Program Selection Criteria

To find out the best video editing software for beginners, our team has tested dozens of free and paid programs. We compared all programs by these criteria:

The interface;
Subscription fee;
Services provided for users;
Availability for different operating systems;
The presence of customer support.

After testing, we selected the top 10 video editing programs for beginners, and now we’re ready to share our choice.

Rating of Video Editing Software

1. Adobe Premiere CC

Adobe Premiere CC is a well-known video editing program that can be used for professionals as well as for beginners. This software has well-integrated workflows so that it’s possible to work with your content without exciting your timelines.

This program allows editing materials in any format from 8K to virtual reality. Built-in file support, convenient processes of work with proxy servers and higher performance of ProRes HDR make work with your files easier.

Adobe Premiere CC is fully integrated with other applications and services from Adobe, including Photoshop, After Effects, Adobe Audition and Adobe Stock.

The latest version of the program has many new features. Thanks to Lumetri Color facilitates color correction, the user can edit the entire picture, and work with color in particular areas.

Now the video format is changed automatically. So, Adobe Premiere CC will be an excellent solution for video editing for social networks. There is no need to specifically change the video proportions, the program will do everythinginstantly.

If you are a beginner, you can start with a free trial version for a week. However, to use Adobe Premiere CC continuously, it’s recommended to buy this best video editor for beginners and professionals, which costs $20.99 per month.

2. Adobe Premiere Rush

Adobe Premiere Rush is an application for editing video clips from any device. With this program, you can shoot, edit and share videos in high quality with your smartphone or computer, no matter where you are. This is a convenient, intuitive and fast application, which will please both bloggers and ordinary users who want to share good videoswith friends.

Here are a few features of Adobe Premiere Rush:

It takes a few seconds to add transitions between parts of the video;
The possibility to add music and work with sound;
Adjust video speed;
Picture brightness control.

A mobile version of this program is a free video editing software for YouTube beginners, and you can install this app on your smartphone or tablet via the Google Play or App Store. Yet, if you want to access Adobe Premiere Rush on your PC, you’ll have to pay $9.99 for your subscription.

3. Filmora9

Filmora9 is the easiest video editing program from Chinese developer Wondersharedesigned for all creators of video content from beginners to professionals. The application has a straightforward interface that allows you to easily find the necessary functions and tools. Therefore, it is easier to create unusual videos.

Exporting your project is available in several formats and resolutions. It’s requiredto login to your Wondershare ID profile. Fortunately, you only need to do it once, and then you can render the video without Internet access.

Filmora9 is an excellent solution for beginners because its developers offer lots of tutorials on their website. Thus, you can learn how to move separate objects or add effects in less than an hour.

Wondershare provides a completely free version of one of the best video editing programs for beginners. It’s possible to download it on Mac and Windows laptops. To access this software without limitations, buy a premium version for $155.88 per year.

4. Corel VideoStudio Ultimate

Corel VideoStudio Ultimate is a video editing and movie creation software that is used by professionals. However, thanks to its simple interface, the service is available even for beginners in editing.

Corel Corporation has been updated its software for editing, and this version has the following features:

It is possible to create everything from simple videos to unusual slideshows and real movies;
Tools for better color correction (many effects and filters, animated headers and LUT-profiles);
New smart video tools (you can create dynamic videos and export them in 360-degree format);
Professional work with audio (there are lots of sound effects, you can record your voice directly in the program).

VideoStudio Ultimate 2020 has everything for beginners. You can start your experience by reading an online textbook, continue watching tutorials and become a pro after installing additional plug-ins.

To use this software, you need to pay $99.99. Nonetheless, you can try it for free for a month if you aren’t sure if you want to edit your videos with VideoStudio Ultimate.

5. Cyberlink PowerDirector

Cyberlink PowerDirector is one of the best applications for working with video. The program interface is intuitive and contains all the necessary features for work. The service is easy to use, at the same time it is very functional and technically advanced. In the application, developers have included a number of professional tools that are available even for amateurs.

Cyberlink PowerDirector has a set of unique features, instant publishing on Facebook and YouTube, support for a wide range of output formats, including files for PSP, PS3, Xbox, Zune and iPhone, and automatic editing tools. The software also features Blu-ray disk recording m.

The program supports the most popular video formats, such as AVCHD, MPEG-2, DVR-MS, VOB, VRO, etc.

Cyberlink PowerDirector is free for Android and iOS devices. To access this software on your laptop, you have to get a paid-account. There are several plans for new users:

PowerDirector 19 Ultra is $99.99;
PowerDirector 19 Ultimate is $139.99;
PowerDirector 365 is $51.99;
Director Suite 365 is $96.99.

6. Pinnacle Studio Ultimate

Pinnacle Studio 24 Ultimate is the reliability, control and accuracy you need to edit videos. It’s an all-in-one solution that offers an optimized process for accurate video editing.

It features video masks, color processing, motion tracking, and on-screen video recording. There are hundreds of effects for editing, as well as color processing and color correction tools for your videos.

Pinnacle Studio Ultimate is one of the best video editing software for YouTube beginners with a flexibly customizable workspace, shortcuts and optimization of time scale elements. These tools significantly reduce your editing time.

A full version of Pinnacle Studio Ultimate costs €129.95. There’s no free trial, but the developer offers a money-back guarantee for the first month.

7. VEGAS Movie Studio

VEGAS Movie Studio is a program that helps you at every stage of video creation. You’ll be able to take full control of every step of the project creation process.

With SOUND FORGE Audio Studio, you can remove noise or create your soundtrack. Automatically upload movies to YouTube or Vimeo and export your videos with this service.

The new stabilization module in VEGAS Movie Studio enables smooth video playback with a single click. You can record simultaneously from multiple screens as well as different audio sources.

There are three versions of VEGAS Movie Studio, such as:

Basic ($49.99);
Platinum ($59.99);
Suite ($99.99).

8. Lumen5

If you’re thinking what is Lumen5, this is a tool for video creation based on artificial intelligence. It is intended for text-to-video conversion.

There are thousands of free audio files and background music tracks to choose from. It provides different branding options, so you can customize your videos according to the look of your brand.

You can set the aspect ratio in standard landscape format 16:9, square format 1:1 or vertical format 9:16 for Instagram and YouTube.

For people editing 3 videos or less, this platform is free. If you want to use Lumen5 more often, get a Starter ($19 per month) or Premium version ($59 per month).

9. Finalcut

Final Cut Pro is one of the best video editing tools used by movie makers around the world. One of the main features of Final Cut Pro is support for 360-degree virtual reality. You can add 3D, 360-degree captions and apply effects such as blurring and glow to your video.

The application also allows you to work with HDR videos, and the main advantage of Final Cut is its performance. The program uses multi-core processing, which ensures no crashes or hangs when working or previewing.

This program is available only for Mac OS and iOS. It costs $299.

10. Blender

Blender is a free professional software for creating 3D models with a built-in video editor. The program has a large set of tools, built-in management instructions and tutorials for beginners.

The built-in video editor lets you crop video files, work with the audio tracks, change the background of the video clip, adjust the brightness and sharpness, stabilize the video and change the speed. You can cut a single fragment and split the video into parts. You can also adjust the transition effects and animation between frames.

Blender is free regardless of your operating system or purpose.

Conclusion

Overall, there’re lots of services for video editing for beginners. Understand the goal you want to achieve with your content and how much time you’re ready to spend on learning. To make this process easy, most of the developers offer free versions of their software.