The best video editing software if you create YouTube videos

Is your head exploding with creative ideas for a YouTube video, but when it comes time to put it all together, you end up frustrated with the process and outcome? Finding the right editing software to match your skills and vision is a game-changer, allowing you to create a polished and professional video.

VistaCreate offers all kinds of design solutions and ideas to help you with any creative project you’re working on. Check out our in-depth look at our free video editing software for help in finding what’s right for you.

YouTube editing software that works best for creators

There are so many options for creators who desire professional and engaging video content for their channels. You can find free programs with valuable tools and must-have features. If you have significant editing experience and a budget to play with, you may want to opt for software that allows you to fine-tune your footage for a monthly or annual fee.

We’ll be diving into specific features for the programs we think work for creatives — whether you’re a video editing novice or a pro — but here’s a sneak peek at our lists. The best free editing software for YouTube is:

• VistaCreate free
• OpenShot
• Shotcut
• iMovie
• VideoPad

The following programs are the best paid editing software for YouTube:

• VistaCreate Pro
• Adobe Premiere Rush
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Final Cut Pro
• Filmora

Let’s cover a few things you should know when choosing the best app to edit YouTube videos before we dig into the details for each software we feature.

Video editing software helps you stand out from the crowd

YouTube has more than 2 billion users from over 100 countries. Creators upload an estimated 700,000 hours of content to the platform daily. 

If you want to be a successful YouTuber, you need a spiffy video with content that speaks to viewers. The best YouTube editing software lets you turn the cool visions in your mind into reality on the screen.

There are excellent YouTube editing apps or websites to match every skill level. A higher price tag doesn’t necessarily equal a better-performing product. With VistaCreate’s video editing tool, trimming, cropping, and splitting footage is a breeze, even if you are an editing newbie. We offer a free version that’s great when you’re just starting out. Our pro version adds additional features and allows team access, all at a reasonable rate.

What do YouTubers use to edit videos?

If you find yourself asking, “What video editing software do bloggers use on YouTube?” the answer depends on the person. YouTubers use a variety of programs. 

The top video editing software programs have features that work best for different skill levels and editing needs. It’s about finding what works for you. You can get beginner tools that still give you a pro-level look to your finished product. If you’ve already honed your editing chops, you can use software fit for studio productions.

How do you choose the best video editing software?

We recommend that you do a bit of research before you choose your software. Jumping right into the first program you happen upon may turn your video editing for YouTube into a nightmare that takes hours of your valuable time — time you could be spending filming your next video, sleeping, or any number of other professional or personal activities.

As you start checking out the different options for the best YouTube editing software for you, make sure the one you choose meets your criteria for the following:

• Affordability: You’ll see great video editing features at every price point, ranging from free to quite expensive. You don’t need to spend more than your budget comfortably allows to get a great video editing app for YouTube.
• Skill level: If you’re a beginner, you shouldn’t have to become an expert before you edit and post your first video. Likewise, if you’re already skilled, you want a program with enough versatility and tools to do what you need it to.
• Compatibility: Don’t overlook this crucial point. You may assume that all YouTube editing apps work on every device and operating system. While many do, several free video editing software products are only compatible with specific operating systems, devices, or recording tools such as mics or video cameras.

Consider these three factors to whittle your choices down, making the process of finding the best YouTube editing software less overwhelming.

What features should you look for in editing software for YouTube?

After you narrow your list to products that fit the above criteria, you can further chip away at that list by looking for the essential features all good editing software should have. The best vlogging editing software for YouTube channels should at least provide the following:

• Editing tools: At a minimum, the best video editing software should allow you to trim, slice, and crop your video. Trimming will eliminate unwanted segments, while slicing lets you split your video to insert or reorder content. Cropping allows you to remove elements in a frame in much the same way as you crop a photo. You should also be able to resize your footage to fit YouTube’s requirements.
• Templates: Templates are a great way to create a professional-looking video fast, and the right ones should be ready to go for YouTube. A template can provide inspiration and a starting place to get your imagination flowing. The best video creation software lets you edit the templates to make your video unique.
• Effects tools: Even if you’re just starting out with basic videos, you likely want to include a few effects. Best video editing software should have tools that let you add audio or visual effects, such as music and animations. Music helps you create the mood you want to instill in your viewers, while animated objects can make your footage pop.
• Design tools: Sometimes you want to add a little flair to your content, whether it’s your brand’s logo, static photos, text, or another object. Design tools give you the creative freedom to create footage that says exactly what you want it to say to your audience, making your message or your brand memorable.

After you have these essential features covered, the rest is icing. You can decide whether any additional features add value to the best youtube video editor you choose.

The best free editing software for YouTube lets you experiment risk-free

The best free video editing software for YouTube covers all the basics while also offering tools that let you add your own personal touch or create the wow factor that makes your content unique, engaging, and totally you. Obviously free software will fit your budget, but you want to make sure it also matches your skills and is compatible with your devices.

Some programs provide basic editing features for free and have more advanced options for a price, which can be a great choice if you’re getting your feet wet. As you develop more skills, you can always bump up to the paid version for the same free video editing software. 

The benefit of sticking with the same software is that you won’t have to start over learning how to edit videos for YouTube with an entirely new program.

VistaCreate free video editor

VistaCreate has the best video editing software for YouTube beginners, but expert editors will love it, too. Our free editor puts creative power at your fingertips with all the essentials and a few extras to boost your channel’s profile. Our intuitive and user-friendly dashboard makes it easy to access tools and content from one location.

With VistaCreate’s video editor, you can edit and design your content online or using our iPhone or Google app. The great thing about using websites to edit videos is that you don’t have to download anything or use your device’s storage. 

Videos can eat up a lot of bytes on your device. When you use our online free video editing software, you can choose to download your finished product or share it right from your VistaCreate account.

Video editing tools

Our editing toolbox includes everything you need to show off your best footage and make your video the size, length, and orientation you want. The timeline lets you see your video frames to make quick and precise edits.

Templates

VistaCreate’s editor is one of the best free editing software options for YouTube thanks to the number of templates we have for full high-def videos for your channel. With nearly a thousand to choose from, you won’t run out of original options any time soon. Once you select a template, you can alter various aspects to make it match your brand’s style.

Design features

Let your imagination take over with our design features. Newbies and seasoned editors alike will find a nearly endless selection of elements to add to their videos. Our free video editing software gives you access to the following:

• More than 680 fonts for creating the look you want with your text
• Thousands of animated or static objects to enhance your video
• Photo uploading to add your images to your footage

You won’t find nearly so many overlays in most paid software editing programs.

Effects tools

Most video creators end up adding music to their videos at some point, and with good reason. Music sets the mood and makes your content more memorable. You can use music from our library of licensed music or your own selection of YouTube-approved music content.

Extras

We want our video editing features to help your channel stand out, so we include many extra video editing and creation options. You can create eye-catching thumbnails and channel art. You can also design custom intros and outros to develop a consistent opening and closing for all your YouTube content. We also have an asset library containing millions of royalty-free vectors, photos, backgrounds, and videos for you to add to your content.

➡️ Learn how to use the VistaCreate video editor in our step-by-step guide.

OpenShot open-source video editor

OpenShot offers editing software for YouTube that is simple and easy to use. It’s another good option for beginners or anyone wanting to quickly create a polished video for their channel. However, you will need to download the program, as there isn’t an online option for editing your videos. That said, you can use it on Mac, Windows, or Linux operating systems.

The program won’t take up as much room on your computer as other downloadable software, so it’s one of the better YouTube editing apps for laptops without much storage or memory. The user-friendly interface is suitable for beginners, though you may have trouble finding all the tools you want to use, as the developers stash them out of sight to simplify the dashboard.

Editing tools

OpenShot’s best video editing software provides the essential clip editing tools every YouTuber needs to create a polished finished product if they’re serious about success on the platform. Like VistaCreate, this free editing software for YouTube also lets you:

• Trim
• Slice
• Rotate
• Scale
• Resize

The learning curve for the basic editing tools isn’t steep, but some of the more advanced options may take some time to learn if you’re a novice.

Templates

If you want the best YouTube editing software for creating content using templates, you may want to look at VistaCreate instead of OpenShot. The OpenShot product only has templates for titles, which are limited to 40 choices.

Design features

OpenShot lets you add text and vector objects, including 20 animations, with the option to change colors, sizes, and lengths. You can also add transitions to move you from one scene to the next, making footage changes easier on the eye and more appealing.

Effects tools

Openshot’s video editing features offer audio editing that allow you to adjust, clip, and rearrange the audio portion of your video. The program does not have a music library, but you can add music files to your footage. You will need to make sure the music is YouTube-approved, or the platform will reject your video.

OpenShot’s program allows you to edit video speed, so you can slow things down a bit or speed them up. You can also reverse a clip’s direction.

Shotcut free video editor

Shotcut is the best free editing software for YouTube if you already have some familiarity with video editing. Otherwise, the learning curve may be a bit steep for beginners. One of the reasons for the challenge is that the program’s developers initially designed it for Linux users.

The program also provides an abundance of advanced editing options that may be overwhelming unless you already know your way around the video creation process. 

Like VistaCreate, Shotcut does provide tutorials, which are helpful for anyone trying to familiarize themselves with this free video editing software. It’s another downloadable program, and it’ll take up more room on your computer than OpenShot or our web-based editor for laptops and desktops.

Editing tools

This open-source software lets you perform all the standard editing functions, including trimming, rotating, slicing, and scaling your clips. You can also keep track of changes and revert to previous versions.

Templates

If you can get the hang of the software, Shotcut offers numerous options for templates for YouTube videos. However, you won’t be able to share directly to your channel and must save your video to your computer and upload it to YouTube.

Design features

As a relatively advanced free video editing software, the program has many design options. You can add text and objects, with the potential to animate both. You can also apply custom transitions between scenes for a professional look to your finished product.

Effects tools

Shotcut has a long list of filters, giving you the freedom to change the mood of any clip. However, you won’t see a preview of the filter’s appearance before applying it. This editing software for YouTube gives you some control over color, allowing you to adjust hue, tone, and saturation. Like OpenShot, you can reverse the direction of your clip.

iMovie video creator for Apple

If you’re an Apple user, iMovie is automatically installed on your devices. One of the benefits of Apple products is the ability to share your creations across all the iOS devices you own. It’s easier to learn than Shotcut but not as user-friendly as VistaCreate’s video editor. Another concern for many creators is that Apple developers don’t update the app frequently.

However, this is the best video editing software if you own an iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or Mac desktop. You won’t need to download any new apps. It’s also pretty easy to upload your finished masterpiece right to your channel.

Editing tools

The software has all the editing tools you need to create an appealing and seamless video. You can insert and rearrange clips, trim and split them, and create a split screen.

Templates

iMovie comes with 20 templates called Storyboards. These preformatted styles center on popular video themes such as product reviews and cooking. If your YouTube channel fits one of the genres, you’re in luck. 

However, you don’t get much variety, so you won’t be able to switch things up as you grow. VistaCreate’s template selection provides an almost endless array of options.  

Design features

As a free video editing software, iMovie provides a few cool design features. You can create a picture-in-picture, add text (including creating moving credits at the end of your video), and insert photos, logos, or graphics.

Effects tools

One of iMovie’s most unique effects features is its smart soundtracks. These soundtracks automatically adjust to your clip’s length. 

Technically, you can use videos with Apple soundtracks on YouTube, as your licensing agreement allows for personal and commercial use. However, your video might get flagged by the automated licensing bots anyway, and you’ll have to file a dispute with YouTube. The platform should have no trouble resolving the issue, but it can take some time.

iMovie includes 13 filters you can apply, and it has a greenscreen option that lets you put your video subject in any location you desire. You can alter the speed of your clip and change the focal point to shift viewers’ attention where you want it.

VideoPad for Windows users

Though Google’s free video editing software is not on par with iMovie, we didn’t want to leave all of you Android users out. VideoPad is among the best free editing software for YouTube if you’re looking for a Google-friendly alternative to other programs we’ve already identified. 

While VideoPad works on both Apple and Google devices, it has far more functionality and features for Google.

This software has a premium version, but the free version is good if you’re just diving into the editing arena. It has a user-friendly interface that both novices can appreciate. If you have editing experience already, you may feel limited with the free software. As well, as your skills and channel grow, you will want to convert to the paid option, as the freebie is not eligible for commercial use.

Editing tools

VideoPad’s best video editing software has simple and intuitive editing tools. You can drag and drop your clips right into the editor for trimming, splitting, cropping, and organizing.

Templates

Templates help you create an eye-catching product, and VideoPad offers a visually appealing selection with multiple styles. You can also experiment with templates designed for intros and outros.

Though the templates are useful and the developers include some for intros and outros, you won’t be able to continue using them on the free version if you hope to earn an income from your YouTube channel. In that case, VistaCreate’s free video editing software is a better option.

Design features

In addition to templates, VideoPad’s editing software for YouTube allows you to overlay text and graphics, including animations. You can also insert photos, add your logo, and create professional transitions.

If you want to add narration, the program has a voiceover option. When it comes time to export your polished product, this is one of the best YouTube editing software programs for sharing after VistaCreate.

Effects tools

VideoPad offers visual and audio effects. You can get creative with color and experiment with video speeds. This program also has a green screen effect, letting you change your background as you wish without leaving home.

There is an audio effects library that lets you create sound effects to heighten the mood or highlight a moment. You can also use royalty-free music clips and, if you’re musically inclined, try your hand at creating your own music mix. As with other editors that include music, you may run into issues with getting flagged for a violation when you upload to YouTube.

Paid video editing features lets you take it up a notch

Not all paid programs are better than the freebies, but there are a few that may be worth your while. If you’re asking, “What do YouTubers use to edit videos?” these software programs are the most popular paid programs. However, when you are just beginning your channel, you may want to stick with free software until you get your YouTube legs under you.

VistaCreate Pro is great whether you are a novice or an expert, as it remains user-friendly and straightforward yet provides powerful options for endless creativity. At $9.99 per month (when paying for a year’s subscription upfront), it’s an affordable choice that gives you access to more than 70 million assets, including royalty-free photos, videos, and vectors. The paid version also allows you to do the following:

• Create branding kits
• Design stickers from your own photos
• Remove backgrounds from images
• Access project version history

VistaCreate Pro provides unlimited storage and lets you add up to 10 people to your account. We want to make growth as easy as possible for you with our best youtube video editor software, and you can try out the Pro software free for two weeks.

Other popular paid editing software for YouTube include:

• Adobe Premiere Rush: Though meant for beginners, the program still takes a bit to learn. You can get it as part of the Adobe Express package for an introductory rate of $9.99 per month or with the full suite of Adobe Creative Cloud products. The software provides numerous options for editing, design, and effects.
• Adobe Premiere Pro: This program is for experienced editors. It’s powerful, nuanced, and a challenge to learn. However, it is one of the most widely used video editing programs for expert YouTubers. It’s available as a standalone program or with the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite.
• Final Cut Pro: Apple’s paid video editing features gives you more creative power than the iMovie software but with a similar interface. If you use iMovie, upgrading to Final Cut Pro is easier than learning how to edit videos for YouTube from scratch utilizing the pro program.
• Filmora: This editing software for YouTube is now on version 11. You can download it for free, but you won’t have access to new versions, and this software updates pretty regularly. While it has an iOS option, it’s a better choice for Windows users.

If you are already familiar with editing, any of these programs may be a good option for you. However, novices may find it takes too much time to learn while also trying to build a channel. At VistaCreate, we make our free video editing software functional, simple, and powerful so that you can focus most of your energy on creativity.

The best way to edit a video fast for YouTuber newbies

When you’re new to YouTube, the idea of getting your first video finished and uploaded can be both exciting and intimidating. It’s best to give yourself some time. Don’t rush, or you may be disappointed with the results.

If you don’t know how to start editing videos, we recommend finding a program that is simple and beginner-friendly yet powerful enough to let your imagination run free. It’s also helpful to choose free video editing software with good tutorials to walk you through the program and process.

How to do video editing on an app

We provide a range of tutorials that help you learn how to do video editing on our app. You can learn about our app’s editing tools, good design principles, and the importance of choosing the right font for your project. We even walk you through creating your first design.

How to edit videos on a PC

Most of our tutorials provide information and tips for both mobile and PC editing. We also have a quick overview tutorial on how to edit videos on a PC using our online editing program. Once you get the basics down, our other tutorials help you fine-tune your design process.

Best video editing software that sets your imagination free

Hey, we’re pretty sure that as a creative, you want the freedom to let your imagination run free. That’s why we made our free video editing software versatile and user-friendly, with endless design choices to suit your creative style without requiring you to get a degree in video editing. Go ahead and let your genius loose designing your YouTube content…