Edited by Paula Beaton
January 18, 2021
12 Best Video Editors for YouTube [Free/Paid, Win/Mac, Easy/Profi]
Anyone can start their own YouTube channel, but how do you edit your videos to ensure they’re professional? Video editing software can help. You’ll find a wide range of software to choose from – some suitable for beginners and other programs aimed at professionals. We’ve picked 12 video editors for YouTube, compared them, and prepared a detailed overview of each one. The programs listed below are in no particular order, although we’ve separated them into beginner, amateur, and professional levels to suit users’ needs. Keep reading to find the best video editing software for YouTube.
- Easy YouTube video editing software for beginners
- Best YouTube video editing software for amateurs
- Professional video editors for YouTube
- Frequently asked questions
- Easy YouTube video editing software for beginners
- Best YouTube video editing software for amateurs
- Professional video editors for YouTube
- Frequently asked questions
Top 12 Best Video Editing Software for YouTube
With so many video editors to choose from, you’ll need to think about what you want to do with the software before choosing the best video editor for YouTube. You might want to crop your video or add a title – in which case an online video editor for YouTube suitable for beginners might work best for you. For those who want to add filters, remove unwanted fragments, and other more advanced tasks, software aimed at professionals may be your best option.
Software | OS | Level | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Movavi Video Editor PlusMovavi Video Editor Plus | Windows, Mac | Beginner | $74.95 |
HitFilm ExpressHitFilm Express | Windows, Mac | Beginner | Free |
BlenderBlender | Windows, Mac, Linux | Beginner | Free |
MagistoMagisto | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android | Beginner | From $4.99/month, billed annually |
AVSAVS | Windows only | Beginner | From $39 for a one-year subscription |
IceCream Video EditorIceCream Video Editor | Windows only | Beginner | Free, or $29.95 one-time fee for Pro |
DaVinci ResolveDaVinci Resolve | Windows, Mac, Linux | Amateur | Free |
Pinnacle StudioPinnacle Studio | Windows only | Amateur | From $59.95 one-time fee |
LightworksLightworks | Windows, Mac, Linux | Amateur | Free 7-day trial, then free for home use or from $24.99/month, $174.99/year, or $437.99/lifetime license |
CyberLink PowerDirectorCyberLink PowerDirector | Windows, Mac | Amateur | Free trial, then from $19.99/month or $51.99/year |
Final Cut ProFinal Cut Pro | Mac only | Professional | Free to try, then $299.99 one-time fee |
Vegas ProVegas Pro | Windows only | Professional | Free trial, then from $299 for Vegas Pro Edit, $399 for Vegas Pro |
Easy YouTube Video-Editing Software for Beginners
Movavi Video Editor Plus

Movavi Video Editor Plus is a full-featured video editor that makes it easy to create movies on your PC, even without previous experience. It’s one of the best video editors for YouTube, with an intuitive interface that makes it easy to get started – but you’ll find plenty of advanced features once you get up and running too. Add your own voiceover, remove unwanted fragments, split and join fragments, add titles and transitions, and much more! You can share your edited videos on YouTube or save them to your PC, 4K TV, or mobile device for viewing later.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Huge library of effects, filters, and transitions
- In-built stickers, backgrounds, and soundtracks
- Chroma Key
- Vertical Video
- Picture in Picture
OS: Windows and Mac.
Price: $74.95 for the full version.

Movavi Video Editor Plus
Your next step in video-making
- Edit video clips, images, and audio on a timeline
- Add transitions, filters, titles, and stickers
- Animate objects using keyframes, use more built-in media
- Export videos in any popular format
HitFilm Express

HitFilm Express is free video editing software that’s ideally suited to beginners. With over 100 hours of free video tutorials and an intuitive interface, it’s easy to use. But there are plenty of features for more advanced users too, including 419 powerful effects, animation tools, composite shot enhancement, and unlimited video and audio tracks. You can add standalone upgrade packs to your experience from $9.99, turning your videos into something truly professional. There’s even a dedicated support team, online forum, and reference manual if you get stuck.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Standalone add-ons
- Built-in voice recorder
- Over 410 effects and presets
- Full 2D and 3D composting
- Editing and VFX tutorials
OS: Windows and Mac.
Price: free download, with add-ons from $9.99.
Blender

Blender is a free, open-source 3D creation suite for Windows, Mac, and Linux that’s ideal for those new to video editing for YouTube. As well as editing, it can be used for modeling, sculpting, rendering, and more. You can perform basic actions like splitting and video cuts, right through to complex tasks like color grading and video masking. Features include up to 32 slots for video, images, audio, effects, etc, live preview mode, speed control, and a range of filters and transitions.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Live preview
- Chroma vectorscope
- Luma waveform
- Keyframes
- Adjustment layers
- Speed control
OS: Windows, Mac, Linux.
Price: free.
Magisto

Magisto is an A.I.powered video editor and YouTube video maker that’s designed for business use. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial and access the software on your Mac or Windows desktop computer or through the iOS or Android app. Magisto has a native player and a library of pre-set editing styles and soundtracks to choose from, plus an online help center and video marketing insights to help you see how your videos are performing. After the free trial, there are three subscription levels to choose from: Premium, Professional, and Business, but it’s worth noting the maximum video length you can create is 10 minutes, regardless of your plan. To access features like the stock photo and video library or HD downloads, you’ll need the Professional plan.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Powered by A.I.
- Native player
- Video marketing insights
- Online help center
- Library of editing styles and soundtracks
OS: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android.
Price: free 7-day trial, then a choice of three subscription levels, starting from $4.99 per month, billed annually.
AVS

AVS Video Editor enables users to perform the full cycle of video editing. This video editor app for YouTube offers fairly basic features and controls aimed at beginners editing videos at home. Your video can be customized in a wide range of different ways, such as applying filters and effects, adding your own narrative, fixing shaking video, and many more. You can also edit videos for DVD and Blu-Ray players by adding menus and other features and there is multi-threading support which speeds up the editing process and can be used on multi-core PCs.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Transfer video from DV/HDV cameras, webcams, or VHS cameras
- Video stabilization
- Chroma key
- Integrated video cache technology
OS: Windows only.
Price: from $39 for a one-year subscription or $59 for unlimited access.
IceCream Video Editor

IceCream Video Editor is free editing software for Windows that’s easy to use. Those looking for good video editing software for YouTube will love that it allows you to easily crop videos, set output video quality and ratio, and add transitions, titles, backgrounds, effects, audio, and more. There’s an easy sharing feature to make it simple to share your creations, and it supports most popular video and image formats including MP4, AVI, MOV, JPG, etc. You can create videos up to 5 minutes long and 10 timeline scenes with the free editor, or upgrade to Pro for unlimited length videos and an unlimited number of timeline scenes, as well as priority support and a lifetime license for two PCs.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Single timeline
- 15 scene transitions
- Wide range of effects
- Add music soundtrack or voiceover
- Set output video aspect ratio
OS: Windows only.
Price: free download, or upgrade to Pro for $29.95.
Best YouTube Video Editing Software for Amateurs
DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve is aimed at professionals, but more than suitable for amateur use at home too. It may not be the best video editor for YouTube for beginners as it can be tricky to master and resource-intensive. It offers features such as drag and drop editing, automatic trim cursor, easy clip marking, and dozens of titles, effects, and transitions to choose from. It’s available for Windows, Mac, and Linux and is free to use, although to access more advanced features you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro version.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Metadata based “slate” view with bin dividers lets you organize and find footage faster
- Proxies
- Smart reframings
- Zoomed waveforms for audio editing
- Live effect previews
OS: Windows, Mac, Linux.
Price: free.
Pinnacle Studio

Pinnacle Studio is powerful video editing software that’s available only for Windows, and one of the best video editors for YouTube. With features like Advanced Keyframing, MultiCam Editing, Screen Recording, Stop Motion, and DVD authoring, it’s ideal for amateurs or professionals alike. Choose from hundreds of creative effects and tools and customize workflows to suit your needs. Pinnacle Studio is also compatible with many third-party plugins. You can select three versions: Studio, Studio Plus, or Studio Ultimate – and some features are only available with Plus or Ultimate.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Enhanced Keyframe controls
- Color-correction tools
- Basic color grading
- Multi-camera editing
- Motion tracking
OS: Windows only.
Price: choice of three tiers starting at $59.95 one-time fee.
Lightworks

Lightworks is an excellent video editing program aimed at amateurs through to professionals. It features a clean, intuitive interface and an extensive library of royalty-free audio and video content and effects. With hours of tutorial videos and an active online community, you’ll be up and running in no time, and you can download Lightworks for a free 7-day trial on Windows, Mac, or Linux. After the trial, you can register to continue using the free version or upgrade to Pro, which removes restrictions on exporting formats and gives you access to other exclusive features. Lightworks supports a wide range of file formats, allows for easy timeline editing and trimming, and makes it easy to export videos up to 4K.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Lo-res proxy workflows for 4K
- Easy timeline editing and trimming
- Up to 32bit GPU precision and histogram tool
- Royalty-free audio and video content
- Wide file format support
OS: Windows, Mac, Linux.
Price: free 7-day trial, then free for home use or from $24.99/month, $174.99/year, or $437.99 for a lifetime license.
Cyberlink PowerDirector

CyberLink PowerDirector is ideal for amateur and pro users, offering a great combination of ease of use and functionality. When it comes to the best video editing software for YouTube, it has all the features you need, like trimming a clip, adding effects, such as moving titles, changing audio tracks, and more. This app also works well with 360° video editing. The program isn’t difficult to work with, so even beginners can use it. It offers a huge library of stock images, titles, transitions, and more, and its Action Camera Centre makes it easy to quickly apply speed effects and one-click enhancements to your videos.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Advanced mask tools
- Dynamic Keyframe controls
- Customizable Motion Graphic Titles
- Stabilization
- Stop Motion, Freeze Frame, Zoom, and Pan
OS: Windows and Mac.
Price: free trial, then from $19.99/month or $51.99/year.
Professional Video Editors for YouTube
FinalCut Pro

Final Cut Pro is an Apple product that’s oriented towards professionals. Available for Mac only, it is the go-to tool for professionals editing video on Mac – yet its interface is simple enough for users of all levels. This video editor app for YouTube uses a modern Metal engine that accelerates tasks like real-time effects, rendering, and exporting by up to 20% on a MacBook Pro and up to 30% on an iMac Pro. Its magnetic timelines let you easily move and trim clips without sync problems or collisions, it supports 360° editing, there’s Multicam mode which lets you automatically sync up to 64 angles of video and powerful noise reduction tools for professional results. You can try the software for free after which you’ll need to purchase to continue using it.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Advanced color grading, HDR support, and ProRes RAW
- Magnetic Timeline
- Compound Clips bundles separate clips into a single moveable package
- Auditions let you try out multiple takes in the timeline
- Multicam editing
OS: Mac only.
Price: free to try, then $299.99.
Vegas Pro

As can be guessed from the name, Vegas Pro is software for pros who need advanced video processing features like superior video stabilization, motion tracking, complete HDR color support, and a wide range of special effects to choose from. Vegas Pro is a YouTube video maker that’s only available on Windows. Beginners will most probably find the program overwhelming, while experienced users will appreciate the fact new features are regularly added. It is possible to try Vegas Pro for free before you decide to purchase.
Pros
| Cons
|
Main features
- Planar Motion Tracking
- Video stabilization
- Nested timelines
- Flicker control and denoise filter
- Unified color grading workflow
OS: Windows only.
Price: free trial, then from $299 for Vegas Pro Edit, $399 for Vegas Pro.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are lots of programs capable of editing videos for YouTube. Here’s a list of examples:
- Movavi Video Editor Plus
- Pinnacle Studio
- AVS Video Editor
- CyberLink
- MAGIX Video Easy
- Nero Video
- Lightworks
- Windows Movie Maker
- Vegas Pro
- iMovie
- Final Cut Pro
- Adobe Premiere Pro CC
- Blender
- VSDC Free Video Editor
- DaVinci Resolve
- Openshot
- VideoPad
Everything depends on what you want the software to do with your videos. It is worth checking several apps to see what suits you best. Follow the link below to read our article about the best free video editing software and how to choose a video editor for your purposes.
Having no experience in video editing doesn’t mean you can’t make great videos from your footage. There are many programs with a clear interface that even a beginner can use without efforts. Click the link below to read about the top 10 apps that are easy to use.
Professional video editors value functionality, and video editing software has to meet their needs. Consider checking the list below: we hope it will help you to find a useful app.

Movavi Video Editor Plus
Your next step in video-making
- Edit video clips, images, and audio on a timeline
- Add transitions, filters, titles, and stickers
- Animate objects using keyframes, use more built-in media
- Export videos in any popular format
* The free version of Movavi Video Editor Plus has the following restrictions: 7-day trial period, watermark on the output videos, and, if you’re saving a project as an audio file, an ability to save only half the audio length. Learn more