“Comprehensive and powerful, plus it integrates with Adobe’s cloud platform, Creative Cloud.” Best for Mac: Final Cut Pro X at iTunes “Integrates well with Apple’s hardware and other software, and runs beautifully on Mac computers.” Best for Beginners: Adobe Premiere Elements at Best Buy “Perfect for beginners who may not be as experienced in video editing.” Best Budget: CyberLink PowerDirector at CyberLink “Clean and intuitive, but offers access to plenty of powerful tools.” Best Free for Windows: Lightworks at Lightworks “Known for its intuitive and easy-to-use interface, plus it has great timeline editing tools.” Best Free for Mac: iMovie at iTunes “The overall interface is very well-designed and super easy to use.” Best Free for Pro Users: DaVinci Resolve at Blackmagic Design “Offers a range of professional-level tools and remains totally free for basic use.” Best for Special Effects: HitFilm Pro at FxHome “It’s got a good list of tools for basic video editing, and has a customizable interface.” Of course, perhaps the main reason for many to subscribe to Creative Cloud is to use Premiere Pro — the software is considered the standard, thanks to features like its huge range of organizational tools, good speed, the fact that it supports unlimited video tracks, excellent video stabilization features, and more. Safe to say, whether you’re editing GoPro footage, or footage from a cinema-level camera, Adobe Premiere Pro CC is the way to go, despite the fact that it is a little pricey. Adobe Premiere Pro CC is available on both Windows and macOS. There are a ton of unique features, including a magnetic, trackless timeline, excellent organizational tools, and support for 360-degree video and HDR. It’s also a great option for those that have a MacBook Pro with a touch bar because it actually has tools that are compatible with this hardware. Unfortunately, the software is a little pricey compared to some others, but if you have the money to spend, it’s an excellent option. Perhaps the best thing about Adobe Premiere Elements is the fact that it has such a clean interface, and has some more complex features that you can dig into if you want. Notably, the software boasts a number of video effects, plus it has some excellent audio editing features, which is important to consider for any good video. The software isn’t overly limiting either. You’ll still get unlimited video tracks, motion tracking, and support for 4K video. Adobe Premiere Elements is available on both Windows and macOS. On top of the nice interface, CyberLink PowerDirector 365 offers features like multi-cam editing, the ability to edit both 3D and 4K video, and motion tracking. Apart from those editing tools, Lightworks also allows you to quickly and easily export your video to services like YouTube and Vimeo, and it can handle 4K video editing. Of course, perhaps the best thing about it is that it’s free. You’ll get a seven-day trial of the software, after which you can register for free to keep using it or upgrade to a “Pro” license to get access to all of the editing tools and export formats. While iMovie is free, it does offer some pretty nice advanced features. For example, it has cool color matching features, which helps make for more consistent looks. On top of that, it has a number of awesome audio tools, which helps ensure that your video not only looks good but sounds good, too. There are a number of things that make DaVinci Resolve so great. As mentioned, there are hundreds of tools, effects, and features to comb through, along with good color features, special effects, and more. The only downside is that it can be pretty complicated to use, so if you’re new to video editing it’s probably worth sticking with something a little more basic. DaVinci Resolve is compatible with both Windows and macOS operating systems. There are a few reasons HitFilm Pro is such great video editing software. For starters, it’s got a good list of tools for basic video editing, and has a customizable interface, meaning you can tweak it to your needs. Where HitFilm Pro really shines, however, is in special effects — it boasts hundreds of effects and presets to dig into, including effects in 3D. HitFilm Pro is available for both Windows and macOS. Our writers spent 4 hours researching the most popular GoPro editing software on the market. Before making their final recommendations, they considered 10 different software overall, screened options from 9 different brands and manufacturers, read over 30 user reviews (both positive and negative) and tested 3 of the software themselves. All of this research adds up to recommendations you can trust.
