Last Updated on February 10, 2020 by Larious
Video editing has become a very popular and coveted skill. If you are one of those people or someone who is truly looking to make career out of it, you will need a good video editing software as your companion. Depending on your goals and budget, the software you choose will differ from person to person.
If you are just starting out as a beginner, you might prefer a free video editing software over the paid ones. Also, the editing software for a Windows user might differ from someone using a Mac or Linux computer.
Table of Contents
1. Adobe Premiere Pro
When it comes to video editing software, Adobe Premiere Pro is the first one that you will hear and that too for good reasons. Think of a feature, any feature that you might need in a video software, and I will bet that Premiere Pro has it. The editor is not only powerful but also has a clean and familiar interface. But, the best part about using Adobe Premiere Pro is the ecosystem that it supports. Every other tool that Adobe offers you connects seamlessly with Premiere Pro. Whether you are using Photoshop for photos, After Effects for animations, or Adobe Audition for audio editing, everything plays nicely with the Premiere Pro. When you are buying the Premiere Pro, you are not just buying a video editor rather you are entering an ecosystem which gives you access to some of the best creative tools out there. For that reason alone, I recommend Premier Pro over any other video software in the world.
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS
Supported Input Formats: MP4, MPEG, MPE, MPG (MPEG-1, MPEG-2), M2V (DVD-compliant MPEG-2), MTS (avchd), MOV, FLV, AVI
Supported Output Formats: H.264: AAC, 3GP, MP4, M4V, HEVC (H.265), MPEG-2 and MPEG-4, among others
2. Final Cut Pro X
If you are a Mac user, I don’t think you should even consider buying any other editing software other than Final Cut Pro X. The only reason to choose any other software like Premiere Pro over the Final Cut is if you had already invested considerable time in learning some other video editor and just switched to Mac. However, if you are just starting out, Final Cut Pro is the best option for you as it is a beast on a Mac.
Apple’s software are just so in sync with their hardware that you get the best possible performance. However, performance is not only the play here, as Final Cut is as powerful as any other video editor on this list. Not only that, if you are a beginner and ready to invest time and money in this software, you will find that it is one of the easier video editing software to get used to. As I said, if you are on a Mac and you can afford it, buy this one without hesitation.
Supported Platforms: macOS
Supported Input Formats: H.264, Apple Animation codec, Apple ProRes (all versions), AVHCD, DVCAM, DVCPRO, and more
Supported Output Formats: Apple Pro-res, H.264, HDV, MPEG, and HDV among others
3. Avid Media Composer
Generally, I don’t suggest Avid Media Composer to anyone because it’s such a high-end product, however, recently the company has released a free version of their video editor called the “Avid Media Composer | First” and it’s great news for all the budding video editors out there. If you have not heard about Avid before, it’s because it is a software used by professionals taking on big projects. Your favorite movies and tv-shows are edited on Avid. Movies like the Guardian of Galaxy (vol. 2), the Martian, and Baby Driver have been edited using Avid. So, know this, if you are trying to take on a big project, like a feature film or a tv-series Avid is the industry leader here. That being said, the pro version of Avid costs you $49.99/month and there’s that. However, since they have released a free version with restrictions that will only affect users who want the full power of the editor, it has become accessible to normal customers. So, if you want to experience a true professional-grade video editor give Avid Media Composer | First a try.
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS
Supported Input Formats: MPEG, DV, DVPRO, H.264, XDCAM, MPEG-4, AVCHD,
Supported Output Formats: MPEG, DV, DVPRO, H.264, AVC, AVC-Intra, MP4,
If you like color grading videos on your smartphone, read more about these free video editing apps that you can download on your Android or iOS.
