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Creative & Media

Video Editing

Editors and recorders for footage that already exists: a timeline, tracks, colour and sound, through to the export. Every tool below is measured against the same criteria, in the same order. Tools that generate a clip from a prompt sit under AI Video instead.

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36tools

  • ScreenPal

    AI features

    Price Free; Deluxe from $4 / month

    Not rated yet

    Screen recorder, video editor and hosting for teachers and teams, formerly Screencast-O-Matic, with AI captions and narration.

    Strengths

    • Runs on Chromebooks as well as Windows, Mac, iOS and Android
    • Hosting, quizzes and polls included with the recorder
    • Paid plans start at $4 a month billed annually
    • Captions can be burned in or uploaded as closed captions

    Limitations

    • The free plan caps recordings at 15 minutes
    • The full editor needs a paid plan
    • Monthly prices are not listed on the plans page
    Visit site

  • ScreenFlow

    Price $199

    Not rated yet

    Telestream's screen recorder and video editor for the Mac, sold as a one-time purchase.

    Strengths

    • Bought once, with no subscription needed for the editor
    • Records screen, camera, microphone and iOS devices together
    • Caption editor that burns in ADA-compliant subtitles
    • Trial has no time limit

    Limitations

    • Mac only
    • Exports from the trial carry a watermark
    • Stock media and priority support are paid yearly add-ons
    Visit site

  • Animoto

    AI features

    Price Free

    Not rated yet

    Template-based online video maker that builds marketing and training videos from a short brief or a web page, around your own photos and clips.

    Strengths

    • Builds the video around your own photos, clips and web page content rather than generated footage
    • Free plan with unlimited video creation
    • Getty Images stock library, with 1M+ assets on Professional and 100M+ on Professional Plus
    • Screen and webcam recording built into the browser editor
    • Professional Plus includes a licence to resell videos to businesses

    Limitations

    • Free videos carry an Animoto watermark, and downloads need a paid plan
    • Voiceover starts at Professional and is recorded or uploaded rather than AI-generated
    • Shared workspace, comments and user management only on Professional Plus
    • Non-Latin scripts are limited to a handful of fonts unless you upload your own
    Visit site

  • Shotcut

    AI features

    Price Free

    Not rated yet

    Meltytech's free, open-source video editor for Windows, macOS and Linux, with native timeline editing of almost any format.

    Strengths

    • Free and open source under the GPLv3, including for commercial use
    • Edits most formats natively through FFmpeg, with no import step
    • HDR10 and HLG support, 10-bit video and tone mapping to SDR
    • Subtitles from speech with whisper.cpp, running on the GPU on Windows and Linux
    • Runs as a portable app from an external drive

    Limitations

    • VST2, LV2 and OpenFX plugin support is still marked as work in progress
    • Some interface translations are incomplete, as the project itself notes
    • No video generation from a text prompt
    Visit site

  • DaVinci Resolve

    AI features

    Price Free; Studio $295

    Not rated yet

    Blackmagic Design's editor for cutting, colour, effects and audio, with DaVinci AI Neural Engine tools in the Studio version.

    Strengths

    • The free version covers editing, colour, effects, audio and multi-user collaboration up to Ultra HD
    • Editing, colour grading, visual effects and audio post in one application
    • AI Speech Generator can clone a voice from a 10-second sample
    • Runs on Linux as well as Mac and Windows

    Limitations

    • The DaVinci AI Neural Engine tools require the paid Studio version
    • No video generation from a text prompt
    • The free version is limited to 8-bit formats at up to 60fps
    Visit site

  • Avid Media Composer

    AI features

    Price Free; Standard $259.99 / year

    Not rated yet

    Avid's professional video editor for film, TV and news, with ScriptSync AI and PhraseFind AI for cutting from transcripts.

    Strengths

    • ScriptSync AI and PhraseFind AI for cutting from transcripts and phonetic dialogue search
    • Bin locking lets several editors work in one shared project
    • Native round-trips to Pro Tools and MediaCentral newsroom integration
    • Delivery formats for IMF, DNx and AS-11
    • Free Media Composer First edition

    Limitations

    • ScriptSync and PhraseFind need Ultimate or Enterprise
    • Subscriptions are sold by the year
    • No video generation from a text prompt
    Visit site

  • Lightworks

    Price Free

    Not rated yet

    Film-grade non-linear video editor for Windows, macOS and Linux, with a free edition and paid Create and Pro.

    Strengths

    • Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
    • Free edition carries no watermark and no time limit
    • Paid editions can be bought outright as well as by subscription
    • Multicam with unlimited sources and live cutting during playback

    Limitations

    • Free edition exports only MP4 up to 720p
    • Third-party audio plugins, OpenFX and real-time collaboration need Pro
    • NewBlue titles and motion graphics are not available on Linux
    Visit site

  • InShot

    AI features

    Price Free; Pro from $4.99 / month

    Not rated yet

    Mobile video editor and maker for short social videos, with captions, effects and music.

    Strengths

    • Lifetime Pro licence as an alternative to a subscription
    • Auto captions with bilingual subtitles
    • 4K export at 60 fps

    Limitations

    • Ad removal is a separate purchase from Pro
    • Some filter, effect and transition packs cost extra
    Visit site

  • MAGIX Video deluxe

    AI features

    Price From $54.99 one-time

    Not rated yet

    Windows video editor sold as a perpetual licence, with templates, effects and offline AI subtitles.

    Strengths

    • Perpetual licence with cheaper upgrades for existing owners
    • Subtitles and voiceovers can be generated offline
    • Burns DVD, Blu-ray and AVCHD discs with animated menus

    Limitations

    • Windows only
    • Cloud AI functions and stock downloads are capped per edition
    • Multichannel sound is limited to stereo
    Visit site

  • KineMaster

    AI features

    Price Free to download

    Not rated yet

    Layer-based mobile video editor for iPhone, iPad and Android, with chroma key, keyframes and an asset store.

    Strengths

    • Many layers with keyframes on a phone or tablet
    • Chroma key with edge controls
    • Large asset store of effects, music and stock footage

    Limitations

    • The free version adds a watermark and ads
    • Premium prices vary by plan and store and are not published on the website
    Visit site

  • LumaFusion

    AI features

    Price $29.99

    Not rated yet

    Touch-first multitrack video editor for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android and Chromebooks.

    Strengths

    • The core app is a one-time purchase rather than a subscription
    • Runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android and Chromebooks
    • FCPXML export hands iOS projects on to Final Cut Pro
    • 12 video and 12 additional audio tracks on iOS

    Limitations

    • Multicam, speed ramping and FCPXML export cost extra or need Creator Pass
    • Multicam Studio and FCPXML export are iOS only
    • The Mac version needs Apple silicon and macOS 26
    Visit site

  • Screen Studio

    AI features

    Price $9 / month

    Not rated yet

    A Mac screen recorder that adds automatic zooms, smoothed cursor motion and cleaned-up voice to demos and tutorials.

    Strengths

    • Zooms and cursor effects are applied after recording, so a take does not have to be redone
    • Transcription, noise reduction and face tracking run on the Mac by default
    • Shareable links with comments pinned to specific seconds
    • Records iPhone and iPad screens over USB without an app on the device

    Limitations

    • macOS only, with no Windows version planned
    • New customers can only subscribe; one-time licences are no longer sold
    • Shareable links are intended for videos up to 30 minutes
    • Cloud transcription and AI voiceover send audio or text to a server
    Visit site

  • Filmora

    AI features

    Price Free with watermark; from $49.99 / year

    Not rated yet

    Wondershare's desktop and mobile video editor, with generative AI models wired into the timeline.

    Strengths

    • A conventional timeline editor and generative video in one app, with generated output split across editable tracks
    • A choice of Seedance 2.0, Sora 2 or Veo 3.1 for AI video generation
    • One Basic or Advanced licence covers both Windows and Mac, with mobile and iPad apps alongside
    • A perpetual licence is offered as an alternative to a subscription

    Limitations

    • The free version watermarks every export
    • The Basic plan includes no AI credits, so the AI tools need the Advanced plan or a top-up
    • The perpetual licence is tied to one platform and to Filmora 15, with no upgrade to future major versions
    • No developer API is documented
    Visit site

  • Loom

    AI features

    Price Free; Business from $18 / user / month

    Not rated yet

    Atlassian's screen and camera recorder for quick video messages, with AI titles, summaries and meeting notes on the AI plan.

    Strengths

    • Free Starter plan with up to 25 videos per person
    • Records screen, camera and system audio in one take
    • Meeting recordings with automatic notes and recap emails on Business + AI
    • Enterprise includes Atlassian Guard Standard for SSO and SCIM

    Limitations

    • Starter caps screen recordings at 5 minutes and 720p
    • Editing by transcript, overlays and filler word removal need Business + AI
    • No generated video, avatars or AI voiceovers
    • Some admin and SSO features differ depending on whether Loom is bought on loom.com or atlassian.com
    Visit site

  • VN Video Editor

    AI features

    Price Free

    Not rated yet

    Free multi-track video and photo editor for phones and computers, with 4K HDR export and no watermark.

    Strengths

    • 4K HDR export with no watermark and no subscription
    • Core editing and export work offline
    • Runs on iOS, Android, Mac and Windows

    Limitations

    • No cloud backup or sync of projects
    • AI effects and new online templates need an internet connection
    Visit site

  • iMovie

    Price Free

    Not rated yet

    Apple's free video editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad, with themes, trailers and a path into Final Cut Pro.

    Strengths

    • Free, with no subscription or in-app purchases
    • Trailer and Storyboard templates for quick results
    • Projects can move on to Final Cut Pro

    Limitations

    • Only for Mac, iPhone and iPad
    • 4K at 60 fps export only on supported iPhone and iPad models
    Visit site

  • Fusion Studio

    Price $295

    Not rated yet

    Blackmagic Design's node-based compositing application for visual effects, motion graphics and 3D, for a one-time $295.

    Strengths

    • One payment, no subscription
    • Distributed rendering on unlimited network computers without per-node fees
    • Runs on Linux and Windows on ARM as well as Mac and Windows
    • Lua and Python scripting for custom tools and automation

    Limitations

    • No editing timeline of its own, programmes are cut in another application
    • Full grading and audio mixing happen in DaVinci Resolve, not in Fusion
    Visit site

  • Camtasia

    AI features

    Price From $39 / year

    Not rated yet

    TechSmith's screen recorder and video editor for tutorials, demos and training videos, with AI voiceovers and avatars on higher plans.

    Strengths

    • Screen, camera, microphone and system audio captured on independent tracks
    • Cursor effects, callouts and zoom built for software walkthroughs
    • Quizzes and SCORM export for learning management systems
    • Every plan includes Camtasia Online and hosting for up to 25 videos on Screencast

    Limitations

    • The entry Starter plan watermarks Camtasia Editor exports
    • AI voiceovers need Create, and avatars, dubbing and translation need Pro at $599 a year
    • Individual plans cannot be transferred to another user
    • Audiate transcription and translation cover a limited set of languages
    Visit site

  • PowerDirector

    AI features

    Price Free; from $79.99 / year

    Not rated yet

    CyberLink's timeline video editor for Windows and macOS, with an AI agent and third-party video models built in.

    Strengths

    • A free Essential version with no time limit
    • Several third-party video models, including Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0 and Seedance 2.5, inside the editor
    • Getty Images and Meta Sound Collection stock built into the timeline
    • A perpetual licence is offered alongside the subscription

    Limitations

    • Generative AI is metered by credits, 100 a month on PowerDirector 365
    • Advanced AI tools and some export options are locked in the free version
    • An internet connection is required for activation and for the subscription version
    • Export tops out at 4K
    Visit site

  • VEED

    AI features

    Price Free tier; paid plans from $9 / month

    Not rated yet

    Browser video editor that cuts by transcript and animates a still image into a talking video.

    Strengths

    • Text-based editing cuts a video by deleting words from its transcript, with no timeline scrubbing
    • Fabric 1.0 animates any supplied still image into a talking video of up to 30 seconds, and is available as a per-second API
    • Transcription and translation cover 125+ languages, and the avatar library lists 60+ presets plus custom clones
    • Runs entirely in the browser on Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, with no install

    Limitations

    • The pricing page renders its per-tier amounts in the browser, so only the entry price appears in the vendor's published text
    • Free exports are capped at 720p and carry a watermark
    • AI usage is metered by credits, and the monthly and annual allowance tables do not match
    • Generation speed is not published as processing times
    Visit site

  • Pinnacle Studio

    Not rated yet

    A Windows video editor with a storyboard and timeline, screen recording and DVD authoring, sold in Standard and Ultimate editions.

    Strengths

    • Screen recording, slideshow maker, video converter and DVD authoring come in the same install
    • Ultimate adds unlimited tracks, 6-camera MultiCam editing and video masking
    • Imports 8K, 360 and AV1 footage, and HEVC where the hardware supports it
    • 15-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee

    Limitations

    • Windows only, with no macOS version
    • Standard is limited to 6 tracks and HD export
    • Blu-ray authoring is a separate purchase
    Visit site

  • Adobe Premiere

    AI features

    Price From $22.99 / month

    Not rated yet

    Adobe's professional video editor, with Firefly-powered Generative Extend and prompt-generated clips on the timeline.

    Strengths

    • Generated frames and sound land on the same timeline as the rest of the edit
    • Generative Extend works up to 4K UHD in any aspect ratio
    • Transcript-based editing, Media Intelligence search and caption translation into 27 languages
    • Team Projects and Frame.io for collaborative editing and review

    Limitations

    • The single-app plan includes only 25 generative credits a month
    • Generative Extend adds at most 2 seconds of video and cannot extend spoken dialogue
    • Subscription only, with the listed prices on annual plans
    Visit site

  • Powtoon

    AI features

    Price From $15 / month

    Not rated yet

    Browser-based maker of animated business videos and presentations, with AI that turns a prompt or a document into an editable project.

    Strengths

    • Turns a prompt, link or document into an editable project with scenes, text and voiceover
    • Text to speech, avatars, translation and dubbing from partner models inside one editor
    • A free plan for trying the editor and the style
    • Commercial rights on every paid plan, with reseller rights on Advanced

    Limitations

    • Free videos are limited to 720p and 3 minutes and carry a watermark
    • Lite allows only 5 watermark-free exports a month
    • AI credits on annual plans renew once a year, not monthly
    • Exports top out at Full HD 1080p
    Visit site

  • Adobe Premiere Elements

    AI features

    Price $99.99

    Not rated yet

    Adobe's easy video editor for home movies, with Guided Edits and generative title art, sold as a three-year licence.

    Strengths

    • One payment covers three years, with no subscription
    • Guided Edits walk through common jobs step by step
    • Generative images and title art come with 25 credits a month
    • Shares its Organizer catalog with Photoshop Elements

    Limitations

    • The licence expires after three years and the editor stops working
    • Colour tools stop at correction and matching
    • More generative credits than the monthly allowance need a Firefly plan
    • One licence covers two computers that cannot be used at the same time
    Visit site

  • Apple Motion

    AI features

    Price $49.99

    Not rated yet

    Apple's motion graphics app for Mac, building titles, transitions and effects for Final Cut Pro.

    Strengths

    • Templates publish to Final Cut Pro with controls the editor can adjust
    • Low one-time price, or included in Apple Creator Studio
    • Behaviors such as Gravity, Throw and Vortex can be combined to animate layers
    • Magnetic Mask separates subjects without a green screen

    Limitations

    • Runs only on Mac
    • Designs graphics rather than cutting a full programme, which happens in Final Cut Pro
    Visit site

  • Movavi Video Editor

    AI features

    Price Free with limits; from $69.95 / year

    Not rated yet

    Movavi's template-driven video editor for Windows and Mac, with one-click AI tools for subtitles, silence removal and noise.

    Strengths

    • Templates and Blocks assemble a finished video from your own clips
    • Automatic subtitles in 13 languages with more than 30 caption styles
    • Silence removal with adjustable pause length and volume threshold
    • Auto-tracked cropping reframes horizontal clips to vertical
    • A lifetime licence is sold alongside the subscriptions

    Limitations

    • The free version may add a watermark and cap video at 60 seconds, depending on the build
    • Full Movavi Effects access renews at $49.95 a month after a 7-day free trial
    • Business use is sold as a separate business licence
    Visit site

  • Final Cut Pro

    AI features

    Price From $12.99 / month

    Not rated yet

    Apple's video editor for Mac and iPad, with Magnetic Mask, Smooth Slo-Mo, Visual Search and Transcript Search.

    Strengths

    • Magnetic Mask separates people and objects without a green screen
    • Apple Creator Studio also includes Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion and Compressor
    • The Mac app is still available as a one-time purchase
    • Live Multicam records from up to four iPhone or iPad devices

    Limitations

    • Runs only on Mac and iPad
    • Visual Search and Transcript Search are U.S. English only and need Apple silicon
    • No video generation from a text prompt
    Visit site

  • WeVideo

    AI features

    Price From $4.99 / month

    Not rated yet

    Browser-based video editor for schools and business teams, with screen recording and interactive video.

    Strengths

    • Runs in the browser with nothing to install
    • Connects to Canvas, Schoology, Moodle, Blackboard and other learning platforms
    • Screen and webcam recording built in
    • Interactive questions can be added inside videos

    Limitations

    • The free plan exports only at 480p
    • Education plans export in standard HD only
    • No colour grading tools are described
    • All fees are non-refundable
    Visit site

  • OpenShot

    AI features

    Price Free

    Not rated yet

    A free, open-source video editor for Windows, macOS and Linux, with unlimited tracks, keyframes and built-in recording.

    Strengths

    • Free and open source, with no subscriptions, watermarks or project limits
    • Subject masking runs on your own machine, with no AI account
    • Hardware-accelerated export on NVIDIA, AMD, Intel and Apple hardware
    • Screen, webcam and microphone recording built into the editor

    Limitations

    • Android is not a supported platform
    • No scripting API in the desktop editor; automation needs the separate Cloud API
    • Available recording options vary by platform and system permissions
    Visit site

  • Kdenlive

    AI features

    Price Free

    Not rated yet

    KDE's free and open-source non-linear video editor for Linux, Windows, macOS and BSD.

    Strengths

    • Free and open source under the GPL
    • Runs on Linux and BSD as well as Windows and macOS
    • Automatic subtitles with Whisper or VOSK, with translation through SeamlessM4T
    • SAM2-based Object Mask for isolating subjects

    Limitations

    • Help comes from the community forum and manual rather than a vendor helpdesk
    • The project's own manual notes some drawbacks on Windows
    • Speech recognition and Object Mask need models installed and configured first
    • No video generation from a text prompt
    Visit site

  • Adobe After Effects

    AI features

    Price From $22.99 / month

    Not rated yet

    Adobe's motion design and visual effects app, with AI Object Matte and Content-Aware Fill for footage that already exists.

    Strengths

    • Content-Aware Fill removes unwanted objects across every frame of a clip
    • AI Object Matte isolates a moving subject with a hover
    • Native 3D workspace with Substance 3D materials and Cinema 4D model import
    • More than 400 partner plug-ins, plus expressions and scripting for automation
    • Compositions open in Adobe Premiere through Dynamic Link

    Limitations

    • Generating clips from a prompt happens in Firefly, not inside the app
    • The single-app plan includes only 25 generative credits a month
    • Subscription only, with the listed prices on annual plans
    Visit site

  • Nuke

    AI features

    Price From $499 / year

    Not rated yet

    Foundry's node-based compositing software for film, animation and episodic visual effects.

    Strengths

    • Deep compositing reduces re-rendering when CG elements change
    • CopyCat trains custom machine learning effects on your own footage
    • Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
    • A free, non-watermarked non-commercial version of Nuke, NukeX and Nuke Studio

    Limitations

    • Commercial seats start at $3,839 a year for Nuke
    • Indie is limited to 4K output, 10 Python commands and community support
    • Non-commercial project files cannot be opened in the commercial versions
    Visit site

  • EDIUS

    AI features

    Not rated yet

    Grass Valley's Windows video editor for broadcasters, video journalists and production houses, sold as a permanent licence.

    Strengths

    • Permanent licence with free updates for the life of a version
    • Bundles Acoustica EDIUS Edition, VisTitle Express and Vitascene V5
    • Works with I/O hardware from Grass Valley, AJA and Blackmagic Design
    • Optional Chorus Hub server lets several editors share projects

    Limitations

    • Windows only
    • Prices are set by local resellers rather than published on the product site
    • Pro and Broadcast need an internet connection once a month to stay activated
    • Stereoscopic 3D editing was dropped in EDIUS 11
    Visit site

  • Vegas Pro

    AI features

    Price From $17.95 / month

    Not rated yet

    Boris FX's Windows video editor, with one drag-and-drop timeline for cutting, compositing, grading and audio, plus offline AI for transcripts and voice-overs.

    Strengths

    • Speech to text and text to speech run fully offline, so transcripts and voice-overs stay on the PC
    • Multicam editing of up to 32 cameras and a full audio mixing console on the same timeline
    • Choice of subscription or perpetual licence, each usable on two computers
    • Scripting API and OFX plug-in support for automation and third-party effects

    Limitations

    • Windows 11 only, with no macOS version
    • Offline transcription, text to speech and the Storyblocks library are subscription only
    • Mocha, Particle Illusion, Sound Forge and the Continuum VFX plug-ins need the Plus or Ultimate edition
    • No video generation from a text prompt
    Visit site

  • Clipchamp

    AI features

    Price Free

    Not rated yet

    Microsoft's browser video editor, free to 1080p without a watermark.

    Strengths

    • Unlimited exports at 1080p with no watermark on the free tier
    • Screen, webcam, voice and audio recording built into the editor
    • Premium features come with a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription rather than a separate purchase
    • Direct publishing to YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn, plus OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox

    Limitations

    • No text-to-video generation from a prompt is documented; the AI covers voiceover, captions, cleanup and auto compose
    • Premium is sold standalone but carries no published price, so the cost is only visible at purchase
    • Commercial users need a Copilot licence for the full AI feature set
    • The browser editor is supported on Chromium-based browsers only
    Visit site

  • CapCut

    AI features

    Price Free tier; Pro $19.99 / month

    Not rated yet

    Multi-platform video editor whose AI generator builds a full video from a script or an image.

    Strengths

    • The same project works across web, Windows, Mac, phone and tablet
    • Seedance 2.5 returns a finished video from a script or an image, handling editing, visuals and pacing
    • More than 100 avatars, plus a personal avatar cloned from a short video upload
    • A genuinely usable free tier covering cutting, trimming, filters, transitions and basic audio

    Limitations

    • CapCut states prices vary by region, platform, taxes and promotions, so the published figures are not binding
    • No public API is documented
    • Free cloud storage was discontinued in August 2024, so saving projects online now requires payment
    • Generation limits and processing times are not published
    Visit site

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