The best GoPro editing software should be able to edit videos using the video files from your GoPro. It will help you make smooth transitions between clips, remove undesired objects, title your videos effectively for better SEO performance, reduce the size of your videos, clean up the background music etc.
Here are the best Gopro editors out there.
Best Overall: Adobe Premiere Pro CC
Adobe Premiere Pro is largely considered to be the best consumer video editing software out there, and for good reason. It’s comprehensive and powerful, plus it integrates with Adobe’s cloud platform, Creative Cloud, meaning users get timely updates to their software, access to cloud storage, and more. It’s all very intuitive and easy to use.
Of course, perhaps the main reason for many to subscribe to Creative Cloud is to use Premiere Pro — the software is considered the standard, thanks to features like its huge range of organizational tools, good speed, the fact that it supports unlimited video tracks, excellent video stabilization features, and more. Safe to say, whether you’re editing GoPro footage, or footage from a cinema-level camera, Adobe Premiere Pro CC is the way to go, despite the fact that it is a little pricey. Adobe Premiere Pro CC is available on both Windows and macOS.Adobe Premiere Pro CC 13.1.2 Reviewhttps://2a3824bb7b340f84374ea9a029b2f88f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Best for Mac: Final Cut Pro X
Mac users who want a powerful video editing tool may want to consider Apple’s own Final Cut Pro for their video editing needs. There are plenty of reasons to go for Final Cut Pro X over other options, namely the fact that it integrates well with Apple’s hardware and other software, and runs beautifully on Mac computers.
There are a ton of unique features, including a magnetic, trackless timeline, excellent organizational tools, and support for 360-degree video and HDR. It’s also a great option for those that have a MacBook Pro with a touch bar because it actually has tools that are compatible with this hardware. Unfortunately, the software is a little pricey compared to some others, but if you have the money to spend, it’s an excellent option.Final Cut Pro X 10.4.6 Reviewhttps://2a3824bb7b340f84374ea9a029b2f88f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Best for Beginners: Adobe Premiere Elements
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Adobe Premiere Pro is considered to be the standard in video editing, but many may not want or need to subscribe to such high-level software. For those people, there’s a less expensive — but still very comprehensive — version of the software. It’s called Adobe Premiere Elements, and it’s perfect for beginners who may not be as experienced in video editing.
Perhaps the best thing about Adobe Premiere Elements is the fact that it has such a clean interface, and has some more complex features that you can dig into if you want. Notably, the software boasts a number of video effects, plus it has some excellent audio editing features, which is important to consider for any good video. The software isn’t overly limiting either. You’ll still get unlimited video tracks, motion tracking, and support for 4K video. Adobe Premiere Elements is available on both Windows and macOS.https://2a3824bb7b340f84374ea9a029b2f88f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Best Budget: CyberLink PowerDirector
If you’re looking for a comprehensive and high-quality video editing software and don’t want to spend too much cash, then CyberLink PowerDirector may be the software for you. As you would expect from modern video editing software, the interface of PowerDirector is clean and intuitive, but it offers access to plenty of powerful tools. This includes a range of video effects that are available within the software.
On top of the nice interface, CyberLink PowerDirector offers features like multi-cam editing, the ability to edit both 3D and 4K video, and motion tracking. Unfortunately, PowerDirector is only available for Windows, so Mac users will need to look at other options on the list.https://2a3824bb7b340f84374ea9a029b2f88f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Best Free for Windows: Lightworks
Not everyone wants to spend money on their video editing software, but thankfully there’s still some decent free software out there. If you’re a Windows user, then we think the best free video editing software for you is Lightworks. Lightworks is known for its intuitive and easy-to-use interface, plus it has great timeline editing tools, which is always handy in video editing software.
Apart from those editing tools, Lightworks also allows you to quickly and easily export your video to services like YouTube and Vimeo, and it can handle 4K video editing. Of course, perhaps the best thing about it is that it’s free. You’ll get a seven-day trial of the software, after which you can register for free to keep using it or upgrade to a “Pro” license to get access to all of the editing tools and export formats.
Best for Special Effects: HitFilm Pro
For some, special effects are an important component in creating a video that’s ready to upload or release. If this is part of your editing style, software like HitFilm Pro may well be the way to go.
There are a few reasons HitFilm Pro is such great video editing software. For starters, it’s got a good list of tools for basic video editing, and has a customizable interface, meaning you can tweak it to your needs. Where HitFilm Pro really shines, however, is in special effects — it boasts hundreds of effects and presets to dig into, including effects in 3D. HitFilm Pro is available for both Windows and macOS.
Our Process
Our writers spent 4 hours researching the most popular GoPro editing software on the market. Before making their final recommendations, they considered 10 different software overall, screened options from 9 different brands and manufacturers, read over 30 user reviews (both positive and negative) and tested 3 of the software themselves. All of this research adds up to recommendations you can trust.
VideoProc – Editor’s choice
- Available For: Windows, Mac
- Best Suited For GoPro beginners, quick editing, HEVC video processing
The first video editor that we are looking at is called VideoProc. For those who do not know, we have reviewed this before.
VideoProc is actually a video processing toolkit that can be used for basic video editing, conversions, ripping DVD disc to digital, comes with downloader for popular platforms (such as Youtube, Facebook and so on), screen recording. These are just some of the features that make VideoProc so good at what it does.
So, it was only fair that we add it onto the list of the best GoPro video editors.
- Stabilize and Denoise Video Footages – It can actually stabilize as well as denoise your videos recorded by GoPro 5/6/7.
- Fisheye Correction – Fix fisheye effect recorded by Superview and Wide FOV.
- Basic Editing Options – The software supports all the basic options to cut, merge, split and crop GoPro videos.
- Make GIF – Allows you to convert video into GIF, extract jpg/png from the video, resize the image.
- Add Effects, Subtitles, Watermark – Easily add filter effect, subtitle and watermark to GoPro recorded videos.
- Transcode the videos – You get the ability to transcode the videos, i.e. HEVC to H.264 so the videos can be played on a wider range of devices.
- Level-3 hardware acceleration – Edit, convert and process your GoPro videos faster using full hardware acceleration.
The good thing about VideoProc is that it offers top of the line performance thanks to the level-3 hardware acceleration, it works on almost all the hardware types. It comes with a great list of tricks to edit GoPro videos like a charm, and it can actually download music and videos as well. A rather unusual feature for a video editing software.
Moving onto the downsides, we did not run into any deal-breaking issues that would make the software less intuitive. As a matter of fact, this is certainly one of the best video editors available for GoPro.
Free Version
- Contains all the features of the full version but for a trial period.
Paid Versions
- 1-year license/PC for $29.95.
- Lifetime license/PC for $42.95.
- Lifetime license/2-5 PCs for $57.95
| Pros | Cons |
| Top tier performance.Level-3 hardware acceleration makes everything fast.Loaded with basic and advanced video editing features.Bultin screen recorder and DVD ripper.You can download music, as well as videos. | None. |
Quik by GoPro
- Available For: Windows and Mac
- Best Suited For GoPro users
The great thing about Quik is that it comes straight from the masterminds behind GoPro. Which means that you are basically getting a first-party video editing software that has all the amazing features that you are going to need in order to edit your videos effortlessly and without any issues.
Below are some of the highlighted features of Quik, so, let’s shed light on some of them.
- Supports All Video Types: One of the biggest benefits here is that Quik likes to play good with all video types, so you do not have to worry about unsupported formats.
- Access to Themes: Another good thing is that with Quik, you get access to some pretty decent themes that you can use to make your experience a bit more granular.
- Customize Your Videos: With Quik, you really do not have to worry about your videos looking bland or standard because you can customize it just the way you want to.
- Great Audio Repository: Using Quik will allow you to use audio files that you can use in your music to make everything sound even better.
Now the features are great, and that is something we will not deny. But under the core, Quik happens to be one of the most respectable software solutions when it comes to GoPro users. You can effortlessly edit both photos as well. The software offers simplicity when it comes to using them, and the interface looks neat and clean. Being a first-party solution, the overall performance of the software is commendable, to say the least.
As far as the downsides are concerned, I do not think Quik can give you any issues. The desktop version of this software runs flawlessly and without creating any issues. All these offerings make it one of the best free GoPro video editor without watermark.
| Pros | Cons |
| No watermark.Using it is simple.The interface looks neat and clean.The performance overall is great. | None. |
Blender
- Available For: Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Best Suited For Advanced Users
If you are looking for something advanced, and you want to be able to do more than just edit videos, then another great option that we have for you is Blender. It certainly is one of the best video editing software solutions whether you are looking at GoPro videos or other videos for that matter.
Below, you will find some of the highlighted features of this amazing and entirely free video editor.
- Render and Animate: With Blender, you can edit your videos for sure, but it also has a full-fledged animator, and renderer that can make your job even easier if you want to.
- Visual Effect Library: Another great thing about Blender is that you get access to a long list of visual effect library that you can use to your convenience. It makes everything super simple, and easy.
- Tools for Everyone: Whether you are looking for just editing videos, you want to do some scripting, animating, or rendering, Blender has it all for you.
Needless to say, as far as the features are concerned, there is no denying that Blender is no slouch. The editor can definitely allow you to edit videos and make them look amazing as long as you are careful about using them. The best part is that you are getting something that is not just entirely free and secure, but also open source. Additionally, you are also getting a long list of platform support that will ensure maximum usability across different platforms.
The only downside here is that you are going to need a good GPU if you properly wish to utilize the GPU specific features.
Conclusion
The best GoPros are the ones that fly, not the ones that you strap to your body. You can download Software for GoPro for Windows or Mac that will allow you to edit your videos in easy-to-use formats. It’s better for home users, but I’d still recommend buying a gimble to help with your shots.