Video editing is one of the most time-consuming processes. But it doesn’t have to be. As a vlogger, spending your valuable time on editing is important because you are putting yourself out there. Sharing your experiences, stories and adventures is an awesome way to connect with people around the world. Plus, it allows you to earn money doing what you love!
Vlogging is taking over. You can find hundreds of videos on Youtube discussing the best vlog editing software and apps for vloggers. But you don’t need to spend a lot of time trying to figure out which ones are best, because this guide will tell you exactly what the best free and paid video editing software programs for your channel are.
Windows Built-in Movie Maker for Windows 7 and Photos app for Windows 10
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows OS
Windows Movie Maker used to be bundled with the Windows operating system and has been assisting amateurs for a very long time. It features the drag-n-drop functions and offers almost all the classic video editing functions including trim, rotate, split, combine as well as adding music track, filters, and themes. The windows movie maker is simple yet the function is limited. After you editing one or two vlog videos with it, you will find that.
However, Windows Movie Maker has been discontinued, and it is no longer available for download, but if you are using an older version of the Windows 7 operating system, you can still edit your videos with this iconic PC-based software. The newcomers to the world of vlogging can use this software to put several video clips together or to perform basic video editing actions like cutting or trimming. Windows Movie Maker never had much to offer to skilled video editors, so if you take vlogging seriously, you won’t spend too much time editing your videos with it.
What we like:
Totally free for windows users and the automatic video creation feature is interesting
What we don’t like:
Video Editing Features are limited
Only for Windows users
iMovie
Price: Free
Compatibility: macOS, iOS
iMovie is a free video editing software for vloggers who using Mac to edit vidoes. It is equipped with an array of fantastic and practical video editing features, iMovie is an idea video editing tool for anyone. Comes with every new iMac, it’s free of charge and provides a wide range of effects and tools sets, thus it’s always considered as an essential tool for any Mac user to enhance their vologs.
Despite a somewhat limited scope of video editing features iMovie provides, the software is still powerful enough to enable you to edit footage captured in resolutions up to 4K . Additionally, you can create titles , apply visual effects and filters to video clips, or even record your own voiceovers. iMovie’s file sharing capabilities are perfectly suited for vlogging as you can upload a video to your YouTube channel or Facebook account directly from the software.
What we like:
Totally free for Mac users and you can also use it on iPhone or iPad to edit vlog videos
What we don’t like:
Limited features and effects
Only for Mac or iOS users
Filmora9
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
DaVinci Resolve (Windows / MAC)
Resolve is my favorite choice for video editing. It started as a weak editor but it quickly became one of the top editors out there. The best of all? It’s FREE.
The Good
- Everything you need for professional-level video editing for free
- Good optimization so it can be used with cheaper computers
The Bad
- Steep learning curve
- Not free for 4k videos
Price: FREE
Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro used to be the king of video editing software for Windows until DaVinci Resolve started offering most of its features for free.
You can basically do whatever you want to do with this software. It’s even been used to edit Hollywood movies already, so it will be more than enough for YouTube videos.
This editor has a premium version with even more features, but I have personally found everything I needed, from animations and color grading to inserting text and effects, completely available and easy to use.
So unless you want to edit 4k videos, you’ll find everything for free.
The interface is completely customizable and the workflow is completely different from anything else I tried before. It’s very intuitive once you get the hang of it.
But that’s the trick, you have to get the hang of it first! It’s not an editor that you can instantly start using. You will need to learn it through YouTube videos. But believe me, it’s worth learning because you can do almost anything with it.
However, I’ve honestly encountered a lot of bugs and crashes with Adobe, which is not only paid but also ridiculously expensive.
Final Cut Pro X (MAC)
Right after Premiere, this premium tool is also popular among vloggers. It is similar to Adobe’s editor in many ways. However, this program is available with a single payment and it only runs on macOS.
The Good
- A smooth organized workflow and user-friendly interface
- High-quality effects, titles, and transitions.
- Great importing function for videos and integration with other Apple devices.
The Bad
- Requires MacOS
- No integrations with more useful media editing tools
Aiseesoft Video Editor
This program is designed for the vloggers who prefer to create video content, including life recording, makeup, playing with pets, and food. Because Aiseesoft Video Editor provides the most basic video editing features, you can easily import the Vlog video clips to combine, trim, crop, rotate, and apply some effects.
Surely, this video editor for Vlogs also supports common video formats, there is no need to worry about the incompatibility in most cases. And it’s convenient to optimize the video quality by adjusting video saturation, brightness and contrast in Aiseesoft software.
The only concern is Aiseesoft Video Editor maybe not match filmmaker and professionals’ requirements. You can’t create personlized animated videos and cool effects with it.
Price: $35.95
Shotcut
This open source, free video editing program comes with an array of potent features and support for its various formats. Shotcut can give a professional feel to any videos with its array of features such as 4K support.
What other reasons do you need to consider Shotcut for your beginner vlogging needs? There is no paid version of Shotcut, which means everything you see in the program you get and can use. If you’re unsure of how to use the program, the developer has come up with tutorials for you to use. You can also find tutorials about the software on the Internet as well.
Shotcut can be used on any Windows, Mac or Linux-running device.
PowerDirector
This program, which offers an array of tools and features, is ideal for sports video editing and advanced video developers.
Movavi is a great video editing program, but it’s not near as powerful as PowerDirector. It’s not uncommon for YouTubers to be using this video editing software in their vlogs. After all, it’s got a host of features that they need including trimming, cutting, layers, combining, video effects, animation and more. The developer even added support for 4K and 360 videos – something you don’t see with many other video editing programs.
If you want a good long-term video editor that you can quickly learn to use and has many basic features, then PowerDirector may be just what you need. Be aware that it’s a Windows-only program and cost about $70 when you factor in discounts.
Conclusion:
Vlogging is a fun way to share your best moments with friends and family. It also gives a chance for you to express your voice and connect with viewers in a unique way that most platforms don’t offer. The popularity of vlogging is on the rise, and anyone with a smartphone can record themselves. But with comes a lot of challenges. One challenge is finding ways to make your videos look better. When you’re not a professional vlogger you probably don’t have access to high-end editing software, but it’s still possible to make great vlogs without them!