What Is the Best Editing Software for YouTube Videos?

With over a billion users on YouTube and most social media platforms like Instagram supporting video content, video content is in demand. Whether brand promotion, entertainment, or anything else, video creators need to create engaging and compelling videos to get more subscribers, followers, or clients. Nowadays, there are so many editing software and apps that it’s hard to tell which is the best video editing software for YouTube. 

Your videos should be unique and of high quality if they are to stand out from the millions of other competitors. This means investing in the right equipment and using the proper techniques to send your message. The editing also needs to be good. If you are trying to decide which editing software suits your work, we have compiled some of the best YouTube video editing software options to help you create high-quality, professional videos. 

Adobe Premiere Pro

This is one of the top video editing software for YouTube. It is easy to use, and you can modify the video, adjust the color and process the audio. In addition, the unique set of features on Adobe Premiere Pro allows for processing any multimedia content you throw at it, even in its original format on mobile devices and desktop PCs. Premier Pro is available on Windows, MacOS, and iOS. In terms of how to get it, you can subscribe to Premiere Pro or receive it as part of the Adobe package. 

This software is suited for everyone, whether you are a newbie or an expert. It has a 360 VR and offers 4K support, so you can edit any video you have. You can edit graphics, color, and audio and use it across different devices. 

Along with video editing capabilities, it has HDR support and offers free stock video. In addition, there is an auto reframe tool and a captioning tool to produce cinematic-quality videos. 

The software may be challenging if it is your first time using it, especially in understanding the advanced features. In addition, you might have to use other apps like Adobe After Effects for some video techniques.

Pros

• The user interface is convenient
• Numerous features, options, and plugins
• Finished projects are exportable in any of the available existing formats
• You can integrate with other Adobe products

Cons 

• It is costly

Lightworks

This is the favorite option as a free video editing software for YouTube. It offers video editing tools and is available for macOS, Linux and Windows. Camera operators, bloggers, sound engineers, and editors can find a use for this software. 

In addition, it is usable for personal projects, advertising, filing social networks, and creating home video archives. Lightworks has also been used to edit large-scale feature films like The King’s Speech, Batman, and Pulp Fiction. It is also an Emmy and Academy award-winning professional-grade non-linear editor. 

Lightworks is the software to use if you are looking for a powerful application with precise editing and fast editing. Multichannel is supported, there is 3D video processing, and you can edit and crop the timeline. This makes it one of the best editing software for YouTube gaming videos, especially when you need to cut out some scenes or speed up others.

The robust and convenient-to-use node-based compositors have numerous built-in and community-made effects, enough to get the job done. Over the years, the software has vastly improved and matured, making it used by many content creators.  

Lightworks is a suitable option if you are on a low budget. It also allows for background importing and rendering. You can edit your windows around and have custom keyboard shortcuts that help make work easier when editing. 

Pros

• 3D video processing
• Supports multichannel
• You can edit and crop the timeline
• Cross-platform feature

Cons  

• The editor management system can be challenging to understand

DaVinci Resolve

This software was once the underdog of video software. However, it now competes with industry-standard software like Premiere Pro and Final Cut. It is so good and reliable that so many long-time editors have decided to switch and use it instead of other popular software. 

In terms of interface, DaVinci Resolve has an interface that is well-organized and clean. The software helps you to manage your files internally. You don’t have to choose where to store them as in other software.

There is a feature set that dedicates its seven pages to the different parts of the workflow in post-production. These include delivery, audio, grading, color correction, VFX, editing, and media management.     

If color grading is your primary concern, this software is for you as it leads more toward color grading. Many industry-standard professionals use it to color-grade movies that have million-dollar budgets. It is even greater than the Lumetri in Adobe Premiere Pro. 

The software is excellent at encoding, 3D, audio, compositing, and editing. Editing has a split personality and offers two experiences, including editing and cutting pages. The edit page is similar to what Premiere Pro offers, the traditional track-based editing experience, whereas the cut page resembles the magnetic style timeline.

The cut style allows for speed as it features particular tools enabling you to assemble an edit fast. When editing, you can choose to switch between the two.

Pros

• It comes with a free version
• Great at integration
• Innovation
• Offers different editing styles

Cons

• It can be difficult for beginners

VideoPad

If you are looking for the best mobile video editing app for YouTube, then you’ll love VideoPad, as it’s available in Android and iOS. It’s also great for small and midsize businesses. 

Videopad is also available on Amazon Kindle, Windows, and Mac. This allows video editors always on the road or in the office to keep doing their work regardless of where they are. In terms of the price, there is the option to pay a one-time fee or quarterly per-user subscription.   

The software has intuitive menus, video capture, and special effects. There is a drag-and-drop interface that is also visual which allows the users to preview the work they have done. 

You can also input and output files in various video formats. You could also burn your videos straight onto a DVD if you want to. 

One of the things that make it popular is the third-party support plugin. This means that customization of the software with different transitions and effects is possible. 

It comes with a stream processor that helps simplify the optimization tasks. Video stabilization is supported; hence you are covered if the footage you shoot is shaky. You can also make speed adjustments and edit 360° videos, allowing for 3D editing. 

Pros

• Simplicity
• Used on several devices
• Video stabilization is convenient
• Offers options in terms of payment methods 

Cons

• It can freeze at times when you use it

Shortcut

This free video editing software works on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Several impressive features make it an excellent choice for editing your videos, especially if you are a beginner. A good example is the option to cut your clips into specific lengths before you convert them. It also consists of filters and effects that help your videos look sleek. You cannot, however, preview your filters.

The software can also handle streaming in different formats. This can be in RTSP, UDP, and HTTP. 

The user interface is simple to use, it is not overcrowded with options, and in addition to that, the audio filters and video are customizable. You can also alter, remove and add changes. 

What most people enjoy about this software is that you can edit out of chronological order when you edit. It is non-linear. You can reposition your panels and conveniently set them. 

There is also the option to add panels to the foreground and have more information on your screen at any given time. These can help you monitor different aspects of your video, like video scopes and audio meters. 

The customization flexibility is mention-worthy as you can set it to be as complex as you want or as simple as possible, whichever way makes you work faster and more efficiently.     

Pros

• The wide array of filters and options
• Supports different streaming formats
• Easy-to-use interface
• Customizable
• Non-linear editing is good to have

Cons

• Previewing filters is not possible.  

Conclusion

These are some of the best video editing software. Whether you need YouTube thumbnail editing software or simply have to edit videos for entertainment or professional use, these apps and software will undoubtedly help you achieve your goal. Read through them and determine what you need and which software is best for you.