What type of content do you primarily create?
The rise of social media has led to an explosion of video content. It’s the preferred format for many people on social media, which has paved the way for creators to use video for everything from personal vlogs to professional marketing campaigns.
The problem? Each video editor has a specific bunch of features they need from their editing software—from beginners looking for something user-friendly to professionals who need advanced features for making precise edits. With so many options available, it can be difficult to know which is the right video editing app for you.
The article will guide you through a curated list of top video editing apps. We’ll delve into each app's key features, costs, reviews, and drawbacks to help you find the perfect app for editing your own videos.
13 best video editing apps
- Descript
- Vimeo
- Wondershare Filmora
- Final Cut Pro X
- Wideo
- Splice Video Editor
- InShot
- Quik
- VEED
- CapCut
- iMovie
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- PowerDirector
1. Descript
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Descript is an all-in-one audio and video editor. Whether you’re a marketer creating YouTube videos or a podcast host producing your latest episode, you can do it all with Descript.
Descript’s intuitive interface offers features like:
- Automatic transcription to edit video based on text
- Overdub, which can fix audio mistakes by creating an AI clone of your voice
- Library of royalty-free trending sound effects and background music
- Easy templates to create social media clips from your video
- Audio editing with Studio Sound to turn standard audio into professional grade sound
- A video editing app in your browser or Mac or Windows device
“I genuinely can't believe I worked without Descript,” says Geoff Whitehouse, content lead at ClearBank. “It's saving hours of time and is easily the most accurate audio to text software I've used.”
Cons of Descript:
- The interface is markedly different from other editors, so experienced video producers may have a learning curve
- There’s no mobile app—just Mac and Windows software and a web-based option
G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Price: Free plan available, which includes one hour of transcription per month, filler word removal, and Studio Sound. Premium plans, including more advanced video editing features, start at $12 per month.
2. Vimeo
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Vimeo is a video editing app that also offers video hosting services—meaning you can edit your video and host it from the same dashboard.
Formerly known as Magisto, Vimeo’s video editing app allows you to:
- Crop, trim, and merge videos in the Vimeo video editor
- Use video templates, stickers, and filters to add personality to your content
- Add watermarks to brand and protect your video
- Collaborate with your team inside the video editing app
- Embed videos on your website with its ad-free video player
Cons of Vimeo:
- Some users report the app goes down if you don’t have a strong internet connection
- Plans can get expensive if you have a large team that needs access to all editing features
G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars.
Price: Plans start at $9 per user per month.
3. Wondershare Filmora
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Wondershare Filmora, also known as FilmoraGo, is a video editing app designed for content creators. Its app is available for Mac, Windows, and iOS for on-the-go editing.
Some of its best features include:
- Visual editor to add text to your video
- Batch editing to change filters, fonts, and text across your entire video project
- Motion tracking to position the subject in your video when cropping its aspect ratio
- Mobile, iPad, and desktop video editing apps to edit on whatever device you’re using
- Videos are stored in the cloud, so you can pick up projects at any time
- Integrations with Unsplash, Giphy, Pixabay, and Pexels to add images to your project
Cons of Wondershare Filmora:
- Rated below average for customer support
- Some templates come at an additional cost (on top of the monthly subscription)
- Users report the interface can be limiting for video editors with advanced skills
G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars.
Price: Individual plans for Mac start at $49.99 per year. If you want access from multiple devices (such as your Mac and iPhone), the cross-platform plan starts at $59.99 per year.
4. Final Cut Pro X
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Final Cut Pro is an advanced video editing app designed by Apple. While it’s only available to download on MacOS or iOS devices (such as an iPad, Mac, or iPhone), it’s a good option if you’re looking for professional video editing software.
Final Cut Pro X’s most impressive features include:
- Duplicate detection to highlight repetitive scenes
- Angle Viewer to display and edit up to 16 angles simultaneously
- Color grading tools to customize wheels, curves, hue, and saturation
- Create multidimensional videos by editing several camera angles
- Included as part of the Apple Pro Apps Bundle
Cons of Final Cut Pro X:
- Only available for iOS devices
- Steep learning curve; rated below average for ease of use
- No built-in transcription option
G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars.
Price: $299.99 one-time fee.
5. Wideo
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Wideo is one of the best video editing apps if you use animations in your video content. It’s also praised for its wide variety of free templates in various video formats, including Instagram Stories and training videos.
Users rave about Wideo because of its:
- Storyboard creator to plan your video in advance
- Built-in library of background music to add to your video content
- Slideshow maker to turn images into video
- Animation support to create moving graphics for your videos
- Free branded uploads to YouTube, Facebook, and HubSpot
- Native video editing app for Chromebook
Cons of Wideo:
- Rated below average for ease of setup
- Limited functionality for the free app version
G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars.
Price: It’s free to create branded videos up to one minute in length. For access to premium video editing features, plans start at $19 per user per month.
6. Splice
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Reportedly used by 70 million people, the Splice is a great tool for influencers who post on social media. The app boasts features like:
- Speed ramp, which can speed up video segments or put them in slow motion
- Chroma key to change the color of any element in your video
- Multi-track video editing to merge several clips and audio files
- Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play
Cons of Splice:
- No automatic subtitle feature (though this is coming soon)
- No desktop app available
G2 rating: Not available.
Price: Free.
7. InShot
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InShot is a mobile video editing app available through the Google Play and Apple App Store. It’s a good option if you’re looking for a free tool that doesn’t have a steep learning curve.
- Free animated stickers, fonts, and filters to use on videos
- Export videos directly from InShot to social media like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook
- Import your own music or choose from their library
- Set start and end times for when text appears on the screen
- Export videos in 480p, 720p, or 1080p resolution
Cons of InShot:
- No option to save videos as a draft
- Some reviewers report that InShot doesn’t have the advanced features they need
- The mobile app only works in portrait mode
G2 rating: Not available.
Price: InShot is free to use, but certain features come at an additional cost—like removing the brand’s watermark.
8. Quik
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Created by the team that made GoPro cameras, Quik is a great video editing app if you’re looking for tools that help you edit videos on the go. The best part? You don’t need a GoPro to use it.
Standout features of Quik’s video editing app include:
- Auto-sync video edits to the rhythm of your background music
- The ability to change video speed
- Custom filters and overlays to personalize your videos
- Unlimited cloud backup to store photos and videos in high quality
Cons of Quik:
- No Mac app at present
- Not the best option for long-form video editing
G2 rating: Not available.
Price: Free.
9. VEED
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VEED is a web-based app that allows you to capture screen recordings on the same platform you use to edit videos. Creators can use the video editing app to edit podcasts, YouTube videos, marketing campaigns, and more.
VEED’s most impressive features include:
- Music visualizers, like soundtracks and waveforms
- AI-powered translations for audio and video subtitles
- Video resizing features to crop your videos based on where they’ll be shared
- No third-party software necessary for screen recording
Cons of VEED:
- TechRadar reports the app struggles when uploading your own media
- Free plan lacks many important editing features
G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Price: Free plan offers a 1GB upload limit and 30 min of subtitles. To remove the VEED watermark and get access to premium video editing features, plans start at $18 per user, per month.
10. CapCut
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CapCut is one of the best free video editors for creators who make mobile videos. With a browser and Mac app, the AI-enabled video editor can help you edit TikTok videos and Instagram Reels in a flash.
Creators love CapCut because of the following features:
- Ability to remove the video background with one click
- AI-powered color correction tools to improve video quality
- Subtitle generator to sync video text overlays with audio footage
- Apps available through Google Play and App Store
- Encrypted data transmission and cloud storage to keep your videos safe
Cons of CapCut:
- Videos are limited to 15 minutes in length
- You can only edit one video and one audio track simultaneously
G2 rating: Not available.
Price: CapCut is a free video editing app, but you’ll need to pay cloud storage fees, which start at $0.99 for 10GB of video.
11. iMovie
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iMovie is Apple’s basic video editing software that comes standard on every iOS device—including iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Designed for filmmakers, it offers some impressive features considering it’s a free video editing app.
Standout features of iMovie include:
- Templates, called “Themes,” to display titles and video transitions
- Storyboard templates to organize video footage
- Special effects, such as speeding up or slowing down footage to induce emotion
- Ability to export videos in 4K resolution
- Rated above average for ease of setup
Cons of iMovie:
- Some users report that specific video editing features are difficult to locate
- Only available on Apple devices (not Windows or Android)
G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars.
Price: Free version available for all iOS devices.
12. Adobe Premiere Pro
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Adobe Premiere Pro is the video editing software portion of the Adobe Creative Cloud. Designed for professional movie makers, some standout features of Adobe Premiere Pro include:
- Choose from hundreds of built-in video effects and transitions
- AI-enabled color balancing features
- Export your videos directly to platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook
- Speech-to-text capability to make editing easier
- Integration with the Adobe suite of products, including Photoshop and Illustrator
Cons of Adobe Premiere Pro:
- Rated below average for ease of use
- Plans can be expensive for larger teams
- Some users report the video editing app crashes mid-project
G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Price: Plans start at $20.99 per user, per month.
13. PowerDirector
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PowerDirector is an AI-enabled video editing app available on all major operating systems. Rated five stars by PCMag, Cyberlink’s PowerDirector 365 video editing app is a good choice because of its:
- Simple user interface across Windows, iOS, macOS, and Android apps
- Chroma key to remove the background from your video
- Cinematic and dramatic effects
- AI body effects that wrap your body in moving art
- Video collage designer to create picture-in-picture scenes
Cons of PowerDirector:
- The presentation of several editing options can feel overwhelming
- No keyword tag function to easily organize and find video projects
G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars.
Price: PowerDirector’s Perpetual License, which includes 25 GB of video storage, starts at $139.99.
Elevate your video editing workflow with Descript
Descript is a powerful video editing tool used by creators of all shapes and sizes. With its all-in-one dashboard, you can produce high-quality videos, podcasts, and social media teasers—without leaving the app.
Creators are already using Descript to streamline the video creation and editing process thanks to features like:
- Simple interface with a drag-and-drop editor to trim video from text
- Green screen to replace the background of any video in just a few seconds
- Studio Sound, which transforms ordinary or low-quality audio into professional-grade sound
- Templates to repurpose video clips for several different platforms
- Built-in screen recording and remote recording software for voiceovers
Want to join the thousands of creators already using Descript’s video editing app? Take a tour of the dashboard today.
Best video editing app FAQs
What do most YouTubers use to edit their videos?
Popular YouTubers use video editing apps like Descript to edit their videos. Descript allows YouTubers to edit video based on a transcription, produce social media snippets, and export their video in YouTube’s preferred file format.
Which is the best video editing app for free?
Descript offers a free plan that gives you the basic features you need to start editing video. Remove filler words, get studio-quality sound, and one transcription hour per month.
Is there a good video editing app for mobile devices?
CapCut and InShot are the best video editing apps for mobile users. If you’re editing videos for social media, most platforms have native editing tools—including TikTok and Instagram.
