11 Best YouTube Editing Software For Beginners And Pros

If you are wanting to start making YouTube videos then a prerequisite is finding the best YouTube editing software to fit your budget, needs, and skills.

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The best software isn’t usually the cheapest, so what’s ideal for you may not be the same for anyone else. That’s why in this guide, we’ve compiled the best across the board based on user experience, reviews, price, features, power, and pros/cons.

So whether you are a beginner or a pro editor, you’ll be able to find just what you need to be consistent and productive when making YouTube videos. That said, here is the 11 best video editing software for YouTube!

11 Best YouTube Editing Software For Beginners & Pros

1. Final Cut Pro

• Price: $299, one-time fee, free trial available

Final Cut Pro is one of Apple’s most prized software developments. Since its release in 2011, it has made waves in the video editing realm for being one of the best for making professional-quality YouTube videos that stand out.

With advanced editing and organization tools, like 4K and 8K full resolution projects and sophisticated multicam, you can go from zero to pro within minutes.

Though, because of its stacked features, it does have an initial steep learning curve for editing newbies. However, once you switch to Final Cut Pro, there’s no looking back.

Pros & Cons:

• + Superior quality video editing software
• + High-performance editing, motion graphics, audio, delivery, and color grading
• + Can convert and adapt the frame to fit any social media format
• – Steep learning curve, pricey
• – macOS only

2. Adobe Premiere Pro

• Price: $20.99 monthly subscription, free trial available

Premiere Pro has definitely made its way to the top of the list. It is widely considered the best YouTube video editing software and for good reason. There is virtually nothing that limits your storytelling power potential with Premiere Pro.

Enjoy all the basic to advanced features a creator could need. With lightweight proxy workflows, 4-8K and virtual reality support, and integration with hundreds of third-party extensions and apps from Adobe (i.e. Photoshop, Adobe Stock, Audition, etc), you won’t find yourself wanting anything more.

Plus, its AI can detect action in your videos to preserve and fit them to social media formats.

Pros & Cons:

• + Professional video editing software without the overwhelm
• + Includes automatic updates with a Creative Cloud subscription
• + Comes packaged with Premiere Rush, a lightweight yet punchy software for editing on the go (any device)
• – Costs approximately $250/year, making it an expensive year-after-year investment
• – macOS only

3. Pinnacle Studio 24

• Price: $54.95 Studio, $89.95 Studio Plus, $109.95 Studio Ultimate (30-day money back guarantee)

Pinnacle Studio 24 is the latest and most powerful editing software version to date by Pinnacle Studios, complete with new video masking, overlays, graphics, enhanced keyframing controls, and a completely redesigned title maker that allows you to create custom motion title graphics.

And those are just the updates! You also get to edit with all the must-have features like color grading, multi-camera editing, audio ducking, and more. To unlock all the advanced features of Pinnacle Studio, you can upgrade from the basic plan ($54.95) to the ultimate ($109.95).

Pros & Cons:

• + Creative and powerful video editing software for beginners
• + Features enhanced editing across tracks and keyframing
• + One-time fee, making it rather budget-friendly
• – Not as reputable as its competitors
• – Windows 10 only

4. Lightworks

• Price: Free version available. Paid version costs $299

Lightworks is a flexible video editing software ideal for new to advanced video editors, moviemakers, or social media marketers. For over two decades, it has been the budget-friendly video editor of choice among filmmakers and was even the software used to create classics like Pulp Fiction, The Wolf on Wall Street, and The King’s Speech!

It comes packed with all your must-have features like trimming and timeline efficiency in addition to export capability up to 4K, ready-to-use audio and video FX, social media templates, and more.

Pros & Cons:

• + Unique and flexible editing software for film editing or making YouTube videos
• + Offers the widest native format support
• + Accessible to everyone and available for Windows, macOS X, and Linux
• – Moderate learning curve

5. Movavi

• Price: $79.95 for basic plan, renewable annually

Movavi Video Suite is an all-around video editing software ideal for crafting quality YouTube videos. One of the reasons why novices love Movavi is because it comes with all the powerful tools one could need to make pro-level vids but all without the steep learning curve.

With Movavi’s Video Suite plan, you unlock the Video Editor Plus, Video Converter Premium, and Screen Recorder tools; all designed and optimized for people making vlog-style videos on YouTube (i.e. tutorials, stories, how-to’s, etc).

Pros & Cons:

• + Powerful YouTube video editing software without the learning curve
• + Includes high-quality screen recording, file conversion, and free educational videos
• + Downloadable on Windows 10 and macOS
• – Fairly basic color grading, templates, and transitions

6. DaVinci Resolve

• Price: Free to download, $299 one-time upgrade for DaVinci Resolve Studio

If you know you are going to be doing a lot of color editing or filmmaking like the folks in Hollywood, then check out DaVinci Resolve by Blackmagic Design. This video editing software includes all the features you may need to make your post-production come to life.

Its latest version, DaVinci Resolve 17, comes packed with new tools like color warping, improved resolved FX, new HDR color wheels, and snazzy vector shape nodes. If you have already been experimenting with video editing software and are looking for an upgrade, consider DaVinci Resolve.

Pros & Cons

• + Professional video editing software fit used in Hollywood
• + The #1 color corrector
• + Free version available
• – Overwhelming for newbies

7. Shotcut

• Price: Free

Shotcut is one of the few free and open-source video editing software that’s available for all types of operating systems – Windows, macOS, and Linux. It has a sleek, intuitive interface that resembles that of iMovie but better.

The editor supports native editing of hundreds of video and audio formats, drag-n-drop from file manager, and screen, webcam, and audio capture. If you are on the hunt for a great YouTube video editing software, this free one by Shotcut is the perfect play to experiment and learn all the lingo of video editing.

Pros & Cons:

• + Completely free and open-source, updated monthly
• + Ideal for beginner YouTubers and editors
• + Available across all operating systems
• – Lacks a bit of punch for advanced editors

8. CyberLink PowerDirector 365

• Price: $51.99/year, free download available

PowerDirector 365 is the “create without learning curve” of YouTube video editing software thanks to its simple and intuitive interface which prioritizes efficiency with its drag-n-drop design.

With PowerDirector 365 you can do just about anything you can imagine. Create unique badges, title texts, transitions, and even color grading presets so that your videos retain the same editing style across the board.

You can also add subtitles in the subtitle room, employ glitch and transition effects, or sharpen your skills further via the hundreds of free video-making tutorials available to all users.

Pros & Cons:

• + Features over 200+ streamlined editing tools
• + Award-winning intuitive interface
• + Affordable
• – Lacks accessibility to plugins and tutorial features

9. Wondershare Filmora X

• Price: $69.99 one-time fee or $44.99 for yearly subscription, free download available

Filmora X is a suitable YouTube video editing software for both novices and pros thanks to its plethora of advanced features made simple.

With Filmora X, you can bulk edit and save time thanks to its intuitive features like color matching which allows you to made color adjustments and apply them to all your clips at once.

There’s also audio ducking to allow your voice to stand out, keyboard shortcuts to quicken the pace, and dozens of screen effects such as transitions, filters, and motion elements.

Pros & Cons:

• + Simple and powerful video editing without the fuss
• + Upload directly to YouTube
• + Windows and macOS
• – Free version includes a watermark on exports

10. Animoto

• Price: Free

Animoto is a free cloud-based video creation service that can help you turn your videos, images, music, and media clips into a movie-like video.

If you are a beginner and need an extra “helping hand” to make your video come to life, then Animoto will do just that. However, if you are wanting complete freedom and creative direction and/or are a moderate-advanced user, then Animoto may not be the best fit for you.

Pros & Cons:

• + Easy way to stitch videos together using images, video clips, and music
• + Great for beginners
• – Only can be used with internet access
• – Limited capabilities for producing pro-level YouTube videos

11. iMovie

• Price: Free

Last but not least, if you have a Mac then you are already equipped with one of the best YouTube video editing software, iMovie, which is free and ideal for both beginners and pro editors.

iMovie might not have all the nuts and bolts that the paid versions of Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro may have, but you would be surprised with just how much you can do with Mac’s built-in movie maker.

Pros & Cons:

• + Simple and robust video editing software, prebuilt into Macbooks
• + Perfect for getting started
• – Zero paid upgrades and can be used across all iOS devices
• – Limited capabilities

Which YouTube Editing Software Is Best?

Since everyone has a different understanding of “best” (price, functionality, UX, etc), it’s hard to rate which one of these eleven deserves to be titled number one.

However, it’s definitely safe to say that the much-loved programs of Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and PowerDirector 365 are repeatedly mentioned by video editors for being top-shelf quality.

If you aren’t looking to invest right away, then don’t overlook iMovie, Filmora X, and Lightworks since they are free or have free versions available and will no doubt launch you into the video editing world with ease.

Nathaniell

What's up ladies and dudes! Great to finally meet you, and I hope you enjoyed this post. My name is Nathaniell and I'm the owner of One More Cup of Coffee. I started my first online business in 2010 promoting computer software and now I help newbies start their own businesses. Sign up for my #1 recommended training course and learn how to start your business for FREE!