Video Editing for Dummies: Top Software Recommendations

Best Video Editing Software for Beginners [2024 Top List]

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The popularity of video content on social media networks has been soaring in the last couple of years, and it is only reasonable to expect this trend to continue. Tutorials, promotional videos and various other types of videos for social media help companies run successful advertising campaigns and increase their profits. You don’t have to be a seasoned video editing professional in order to create videos for social networks, in fact, you can make viral videos even with entry-level video editing software, like iMovie or Avidemux. That’s the reason why in this article we are going to introduce you to 10+ best video editing apps you can use online, on Mac and PC computers or Smartphones.

Best Video Editing Software for Novice Video Content Creators in 2024

Anyone who has access to a computer that runs on a macOS or Windows OS can edit videos for free because both of these operating systems have built-in video editing software. Let’s take a look at the free video editing options Mac and PC users have at their disposal in 2024.

1. iMovie

Learning how to use iMovie to create videos for social media won’t take too much of your time, as the app’s intuitive interface makes performing all basic video editing actions look easy. iMovie lets you edit footage recorded in resolutions up to 4K and it features 10 high fidelity filters that enhance the colors in your videos. The app also lets you create PIP and split screen videos, alter the playback speed of a video clip or create engaging opening titles or end credits. The royalty-free music, sound effects or the voiceover recording feature can all help you create a perfect soundtrack for each video you edit in iMovie.

2. Photos App

Even though the Photos App doesn’t offer a lot of video editing options you can still use it to process the footage you recorded before sharing it online. The app’s Edit&Create menu offers Draw, Add slo-mo or Trim tools that allow you to draw over the source footage and remove unwanted pieces of video clips from the timeline. The Photos App is equipped with a number of 3D effects and a rich collection of filters that can assist you in creating a distinctive visual style for each new video you edit with it. However, the app’s exporting options are far from impressive, since you can’t export your projects to social media directly from the Photos App.

3. Windows Movie Maker

It’s already been a couple of years since the Windows Movie Maker was discontinued, but despite that this video editing software remains one of the best options for novice video editors who are still using Windows 8 or older versions of the Windows OS. Windows Movie Maker grants you access to a huge collection of transitions and visual effects and it makes the process of creating titles effortless. Certain options like video stabilization are only available on the version of the video editing software that is compatible with Windows 8, and the exact list of the tools provided by Windows Movie Maker varies on different versions of the Windows OS.

4. Avidemux

Transcoding video files or automating video editing tasks is the most common reason why inexperienced video editors opt for Avidemux. This open source video editor is compatible with Linux, macOS and Windows OS, which means that you can edit videos with it regardless of the computer you have. Avidemux supports nearly all video file formats, and it is a perfect choice for all video content creators who frequently shoot their videos on different cameras. Nonetheless, the number of video editing tools Avidemux offers is far from impressive which limits your options during the video editing process.

Best Cheap Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2020

Creating professional-looking videos with free video editing software products is a challenging task even for an experienced video editor. So, instead of struggling to make visually impactful content with free video editing apps you can purchase the license to use video editors that offer an abundance of video editing tools. Here are some of the least expensive options on the market.

5. Wondershare Filmii

Price: Free trial available, $9.99/month

Compatibility: Windows

For beginners who want to create a video footage with templates automatically, Wondershare Filmii is one of the best choice on Windows. There are plentiful smart video templates, stylized filters and overlays, interesting stickers and motion elements, and more important, advanced editing tools.

Wondershare Filmii ](https://filmii.wondershare.com/?utm%5Fsource=other%5Fmedia%5Fsites&utm%5Fmedium=banner&utm%5Fcampaign=f9%5Farticle%5Fbanner&utm%5Fcontent=link%5Ffm%5Ffm%5Fen%5F19063351%5F2020-11-25 )

Creating videos with Filmii is easy. After launch the software, select a template from the start screen first and then import your images and footage to the timeline. Click the Auto Create button, and Filmii will automatically generate a video with text/transitions/music and effects. Want to personalize the auto-created video? Click the Advanced editing button and then you can customize the video with more flexibilities.

6. Wondershare Filmora

Price: Free trial available, $49.99 for an annual subscription

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

Each new version of Wondershare’s Filmora that was released in the last five years has expanded the software’s capabilities. Filmora is no exception since the app’s latest upgrade brings more than a few improvements that make the video editing process smoother. You can now add up to one hundred audio and video tracks to the timeline, enjoy the benefits of the revamped video stabilization feature or have more precision while editing audio files. Filmora simplifies the video editing process and allows you to enhance the colors in a video clip, create split screen and PIP effects or perform countless other video editing tasks in just a couple of clicks.

7. Adobe Premiere Rush

Price: Free trial available, $9.99 per month as a single app

Compatibility: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

This cross-platform app offers everything a social media video content creator needs to produce viral videos, starting from the video recording options that enable its users to record high-resolution videos with their mobile devices. Moreover, Adobe Premiere Rush features hundreds of motion graphics templates that are designed to facilitate the process of making a social media video. The app also allows you to choose an aspect ratio for each video you create with it, as well as add transitions between shots, apply color presets or crop video clips. Adobe Premiere Rush is an excellent choice for all video creators who want to keep editing even while they are away from their computers.

8. GoPro Quik

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

If you have a GoPro camera, then you can edit all footage recorded with your camera for free, although you must first check if the model of GoPro camera you have is compatible with this app. The process of importing and sorting the materials you produce with your camera is automated and the app also lets you store all of your footage on the cloud so you can access it at any moment regardless of your current location. Creating time–lapses from photos, syncing videos to music or adding text overlays to photos and videos are just a few reasons why GoPro Quik is one of the best video editing apps for anyone who records their videos with a GoPro camera.

9. Magisto

Price: Subscription plans start at $4.99 per month

Compatibility: web-based

Magisto is an online platform dedicated to social media marketing that helps businesses produce and distribute professional visual content. This web-based video editor is powered by A.I. that analyzes and edits your videos automatically, so you just have to upload the footage, select the video editing style and add a soundtrack, and Magisto will do the rest. The platform offers cross-channel video content hosting and distribution services in case you want to host videos on your own website. Marketers who use Magisto to create and share social media videos also have access to the metrics that shows them how many views, clicks or likes their posts have.

10. Adobe Premiere Clip

Price: Free, but requires a basic level of Creative Cloud membership

Compatibility: iOS, Android

Editing a video and sharing it on your social media accounts just moments after you recorded it can be important in so many different situations. Adobe Premiere Clip seems to be a perfect solution for all sorts of events you want to share with your followers on social media because it offers the automatic editing option as well as a series of video editing tools that enable you to adjust each setting manually. Each project you start in Adobe Premiere Clip can be later opened in Adobe Premiere Pro, Lightroom or Capture CC in case you want to have more professional video editing tools at your disposal while working on a project.

11. Lumen5

Price: free, subscription plans start at $49 per month

Compatibility: web-based

You can turn a blog post into a video in just three easy steps, simply paste its URL into Lumen5 and its AI editor will generate new scenes based on the amount texts you’ve entered. The Lumen5 platform also grants you access to huge stock audio, photo and video libraries, which enables you to make social videos even if you don’t have your own footage. Nonetheless, you must choose a subscription plan if you want to remove the watermark from the videos you create with Lumen5 or if you want to export videos in resolutions larger than 480p.

We have selected some best cheap video editings software for both beginners and semi-pros, you can pick up one of the best cheap video editing software based on your need accordingly.

How to Select The Best Video Editing Software for Beginners?

Planning ahead is the vital step in the process of making a video because you must know exactly what you need before the process starts. Once you know what you want to accomplish you should acquire as much information as you possibly can about a video editing software in order to find out if the video editor you’re considering can help you accomplish your goal. The price is yet another factor you should consider since you don’t have to spend a lot of money on video editing software that takes years to master if you just want to create a promotional video for your company.

Besides the features, a video editing application offers, you should also try to find out how user-friendly its interface is and how comfortable or efficient you are while working on a project in a video editing software. Installing a trial version of a video editor might help you decide if that editor is the right choice for you. If you have absolutely no previous video editing experience, then it is best to start with a simple video editing app like iMovie or the Photos App and then switch to a more advanced video editor once you develop your video editing skills.

Conclusion

Recording videos in high resolution is simply not enough to attract the attention of a large online audience. That’s why you must find a video editor that enables you to make eye-catching videos in just a couple of minutes. Which video editing software are you going to be using to create social media videos in 2020? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

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