Whether you make professional highlight reels for a content marketing department or create short videos for your social media and YouTube channel, video editing software can make or break your workflow. So, you will see here the top 10 video editing software of 2021 for all budgets, from bulging pockets to “water-no tip” combos at sit-ins. Whether you are looking for video editing software for YouTube or looking for the best video editor for making a movie, you just might find it in our picks for the top 10 video editing software for gamers in 2021. Let’s get into it.
Free
1. Davinci Resolve
Price: Free
Platform: Windows | Mac | Linux
+ Collaborative workflow
+ Audio postproduction
+ Color correction
– Geared towards finishing the project
Of the 5 in this section, this is by far the best offering in terms of the buzzword “free video editing software.” 8K editing, color correction, amazing visual effects, and audio post-production make this video editing software an obvious pick for the top of the free section of the list.
2. Apple iMovie
Price: Free
Platform: Mac
+ Easy-to-use
+ Smooth cuts and details
+ Good transition and titles
– Very limited options for effects, transition, and subtitles
– Mac only
Apple’s iMovie is an excellent video editing software for content creators and allows for some surprisingly clean edits. The effects you have are super smooth, and social media enthusiasts, YouTube creators, and video editing beginners can make videos fast and easy – if you have a Mac, that is.
3. Video Leap
Price: Free
Platform: iOS
+ Extremely powerful for a mobile editor
+ Plenty of editing options
+ Cropping of video and photo freedom
– Free options are limited
– Layer tracking can be confusing for most beginner editors
If you are looking for the best video editing app on your iPhone, Video Leap takes mobile production to the next level. Social media content creators will find that this software is simple to use, but some may consider it beyond the norm of traditional video editing software expectations. Still, it does very well for simple jobs on your iPhone.
4. Lightworks
Price: Free
Platform: Windows | Mac | Linux
+ Super powerful compared to other free software
+ Plenty of videos for expanding understanding
– Format output is heavily restricted
– Easy to learn, hard to master
Professional video editors may be able to create videos and make movies quickly because of how powerful the program is, but exporting at 720p as the max output is unfortunate. Still, it’s an invaluable tool for people getting into editing since there are many learning opportunities.
5. Shotcut
Price: Free
Platform: Windows | Mac | Linux
+ Effects and filters a plenty
+ Intuitive, easy-to-use UI
+ Various formatting options
– Great for simple projects, but limited to more advanced
If you are a YouTuber or content creator and you don’t need to edit a project with complex tracking and color adjustments, Shotcut is an outstanding option. Beginners, editing enthusiasts, and YouTubers will mostly enjoy this video editor since it supports 4K, has a simplified timeline workflow concept, and has format support.
Paid
1. Adobe Premiere Pro
Price: $20-50/month SingleApp/Full Suite
Platform: Windows | Mac
+ This is the industry standard
+ Compatible with most plugins
+ Creative Cloud integration
+ High-end features
– Expensive
This video editing software is the cream of the crop when discussing video editing software. Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-standard editing program and will handle all video projects with ease. Movies are made with Premiere Pro, so this powerful application can control your passion project with ease. It will just take a little practice on your side. Of course, diamonds aren’t cheap. Prepare to shell out some dough for the greatest in the industry.
2. Final Cut Pro X
Price: $299 one time
Platform: Mac
+ Very smooth workflow
+ Also industry standard
+ Works with most plugins
+ Apple family of compatibility
– Mac only
– Also expensive
Final Cut Pro X is also an industry-standard go-to for professional video editors. While the interface is user-friendly to most content creators and YouTubers in all stages of their careers, it comes at a hefty price. However, it is very much worth the money if you have a Mac and utilize its full potential.
3. Filmora
Price: 39.99/year 59.99 and 99.87 for a lifetime and unlimited options
Platform: Windows | Mac
+ Simple to use
+ Super affordable compared to competitors
+ Supports 4K
– Not much plugin integration available
– Lacks complexity
Filmora can handle all editing needs that your typical content creator on YouTube or IGTV will need for video editing. However, creating feature-length content become problematic due to its lack of external support. Filmora’s integrated effects aren’t anything to scoff at, though.
4. Adobe Premiere Elements
Price: 99.99 one time
Platform: Windows | Mac
+ Clear and straightforward user interface
+ Smooth text tools
+ Cross-platform support
– No multi-cam support
– Slow rendering when exporting
This video editing software is the little cousin to the much beefier Adobe Premiere Pro. However, that doesn’t make it anything to ignore. Adobe Premiere Elements is still a powerful program, and if you were curious about what most YouTubers use to edit their videos, this will be on many creators’ lists.
5. Pinnacle Studio
Price: 49.99 one time
Platform: Windows | Mac | Linux
+ Easy-to-use interface
+ Various features from which to choose
+ Affordable
– Professionals may find it basic
Unlike the name suggests, Pinnacle Studio isn’t the highlight of this list, but beginner video editors will find it hard to ignore its intuitive, easy-to-use features with a $50 one-time price.
What’s your go-to video editor?
Let us know below if you have used any of the editors in this list. If not, which ones do you think we missed? We hope this post finds you successful in your video game content career.
