Capturing or recording video isn't a difficult task anymore. The real magic lies in presentation of your video which needs a powerful video editing software.
When it comes to user-friendliness, sophisticated features and ways to output your video, the best video editing software is the cross-platform Adobe Premiere Elements. The program uses Adobe's. Jan 01, 2021 The best free video editing software online. WeVideo is the best cloud-based online video editors for businesses, educators, students, and everyday consumers. You can access it from anywhere that has internet: home, work, school, etc.
We tested eight of the best photo editing software packages available in 2021, choosing from a combination of single-payment and subscription services from Adobe, Corel, CyberLink, Serif and more. We consulted a photographer to add comment on our choices, our products were tested and reviewed by a photographer, and we analyzed over 800 user. The software itself has a video editor that can be used to edit videos as any other program. It is also open source. This is why the animation software has advanced to be the best video editing software in a short period of time. Since Blender was made for creating animated content, you should not expect many professional features from it.
To know which video editing software is the best to use, you have to look at the features that the video editing software offers and what you need.
Having lots of features doesn't necessarily mean that the video editor is the best for you. In fact, that could be the opposite of what you need. Too many features make the video editing software complex.
For a newbie, using such video editors will require intensive research and learning. Of course, you are in a hurry and you need something that responds in binary. That's where the simplified video editors come in.
Don't take it the wrong way, however. Complex video editors like Adobe Premier can produce outstanding outputs. If you have the knowledge on how to use these software programs, you shouldn't forgo them.
It is clear that not every video editor is the best for everyone. This article will highlight the best video editing software for Windows 10 and highlight the various features, including their pros and cons.
Before we dig in, here are just a few things you should be looking for when you are trying to find the best video editing software for your work:
Encoders
Encoders are the plugins responsible for the conversion of videos from one format to another. The existing ones are regularly improved and updated while developers work on new ones.
Let's take, for example, you are trying to edit and compress a 4K video. An ‘h.264' encoder might not be the best one to work with because of the final file size. A more robust ‘h 265' encoder in the best in this case.
Complexity
As mentioned earlier, the complexity of the work you are trying to do should determine which video editor should be used. It is not advisable to use complex software for a simple job if you are a beginner.
System Requirements
Some of the best video editors require high-end computers to function. You should choose a video editing software that can be able to function on your computer without lag for quality output. There are also some video editors that will not work on certain operating systems.
Let's have a look at the top video editing software that you can choose from;
Best Video Editing Software
1. Movavi Video Editor Plus
Movavi Video Editor Plus is a feature packed video editor for both Windows 10 and Mac.
It's simple enough to have lower learning curve for a beginner and advanced enough for production of high quality professional videos.
Movavi Video Editor Plus offers a lot of features which include:
- Object Animation
- Built-in Media (e.g. stickers and clip art you can include in the videos)
- Automatic Video Creation
The features are simplified to make them usable to all of the consumers, no matter where their video editing experience lies. Movavi Video Editor Plus has completely outdone other software programs that lie in its price range.
- PROs
- Minimum system requirements
- Simple GUI – It has almost no learning curve.
- In-built object animations
- Price is reasonable and within the reach. Value for money!
- CONs
- Most of the good features come with the premium upgrade.
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Best Video Editing Software 2020
2. Shotcut
Shotcut is yet another one of the best video editors for Windows 10, MacOS and Linux. The video editor also has lots of great features which are packed into a small program.
Shotcut supports a wide array of video formats. You can be able to work with most of the video formats that are currently available.
Even though it is a small program, Shotcut can be able to produce UHD videos after rendering. You no longer have to trim down the size of 4K videos in order for you to edit them.
To sweeten the deal even further, the developers of the software made it as an open source program. This means that they have given the public a pass to improvise the code and make it better.
Pros
- Classic video editor interface
- Open Source – You get faster updates and minimal bugs as more people improvise it
Cons
- The software is not suitable for new beginners as it has a somewhat complex interface
3. DaVinci Resolve Studio
If you want to take your expertise to the next level, then DaVinci Resolve Studio is the best video editing software for you.
It's the go-to product if you're interested in powerful, professional-level video editing, with features like timeline-based editing, keyframes, advanced media management, plugin support and more.
The video editing software itself is incredibly advanced hence gives off some of the best video outputs you could ever have. It also gives you the ability to insert 2D and 3D titles in your videos.
Pros
- The GUI is ideal for video editing
- The color correction feature delivers outstanding results.
Cons
- It is complex to use hence a person requires specialized training to make most out of it.
4. PowerDirector
Power director is a video editing software developed by CyberLink; a company that has been in the industry for quite a while.
Over the years, the developers have been able to improvise the software time by time, making it one of the best video editing software in the market.
You can either purchase the full version with an unlimited license or purchase the premium features every year with a lower price tag. The premium PowerDirector offers UHD video editing with unlimited time. You can, therefore, work with large files without file splitting.
Pros
- It has all the advanced features which you'll need.
- Support for 360 degree videos.
- Quick and Easy to learn.
Cons
- Advanced video editing tools offer less flexibility.
5. Adobe Premiere
Adobe Premier is most powerful among all the others in the list but at the same time, most complicated and expensive. This is the reason we listed it at #5 position.
With Adobe Premiere, it is a guarantee that you will be capable to achieve anything with its numerous features. It is perfectly suited for someone who wants to make living with editing business.
Pros
- It's really advanced hence gives you more power and control.
- Cost outweighs functionality if you know what you are doing.
Cons
- It is meant for professionals as it is super complex and has a hefty price tag.
6. Blender
Blender is a well-known 3D animation software which is used by game developers as well as directors. Don't worry, you do not have to learn all about animation.
Best Editing Software For Mobile
The software itself has a video editor that can be used to edit videos as any other program. It is also open source. This is why the animation software has advanced to be the best video editing software in a short period of time.
Since Blender was made for creating animated content, you should not expect many professional features from it.
Pros
- Perfect for animations and post-production.
Cons
- Learning curve is pretty steep.
7. Filmora
Filmora is a video editing software provided by Wondershare. If you have been using video converters in the recent past, you must have heard about the company once or twice.
Wondershare specializes in video production software and has strived to make Filmora the best video editing software in the market. It offers a special green screen effect together with a dozen other great features for video production.
Pros
- Can support editing of 4K videos
- It's relatively compact as compared to other video editors
- You can sync between cross-platform devices
Cons
- Requires high-end machines even for HD videos
8. HitFilm Express
What makes HitFilm Express one of the best video editing software for Windows 10 is not its features, but its versatility. The video editing software can be able to edit almost all the video formats available.
With a significant number of features, HitFilm Express gets you where no other compact video editing software can.
Pros
- It's compact but has a significant amount of features
Cons
- It is basically meant for movie production hence some features are left out
9. Lightworks
Lightworks is also another one of the best video editing software for Windows 10 you should definitely check out. The software offers:
- High precision video trimmer.
- Exporting videos to 720p for Youtube.
- A wide range of video formats support
There are also a lot of other cool features that come with the pro version. For example, you can only receive an output of 4K at 60p with the pro version only.
Pros
- It is fast even on low-end PCs
- It offers quite a number of features to maximize quality
Cons
- The pro version carries almost all the good stuff
10. Microsoft Photos
Microsoft Photos is labeled as the best video editing software for Windows 10 as it comes preinstalled on Windows. The Software provides some basic features you need to make a video out of photos and clips.
Pros
- The program is preinstalled on Windows 10 hence its optimized for us on the operating system.
- It is readily available with all its features at no extra cost.
Cons
- It is pretty basic hence can only do so much. It may not be the best video editing software to use when you are creating something professional.
- February 10, 2020
- 32 min to read
Modern digital photography goes hand in hand with post-processing software. Although today the photo editing software market offers an unlimited number of options for photographers of all levels, most of the community sticks to tried-and-true Adobe Photoshop. It indeed is a universal app equipped with tools that a professional photographer would wish for, but it's time to make way for the new.
For the past decades, a lot of new and worthy photo editors entered the market bringing revolutionary technologies into the mundane editing process making even the most complex editing tasks doable for novices and streamlined for pros. Here we listed some of the best photo editing apps on the market including both old and new for photographers of different needs and skill levels.
1. Luminar 4
Completely revamped Luminar 4 is finally here to shake up the world of photo-editing software. Improved to be even more intuitive, Luminar 4 also brings a ton of brand-new AI editing tools designed to speed up the photo editing workflow.
- AI Sky Replacement automatically changes the sky and relights and recolors the entire photo to match the new sky.
- AI Skin Enhancer & Portrait Enhancer do all the retouching for you with just one click.
- AI Enhance automatically enhances your photo by making numerous adjustments of different complexity.
- AI Structure brings details up or down depending on your needs.
- Sunrays adds realistic sun rays to your photo that you're free to tweak as you please.
- Smart Contrast was improved to produce a more detailed and textured image.
Luminar 4 can not only be used as a stand-alone app but also as a plug-in for Adobe's Photoshop and Lightroom to make the best of your tools.
✅ Pros:
- Non-destructive editing
- Intuitive interface
- Improved performance
- In-depth customization
- Available as a plug-in as well
✖️ Cons:
- Mediocre library functions
- Limited exporting options
2. Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Lightroom has been the app of choice for professional and amateur photographers alike for many years now. It offers a well-thought-out set of features for managing, organizing, processing, and exporting your photos. With the advanced library features, like labels, keywords, collections, and search filters, the app makes it easy for you to keep track of large numbers of photos. Lightroom comes with a good selection of RAW profiles to define colors in your photos for more precise editing. Tweak your photos to perfection with adjustment sliders, perspective and lens correction tools, retouching tools, filters, profiles, and presets to speed up your workflow.
✅ Pros:
- Built-in file management system
- Face detection and tagging
- Color and luminosity masking
- Plug-in support
✖️ Cons:
- Not the best choice for beginners
- A bit too taxing for Windows
- No auto-tagging
- Comparatively slow importing
❓
What photo editing software do you use and why? Let us know in the comments, we'd be very interested to know!
3. ACDSee PHOTO STUDIO ULTIMATE 2020
Photo Studio Ultimate 2020 is a one-stop photo management and post-processing tool for Windows. It comes with everything you need to handle your files, like categories, keywords, face detection, ratings, color labels, metadata, geolocation, and more. It's quite powerful when it comes to photo editing, too, offering a broad set of tools for a variety of different purposes. It allows you to process your RAW, JPEG and other types of files in a non-destructive way in Develop Mode and perfect them in Edit Mode by adjusting color and lighting, bringing out details, removing flaws, and adding final touches. The user interface is completely customizable to suit your preferences.
✅ Pros:
- Excellent built-in file management system
- Powerful post-processing features
- Fully customizable interface
✖️ Cons:
- Available only for Windows
- Too overwhelming for beginners
- Subscription-based online storage gallery
4. GIMP
GIMP is a free and open-source photo-editing tool that has been around for more than 20 years. It boasts a limitless number of state-of-the-art features that you wouldn't expect to see in a free photo-editing app. The interface has been recently updated to be easier to use, however it still can be quite confusing for novices. GIMP offers a broad set of tools suitable not only for basic but for advanced editing, too. Here you can enhance colors, adjust hue and saturation, fix composition, adjust sharpness, reduce graininess, remove unwanted objects, work with masks, layers, and more.
✅ Pros:
- 100% free
- Open access to the source code
- Has a broad selection of tools for different purposes
- Plug-in support
- Available for the main operating systems
✖️ Cons:
- Non-intuitive workflow
- Difficult to get the hang of
- Lack of HDR support
5. Aurora HDR
Aurora HDR is a powerful HDR tool that brings innovation and simplicity together. The most recent update introduced a new Quantum HDR engine with AI-powered tone mapping technology which allows for more intelligent photo merging to produce vivid yet natural-looking photos. Whether you're creating an HDR photo from bracketed shots or a single image, the app's neural network enhances the photo and makes sure that no halos or ghosting spoils the final result. The brand-new Smart HDR Structure feature boosts details and sharpness without creating undesired artifacts that can make a photo look unrealistic. With over 80 distinctive Looks, you can make your photo look stunning in just one click.
✅ Pros:
- One of the best HDR photo editors
- Swift performance
- Corrects badly taken single shots
- Doesn't create artifacts, halos, or noise
- Available as a stand-alone app and plug-in
- Plug-in support
Linux cad software. ✖️ Cons:
- None worth mentioning
6. Adobe Photoshop Elements
Developed for beginner and hobbyist photographers, Photoshop Elements' functions are naturally more limited than Photoshop's but it has all the essentials for achieving astonishing results. It offers three editing modes:
The Quick mode includes the simplest tools for straightening and cropping photos, removing unwanted objects, enhancing portraits, and applying filters.
The Guided mode uses step-by-step wizards to take you through more complex edits like removing objects, replacing the background, merging multiple photos, creating double exposures, and more.
The Expert mode gives you access to more complex Photoshop-like features including layers, masks, and filters.
✅ Pros:
- Excellent for entry-level photographers
- Simple and straightforward interface
- One-time purchase
- A bunch of Photoshop-like features simplified for nonprofessionals
- Dozens of clear guides
✖️ Cons:
- Too limited functionality
❓
Exposure X5 looks like a refined version of Lightroom that inherited only the features that photographers liked and used the most. Some of the most hated features were eliminated or improved. Thus, there's no time-consuming import process in Exposure X5 - you can get straight to editing by adding a folder with your photos in a few clicks. The interface is very well-organized and can be customized to suit your editing purposes. Besides non-destructive layer-based editing and cutting-edge tools that are crucial for the professional photo-manipulating process, Exposure X5 offers a mind-blowing collection of over 500 presets that you can customize to your liking.
✅ Pros:
- Beginner-friendly
- Well-organized and customizable interface
- No power-draining import process
- Non-destructive layer-based editing
- A broad selection of free presets
- No subscription
✖️ Cons:
- The interface design looks a bit outdated
- Lack of panorama and HDR tools
8. Capture One Pro
Capture One Pro is a full-fledged pro photo editor created for experienced photographers and serious hobbyists. Originally designed for tethered shooting, Capture One Pro is the fastest and most flexible tethering tool for photographers of all genres. It also offers top-notch RAW photo-editing functionality, smart photo organization tools, layer support, powerful adjustment tools, and plenty of other features you're looking for in professional-grade photo software.
✅ Pros:
- Exceptional rendering of RAW files
- Numerous adjustment tools for different needs;
- Layer-based editing
- Industry-leading tethering features
- Fast and smooth spot removal
- Annotations feature
✖️ Cons:
- Lack of third-party plug-in support;
- Lack of panorama and HDR tools
- Limited organization features;
- Absence of history panel
9. Affinity Photo
Even though Affinity Photo can't boast any organization or management tools, it's well-packed with all kinds of editing features for photographers of all levels. The workflow includes several Personas, or modes, focused on different editing stages. Develop Persona focuses on RAW file processing, Photo Persona is used for boosting your photos using layers, lighting and color adjustments, curves, LUTs, etc. Tone Mapping Persona is for HDR editing, Liquify Persona for bending photos, and Export Persona for exporting finished photos.
✅ Pros:
- Layer-based editing
- RAW editing tools
- Panorama, HDR, and focus stack merging tools
- No subscription
✖️ Cons:
- No lens-based corrections
- Lack of organization tools
- No ability to save custom workspaces
- Poor noise reduction
10. Pixlr
One of the most powerful online photo tools, Pixlr has become a popular choice when it comes to making quick photo corrections. Since it's a web app, it doesn't take up any room on your computer and is compatible with all operational systems. Pixlr features a clean and intuitive interface with many tools for cropping, selecting, transforming, removing objects, retouching and adjusting your photos using numerous sliders for brightness, contrast, vibrance, saturation, shadows, and more. It also offers a vast collection of filters and effects that will enhance your photos in a snap!
✅ Pros:
- Beginner-friendly
- Great for quick editing
- Online
- 100% free
- Has a clean interface
- Offers a nice collection of filters and effects
- Mobile version available
✖️ Cons:
- Limited functionality
- Advertising can be annoying
- Can be laggy sometimes
11. Paint.NET
Developed to replace the iconic Microsoft Paint, Paint.NET has grown into a full-featured yet simple photo-editing tool for WIndows. The app offers a user-friendly interface that's very easy to navigate. Paint.NET is packed with a nice set of tools for making your photos look beautiful in the most effortless way. Here you can play around with various adjustments, such as levels, curves, contrast, brightness, saturation, and more, selecting and removing objects, resize and crop your photos, and so much more!
✅ Pros:
- 100% free
- Unlimited history
- Layer-based editing
- Tons of creative filters and effects
- Suitable for beginner and intermediate users
- User-friendly interface
- Plug-in support
✖️ Cons:
- Only for Windows
- Interface design looks a bit outdated
- Limited functionality
❓
Do you agree with our opinion in this article? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
FAQ:
Q: Which one is the best photo editing software?
A: Luminar 4 is the best photo editing software because it offers the most powerful collection of features and tools for different editing needs.
Q: What is the easiest free photo editing software?
A: Paint.NET is the easiest free photo editing software, however, it has a very limited number of features suitable only for basic editing.
Q: Which photo editing software is the best for HDR photo editing?
A: Aurora HDR is the best HDR photo editing software with a broad set of tools for creating and correcting HDR images.
Q: How can I edit pictures on my computer for free?
A: GIMP free photo editor is the best way to edit pictures on your computer for free. It's well-packed with features and is suitable for beginners and pros alike.
Q: Which photo editing software can be used as a plug-in for Photoshop/ Lightroom?
A: Luminar 4 is the best Photoshop/ Lightroom plug-in that allows you to use its unique features in your go-to photo editor.
Whether you take photos for fun or business, it's not an easy task to find a photo editing software that can best fit your photo editing needs with so many different options on the market. We believe that it's easier to find something when you know what you're looking for, so we came up with three criteria that you should take into account when looking for your one and only photo app. So, we recommend you to make your choice based on the features you want your app to have, the platform you're going to use it on, and the price that you're ready (or not) to pay for it. This will help you to filter out the irrelevant options and narrow your choices down to a few most suitable ones.
Features
We believe that all photo editing apps can be divided into several categories based on what they have to offer to users of different levels and needs. These categories are:
- Photo editing software for beginners. If you're just starting out in photography or need to apply quick corrections to your photos once in a while, you should opt for a beginner-friendly photo editor like Paint.NET or Pixlr. Such editors usually have a clean and straightforward interface without too many tabs and icons, and a decent set of tools for applying basic corrections.
- Professional photo editing apps are designed for professional photographers and advanced hobbyists and give more control over photo processing and editing. Their use requires more specialized knowledge of photography and high photo-editing skill. Pro-grade photo editors like Adobe Lightroom or Capture One Pro often come with an in-build photo management system, provide support for RAW files, tethered shooting, and presets.
- Software for creating and editing vector graphics. As you probably know, there are two types of graphics: raster and vector. Raster graphics represent images as a pixel grid, while vector graphics use lines and curves. Vector software can't change pixels and thus is ineffective for photo correction. However, you can use vector software to add graphics to your photo such as text, shapes, lines. Many raster photo editors include a handful of vector tools, like GIMP or Photoshop.
- AI photo software uses AI-based technology that allows reducing manual photo editing to a minimum - even the most complex editing tasks such as retouching or removing objects can be done with just a few clicks. Such apps are a popular choice among beginners and pros alike as they substantially speed up the editing process without affecting the quality. Luminar 4 is one of a few decent AI photo editing tools on the market.
- Open source photo editing apps are apps for which the source code can be viewed and changed by any user, like GIMP. It means that any user can interact with the program code to correct bugs, improve the exciting features and add new ones. Open-source software is usually completely free and for this reason much beloved by users of different levels of expertise.
Platform
There is another thing you should take into account when looking for your perfect photo-editing app - the platform you're going to use it on. If you're a Mac or Windows user, you've got a wider choice of options unlike, for example, Chrome OS users, who have a much more limited choice. Let's take a closer look at what we have here.
Best Editing Software Free
- Windows is the most compatible with most of the photo software you're going to want to use. If you're a Windows user, you have a great number of options to choose from including most widely-used apps like GIMP, Luminar 4, Lightroom, Paint.NET, and more.
- As Mac is the second most popular operating system, you won't have any troubles finding a photo app compatible with it. Here you still have a vast number of options including Lightroom, Aurora HDR, Luminar 4, etc. The popular GIMP, however, isn't compatible with Mac.
- If you're a Chromebook user, your choice is limited to Google Play apps. Those, however, include a pretty good number of options, such as GIMP, Photoshop, Lightroom, and others. If you have strong programming skills, you could try installing external apps as well.
It doesn't matter what platform you're using if you choose to work in an online photo editor. It runs in a browser and doesn't need installing.
If you're looking for an app for your Android or iOS device, you should check what your app store has to offer. Cyberlink video editing software free. download full version. Some web and desktop apps, like Pixlr or Lightroom, however, have mobile versions.
Price
No matter how good the software is, its price can be a real dealbreaker. Luckily, not all photo editing software is paid for. There are such apps as GIMP and Paint.NET that are completely free. Paid options include subscription-based (Photo Studio Ultimate 2020, Lightroom) and one-time-fee (Luminar 4, Photoshop Elements, Affinity Photo) software. Some paid apps though have free trial versions, so you can test an app for free for several days to see if it's worth the money.
