A video editing software is a software program that is capable of modifying, editing, manipulating, or generating a movie file or a video. Using a video editor, you can remove sections of a video clip, cut and arrange a video to give it an appealing and better flow, or add effects to enhance a video. Video editing is one of the simplest and easiest ways to put life inside a moving clip. You can use different filters to give it a more attractive appearance. Video editing software rearranges video shots to create a new work. Editing is however a part of the post-production process, some other post-production process includes color correction, titling, sound mixing, etc.
A video editing software is important because it is the key to blending sounds and images to make us feel sentimentally connected and sometimes really there in the video film that we’re watching. It can also be said that video editing is one of the most important jobs in the film industry.
List of Best Video Editing Software for Windows & Mac
Filmora9
Filmora9 is especially for beginners with some professional features. It is a brilliant choice for cross-platform users as it is available on both macOS and Windows. Filmora9 comes with a clean interface and a nice built-in sound effects library, making you able to create good quality videos to share with your friends and family. It is best for videos that have to be displayed on phones or for clip art-style animations.
Features of Filmora9
- Basic color-tuning capability
- Chromakey effects
- Built-in sound effects
Pricing of Filmora9
- One time fee and subscription options
Camtasia
Camtasia by Techsmith is a wonderful solution for video editing. A big portion of video creators uses Camtasia for their regular YouTube videos, vlogs, screen recording, or for making teaching videos. It is super easy to use and its interface is very clean and sophisticated. Camtasia comes with a nice library that contains audio, lower thirds, icons, and much more that can be useful while making videos. If there is a video editor on earth, he definitely knows about Camtasia. If you are making videos for your clients, and it doesn’t require precision-based animations or motion videos, then you can create videos faster with Camtasia. It is a fast, easy yet powerful video editing solution for content creators.
Features of Camtasia
- Fulfills all the basic needs with video editing
- It is easy to use and really powerful
- It can be used even on low spec systems and doesn’t crash pretty much like others
- Camtasia allows screen recording as well
- There are various effects, adjustments and animations to use in the videos
Pricing of Camtasia
There are various plans of Camtasia that you can opt to purchase. There is individual, business, education, and government & nonprofit plan. Pricing of its latest version that is Camtasia 2021 starts from around 350 USD.
VEGAS Pro
VEGAS Pro is especially recommended for video and film professionals. It is a full-featured solution for creatives who have high aspirations for next-level amazing video and film production. VEGAS Pro has a fully customizable, flexible interface that will let you create things in the manner you want without your software getting in the way.
Features of VEGAS Pro
- HDR color corrections
- Fully customizable user interface
- Full digital audio workstation
Pricing of VEGAS Pro
- The pricing starts from $23.99 per user, per month.
- It also offers a free trial.
VEGAS Movie Studio Platinum
VEGAS Movie Studio Platinum is a video editing software recommended especially for beginners and advanced intermediates. It is aimed at the kind of people who has big aspirations. Using VEGAS Movie Studio Platinum, you can create professional-looking videos. Its Guided Video Creator leads through your first few video works and when you are ready, you can take full control over the feature set.
Features of VEGAS Movie Studio Platinum
- Advanced color corrections
- Set of Audio Tools
- Optimization Tools
Pricing of VEGAS Movie Studio Platinum
- Offers a 30-day free trial plan.
- Comes with 3 plans- The basic version at $44.99, the Platinum at $59.99, and the Suite at $99.99.
PREMIERE PRO
PREMIERE PRO is especially recommended for video and film professionals. It has seamless integration with the other Adobe apps. PREMIERE PRO is widely used in the TV and film industry. It is one of the original non-linear editing pc apps. It supports a wide variety of professional codecs, both on timeline and export. Adding to this, PREMIERE PRO also has an Ultra key for powerful and precise chromakey capability.
Features of PREMIERE PRO
- Color grading system
- Lumetri Color panel
- Integrated color correction
Pricing of PREMIERE PRO
- The pricing starts at $29.99 per month.
Kdenlive
Kdenlive is an open and free source video editing software. It is compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac. This software is a combination of entry-level video editors with advanced video editing tools which are mostly used by experienced professionals. It can back up your files automatically thus freeing you from the fear of losing a file.
Features of Kdenlive
- Multi-track timeline
- Online forum and community
- Automatic backup
Pricing of Kdenlive
- It is completely free
Lightworks
Lightworks is a powerful video editor specially designed for professionals. It is a great feature-rich editor that comes with many video effects. It can edit up to 256 audios, videos, and still image clips. The user interface is however a little technical, so many people find it difficult to use. Lightworks is used by many movie makers as a professional video editing tool.
Features of Lightworks-
- Well designed interface
- Work with Effect Keyframes
- Fusion Compositor
Pricing of Lightworks-
- Free and paid versions are available. The paid version is $24 per month.
OpenShot
OpenShot is an open-source video maker. It offers basic video editing features like video slicing and trimming. In addition, it also provides a lot of audio effects and transitions to help you make an appealing video. OpenShot offers you unlimited video tracks in the timeline. This video editor also gets updated almost every day. However, you need to fix errors or bugs on your own as it is an open-source editor.
Features of OpenShot
- Powerful curve-based keyframe animations
- Clip resizing, scaling, snapping, cutting, trimming. And rotation
- 3D animated titles
Pricing of OpenShort
- Free
Apple Final Cut Pro
Apple Final Cut Pro is Apple’s professional-level video editing software. Final Cut Pro allows you to edit many complex projects and works with larger frame sizes and more effects-all at a very fast speed. With its great features and an intuitive design, Final Cut Pro accelerates the production of posts enabling editors to create and deliver at a speed of thought.
Features of Final Cut Pro
- Multicam
- Advanced color grading
- High Dynamic Range
- HDR on Apple displays
Pricing of Final Cut Pro
- It is available at $299.99
So, these are some of the best video editing software for Windows & Mac that one can use to make incredible videos for YouTube or for your freelance clients. These are so industry-best video editing tools that people use. Use cases are pretty much different for the software. Based on your video editing need, you can select the preferred software for your system. If your need is limited, then you can also opt for online video editing software.