The best tool for video editing depends on a lot of factors: your technical ability and desire to learn, your budget, and the complexity of what you’re hoping to accomplish. There’s no one-size-fits-all video editor, but that’s ok—the field is flooded with good options, regardless of your platform of choice or level of expertise.
In fact, some of the best video editing software is completely free, even if you’re looking for more advanced features. And premium editors range from industry-standard editing suites used to produce blockbusters to “prosumer” tools at reasonable prices that justify their existence by saving you time and effort.
Focus your energy on creating, and let robots do the rest
I’ve used all sorts of video editing apps over the past two decades—for throwing together personal passion projects, turning in assignments, and even producing video reviews of products with footage and audio that I produced myself. To update this article this time around, I found more than 90 video editors to put through their paces. Based on my experiences with the apps, these are my picks for the best video editing software across Windows, Mac, and the web.
The best video editing software
What makes the best video editing software?
How we evaluate and test apps
Our best apps roundups are written by humans who’ve spent much of their careers using, testing, and writing about software. Unless explicitly stated, we spend dozens of hours researching and testing apps, using each app as it’s intended to be used and evaluating it against the criteria we set for the category. We’re never paid for placement in our articles from any app or for links to any site—we value the trust readers put in us to offer authentic evaluations of the categories and apps we review. For more details on our process, read the full rundown of how we select apps to feature on the Zapier blog.
At the very least, a video editor needs to be compatible with your source material and allow you to make basic edits like trimming and combining clips in a timeline. Some video editors will even perform these basic edits for you, allowing you to adjust things after the fact. More advanced features let you perform more advanced edits, like multi-camera editing, chroma keying (green screen), and intelligent background removal. I laid out the following criteria to make sure I was selecting the best video editing software for a wide range of users:
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Basic editing. Every video editor needs a simple, easy-to-use interface for composing a simple edit on a timeline and shifting things around. This includes easy ingesting of content, the ability to quickly access tools like splice or turn off snapping, and ideally the ability to customize the interface and use keyboard shortcuts to speed up your workflow.
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Advanced editing. While not all editing jobs need advanced tools, certain projects require features like chroma keying, object tracking, video stabilization and lens correction, multi-camera editing for quickly switching between perspectives, and color adjustment. More video editors are embracing AI with features like text-based editing, background removal, and generative tools. I kept my eye out for and played around with these advanced features as I was testing each video editor.
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Efficiency. Video editing can be a resource-intensive task, so performance matters. Being able to adjust preview quality or easily create proxy files for fast editing is important, but so is optimization. Many web-based editors now let you start editing as soon as you’ve dropped your footage into the window, rather than waiting for the upload to complete. Similarly, I was looking for a range of options when it comes to exporting. And easy integration with other platforms was a huge plus.
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Tutorials and assistance. The more advanced a video editor becomes, the more you’ll need to tinker and learn. Good help content and video tutorials are important, but so is a healthy community producing YouTube videos, forum posts, and blog articles to help you learn quickly by doing. There’s also something to be said for intuitive design, which can negate the need to ever go hunting for help.
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Extras. It’s not unusual to find integrations with stock video and music tools, additional downloadable templates and graphics, or other extra features that enhance the editing experience. This includes audio mastering and motion graphic interfaces, video converters, one-click operations for cleaning up video and audio, and tools for organizing footage. When available, I tested these extras to see if they added value to the app.
I tested each video editor using a selection of HEVC 4K HDR clips of varying length and subject matter. I performed basic edits with each app and put the more advanced features through their paces. Finally, I exported projects in a variety of formats and to a number of different platforms—you don’t want to get all the way through an incredible edit just to find out you can’t export how you need to.
What about AI video editors?
While AI tools and video editors were once two very different things, the lines have blurred considerably over the last few years. Many of these features are making their way into established video editing suites, while a separate category of AI video tools has also emerged. These include generative AI tools that create assets from prompts, agentic editors that promise to edit on your behalf, and machine-learning features that have seen a rebrand to take advantage of the current trend.
While many of the editors I looked at now feature AI tools—some in name only as part of a concerted marketing push—they aren’t the main focus of this roundup. AI is inescapable, but you should take a look at Zapier’s list of the best AI video generators if you’re specifically looking for that kind of platform.
The best video editing software at a glance
Best for
Standout feature
Pricing
Adobe Premiere
A professional suite of video editing tools
Everything you could possibly need in a video editor
$22.99/month
DaVinci Resolve
A free, cross-platform option
Cut or Edit: two different workflows for editing
Generous free option available; $295 for Studio edition
Final Cut Pro
Apple users who want a pro-level editor
Unbeatable performance on Apple hardware
$299.99 or $12.99/month as part of the Apple Creator Studio subscription
Clipchamp
Web-based edits from anywhere
Convenient web-based editing plus a ton of integrations and other features
Free plan available; Microsoft 365 subscription required for $9.99/month to remove watermark and export above 1080p
Adobe Premiere Elements
Enthusiasts looking to balance features and price
Three different editing modes for quick, guided, and advanced video editing
Free trial available; $149.99 for 3 years
Kapwing Video Editor
Editing full projects in your browser
Browser-based editing that feels responsive and fast like desktop software
$16/month per editor
Flixier
Video editors who want generative AI tools at their fingertips
Access to a broad range of image, video, and audio generative models
$19/month for 1080p exports and 2,000 credits to spend; $39/month for 4K exports and 10,000 credits
Kdenlive
A free, open-source option
A straightforward video editor for all desktop users
Free on Widows, Mac, and Linux
Best professional video editing software for cross-platform video editing
Adobe Premiere (Windows, Mac)
Premiere pros:
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One of the most powerful video editors on the market
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Includes AI-powered tools like color match, audio enhancement, and text-based editing
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Integrates with Adobe’s other apps
Premiere cons:
Adobe Premiere is an industry-standard video editing tool from a company that specializes in creative applications like Photoshop and After Effects. It’s a highly versatile tool that includes everything for crafting basic edits to more advanced tasks like color grading, chroma keying, and object-tracking.
The basic editing tools are fairly straightforward, and Premiere manages to maintain a clean and uncluttered interface. This makes learning to perform simple edits relatively easy, and Adobe includes a useful in-app tutorial that walks you through the process when you first install it.
Having said that, many of the more complex functions do require some digging. For example, you can apply object tracking to your clips automatically or manually. Going the automatic route lets Premiere analyze and generate keyframes that you can tidy up later. To do this, you’ll need to learn how to create a new sequence from a clip and draw a mask. Other forms of tracking involve customizing the interface to show the tools you’ll need to use. (If you don’t know what any of this means, you almost definitely don’t need Premiere.)
The good news: Premiere’s popularity means that there’s plenty of help at hand. Adobe includes training materials and an exhaustive manual, or you can learn as you go by searching for videos and articles whenever you run into trouble. Adobe is also leaning into AI-powered features like automatic tagging of incoming audio files. But Adobe isn’t only pushing new AI features, and Premiere continues to evolve with features like Color Mode, a rethinking of color grading that’s currently in beta but fully usable.
Premiere is powerful and exhaustive, but that’s reflected in the price and subscription model. If you don’t need everything that Adobe provides, you’ll be better off opting for something cheaper instead.
Adobe Premiere price: $22.99/month (billed monthly for an annual plan) or $34.49/month (billed monthly); 7-day free trial available.
If you use Adobe Creative Cloud Libraries, you can automate your video production workflows by connecting Adobe to Zapier. Automatically upload files to Adobe Creative Cloud Libraries, send notifications when assets are ready, and create tasks based on new elements.
Best free video editing software across platforms
DaVinci Resolve (Windows, Mac)
DaVinci Resolve pros:
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A professional-level video editing app with a generous free tier
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A complete set of editing, color grading, audio mastering, and visual effects tools
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An upgrade path for those who need more features
DaVinci Resolve cons:
DaVinci Resolve might just be the best deal in video editing. The base version is completely free to use and includes a staggering number of professional-level features. Not only is DaVinci Resolve a world-class video editor, but it also includes dedicated workspaces for color grading, audio mastering, visual effects, and motion graphics.
These various workspaces are separated into tabs that run along the bottom of the screen. This allows you to dip into some of the more advanced features, like creating motion graphics in the Fusion interface, or to ignore them completely until you’re comfortable with the basics. It’s also a great way to work on several things at once and get everything done within a single application. This now includes a Photo interface, which allows you to process images with the editor’s built-in effects and AI tools.
One thing that can trip up new users is that DaVinci Resolve includes two editing workflows: Cut and Edit. They’re both suitable for adding clips to a timeline and completing an edit, but Cut is primarily focused on speed and user-friendliness (it includes all the basic tools you need to trim and make basic adjustments), while Edit is there if you need the wider range of tools commonly associated with a more standard editing experience.
Since DaVinci Resolve has exploded in popularity due to its attractive price tag, there are a huge number of resources available to walk you through some of the more complex features. You’ll need these to learn how to use chroma key, sync audio and video tracks, and make the most of the editor’s impressive multi-camera editing workflows.
Blackmagic Design, the company behind DaVinci Resolve, continues to push the editor forward. New features for version 21 include the ability for Claude and ChatGPT to control the editor, enhanced search for finding media, and improved direct capture from supported cameras. Just keep in mind that you’ll need the Studio version to take advantage of the more advanced features, including AI tools like text-based editing.
The free version of DaVinci Resolve is able to edit and output 8-bit video at Ultra HD (3840×2160) resolution with a frame rate of up to 60 frames per second. Beyond that, you’ll need to upgrade to the $295 Studio version, which includes full HDR support, a huge number of effects, and AI-driven features, like transcriptions, auto subtitling, and text-based editing.
DaVinci Resolve price: Free for the standard version; $295 for DaVinci Resolve Studio (often included with Blackmagic Design hardware purchases).
Best Mac video editing software
Final Cut Pro (Mac, iPad)
Final Cut Pro pros:
Final Cut Pro cons:
Final Cut Pro is only available to Mac users (barring the cheaper and less productive iPad version, which I’m not discussing here). This limits its appeal somewhat, but if you use a Mac and you’re looking for a professional video editor with a price tag to match, it should probably be the first editor you consider.
Unlike Adobe’s meager week-long trial, Apple gives you a full 90 days to decide whether or not Final Cut Pro is worth the $299 price tag. One thing that’s bound to impact your decision is just how well Apple’s high-end video editor runs on the latest Mac models. Final Cut Pro is highly optimized for Apple hardware, and some features won’t work on older Intel-based Macs.
The result is a video editor that outperformed pretty much everything else on this list, a benefit that Apple can take advantage of on account of its tightly controlled hardware and software ecosystem. Rolling your mouse over footage lets you smoothly and easily preview a clip before deciding to add it to your timeline. And if you’re a prolific iPhone videographer, you’ll love the way the app integrates with your iCloud Photo Library to boot.
Notably, Final Cut Pro now includes seamless support for the Final Cut Camera app on iPhone, which unlocks more advanced features like wireless multicam syncing, recording in ProRes and Apple Log on supported devices, and the ability to control exposure in a way that the built-in Camera app can’t match. The app also includes the full gamut of professional features, from chroma keying to object detection, with HDR support and a range of tools for creating graphics and titles. Apple has also expanded the AI features with new auto-captions and subtitles (accessible by right-clicking a clip), improved automasking for better subject detection, and deeper integration with other Apple apps like Pixelmator Pro.
On top of Final Cut Pro, you can get more professional results with add-on apps like Motion and Compressor. These $49.99 upgrades function as standalone apps but integrate into the Final Cut Pro workflow for even more options when it comes to titles, graphics, and content delivery.
Final Cut Pro price: $299 outright, which includes new updates; 90-day free trial available.
Best online video editor
Clipchamp (Chromium-based browsers, Windows 11)
Clipchamp pros:
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A web-based video editor that you can access anywhere
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Simple interface with speedy performance
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Includes bonus content, templates, and stock footage
Clipchamp cons:
Clipchamp, owned by Microsoft, is a web-based video editor that runs in a browser on just about any platform. It’s also available as a standalone offline progressive web app (PWA) for Windows 11. If you’re not installing it locally, you’ll need to access it using a Chromium-based browser like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
The best video editors are usually desktop apps, but Clipchamp is an impressive exception. You’ll need a fast internet connection to make the most of it, but the editor performs well in supported browsers (Safari didn’t work during testing, but Chromium browsers and Firefox did the trick). Uploading and processing media takes longer than it would on a local video editor, but once Clipchamp has cached your footage, the editor is very usable.
At the heart of Clipchamp is an approachable user interface that uses a familiar drag-and-drop timeline. You can add transitions, titles, and even stock media using the categories to the left of the screen, or make changes to media in the timeline by selecting it and using the various toggles to the right of the editor interface.
Use templates to quickly design content for platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and export your creation to YouTube, TikTok, or cloud storage providers like Google Drive. There’s a lot of content available for free, plus you can use an AI video composer to take control of your edit.
Clipchamp price: Free tier available, with exports up to 1080p and no watermarks; $11.99/month to remove limits and access more content.
Best video editor for fast edits on desktop and mobile
Adobe Premiere Elements (Windows, Mac)
Adobe Premiere Elements pros:
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Adobe video editing at a much cheaper price point
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Three editing modes to choose from: quick, guided, and advanced
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Share directly to platforms like YouTube and Instagram
Adobe Premiere Elements cons:
Adobe Premiere Elements takes the Adobe video editing formula and repackages it into a user-friendly package that’s not to be underestimated. You’re not getting the full suite of advanced video editing tools you’d find in Adobe’s flagship, but you’re also only paying $50 per year for the privilege. While Premiere Elements was, until recently, a product you could buy outright, the 2027 edition is locked behind a single price for three years of access.
Elements, as the name may suggest, retains the bare essentials that anyone looking for a video editor of this caliber would expect. There’s a proper timeline view for performing “Advanced” edits, in addition to a “Quick” editing mode that cuts clips together quickly as you add them. There’s also a “Guided” option that sources tutorials to help you learn the ropes.
The simplified UI puts everything in plain view. You can add media and assets using the menu on the left. This includes your own files, assets like title cards and shapes, text, graphics, and audio. The app also integrates generative AI for images and title art, with support for Adobe’s Firefly model plus a select few OpenAI models (which require credits). Adobe Stock is also integrated, though you’ll need to pay extra for that, too.
On the right side of the timeline view and preview window, you’ll find adjustments that allow you to correct clips, add effects, and drop transitions onto the timeline. Elements is capable enough to give you access to tools like keyframes, while holding back on more complex workflows like multi-camera editing.
One limitation I noticed on export was a lack of support for creating HEVC files, which, in my mind, shouldn’t be limited to Adobe’s top-flight video editor. That said, there are options for tailoring your video’s quality, plus the ability to connect platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn directly for immediate export. If you opt for Premiere Elements, you’ll get updates as they arrive for as long as your subscription is valid.
Adobe Premiere Elements price: Free trial available for a week, after which you’ll need to pay $149.99 for a license that lasts three years. You also get Adobe Photoshop Elements as part of the package.
Best video editor for a full-featured web-based editor
Kapwing Video Editor (Web)
Kapwing Video Editor pros:
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A web-based editor that feels like a desktop app
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Collaborative video editing
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Some useful AI tools thrown in for good measure
Kapwing Video Editor cons:
Kapwing is a web-based video editor that lives entirely within your browser. If you’ve used these sorts of video editors in the past, you might have some preconceived notions about performance, responsiveness, and overall capability. Kapwing quickly put my own concerns to bed, which is impressive considering that many of its rivals still feel limited by the constraints of a browser.
This browser-based editor feels like a desktop app, and it shares a largely identical UI with desktop offerings like Premiere Elements. Everything feels snappy, and you don’t even need to wait for your footage to upload before you can start cutting it together. After ingesting, you can drop your videos onto the timeline and get started right away.
The UI is what I’ve come to expect from an all-rounder. Though Kapwing talks a big game about its AI features, none of this stuff feels like it’s thrust upon you when you’re using the editor. There’s an AI assistant that can help you select things or find tools, but you’re also free to select media, and add text, graphics, audio, and other elements as you would in any other editor.
One AI feature you might appreciate is the transcription-based editing, where you can trim clips and audio down by editing text. There are AI-generated voices, an auto-translator, auto-dubbing for publishing in different languages, and a voice cloner. Anything you generate with the built-in tools can be found in a Generations bin in the media menu later on. These tools feel optional and they cost credits, with the number of credits you have available dependent on which tier you’re paying for.
Kapwing feels like a video editor that’s ready for the modern attention economy. Social media is a focus, thanks to features like “safe zones” for trimming your project’s canvas to size for TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms. Just remember that, like any web-based tool, it comes as a service. There’s a free tier that’s more than enough for evaluation, but limits like 720p resolution and a watermark will have you reaching for the subscribe button if you like what you see.
Kapwing Video Editor price: Plans starting at $16/month on an annual plan, or $24/month for a monthly subscription. Free trial available with no time limit.
Best video editor for an AI-centric workflow
Flixier (Web)
Flixier pros:
Flixier cons:
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Expensive subscription-based model that makes use of credits
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Limited export options, depending on your plan
Not everyone values a video editor that’s closely entwined with generative AI features. If you’re nodding along in agreement, you can basically stop reading now. Flixier isn’t for you; you’re better off sticking with Kapwing if the browser is where you want to edit video. But if you’re looking for a video editor that makes it easy to tap into some of the most advanced generative AI models on the planet as you edit, Flixier might be it.
I really didn’t expect much from Flixier, and truth be told, I’m not really an AI guy in my creative work. But if I put my impartial hat on for a moment, I didn’t come across a tool that integrates this technology in the same way that Flixier does during my testing. The editor puts a massive number of models right there under the Generate button, with no need for you to connect an account or set up another subscription.
This goes for images, videos, music, and speech. Select a category, select your model, come up with a prompt, and hit Generate. As you’d expect, there’s a credit-based cost associated with these operations. You can tweak your instructions to help, whether that means generating shorter video clips, lower resolutions, or using cheaper models. It’s a playground, albeit one that you’ll end up paying to use.
While the deeply-integrated AI tools are clearly the main draw here, Flixier also offers a solid video editing experience. Like Kapwing, you can start editing right away without waiting for your footage to upload. The timeline feels snappy, and there were no awkward stutters between clips. The interface is unremarkable in a good way.
The resolution of your export will be limited by which tier you’re paying for, with the cheapest plan capping out at 1080p. That might feel a little limiting for the money you’re paying compared to rivals like Kapwing.
Flixier price: Starting at $9/month per editor when billed annually, or $19/month per editor when paying monthly. For 4K exports, this increases to $18/month and $39/month respectively.
Best free and open-source multi-platform video editor
Kdenlive (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Kdenlive pros:
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A simple and capable video editor at a price that can’t be argued with
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Works on all three major desktop operating systems
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Surprisingly advanced in places
Kdenlive cons:
After trying as many as I could get my hands on, Kdenlive is my favorite open-source video editor. It costs nothing to use, receives frequent updates, and has a passionate community that relies on it. While it lacks the eye candy of paid alternatives, it makes up for it in raw ability.
There’s a timeline view you can use to layer video and audio, with three different ways to add media to suit your preferred video editing style. The timeline itself has slip and ripple tools for those who know how to use them, features that are absent on many other editors on this list. And like with Premiere Pro, you can house multiple sequences within a project file.
There’s also no shortage of additional effects and transitions to use in your project. Standouts include the “Object Segmentation” background removal tool, support for chromakeying, audio effects, and all manner of color and image correction tools. There’s a lot to dig into here if you’re willing to take the time to look around and learn how it all works.
There’s also a powerful export tool for rendering your project using a variety of profiles (including HEVC, which not even Adobe Premiere Elements includes), with the option of creating your own. There’s no direct upload to platforms like YouTube here, but what you pay in convenience, you get back in raw utility.
Kdenlive price: Free
What’s the best video editing software?
There’s still no single perfect approach to video editing. Your budget will heavily influence your available choices, which is why DaVinci Resolve still stands out as the pack leader. If you’re willing to put some time into learning how to use it, the payoff will be worth it for all but the most demanding of tasks. If the free price tag is compelling to you, Kdenlive is absolutely worth considering if you don’t need such a complex tool.
If money is no object, Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro are great choices too. These are industry-standard video editing suites, and there’s very little they can’t do as long as you’re willing to learn the ropes. Apple users will be particularly pleased with Final Cut’s highly-optimized performance, while Premiere’s editing workflow is like riding a bike (you’ll never forget how it works).
If the idea of web-based editing appeals to you, Kapwing is a surprisingly capable editor if you’re happy to shoulder the cost; or, if your productions heavily lean on AI, Flixier makes more sense. ClipChamp exists in a league of its own, offering a compelling free plan and cheap, fast edits with a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Related reading:
This article was originally published in November 2023. The most recent update was in October 2026.