The 7 best video editing software 2020: for beginners, advanced and professionals

The good news is that affordable video editing software now offers many of the features used in professional film editing. We present the best video editing software 2019 for post-production professionals, aspiring YouTube stars and amateur filmmakers.

Adobe Premiere Pro is only used with the subscription, which means regular editions. This investment is especially interesting for professional and semi-professional users . Thanks to the Creative Cloud package, they can also use various other image, sound and video programs, depending on the extent of their subscription. For better teamwork, the pack also contains a Cloud server . Team members can exchange data quickly and easily via this server.

However, we recommend beginners and more advanced users of the Adobe Elements family products that are more affordable. Although its functional range is more limited, it should however be sufficient for most semi-professionals. At the same time, Premiere Elements also offers beginners easy-to-understand functions that allow them to obtain presentable results, for example using automated video editing.

When you start Adobe Pro CC for the first time, you will first receive an introduction. The main menu is located at the top of the user interface. To select the desired workspace – from cut, color and audio design to effects and graphics – simply select the appropriate tab. The user interface then switches to the working environment (color correction in the image above). Under ”  Learn  “, the video editing program offers a series of tutorials. In the ”  Assembly  ” area, load your media in the project directory and store your files there. The other tabs are assigned to the different video editing categories.

You have at least one preview window for your sequence on the user interface. Premiere Pro also supports a second monitor to compare clips. Alternatively, you can see analysis visualizations such as Lumetri scopes in the image on the left. Below is the Timeline, where you can drag and drop clips and effect elements. Videos appear as thumbnails, audio tracks show the timeline as waves. To your left, your media is available in the minimized directory window . You can simply drag them to the desired track.

When it comes to special effects, Adobe Premiere Pro cannot quite compete with other professional video editing applications. So Final Cut Special Effects integrates without sacrificing efficiency. However, Premiere Pro can already stop at high resolution video formats. For 4k videos , you absolutely need a high-performance graphics card and a good processor. You will also not find special effects and graphics in Adobe Premiere Pro . This requires a Creative Cloud subscription for Adobe After Effects. However, the 3D title includes the Premiere Pro toolbox.

The two-part arrangement is particularly useful for teamwork since several experts can work together on professional projects. The various working interfaces offer specialized tools for each individual mission area. They can all be linked in the Cloud. To this end, the manager creates a team project when the program opens. However, this function is mainly used for the production of elaborate films. This is why it is only accessible to corporate clients .

What’s new in Adobe Premiere Pro CC 12.11 :

• Competitor Cyberlink PowerDirector was one of the first to offer 360 ° virtual reality tools. Premiere Pro also steered the 2016 version in this direction but very little for 360 ° movies . Now the video editing software finally has a 360-degree recording tool: Immersive Reality. Adobe has developed hand element kits for this purpose. Adobe has also developed suitable handset commands. With these, you can rotate and edit the image and rework it. In order to smoothly blend the edges of the image, Premiere Pro has revised the ” VR: Level to Sphere ” function.
• If you use the Lumetri tools in combination with the second monitor. This will allow you to match the colors of two images. To do this, click on ” color wheels and correspondence ” then ” Color correspondence ” in the menu of the color correction tool and activate ” Comparative view “. If you check “Face Detection”, the video editing program captures the faces. This preserves the natural skin tones, even if you make significant color changes in the rest of the recording.
• Another Lumetri innovation: Premiere Pro lets you create user-defined LUT directories.
• In addition, it is finally possible to open two projects at the same time and to adopt the models from one project to the other.
• Automatic attenuation highlights dialogues and automatically reduces the volume of background music.
• The user interface for After Effects templates has a new look. This is to facilitate editing.
• New RAW camera formats supported: Canon C200, Sony Venice, IPP2 for RED.

Premiere Elements is Adobe’s video editing software for home use. Beginners create short clips, dynamic slideshows and short videos with this one. The library helps locate and organize videos on the hard drive.

Premiere Elements therefore does a lot of work for its users. Automation is the keyword. With color correction, editing and audio design models, even professional looking videos can be produced in a relatively short time.

To download Adobe Premiere Elements , you don’t need cloud access but an Adobe ID to sign up for Adobe Premiere Elements . You can get the software at fixed price. The minimum requirement for downloading is 4 GB RAM and 5 GB for the application (10 GB for optional items). In the test, the installation took some time. Then the program opens with a dialog window . If you buy the entire family of Elements, you can choose between Photoshop Elements, Organizer and Premier Elements.

Optimize your photos via image editing, before placing them, for example, in a slideshow. The organizerhas, in comparison with the previous versions, benefited from some improvements. It now allows you to organize your media with tags and a filing system. The search criteria have also been improved. The program analyzes images and videos by means of artificial intelligence and facial recognition. For example, if you are looking for people, the search function lists images and videos that show people. If you are looking after specific places, the program determines the appropriate images taking into account your metadata. The tool still has some small aesthetic flaws but these will probably be improved in the next versions.

The video editing user interface has a few things in common with Premiere Pro . You will find four different user interfaces in the horizontal menu bar . Premiere Elements does not, however, differentiate between the different stages of professional work. Instead, it divides user interfaces into current Adobe Elements information (eLive), tutorials (Guided), and two editing modes: Quick and Expert . While Premiere Elements Pro follows the aesthetics of today’s cloud design, the design of Premiere Elementsappears a little dusty. However, this does not affect performance.

In Quick Mode , you work with the video editing storyboard. This is a quick and easy method for beginners. The user interface is supported by video preview. On the timeline below, you can see the individual images next to each other as an image preview. The top track is for text, the bottom track is audio tracks and effects. You can move clips on the Timeline by dragging them with the mouse. If you click on the start or end of a clip, you can shorten it. To cut a video element, fix the red cursor at a point (the starting point) and click on a later point of the clip (the end point). A scissor icon appears. Click on it to trim the video .

With templates, you can create your first video in minutes. To the right is the tool from the menu bar . Many of these correction tools work automatically. For example, the “Auto Smart Tone” function improves color tones with one click. The Quick Mode has several models to adapt the color tint and individual shades. With the built-in correctors, you can make fine adjustments. Under ”  Edit  ” you will find image effects and scene transitions as well as a list of all the effects applied. The “Add” function allows you to add text, sound and animated graphics to your video.

In Expert mode , you work with a professional, non-linear video editing environment. On the Timeline , you can edit multiple audio and video tracks and also add text and effects using professional tools. This mode offers more effects and transitions than fast mode. You also have more audio editing tools to choose from. In addition to the classic video track, there is a special audio track for the Timeline.

What’s new in Adobe Premiere Elements 2019:

• Creations are generated automatically and displayed when the software is launched (optimization by Adobe Sensei)
• The home screen has essential features , sources of inspiration , help and tutorials
• News and tests of fun features
• The software benefits from superior performance
• VFR, HEIF (macOS) and HEVC (macOS 10.13 and later) formats are supported
• Installation is faster
• Quick Mode is optimized for touch screens
• In terms of guided modifications, the panoramic glazing effect and the Fondu Luminance transition effect are among the new features.
• Automatic creations can be shared without problems if you wish (optimized by Adobe Sensei)
• The DVD burning is also new but available only on Windows.

A special feature is what is called the roller tool . This tool helps you organize your tracks. Each clip plays a specific role in the film: it can be background noise, a video clip or subtitles. Each of these roles is assigned a specific color. The tool allows you to create custom roles for your project. Then assign specific colors to each role, for example light green for dialog boxes. On the Timeline, you will see the colored tracks.

The non-marking Magnetic Timeline is another innovation. Classic nonlinear timelines have multiple free tracks, Final Cut has one main track. Like a tree diagram, audio tracks and effects branch out. If you move a clip with a connected audio track, that track follows it on the Timeline. Magnet function allows you to attach successive clips to each other. If you shorten a clip, everyone else advances. To connect several clips to form a unit, use the Connect clips function. This allows you to keep your timeline very clear, even when working on large film projects. If, on the other hand, you want to separate the audio and video tracks from a clip, simply double-click on the clip.

Final Cut Pro X includes a remarkable number of video and audio effects (over a hundred each). These include titles and 3D frames . You can customize each of the effects. If you integrate additional special effects functions via plugins , Final Cut integrates them directly into the user interface.

What’s New in Final Cut Pro X 10.4 :

• Apple offers new features for its ProRes format. For example, if you import HDR video or 4K formats directly from your camera, you can edit them as ProRes RAW in the original RAW image quality. At the same time, the new ProRes format saves storage space. To get the most out of it, you need an HDR-compatible camera and a monitor that correctly displays HDR colors.
• As with Adobe Premiere Pro, the new color correction consists of color wheels. This allows you to change the brightness, colors and intensity. The tool distinguishes shadows, highlights and midtones. You can also adjust the entire image. Use the sliders to change the shading and color temperature. You can use color curves to correct individual color values. Final Cut lets you customize the desktop to suit your needs and shorten work steps with keyboard shortcuts.
• More and more film producers include subtitles in different languages ​​or for the hearing impaired in their online videos . In the current update to Final Cut, the subtitle tool makes this work easier. You can create text directly in the program or import text files , even for multiple languages. Just connect the clips and subtitles to the Timeline. If you change the layout , the changes are displayed directly in the preview window. Final Cut also allows you to easily upload your finished videos to video platforms. Video editing program supports Vimeo and YouTube to this end.
• Final Cut Pro X is a step ahead in 360-degree video editing . Unlike Premiere Pro , it even offers users a complete assembly tool . This tool allows you to merge your panoramic views. The tool even masters the detailed textures of grass, for example. You can also use the patch tool to remove your gear from the image. Not all software offers this. If your computer has sufficient computing power, you can even use video editing software to edit 360-degree recordings with a resolution of up to 8K. Use the appropriate filters or horizon correction .
• The current version of Final Cut Pro X also allows you to import and export XML formats . This allows you to continue working on your project with other applications. So you can use DaVinci Resolve , which has its strengths in this area, for color correction, and then continue working with Final Cut . XML also facilitates the transfer of projects from mobile systems such as iOS.
• However, Final Cut X Pro 10 is not natively backward compatible with earlier versions of Final Cut Pro (7 and earlier). To import projects from it, you will need a plugin such as SendToX which is chargeable.

The special mode for action cameras makes Filmora interesting for filmmakers who like to play sports or work with portable devices. Watch your video clip on a track in the form of a storyboard and a preview. The toolbar has three categories: Repair, Speed, and Color . In the Repair category , for example, you can adjust the lens curvature and aspect ratio. In Preferences you will find a large number of common action cameras. When you select a camera, Filmoraoptimizes the video based on the preset lens settings. You can improve shaky videos with noise by clicking the Noise reduction check box.

Use the Speed ​​tool to define the stunt scene. Slow-Motion plays slower movements, which are otherwise too quick for the eye. Each video editing software must also be equipped with a color corrector . This is also available in Action Cam mode. Filters and thumbnails allow quick adjustment, but you can also adjust colors manually and specifically.

The program gives advice when you use a tool for the first time. Especially beginners will often need this functionality. Although the user interface offers intuitively understandable tools, the program is mainly aimed at a professional target group. Lay people must first familiarize themselves with the program. So you work with tools at a professional level . The settings for color correction, for example, can be made precisely in the ” VFX  ” tab  . You can also adjust the titles according to your wishes.

Under the preview windows, you can edit metadata and marker markers (in white square brackets as start and end points of a scene) in the EDIT tab of the Timeline.

The AUDIO user interface provides a wider view of the Timeline for audio tracks. To the left of the preview window, you will find some audio tools, such as the crossfade and noise correction tools. Compared to previous versions, new tools have been added, such as the Wind Noise Compensator (reduces wind noise from external recordings) and the elimination of 50 Hz and 60 Hz humming. By clicking on “Apply” ‘effect’, you can tailor these effects more precisely to your needs.

The free version exports the finished videos directly to the social video platforms Vimeo and YouTube , as MP4 files with image quality up to 720p. Of course, you can also record your video locally. The video receives a watermark. You can burn your video to CD or Blu-Ray only with the full version with fees.

The software DaVinci Resolve Studio Blackmagic is a real professional tool with which Hollywood directors also work. DaVinci Resolve combines editing, sound processing, effects and color correction in a single application. The functions are sophisticated, but require a certain level of prior knowledge. The DaVinci Resolve 15 Beta version is currently available for free (status as of 06/30/2018). All you have to do is register before downloading. Blackmagic also offers software-compatible hardware professionals, for example, special control panels for professional color correction.

The new version of the video editing program surprises with an update of functionality. DaVinci Resolve 15 now integrates the Fusion special effects program natively into its user interface. DaVinci Resolve 14 was already linked to the Fairlight audio editing program. The current beta version integrates the tool even better. The program combines video and sound editing with special effects and animation functions on a single platform. As the project is set up , you can make adjustments ranging from SD quality to Ultra HD.

Video editing software offers many tools and features: from timeline stacks to audio track controls to precise transitions even with time distortion . As a result, a number of toolbars are assembled on the user interface. If you don’t need a tool, just reduce it. Two preview windows allow you to control your work. Below you will find the chronology. You can edit several clips on the video track at the same time by selecting them with the mouse. In the selected Timeline packages, you can cut multiple scenes at once. The contextual cutting toolhelps you define the best cut. The multi-camera tool also allows you to capture multiple perspectives in a scene. The tracking tool tracks objects. Both tools allow you to seamlessly merge multi-camera scenes. The free version works with a frame rate of 60 fps (full version: 120 fps).

3D video editing already existed in the previous version. Add titles in 2D or 3D. The integration of daylight also allows the distribution of sound in 3D . There is no separate editor for 360 ° videos, but you can edit them. But make sure that the resolution and frame rate of your video match your Timeline settings.

On the right side of the screen, you can view the preview of your movie. The thin menu bar on the far left contains your toolbox . After clicking on one of the icons, all effect models and editing options are displayed in the free area next to it. Under “fx” you will find simple filters . Drag the desired effect (“Old movie” with its sepia in the image) onto the corresponding track to apply it to a clip. The text elements such as titles or credits can be dragged on the text track. If you select the microphone icon, you can add voice comments. Add music and effect sounds to the Music track.

PowerDirector also offers several menu templates . You can use them to create a user interface for DVD or Blu-Ray that you have burned yourself. You can also share your work on online platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo.

The slide shows can also be created in a few steps. First import the desired images, then select a playback style (motion, camera, normal) and add the appropriate music. Check your work in Preview. Then render or share the slideshow.