the uncertainty of cutting and editing out of your hands.

FilmoraGo also offers advanced options like motion tracking. It also comes with social sharing features that make it simple to publish your videos to YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.

Once you're ready to upgrade, full version can be bought outright or via a subscription that costs less than the market's top products such as Premiere Elements. For those who are on a limited budget, it's definitely worth taking a look.

Platforms: Android, iOS

Price: Free / $79.99

  Uses:  

  • Completely completely free
  • It is accessible on Android and iOS
  • An excellent set of trial editing tools
  • Templates allow editing easier

  Why you should avoid:  

  • No effects editing
  • Features that are limited
  • A trial version of a program that is paid for

  Make money from your video to create an online class  

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