Last Updated on October 24, 2017 by Larious

1. iMovie

iMovie is my favourite video editor to I recommend to beginners. It’s a shame that the software is exclusive to macOS and hence neither Windows nor Linux user can enjoy this editor. However, If you do own a Mac, you must know that iMovie comes pre-installed with your Mac which essentially makes it free. But that’s not what makes it best for beginners.

The best part about iMovie is its simple and intuitive interface which is really easy to figure out, even without help. Also, Apple’s optimisation makes iMovie a really snappy editor which can be used even on older Macs without any problem. As a beginner, iMovie is the best video editor you can use on a Mac. I say this especially because iMovie acts as a really good primer for Final Cut Pro, which you are essentially going to use as you get more and more comfortable with video editing and iMovie no longer satisfies your requirements.

Supported Platforms: macOS
Supported Input Formats: DV, HDV, AVCHD, Apple Intermediate Codec, Apple Animation Codec, Motion JPEG/A, iFrame, h.264, some, but not all, varieties of MP4, MOV.
Supported Output Formats: H.264, HDV, Apple Pixlet Video, Apple VC H.263, MPEG, and HDV among others
Price: (Free)

2. Adobe Premiere Elements

If you are a Windows user and looking for a good video editing software which is capable yet beginner friendly, Adobe Premiere Elements is to the software to go for. I know at $99.99, it is not exactly cheap, however, I still think that it is good for beginners who are willing to spend a little money. Those looking for a free alternative should go for Shotcut, which I mentioned earlier (best video editors for YouTube).

I prefer Premier Elements because of a few reasons. Firstly, just like iMovie acts as a great primer for Final Cut, Premiere Elements is the stepping stone to Premiere Pro. If you see yourself as a professional video editor few months down the line, you should start in such a way that you can reach there.

You will have to switch to a professional grade video editing software in the future, so why not start with something which will help you do just that. For me, that alone is a reason you should consider this one. You will also love it sleek interface along with its natural and intuitive editing environment. It also comes with all the horsepower that you will need as a beginner. if you are serious about video editing, you should start with this one.

Supported Platforms: macOS, Windows
Supported Input Formats: H.264 (.mp4, .m4v), H.264-encoded QuickTime (.mov, .mp4, .m4v), MPEG-1 (.mpeg), MPEG-2 (.m2v, .mpg) and others.
Supported Output Formats: H.264 (.mp4), H.264-encoded QuickTime (.mov, .mp4),MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and others
Price: ($99.99)

3. Sony Vegas Pro 15

Sony Vegas Pro has always been one of the best video editing software in the market. I love Sony Vegas Pro because of its built-in audio editing features. While other editing software like Final Cut and Premiere Pro provide some control over audio editing, Vegas Pro brings a full-fledged audio editor. It allows you to edit high-res multi-track audio to match with your video quality.

The Vegas Pro 15 is bringing numerous new features including support for high-end graphics cards, a totally flexible workflow environment, powerful new tools and other minor improvements to make your editing journey as smooth as possible. The software comes in 3 different versions with each of them asking for a one-time payment. There’s no subscription-based pricing here.

Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS
Supported Input Formats: DV, HDV, AVCHD, NXCAM, MOV, MP4, WMV, MPEG-1/2/4, H.264/AVC, and more. 
Supported Output Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, AVCHD Disc, (DV-)AVI, MJPEG, MXF, MOV, WMV, XAVC, XAVC S, MPEG-1/2/4, H.264/AV, and more
Price: ($399 to $799)

4. Cyberlink Power Director 16

If you can’t afford to pay for the Sony Vegas Pro 15, you should look at the Cyberlink Power Director 16 which provides you with a great editing environment at almost 3rd of a price. Despite being cheap, Power Director 16 is no slouch when it comes to video editing.

It is regularly updated and adds the newest feature as soon as possible. It was one of the first video editing software to add support for 360-degree video editing. Like DaVinci Resolve, this one also focuses heavily on color correctionand provides you with a plethora of tools to get that perfect tint on your videos. Other features include support for a wide variety of audio, video, and image format along with support for multi-cam editing.

Supported Platforms: Windows
Supported Input Formats: H.265/HEVC, MVC (MTS), MP4 (XAVC S), FLV (H.264), MPEG-4 AVC, and more. 
Supported Output Formats: H.264 AVC, WMV, H.265 HEVC, XAVC S, and more. 
Price: (Starts at $99.99)

5. Pinnacle Studio

It is one of the cheapest full-fledged video editing software out there. The software focuses more on effects, transitions, and color correction. It provides with a precise multi-track editing environment with customisable workspaces. It also supports both 4K and multi-cam video editing along with power audio-editing tools with royalty-free music, voice-over effects and more.

Just like others, it also supports most of the popular video and audio formats, so whatever format your footage is in, you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues. Basically, if you are looking for a cheap video editing software with lots of cool features, this one is the one to get.

Supported Platforms: Windows
Supported Input Formats: AVCHD; DivX; MKV; MPEG-1, 2, and 4, QuickTime, WMV, XAVC S and others.
Supported Output Formats: MP4, MOV, AVI, and others. 
Price: (Starts at $59.95)