Video content is rightfully considered the main tool for promoting goods and services in the modern world. It's explained by the fact that it is video marketing that brings the greatest benefits to its creators in terms of traffic, conversion, and sales.
Indeed, it is much more pleasant for any user to perceive information through video than through audio, pictures, or ordinary text. However, video creation requires certain skills and the right tools. If it were that simple, then everyone could enjoy the benefits of video marketing, right?
Fortunately, people do not face problems in the process of video creation alone. In this battle, they have a reliable ally, and not one! We are talking about video tools that allow us to edit and process video even for those people who are completely new to this business. To the delight of marketers, there are a lot of such tools. Among them, there are both paid and free options.
There are some instruments that can be used only by rookie users. And there are those that only a truly experienced user can handle. In general, the question of choosing tools for video editing comes down to a few simple questions. The first one is: why do you need this tool? Second: what is your skill level with video editing tools?
In answering the first question, you need to have a clear understanding of who you are and why you are creating a video. It makes sense that the goals of a beginner video marketer who is going to create something cool for their YouTube channel and a master of making movies will be strikingly different.
Since the choice of tools is very large, you need to approach this process carefully, clearly understanding your goals. Most likely, you do not need expensive software from Apple if you are just going to slightly edit your short video clip. On the other hand, you need professional tools if you are working with large material and are going to create really high-quality and expensive content.
As for the second question, namely your skill level, it's hard to say something specific. Each specialist determines his level personally and it is very difficult, looking from the outside, to draw any conclusions regarding the skills of this person. You do not need to clearly define your skill level, it is enough to at least roughly understand your capabilities. Obviously, while choosing a video editing tool, you shouldn't stop your choice on those that you can't understand how to use. Yes, you can gain knowledge on the Internet in the future, but it is unlikely that you will fully master the tool in this way. Therefore, always focus on those tools that you understand and know how to master them.
Objectives of the article
Our article is a large and detailed guide that contains some of the most popular and useful video editing tools available on the market. Some of them are paid, some are available for free. We will explain to you the purpose of each of them, indicate their price, their strengths and weaknesses, pros and cons, as well as the goal they will help you achieve.
There is some good news. We are no longer in the 70s, and therefore even the most expensive instrument from this list is available at a very reasonable price. Technological progress and the introduction of high technologies have reduced the cost of such tools at times. Moreover, even free tools can be of great benefit to those who know how to use them. And although everyone knows the adage that free cheese is only in a mousetrap, it doesn't work in our example. The thing is that such free tools offer their users a fairly limited toolkit. However, even such an instrumentarium will be enough for beginners or those who clearly know their tasks. To get a wider toolkit, you will need to pay extra.
And we haven't forgotten about mobile devices. Some of the tools below are available not only for mainstream PC operating systems but also for mobile OS. Thus, we tried to make sure that each person would find the tool they need on our list.
Adobe Premiere
Of course, we start with one of the most common, popular, and high-quality video editing tools available on the market. This tool is intended for users of the Windows operating system. In fact, this is not just a tool, but a whole set of different programs aimed at making the video perfect. This package is used by both newbies for YouTube videos and professional editors in the film industry.
A great bonus is that this set is part of the Adobe ecosystem. This means that Adobe Premiere integrates and syncs with all other brand tools. This is another reason to choose this tool for those who already use any other applications from a world-famous company.
Adobe Premiere has everything you need to process and edit video of any format and quality up to 8K. Moreover, the program also supports the VR format. Despite the abundance of all sorts of features, the program is intuitive to operate. The system employs hotkey technology, which allows all control to be carried out quickly and practically without using a mouse.
The subscription price starts at $21 per month and can rise up to $50, depending on how many tools you use. In order to get the application for less money, you can become a member of Adobe Creative Cloud and get a discount on all services. You can learn more about this by clicking on the previous link.
iMovie
Switch to Mac and bring you one of the best beginner apps. In fact, you can only access the application through the MacBook using synchronization, but initially, the application was created exclusively for tablets and iPhones. Therefore, this point is for those readers who prefer to work with video using Apple's mobile devices.
In control and understanding, the application is quite simple, since, unlike the previous example, it does not have such a huge set of functions. However, one of the distinguishing features of iMovie is the presence of Chroma-key, which allows you to work with the background. This is an ideal app for beginners in the field. The application is integrated not only with all Apple services but also with social platforms, in order to make it easier for users to share their creations.
This application comes free with the purchase of a Mac.
VSDC
Another app perfect for beginners. Users are provided with a fairly standard but slightly advanced set of functions, including working with keys, edges, backgrounds, speed, contrast, brightness, and other characteristics of images in a video. A green background is also present and allows you to try experimenting with images and videos.
The only drawback that can be remembered in the context of this program is a little bit inconvenient control. Many people complain that the application is not very easy to understand and therefore can scare off new users. However, the given minus is more than covered by its plus - the application is absolutely free. That is why it is an ideal choice for those who want to start their video editing experiments and do not want to pay money for it. And the inconvenient control has not scared anyone yet, right?
OpenShot
This instrument is much more convenient to operate. We present to you a special application that can be installed on every known PC operating system. The creators of the tool tried to reach the maximum possible audience and they succeeded.
Like our previous example, this app is more focused on rookies and is also distributed free of charge. At the same time, the app has a very broad range of available technical abilities that will delight any editor. The great advantage that the app boasts is its intuitive and plain interface. All control can be employed with the mouse alone since the program is adapted to the method of dragging objects and windows.
You can perform any operations with animations, video previews, backgrounds, layers, and more. At the same time, the application has no restrictions on the number of layers used.
Final Cut Pro X
Back to the top tools for professionals section again. This application is, in fact, an analog of Adobe Premiere, only for users of the Mac operating system. The good news and, at the same time, the difference from Adobe is that this application is distributed not by subscription, but by a single payment. However, the price of such a payment is much higher - $300.
Despite the fact that the application comes with a complete set of all the functions necessary for video editing, it is quite simple to operate. In addition, like any product of the Mac ecosystem, Final Cut is fully integrated and synchronized with all other Apple products and programs.
The latest version of the application allows you to work not only with video but also with sound. The tool opens up new horizons in working with adding effects and editing, as well as resizing videos and images, which is a convenient feature for those who work, for example, with different social platforms.
Finally, a free 90-day trial is available in the application, so that those who have doubts about whether the tool is worth such money, try to work on their own and cast aside any doubts.
Corel Video Studio
This tool is ideal for those who already have experience with other applications from Corel, for example, an Illustrator. The technical features of the application are quite large, despite the fact that the tool is positioned on the market as a choice for beginners. The app has a user-friendly interface and a range of truly high-quality video editing features. This is motion tracking, support for VR and 4K video, the presence of a multi-cam and a library with audio tracks, and more.
The application runs on the Windows operating system and is distributed for $99. However, there is a one-month trial period for free use, especially for those who want to try the application in business without purchasing. The functionality in the free version is not cut off and fully represents the product that you will deal with after purchase.
Perhaps the only significant disadvantage of the application is its too basic functionality, really aimed at beginners. However, professionals are aware of this and make their choice in favor of other tools.
Magisto
This application is inherently slightly different from the previous ones since it is aimed at making the editing automatic. Magisto is suitable for working with simple videos, for example, for YouTube or for social networks, and allows users to get ready-made videos. However, this does not limit them to upload their own videos and pictures to the application. You can also download the musical accompaniment yourself, or choose from the existing tracks in the instrument's library.
This fast work leads to the automation of most of the processes. This really won't work for you if you're going to be meticulous about working on an extensive and specific material. However, if you need to quickly create a video, add music to it and release it to production, this is one of the best tools for you. Despite this automation of processes, the application does not limit you in your imagination and creativity, always leaving you with the last word on any editing and giving you the opportunity to take control of the tool at any time.
The only existing limitation in the application is the limitation on the length of the possible video. However, the duration can be increased by purchasing a more expensive plan. The price starts at $10 and goes up depending on how long the video you need. Magisto is ideal for creating and editing short and budget videos for social media.
Blender
Another application that is available for all PC operating systems. Blender is quite in demand among both beginners and professionals, thanks to its extended list of technological features designed to make the editing process smooth and agile. This open-source app positions itself as the best free solution available on the market.
The list of available features is really impressive, as the application contains both basic features and more advanced tools like histogram creation, synchronization, scrubbing, and audio mixing. The only limitation that leaves some unpleasant imprint on Blender is that there are only 32 slots for releasing your editing. However, more often than not, such a number of layers is enough for the head.
In general, Blender is very useful for both professionals and beginners, although it has a slightly confusing interface and controls.
CyberLink
We can only recommend this application to truly experienced professionals, one way or another connected with the video-creation industry or even with cinema. CyberLink is a Taiwanese corporation that has been providing its service for many professionals, including those in Hollywood, for many years. Nevertheless, unlike the dreamland itself, the app has a very nice price, which is very surprising. The cost of CyberLink starts at $70 per year, which is very modest money for the stack of technological editing functions that the application offers.
In the application, you can count 100 layers available to users for editing. Functionally, CyberLink does not lag behind the most expensive and luxurious applications in the segment. Here you can find both basic functions and advanced things, like trimming, 3D editing, stabilization and correction of dynamic images, multi-cam and motion tracking.
The application supports absolutely all known and used file formats, which makes CyberLink an irreplaceable assistant in the editing process. You no longer need to worry about file and application compatibility and spend a lot of time trying to find out if such a format is supported in the tool or not.
Camtasia
Camtasia is not just a video editing tool, it is also a video creation assistant that lets you create videos from literally nothing. This can be achieved due to the fact that the application allows you to shoot video directly from your computer screen, after which you can immediately proceed to edit. By the way, about computers, Camtasia is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Among other things, this is the best service for just practicing in the process of video editing and mastering new skills or pumping your strengths, gaining new experience. There are more than 900,000 free videos available in Camtasia, which you can work with as you please. Combine them together to create entire films, or work on the contrary to make the video even shorter - the choice is yours.
Work with animation, fisheye, and zooming. In addition, the application provides a large number of available annotations and titles in order to use them for the title of the video.
The tool can be purchased in a single payment of $250. At the same time, you are provided with a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you are not satisfied.
VideoPad
VideoPad is one of the most affordable and high-quality services aimed at making the life of YouTubers better. The application is provided in three forms. The first is a starter kit that can be purchased for free. Its functionality is significantly reduced, but it is also enough to start your first steps in video editing.
The second set is the Home edition that retails for $39. Its functionality has already been significantly expanded and can satisfy even a real professional. However, only the $69 Master Set really meets all the needs of true professionals in their field. In order to understand the significant difference that distinguishes Home and Master sets, imagine that in the Home version you are provided with only a few audio tracks and no plugins. At the same time, the Master Kit has a huge number of different add-ons, plug-ins, and audio tracks.
Yes, this application can lag behind more expensive analogs in terms of the amount of technical functionality. Nevertheless, even the free version of the tool can satisfy the needs of most editors. The essence of the application is primarily aimed at creating and editing videos for YouTube, including 4K quality.
Invideo
We stored a truly unusual application for you for the end. Invideo differs from all of its predecessors on this list in that it helps you create videos right from your text! Yes, it didn't seem to you, take any article from your blog and with this tool, you can turn it into a video. How does it work?
The application analyzes the text that you provide and then searches the huge library of various videos that are available in the tool. All videos are stored with special tags for what happens in the video. This categorization goes much deeper than regular tags, but this is not the point at present. The point is that it helps you find the right video for almost any text, thereby saving as much time as possible for creating a video.
If it seemed to you that Invideo is unlikely to be able to always produce a result corresponding to the text, then you are mistaken. The fact is that the application contains more than 2000 video templates of various contents. In addition, on the website of the application, you can also find ready-made video templates that you can safely purchase to use in your video marketing strategies.
By the way, the price for all this wealth is more than affordable. The basic version of the application costs $20 and the Maximum one - $60. At the moment, the company is holding a promotion that provides new customers with a 50% discount on the application, thereby dropping the price to $10 and $30, respectively.
Final word
This is not a complete list of applications that are designed to facilitate and speed up the video editing process as much as possible. You should understand that the format and size of the article limits us in how many interesting tools we can show you.
However, from our point of view, the applications provided above most accurately reflect the very essence of this industry - a huge variety and a wide range of use.
