When it comes to creating high-quality videos, there are two things you need: a great camera and robust editing software. A quality vlog editing software is especially important because it can help you put everything together and take your videos to the next level.
Whether you’re a novice, a professional, or a video enthusiast, below you’ll find the best editing software you need to produce professional videos and tell compelling video stories.
Table of Contents
- Summary of The Best Vlog Editing Software
- Best Vlog Editing Software for Beginners
- iMovie
- Best Vlog Editing Software for Advanced Vloggers and Professionals
- Apple Final Cut Pro X
- Best Vlog Editing Apps for Android
- Best Vlog Editing Apps for iPhone
- Compare Video Editing Software
- Video Editing Buying Guide
- F.A.Q
- Final Words
Summary of The Best Vlog Editing Software
Best Vlog Editing Software for Beginners
- Filmora9
Filmora9 is one of the editing software for YouTube suitable for beginners. It features a simple interface, lots of special effects, and excellent export options.
- iMovie
iMovie is a free vlog editing software that enables YouTubers to edit video footage captured in 4K resolution.
- Avidemux
Avidemux is an open-source vlog editing software perfect for basic video editing.
- Camtasia
Camtasia is a great vlog editing software for beginners looking to create video tutorials and how-to guides. - Adobe Premiere Elements
Adobe Premiere Elements remains one of the most robust editing packages on the market. The recent update has brought time-lapse guided edit, noise reduction, and faster performance. - Magix Movie Edit Pro
A powerful editing software for YouTube suitable for both professionals and beginners. Magix Movie Edit Pro offers good stability, lots of video effects, as well as 4K and 360-degree support.
Best Vlog Editing Software for Advanced Vloggers and Professionals
- VSDC Free Video Editor
VSDC is a free editing software for YouTube that functions as a non-linear tool for editing images and videos in any format. - OpenShot
OpenShot is a powerful free editing software with an easy-to-use and beginner-friendly interface. - DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve is a high-end editing tool that features robust colour correction and audio functionalities. - Hitfilm Express
Hitfilm Express is a powerful vlog editing software packed with over 180 visual effects. - Adobe Premiere Pro
A powerful professional-level vlogging software, Adobe Premiere Pro is the optimal choice for professionals looking for a rich ecosystem and unlimited power in video editing. - Apple Final Cut Pro X
The best vlog editing software for Mac users, Final Cut Pro X delivers robust functionality, blazing speed, and excellent stability. - Lightworks Pro
Lightworks Pro is a leading video editing software used for the creation of a number of Hollywood movies. This software offers ease of use, drag and drop techniques, and advanced video effects.
Best Vlog Editing Apps for Android
- FilmoraGo
FilmoraGo is a great video editing tool suitable for novices who need some basic video editing functionalities.
- Adobe Premiere Rush
Adobe Premiere Rush is a powerful editing tool packed with a plethora of features. This app is suitable for professionals and savvy vloggers who want to take their video clips to the next level.
Best Vlog Editing Apps for iPhone
- LumaFusion
LumaFusion is one of the best video editing apps for iPhone used by professional journalists and filmmakers to edit high-quality video clips on the go.
- Videoshop
Videoshop is a video editing app packed with a plethora of tools, video effects, and motion graphics capable of transforming your clips into stunning videos within seconds.
Best Vlog Editing Software for Beginners
Best free vlog editing software for YouTube
Filmora9
Compatibility: Mac, Windows
Filmora9 is the perfect editing tool for vloggers who want to start out with basic editing techniques. The platform features a simple and intuitive interface that offers easy access to the main features and functionalities. It has a library area which allows users to easily find and organize their video files.
The software is packed with all basic editing features including lens correction, drop shadow, auto enhance, and the transform tool. On top of that, Filmora9 offers 300 special effects, 158 filters, 191 mask elements, and 51 audio samples. Users can also export their video projects in a number of formats.
Pros
Free video editing software compatible with both Mac and Windows
Lightweight
Simple and intuitive interface
Fast video rendering speed
Excellent export options
Made for begginers
Cons
Limited color grading
Doesn’t support 360 degree videos
iMovie
Compatibility: macOS, iOs
iMovie is a free vlog editing software suitable for vloggers who are using Mac to perfect their videos. This software is part of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX 100 series which are popular among YouTubers due to a number of robust features and comes with every iMac..
The iMovie vlog editing software is not as powerful as some paid solutions, but it has every basic editing feature which makes it perfect for beginners. It lets users easily edit footage that’s captured in 4K resolution, record their own voice overs, find some great templates in any genre, and even pick their own studio logo. The iMovie vlogging software also allows for adding visual effects and filters including green screen, split-screen, and picture-in-picture.
Pros
Easy to use
Simple and intuitive interface
Ability to fix shaky video
Cons
It lacks some features found in paid video editors
Avidemux
Avidemux is an open-source vlog editing software that supports a number of video and audio formats including MP4, AVI, MPEG-2, ASF, and MKV. This is a linear video editor that enables users to add subtitles, insert video stream, and apply a number of filters.
This software can help both beginners and pro vloggers to speed up the encoding, filtering, and processing. Besides, Avidemux features a wide range of filters including noise reduction and deinterlacing. One downside is that Avidemux’s interface lacks some basic features such as a central pool for importing video files.
Pros
Easy to use
Linear video editor
Supports a variety of video formats
Video filters
Audio filters
Cons
It lacks some features found in paid video editors
Best paid vlog editing software for YouTube
Camtasia
Compatibility: Mac, Windows
Camtasia is a video editing tool suitable for vloggers who create video tutorials, how-to-videos, video lessons, and other instructional videos. The software has pre-built custom templates that allow users to create recognisable videos and maintain consistency.
Camtasia comes with a set of motion graphics, audio, and image files which can help novices to create high-quality videos right from the start. Packed with all basic features required for editing YouTube videos as well as pre-built animations, this vlog editing software allows users to capture video and audio from their desktop as it’s both a screen recorder and a video editor. Coupled with drag-and-drop functionality and sophisticated effects, Camsita is the go-to tool for creating simple and educational YouTube videos.
Pros
Simple and intuitive interface
Green-screen capabilities
Screen capture
Easy video recording
Constant upgrades
Great annotation tools
Cons
Too slow for video rendering
Adobe Premiere Elements
Compatibility: Windows
Adobe’s professional-level video editing software Premiere Elements brings a plethora of powerful tools for professionals who create video content for social media platforms and cinema. The Premiere Elements interface is simple and easy-to-use. Users get to choose from three-mode tabs: Quick, Guided, and Expert, depending on their needs and projects difficulty.
The updated version of this software offers video noise reduction, auto-tagging, time-lapse guided edit, and support for HEVC and HEIC for Windows. The processing engine power is also improved in the new version so vloggers can speed up rendering, composting, playback, and import. The software also includes Bounce Back Effect, Animated Gif Export and Candid Moments, which automatically picks the best still images from your footage.
Pros
Simple and intuitive interface
Free trial available
Professional editing tools
Great video effects and audio capabilities
Automatic slideshow creation
Audio mixer
Cons
Steep learning curve
Magix Movie Edit Pro
Compatibility: Windows
Magix Movie Editor Pro bridges the gap between advanced editing and beginner-friendly software. This is an award-winning video editing software that promises ease of use and blazing speed. It’s loaded with good titling tools, stunning movie templates, and strong audio editing tools.
The new 2020 edition of this software has introduced the new Infusion Engine which can speed up common editing activities including rendering, playback, and composting. The interface is simple to use and gives users a real-time preview of their edits. The Magix Movie Edit Pro is an impressive product loaded with fun features including 15 animation styles, 30 fonts, and over 250 effect templates. It offers good stability and 360-degree and 4K support.
Pros
Simple and intuitive interface
Constant upgrades
4K and 360-degree videos support
Multi-camera editing
A plethora of video effects and animations
Cons
Lacks organization tools
Best Vlog Editing Software for Advanced Vloggers and Professionals
Best free vlog editing software for YouTube
VSDC Free Video Editor
Compatibility: Windows
VSDC Free Video Editor is a free vlog editing software packed with rich functionalities. Both beginners and established YouTube creators can benefit from this software as it allows users to edit any image and video file format. Plus, this is a non-linear tool, which means that you’ll be able to move scenes in any position in the timeline, which is big taking into account that this is a free tool.
This software is packed with stylish Instagram-like filters and blending modes that can help you give your vlogging videos a unique touch. To make your editing process more efficient and organized, the software lets you create your own library of edited media flies where you’ll be able to browse all your edited footage. Moreover, the software enables users to export their videos to all social networks within a few clicks.
Pros
Support for a variety of formats
YouTube uploader
Instagram-like filters and color blending
4K and HD support
Visual and audio effects
Video stabilization tool
Cons
Steep learning curve
OpenShot
Compatibility: Windows
This vlog editing software is available in over 70 languages and enables users to add 3D animations and effects including flying text, snow, and flares.
OpenShot has an easy-to-use interface that can be customized according to anyone’s needs. Besides, the software features a powerful VFX panel and real-time effect support. The best part is that OpenShot allows users to directly import their videos to YouTube. You’ll find it packed with rich visual effects including frame accuracy, time mapping, and curve-based key frame animations.
Pros
Simple and intuitive interface
4K and HD support
A variety of video effects
Support for 70 languages
3D animations
Cons
Slow video rendering speed
DaVinci Resolve
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
DaVinci Resolve is a free editing software that offers powerful editing features. What’s more, DaVinci Resolve is often used for editing big-budget movies!
This editing software is constantly updating its features and the latest one is pretty amazing – The Cut page. This tool speeds up the editing process with a streamlined interface. DaVinci Resolve is particularly powerful when it comes to colour correction and audio capabilities. It offers exceptional colour quality and enables vloggers to remove blemishes and adjust skin tones.
On top of that, DaVinci Resolve has some amazing built-in features such as dynamic zoom, retiming, and stabilization. The free version can enhance the editing experience for both beginners and established vloggers, so it’s worth it to try it out.
Pros
Professional video editing tools
3D tools
4K support
Multi-user collaboration
Great audio capabilities
Color grading
Cons
Complex interface
Hitfilm Express
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
Hitfilm Express is a powerful film editor packed with features that usually come only with paid or premium editing tools. It gives users access to over 180 visual effects and allows 2D and 3D compositing.
What particularly distinguishes this editing software from others is its user-friendliness. The basic functions are easy to find and the software helps users speed up the editing process by giving them tutorials and suggestions that show up on the launch splash page.
HitFilm Express supports a number of media files with resolutions up to 4K.
Pros
Support for a variety of media formats
4K Support
Great visual effects
Grading tools
Lightning effects
Advanced tracking
Cons
Complex interface
Best paid video editing software for YouTube
Adobe Premiere Pro
Compatibility: Mac, Windows
There’s no innovation in video technology with which Adobe Premiere Pro doesn’t manage to keep up. Whether it’s 3D, 4K, or 360-degree VR video, Adobe’s constant updates are in line with recent trends with video technology and enable professionals to work on high-end video projects.
Adobe Premiere Pro integrates with all Adobe products and users can store all their files in one cloud. This allows them to easily organize their files and work in an uncluttered interface. The software features a plethora of effects, animations, and seamless transitions. On top of that, users can enhance their video projects with Hollywood-ready video effects.
Recent highlights include auditions, connected clips, and a trackless timeline that can speed up editing and save you some valuable time. Adobe Premiere Pro is an impressive product with a rich ecosystem and robust features offering unmatched speed and performance.
Pros
Support for a variety of formats
Free trial available
Regular upgrades
A plethora of audio and visual effects
Real-time video editing
Cons
Can be difficult to use for a beginner
Apple Final Cut Pro X
Compatibility: Mac
If you’re looking for a vlogging software that will make the most out of your Mac, then Apple Final Cut Pro is the perfect software for you as you’ll be able to edit larger frame sizes at maximum velocity.
Vloggers that have some experience with the Apple ecosystem will not have a problem getting their hands around this vlogging software. Apple’s Magnetic Timeline can foster your creativity because you can experiment with your vlog ideas by moving and syncing your footage. Coupled with advanced colouring, HDR support, and 360-degree videos, this software has the perfect set of tools to enhance your post-production. Final Cut Pro excels at colour correction. It automatically balances exposure, saturation, and colours, and users can also manually adjust them by using the Color Adjustment panel and the Color Wheels.
Pros
Professional video editing tools
Fast video rendering speed
Great color correction capabilities
Intuitive editor
Magnetic timeline
HDR and 360-degree videos support
Cons
Confusing library structure
Lightworks Pro
Compatibility: Mac, Windows
Lightworks is a popular video editing software that has brought to light some of the finest Hollywood creations including Pulp Fiction and The Wolf of Wall Street. Vloggers can edit their video footage by using drag and drop techniques.
Lightworks is loaded with a professional set of tools that will help you perfect your videos including masks, blurs, and advanced color correction. Lightworks’s interface is composed of bins, edit viewer, and a timeline, which can seem intimidating to beginners. However, vloggers with some editing experience will easily find their way around this software and learn to use its editing capabilities to the maximum. Lightworks Pro integrates with Blackmagic Fusion, an advanced compositing software used for creating sophisticated effects in YouTube videos, movies, and commercials.
Pros
Simple and intuitive interface
Support for a variety of video formats
Access to royalty free audio and video content
Great audio and visual effects
Cons
Export limited to 720p
Corel Video Studio Pro
Compatibility: Windows
Adobe’s Corel Video Studio pro targets both advanced and middle-level professionals who want a fast editing software for their video-editing projects and a powerful editing program packed with creative tools. This software does a remarkable job at bringing these two worlds together offering both maximum velocity and a plethora of sophisticated tools.
Whether it’s 3D, 4K or 360-degree VR video footage, Corel’s Video Studio Pro offers a smooth editing process with the help of a clean and simple interface. It offers time remapping, multicam editing, audio ducking, 360-degree video effects, and multipoint motion tracking.
Recent highlights include dynamic split screens, advanced colour grading, custom transitions, and text masking.
Pros
Simple and intuitive interface
4K and 360-degree videos support
Great audio capabilities
A plethora of visual effects
Fast video rendering speed
Cons
Limited keyframing capability
Best Vlog Editing Apps for Android
FilmoraGo
FilmoraGo is one of the most popular video editing apps, and for a good reason! It’s packed with all basic functionalities including cutting, trimming, adding images, music, and themes. The app enables users to create 1:1 videos for Instagram, 16:9 videos for YouTube, as well as slow motion and reverse videos.
FilmoraGo allows users to directly export videos to social media platforms. You’ll find a plethora of sophisticated editing tools such as overlays, titles, special effects, elements, and filters. Users can also purchase additional features, however, FilmoraGo’s basic features are more than enough to create beautiful videos on the go.
Pros
Easy to use
Good range of themes
Audio mixing
Color tuning
Cons
Lacks capabilities for complex editing
Adobe Premiere Rush
Adobe Premiere Rush is a powerful video editing tool that allows users to shoot video clips directly from the app or import videos for editing. The software is easy to use and is packed with a plethora of features that can help vloggers create short videos for social media platforms. Plus, it has a one-click social sharing which means that videos can be immediately exported to Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.
Adobe Premiere Pro has drag-and-drop functionality and all items show up in a storyboard layout, making it super-easy to trim and adjust video footage. The app offers some free soundtracks and a selection of motion graphics.
Pros
Easy to use
Robust features
One-click sharing
Royalty free soundtracks
Cons
Limited transitions
Best Vlog Editing Apps for iPhone
LumaFusion
LumaFusion is a feature-rich app that resembles a vlog editing software due to its functionalities. It has a magnetic timeline that makes video editing super easy. This app supports up to 6 videos and 6 audio tracks. Luma Fusion comes together with royalty-free music, motion graphics, titles, and sound effects.
Users can manipulate their videos with a number of aspect ratios including portrait, square, landscape, and film. It also features layer effects and transitions. On top of that, this app also supports 120 and 240 fps video files and time-lapse video files. LumaFusion is one of the best professional-level video editing apps on the market used by professional journalists, filmmakers, and influencers.
Pros
Easy to use
Professional editing tools
Royalty free music and graphics
Transitions
Layer effects
Cons
Audio syncing issues
Videoshop
Videoshop is a robust video editor for iPhone that allows users to create beautiful videos on the go. This app is more than capable of handling sophisticated video functionalities allowing users to record video directly from the app or import video footage from the camera roll.
Users can easily trim video sequences, add transitions, or tilt shifts to their videos. Adjusting video speed is super easy and savvy vloggers get to also merge multiple clips into one. Once users are done with their edits, they can export videos directly to Dropbox, YouTube, Instagram, or Vimeo.
Pros
Easy to use
Slow motion
Sound effects
Videoshop’s stock library
Cons
Confusing interface
Compare Video Editing Software
Product name | Best for | Price |
Filmora9 | Best for beginners | Free |
iMovie | Best for editing small projects | Free |
Avidemux | Best for editing simple videos | Free |
Camtasia | Best for video tutorials | $249.00 |
Adobe Premiere Elements | Best for digital scrapbooking | $99.99 |
Magix Movie Edit Pro | Best for visual effects and transitions | $69.99 |
VSDC Free Video Editor | Best for professional editing on a budget | Free |
OpenShot | Best free editor for editing 4K videos | Free |
DaVinci Resolve | Best for colour grading | Free |
Hitfilm Express | Best free editor for visual effects | Free |
Adobe Premiere Pro | Best for professional video editing | $20.99/mo |
Apple Final Cut Pro X | Best for professional editing on a Mac | $299.99 |
Lightworks Pro | Best for real-time effects | $24.99/mo |
FilmoraGo | Best editing app for simple videos | Free |
Adobe Premiere Rush | Best editing app for visual effects | $9.99/mo |
LumaFusion | Best editing app for professional editing | $19.99 |
Video Editing Buying Guide
Choosing the right vlog editing software for your videos is not easy as there are endless equivalents on the market. There are a number of free vlog editing software that offer basic editing but there are differences when it comes to their user-friendliness and features. When it comes to the paid solutions, there are countless tools on the market that offer a plethora of features and fast performance. So, how to choose the right vlog editing software or app for your video projects? Let’s go over the most important things to pay attention to.
Ease of use
Editing videos is not as easy as it might seem, especially if you aim for a vlogging career. Professional vlog editing software can be overwhelming as there are countless features that might seem complex at first. That’s why it’s important to look for a software that has a simple and intuitive interface.
If you’re a beginner, avoid using professional software and stick to the beginner-friendly ones that we included on our list. Also, be patient. Remember that it may take hundreds of hours to learn the most important video editing techniques so you can use the professional editors with ease.
Hardware
Another important aspect is the hardware. You need to make sure that your vlog editing software is compatible with your opreating system. Also, keep in mind that high quality vlog editing software usually runs on high-end computers. This particularly is the case if you want to edit 4K videos. You need at least a 64-bit PC and 8GB-16GB of RAM to edit your videos without problems.
Special effects
Always check the features and effects that come together with your vlog editing software. To create professional vlogs, you’ll need audio effects, video effects, and graphics. Also, check if the video editor offers royalty free music and motions as they can be very helpful.
Before you choose your vlog editing software make sure you’re aware of the type of editing you’ll need. If you just need to put a couple of clips together – a free video editor will do the job perfectly. However, if you’re up for some complex editing, make sure you choose a vlog editing software that has a plethora of features, visual effects, audio effects, 3D animations, and color grading capabilities.
Storage
Before you start vlogging, make sure that you have a considerable amount of storage. Videos take a lot of storage, especially longer ones or ones filmed in 4K. The frame rate also influences the video size. If you don’t have enough storage on your computer, you can always get a cloud storage solution or an external hard disk.
F.A.Q
There are a number of free vlogging software and apps that you can use for video editing. They lack the more advanced features of paid video editors, however, they are packed with enough features to do basic editing. We particularly recommend Filmora9 for beginners and HitFilm Express for professional vloggers. If you want to edit your videos on the go, you can try the FilmoraGo and VideoShop apps that you can download for free.
Among the most popular vlog editing software for YouTubers are Adobe Final Cut Pro, iMovie, and Adobe Premiere Pro. iMovie is a beginner-friendly vlog editing software and is completely free.
No, Adobe Premier is not free. It costs $20/99 a month. However, there’s a free 7-day trial, so you can check if the software is suitable for your editing needs.
No, Final Cut Pro is not free. It costs $299.99. However, there’s a free 90-day trial available.
The answer to this question depends on the type of video projects you’re working on and your level of experience. Beginners editing their first videos will find iMovie more than suitable for their needs. However, advanced professionals and vloggers with experience may need a more robust vlog editing software such as Adobe Premiere Elements or Apple Final Cut Pro X.
Video editing is easy to learn nowaday. Download some of the free video editing software and turn to YouTube for some basic tutorials. Editors for beginners are usually simple and intuitive and come together with a set of instructions. You can also sign up for an online video editing course.
The answer to this question depends on the type of projects you want to work on. Basic editing is pretty easy, especially when done on a beginners-friendly software. However, complex video editing requires practice and many hours spent learning about the software features and effects.
Final Words
In this article, we’ve listed the best vlogging software for Windows/macOS and the best vlog editing apps for Android/iOS on the market. These tools can help savvy Instagrammers, Influencers, YouTubers, and Vloggers to create professional videos in 2020.
If you have experience with some of the software and apps mentioned above or you know of some other powerful editing tools, let us know in the comment section below.
Last update on 2024-10-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. Our editors may earn a small commission if products are purchased via our external partner links.