The best software for editing videos for YouTube
Our expert guide to the best software for editing YouTube videos.
With more and more people making video content these days, one of the most common questions we get asked is: "What's the best software for editing videos for YouTube?" Our answer comes in the form of this article, which brings together the best options available today, in one easy place.
We've compiled our guide by examining our list of the best video editing software overall, and picking the tools that work best for YouTubers. We've also drawn on our video editing experts' wide experience in using and testing all of these softwares on real-world projects, and taken pricing into account too.
Once you've made your choice of video editing software, make sure you read our guide to the best camera for YouTube too.
Top 3 picks
1. Premiere Pro: best overall
Premiere Pro is our pick as the best professional software for editing videos for YouTube. This industry standard program is regularly adds new features and works on both PC and Mac. Try it first with a 30-day free trial.
Read more below
2. Final Cut Pro: best subscription-free option
Got a Mac and want professional-level software but don't want a subscription? Apple's Final Cut Pro is an industry favourite with great organisational tools, a reasonable one-off payment and a generous 90-day free trial.
Read more below
3. Premiere Elements: best for beginners
We recommend that newbies to YouTube start with Premiere Elements, a simplified version of Premiere Pro that still lets you create very professional results. You can get a free 30-day trial to test it out.
Read more below
The best software for editing videos for YouTube
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Best software for editing YouTube videos overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want industry-standard software: Premiere Pro is one of the most widely used editing tools.
✅ You want lots of tools: Premiere Pro is packed wth cool features, often driven by AI.
✅ You want regular updates: Premiere Pro is constantly getting new features.
❌ You're new to video editing: This complex software can be quite overwhelming for beginners.
❌ You don't want a subscription: You can't buy it outright, only through monthly or annual payments.
❌ You only want simple edits: It's overkill unless you're doing a lot of fine-tuning and effects.
🔎 Premiere Pro is one of the most popular video editing programs among YouTubers. It's powerful and well-organised, and Adobe is regularly adding cutting-edge new features, including AI-powered tools that can speed up video editing. If you subscribe to the whole Creative Cloud package, you also get Photoshop and After Effects, which together should cover everything you could need to produce content for a YouTube channel. ★★★★½
What you need to know
Premiere Pro is a widely used professional video editing program packed with features and handy collaboration tools. It's used pretty much everywhere, from solo creators working at home to the top of the TV and movie industries. If you watch a lot of videos on YouTube, a significant chunk of them will have been edited on Adobe Premiere Pro, and that includes many famous YouTubers such as PewDiePie, Zack from Jerry Rig Everything, Theo Jo, Linus Tech Tips, Jake Paul and Devinsupertramp. We think it's the best software for editing videos in general, and that includes editing videos for YouTube, especially if you want the flexibility and precision to be able to fine tune your videos just the way you want them.
Features: We like Premiere Pro's precise timeline editing tools, which allow an unlimited number of tracks and support a wide range of formats. There is automatic audio and video syncing and the option to pull in motion graphics from After Effects. AI-driven auto subtitle and auto transcribe work brilliantly with the new text-based editing tools, and if you work in a team, there's also a virtual screening room for collaborative editing. We find the audio features to be particularly good, allowing fine tuning over specific frequencies. For motion graphics and colour work, you might need to jump to After Effects, but that's included in Adobe's Creative Cloud package.
Like most of Adobe's Creative Cloud software, Premiere is regularly updated, and subscribers get all updates for free. In 2024, Adobe has added AI audio editing tools and AI labelling, which makes it quicker to identify clips. Adobe has also teased upcoming new generative AI tools, including text to video, object addition and removal and AI clip extension.
Usability: When we tested it, we found Premiere Pro to be an outstanding program. We loved the well-organised dedicated spaces for editing, effects and audio. However, the sheer number of features can make it intimidating for beginners. If you're planning to start out on YouTube, or if you want to make quite simple videos that don't need complex transition, there are simpler tools on our list that might be worth considering instead. (Although if you'd rather just get stuck in, our guide to Premiere Pro tutorials can help.)
Pricing: Premiere Pro, like the majority of Adobe offerings, is part of a Creative Cloud subscription. The advantage of this is that you get regular updates the instant they're available if you join the beta program, while the less good part is that you can spend a lot of money on it over a lifetime if you want to see the pricing options, check out our article how to download Premiere Pro.
Read more: Premiere Pro review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Industry-standard tools and new AI features. | ★★★★★ |
| Usability | Quite a steep learning curve. | ★★★★ |
| Pricing | Subscription model requires annual or monthly payment. | ★★★★ |
Subscription-free software for editing YouTube videos
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You're an Apple user: It's available for MacBook and iPad.
✅ You want reliable tools: It's fast and well organised, enabling you to create professional-looking YouTube videos.
✅ You don't want a subscription: The Mac version is available for a one-off cost.
❌ You don't use Apple: It's not available for Windows or Linux.
❌ You want a simple, easy interface: It's pretty complex to learn if you're a newbie.
❌ You want regular updates and early access: Apple's less active than Adobe with updates and doesn't offer beta access to creatives to test new tools.
🔎 Final Cut Pro is a fully featured video editing program that works efficiently and reliably on MacBooks. It's fast, organisational tools are excellent and there's support for a wide range of formats. However it's only for Apple users and it's been lagging behind Premiere Pro and DaVinci in terms of updates and new AI tools. ★★★½
What you need to know
If you don't want to lock yourself into an Adobe subscription for the rest of your life, Apple's Final Cut Pro is a solid alternative as long as you have a Mac (there's no Windows option). It's another option popular among YouTubers: iJustine, Marques Brownlee, Austin Evans, Dude Perfect and Jonathan Morrison all use this tool.
Features: Final Cut Pro provides support for 8K footage, 360-degree video and HDR, as well as providing multichannel audio tools, noise reduction and advanced colour grading. When we reviewed it, we found the Magnetic Timeline system to very intuitive, making it easy to move clips around. We also think the colour grading tools are better than those in Premiere Pro. However, updates don't seem to have been as regular as those provided by Premiere Pro and DaVinci of late, and it's starting to feel like it's slipping behind.
Usability: Our testing found that Final Cut Pro is ideal for professionals looking for the best video editing software for YouTube with fine granular control. We find it also synergises smoothly with the rest of the Apple ecosystem, allowing you to import music and images easily from your iTunes and Photos libraries. In terms of performance, we found that Final Cut is faster exporting and rendering and generally feels more stable. However, it too can be an intimidating program for beginners. If you're stuck between our first two options, also see our comparison article Premiere Pro vs Final Cut Pro.
Pricing: Final Cut Pro has the benefit of being subscription-free. It's not cheap and costs the same as several months of Premiere Pro, but this will save you money in the longer term, and you still get updates for free. Apple also offers a 90-day free trial, which is the most generous we know of. Alas, the iPad version is subscription-based – expect to pay $4.99/£4.99 a month.
Read more: Final Cut Pro review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Full professional editing capabilities but updates have been lacking | ★★★ |
| Usability | Great organisational features but may feel intimidating for beginners | ★★★★ |
| Pricing | Not cheap, but there's no subscription | ★★★★ |
The best software for editing videos for YouTube for beginners
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You're new to making YouTube videos: This simple tool is great for newbies.
✅ You want help getting started: Guided edits make it super quick to get up and running.
✅ You want a one-off price: Unlike other Adobe tools, Premiere Elements doesn't need a subscription.
❌ You want precise fine-tuning: It's more limited than Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro and rendering is slow.
❌ You need 8K: Premiere Elements only supports up to 4K.
❌ You need support for lots of formats: There's no support for 360-degree VR, 3D editing or multicam editing.
🔎 Premiere Elements is a simpler editing program that makes it easier for beginners to start editing videos for YouTube. We think it's the ideal place to start because the interface is approachable and well organised, and there are still enough tools to give some room for growth and experimentation once you've got the hang of editing clips and adding basic transitions and music. It doesn't have as many options for fine tuning and isn't as suitable for editing long videos with lots of tracks. ★★★½
What you need to know:
Adobe's Premiere Elements is essentially a simpler and more affordable stripped back version of Premiere Pro. It doesn't have the support for such a wide range of formats (no 8K, for example), and doesn't allow the same degree of fine tuning, but it covers all of the basics that you need to make videos for YouTube (for a full comparison with its pro sibling see our piece on Adobe Premiere Pro vs Adobe Premiere Elements.)
Features: While it's limited compared to Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro, Premiere Elements still offers a solid range of sophisticated tools, including noise reduction, automatic feature detection, chroma-keying and opacity. There are plenty of options for transitions and for those with a little more experience, Elements has some useful features for audio effects and soundtracks, although they don't allow anything like the level of control of Premiere Pro.
Usability: In our testing, we loved the easy-to-follow interface, clear navigation, video creation wizard, step-by-step tutorials, and choice of three editing modes (Quick, Guided, and Expert), all of which help make editing YouTube videos easier for beginners. The benefit of these three different modes is that it allows you to progress. The Guided mode provides step-by-step instructions for more complex effect, while the Expert interface has a multi-layered timeline with more tools, transitions and colour editing, so there's still enough to play around with. The downside is that we found editing and rendering considerably slower than with our top choices above, which means it's not the best option if you're making long videos using 4K footage.
Pricing: Unusually for Adobe, Premiere Elements isn't part of Creative Cloud and is available for a one-off fee. We think the price is reasonable compared to other options of the market: it's considerably cheaper than Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Code, and while the program is limited compared to those pro tools, if you only want to made basic edits and you're not interested in getting into complex effects or colour grading, there's no need to pay more. There's also a 30-day free trial.
Read more: Premiere Elements review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Solid basic editing features. | ★★★ |
| Usability | Clean, intuitive interface. | ★★★★★ |
| Pricing | Reasonable one-off price. | ★★★★★ |
The best free video-editing software for YouTube
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want a full package: DaVinci Resolve is one of the most complete video editing programs around.
✅ You're happy with a steep learning curve: DaVinci Resolve can take some time to get used to.
✅ You don't want a subscription: DaVinci Resolve is completely free, and DaVinci Resolve Studio has a one-off cost with free updates.
❌ You want a quick-and-easy video editor: DaVinci Resolve is complex software to use.
❌ You want a full suite of software: You can't access other tools like with Premiere Pro in the Creative Cloud.
❌ You're not bothered about colour grading: If you're not fine tuning your video's colours, you won't use all of DaVinci's power.
🔎 DaVinci Resolve is a powerful comprehensive video editing program that includes motion effects and pro colour grading, avoiding the need for multiple programs (for example both Premiere Pro and After Effects). The colour grading control is superb, but the software may be more complex than what you need if you don't require this level of control. The free version doesn't have all of the features of DaVinci Resolve Studio but it's the only free program we've tested that can really serve for professional video editing. ★★★★½
What you need to know:
DaVinci Resolve Studio was developed by the camera maker Blackmagic, originally as colour grading software. It's since developed into a complete editing program, and the free version, called simply DaVinci Resolve, is the most complete free video editing software we've found.
Features: Although the paid-for version has more features and support for 8K footage, we think most YouTube editors will find everything need in the free version of the software, from timeline editing and transitions to text, audio and motion graphics. The latter are not as complete as Adobe's After Effects, which you get access to if you subscribe to Premiere Pro via a Creative Cloud All-Apps subscription, but they proffer price control over a wide range of creative options, including motion tracking Magic Mask, depth maps, composites and tools to work with 3D models.
Usability: We think newcomers to video editing are likely to find DaVinci to be quite complex. Both the free and the paid-for version have the same interface, and you can still kind of tell that it's a combination of different tools. That said, if you're prepared to put the work in, you'll find that even the free version provides a solid program for every aspect of video editing, from simple cutting to colour correction, visual effects, motion graphics, audio post-production and more. Just be aware that you'll need a powerful computer to run it on. We find that trying to apply effects and things like stabilisation to 4K footage can make playback painfully slow on a computer that doesn't have a dedicate graphics card.
Pricing: We think the free version of DaVinci Resolve covers more than most YouTubers will need, including access to all modules in the software. One of the main differences in the paid Studio version is support for 10-bit professional cinema formats and 8K footage, which isn't likely to be an issue for most people creating videos for YouTube. However, DaVinci Resolve Studio does provide more effects and access to DaVinci Neural Engine, which includes time-saving tools like automatic facial recognition, image upscaling and lots of smart tools for cleaning up footage. At time of writing the full version costs $275.68/£270 as a single one-off fee, which we think is reasonable for such a powerful program.
Read more: DaVinci Resolve review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Pro-level editing, effects and colour grading all in one place. | ★★★★ |
| Usability | There's a lot to learn, and it's more than many YouTubers need | ★★★ |
| Pricing | Great value (or even free!). | ★★★★★ |
The best video editing software for YouTube enthusiasts
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You're a relative newbie: PowerDirector provides all the basic tools in an easy interface suitable for beginners.
✅ You want AI tools: PowerDirector has recently added a range of new gen AI tools.
❌ You want full creative control: PowerDirector is more of a consumer tool than a pro tool like Premiere.
❌ You don't want a subscription: There is a subscription-free version but you don't get all the tools.
🔎 Cyberlink PowerDirector 365 is very impressive for a consumer program covering all the basics that you need to edit YouTube videos, and more besides thanks to its support for motion work and new AI tools. Its tools don't have the same level of flexibility as professional software, but they may be all you need if you don't want to spend a lot more time editing than you do recording. ★★★★
What you need to know:
PowerDirector 365 is a popular consumer video editing program that covers all the basics necessary to edit videos for YouTube and more besides. It's simpler to use and provides good value, but you're more limited in terms of being able to make something truly unique.
Features: The software aims to make editing easy and intuitive for beginners, but it includes some impressively advanced features for something that isn't intended as a professional program, including multicam editing, motion tracking colour correction and 360-degree editing. Recent updates have added a range of AI-powered tools for things like background removal and object tracking.
The options to fine tune effects are much more limited, with some being more like preset options, but that means it could suit YouTubers who don't really want to spend so much time making precise editing on their videos. You get free, unlimited access to royalty-free library of content from Shutterstock, and there are slideshows, screen recording, object design tools and more.
Usability: When we tested it, we found the Magic Movie Wizard hand for beginners, using clever tech to automatically combine your photos and clips in a matter of minutes. Editing proper can get a little more complex, but we found it to be a fairly flat learning curve, and there are lots of tutorials to help you build your skills. Overall, it's one of the most simple and well-designed desktop video editing interfaces we've used after Premiere Elements, and there are intuitive controls that speed up editing like including automatic gap filling. We also loved the simplicity of the Produce button to export the video when we're done.
Pricing: PowerDirector 365 is available either at a one-off cost of through a subscription, but be aware that you don't get access to all of the same tools with each. Some of the more recent tools and access to stock content are only available through the subscription, which is a good deal cheaper than Premiere Pro's. There's also a limited free version of the software, which is good for at least trying out the interface.
Read more: CyberLink PowerDirector review.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Lacks many pro features, but has plenty for basic YouTube videos, including new AI tools. | ★★★ |
| Usability | More straightforward than pro editing programs | ★★★★★ |
| Pricing | Good value subscription, plus free version | ★★★★★ |
The best software for editing YouTube videos on mobile
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want to edit on mobile: Premiere Rush is one of the few truly cross-platform video editing tools.
✅ You're editing for social media: Premiere Rush is specifically designed with social media in mind.
❌ You want a lot of creative control: The interface is best suited to short videos with few clips, and doesn't support multicam editing or 8K or 360-degree footage.
❌ You don't want a subscription: Like most Adobe products, Premiere Rush requires a monthly payment.
🔎 Premiere Rush is a super clean video editor that allows working across multiple platforms, including mobile. It relies heavily on preset transitions and effects, and there are limited options, but it's easily the most complete video editing software for mobile that we've tested, and we've yet to see another app that offers so much functionality in such a simple interface. ★★★★
What you need to know
Premiere Rush is an Adobe app that’s been specifically created for YouTubers and social media video creators. It's truly cross-platform, with a mobile app as well as desktop and iPad. If you create a lot of video on your phone, or spend a lot of time editing videos on the go, it should save you a lot of time and effort, either by itself or as a partner app to Premiere Pro (number one on our list).
Features: Premiere Rush lets you use many of the most basic editing features of Premiere Pro on mobile, including timeline editing with transitions and auto-ducking, which helps you balance out sound levels between voice and music. The program is not intended for professional studio production, and the are few transitions and audio editing options, and motion effects are very limited. That said, it can also be a handy addition to Premiere Pro for advanced users that need to also make edits on the fly via mobile.
Usability: Rush is a pared-back program, designed for speed and ease when working on mobile devices. We found the interface to be clean and easy to use, and it's easy incorporate assets from Adobe Stock, including motion graphic templates to give YouTube videos a more professional look without the need to design the motion graphics ourselves. The app shares work with the cloud, so you can pick it up and continue editing whatever the device you’re on, being it mobile or desktop, iOS or Android, and you can export straight to YouTube and add YouTube shortcuts.
Pricing: There's a free plan for those that want to test the app out. That includes 2GB cloud storage, unlimited free exports on mobile, and up to three exports on desktop. Beyond that, you'll need to upgrade to a paid plan, either as part of Creative Cloud (in which case, you'll also get Premiere Pro), or as a more affordable single-app subscription.
Read more: Premiere Rush review.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Cross-platform software with limited but effective and intuitive editing tools. | ★★★ |
| Usability | A simple interface makes Premiere Rush easy to use on a phone. | ★★★★ |
| Pricing | Requires a monthly subscription. | ★★★ |
Best budget YouTube video editing software for Windows
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want to pay a low one-off price: Pinnacle Studio has no subscription, and it's relatively cheap too.
✅ You want a range of tools: Pinnacle isn't a pro editing suite, but its consumer-focused tools are fairly broad.
❌ You want pro editing tools: Pinnacle doesn't allow the same range of creative possibilities as Premiere Pro.
❌ You don't use Windows: There's no Mac version.
🔎 Pinnacle Studio is a solid package for beginners using Windows, and it's available for a low one-off fee. There are enough tools for enthusiasts to practice with and it's a solid option for YouTubers who aren't bothered about getting super creative with original effects. ★★★½
What you need to know
Pinnacle Studio from Corel is a reliable video editing software for Windows with three tiers. We found the base program to be a good choice for getting started, sitting between more basic free tools and professional video editing apps.
Features: You get six-track HD video editing, colour correction tools, stop-motion features and time remapping. There are some sophisticated features, including 8K support, keyframing, and advanced blend modes, but we think newbies will appreciate the 1,500+ effects, titles, and templates provided. In our experience, the main benefit over Premiere Elements is Pinnacle Studio's more sophisticated audio tools and use of masks to overlay effects, shapes and text.
Usability: We found the interface to be clearly organised and easy to use. Content can be star-rated and keyword-tagged on import, which makes it easier find later, and the search bar allows searching for words in the file name. Our testing found that once you’ve spent a bit of time with it, it's relatively simple to graduate to the more advanced features at the higher price tier, including keyframing controls, dynamic video masking. On the downside, we experienced occasional lags and crashes, which slowed down our workflow.
Pricing: Pinnacle Studio is available in three tiers, each for a relatively low one-off fee. That makes it a good option for YouTubers who aren't ready to commit to a pricier product or a subscription. For the most tools and features, you'll want to go for Pinnacle Studio Plus or Pinnacle Studio Ultimate.
Read more: Pinnacle Studio review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Features | A wide range of editing tools but fine-tuning is limited | ★★★ |
| Usability | Easy to use interface. | ★★★★ |
| Pricing | Available for free but premium tools require a subscription. | ★★★ |
How to choose the best software for YouTube videos
It's easy just to recommend you go for the best of the best, but in reality the software you use is as personal to you as an artist's favourite paintbrush. That's why it's important to consider your skill level, compatibility with your hardware and preferred workflow you choose the best software for editing videos for YouTube. You'll also want robust export options aligned with YouTube's compatibility, as well as any direct publishing options for maximum time saving. Of course, budget factors in too, as well as the value of any added benefits.
How we tested the best software for YouTube videos
When we review software, we testing how features and functionality performs in real working situations. We initially consider the UI, how user-friendly it is and how intuitive it would be for creatives of different skill levels. We then carry out test projects, using the software as part of a realistic creative workflow to see how the software performs in practice.
To test video editing software, we edit multitrack videos with audio and effects to the extent that each software allows. When it comes to professional programs such as Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, it's not realistically possible to test every tool and feature because there are so many, but we ensure that we thoroughly explore the process and mechanisms of each module and test all the new features added since the last release.
For YouTube specifically, we want to see minimal friction from editing to publishing, which involves looking for export options compatible with YouTube's preferred formats (or even direct to sharing), as well as features and tools most likely to be used by YouTube editors; colour grading, motion graphics, etc.
FAQs
Which software is best for editing videos for YouTube?
Our top choice of software for editing videos for YouTube is Adobe's Premiere Pro. It's an editing powerhouse, with a complex set of features. This means while you may not need all of them right away, every feature you can imagine is there for when you do need them.
Use a Mac and want something different to Adobe? If you don't fancy the long subscription, Final Cut Pro X is in our list at number two, and has an abundance of functionality. It's perfect for professionals (and ambitious newbies, though there is a learning curve).
What is the best free software for editing YouTube videos?
DaVinci Resolve is the best free YouTube video editing software, and indeed one of the best video software options full stop. It's available for Mac, Windows and iPad and provides a comprehensive range of power editing, colour grading and VFX toos. Nevertheless, it takes some time to learn how those tools work.
For a much simpler option, if you have a Mac, you should already have Apple iMovie preinstalled. Its functionality has been surpassed by newer, shinier software, but it has a decent range of basic features so it'll do the job if you're just starting out.
Finally, there's Shotcut, free open-source video-editing software that could serve as a starter app for any YouTuber who’s completely new to video editing. We haven't included it in this guide because we only gave it three stars in our Shotcut 20 review, noting that the interface is quite rough around the edges and lacks organisational tools. However, there is a thriving community around it, and it's available for Linux, as well as iOS and Windows.
What is the best beginner software for editing videos for YouTube?
For anyone starting out, professional video editing software like Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro can be intimidating, and unnecessarily expensive. If you prefer the idea of a simple interface and guidance to help you learn how to edit, we'd recommend starting with Premiere Elements, Premiere Pro's little sibling. It has a super-simple interface, with stripped-back functionality that retains enough key features to provide something of a learning curve.
What's the best software to edit videos for YouTube on mobile?
Premiere Rush is our pick of the mobile video editing software for YouTube. It was designed with YouTubers in mind and retains many useful features of Premiere Pro optimised and simplified for use on a mobile device (think big buttons and icons). It is also linked to Premiere Pro so you can work across mobile and desktop, if you want to.
What do YouTubers use to edit their videos?
A lot of YouTubers who we have spoken to use Final Cut Pro and Premiere Pro. iMovie is sometimes also used because it comes pre-installed on Apple devices, but it's fairly basic. Premiere Rush is also a popular option for mobile editing. For tips on how to go about getting started, see our guide to how to edit video.
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Tom May is an award-winning journalist and editor specialising in design, photography and technology. Author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity, published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. Today, he is a regular contributor to Creative Bloq and its sister sites Digital Camera World, T3.com and Tech Radar. He also writes for Creative Boom and works on content marketing projects.
