When it comes to iPad video editing apps, there are TONS of options out there. There’s apps like Kinemaster, Premiere Rush, LumaFusion, Inshot, iMovie for iPad and many more.
So how do you choose the best one for you and your video editing needs?
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In this complete roundup, we’ll take a look at the best video editing apps for iPad right now.
From the best FREE iPad video editing app to pro-level and advanced iPad video editing software that will get you incredible results – there’s an iOS video editing app to suit every type of skill level and budget.
We’ll start with the beginner-friendly options and work our way up to the more advanced video editors that have a bit more of a learning curve.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- App #1: VN Video Editor
- App #2: CapCut
- App #3: LumaFusion
- App #4: Final Cut Pro
- App #5: DaVinci Resolve
- Best Video Editing App For iPad?
If you’re ready to dive into the best apps when it comes to how to edit video on iPad, let’s get started.
iPad Video Editor #1: VN Video Editor
VN Video Editor is a great free video editing app with a paid option as well. It works on iOS, Android and Mac as well as iPad.
It’s really easy to use and super intuitive while still being a very powerful video editing tool.
Standout Features
VN Video Editor is packed with features, but here are our top ones:
- Awesome amount of control over video editing, with the ability to get into the frame-by-frame level of editing (meaning you can have a really high level of accuracy!)
- Tons of built-in effects & transitions (even more have been added recently)
- Super easy to switch between different project types (e.g. you can start creating a wide screen video then easily switch up the format to create an Instagram Reel)
But probably our favorite thing about VN Video Editor is that it makes editing fun! And when you’re having fun working on a project, the experience is completely different.
VN Video Editor Pricing
This is one of the rare cases where the free version of the app is actually really decent. You don’t need to upgrade to the paid Pro version unless you want to unlock all the features.
The features you unlock on the paid plan include things like extra templates & fonts, more advanced project sharing options with encryption, and the ability to work on more projects at any given time.
The cost for the Pro version is $10/month or $70/year.
Overall, this is a solid option for beginners right through to intermediate level users.
It’s definitely not on the same level as some of the tools we’ll cover next and it doesn’t have a big focus on AI tools just yet.
But it’s one of the best iPad video editors available for a lot of users.
iPad Video Editor #2: CapCut
CapCut is another amazing video editing app.
It works across a lot of different devices – Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android as well as iPad.
There’s also a cloud-based version as well but it’s pretty cut down in terms of features when compared to the dedicated apps and programs.
Standout Features
Some of our favorite CapCut features include:
- Really easy to use interface, video editing style and editing interface (very similar to VN Video Editor)
- An insane amount of effects and transitions
- Great AI caption generator tool to automatically add captions to your videos
Given that CapCut and VN Video Editor are so similar, up until very recently it was really hard to make the call on which app is better. But now there are some changes that have been made (including some pricing updates) that differentiate them.
The biggest difference between the two is the number of effects and transitions. This is really next-level in CapCut compared to VN Video Editor.
But a lot of people won’t be using those types of things in their videos, so that’s not necessarily a deal breaker.
If you are looking to create those types of videos, that’s where you’d probably want to go with CapCut.
Potential Downsides
There are unfortunately a few downsides to CapCut.
Firstly, CapCut is currently banned in some countries and who knows how many are going to follow suit. Obviously this isn’t a deal breaker if you reside in one of the unaffected countries but it’s something to keep in mind.
Another thing worth mentioning is that CapCut is really pushing the Pro plan now. So we’re starting to see that a lot of the best effects and tools are no longer available on the free version, because they’ve been moved across to the paid plan.
Fortunately the price is super reasonable especially given what you get access to. But it is a bit of a bummer if you’re someone who’s been using these features for free and then suddenly need to start paying for them.
CapCut Pricing
There are a couple of different pricing options for CapCut if you want to level up from the free version:
- Single month access: $9.99/month
- Monthly subscription: $7.99/month
- Annual option: $74.99
Overall, CapCut is a really great option for anyone at a beginner to intermediate level. Especially if you’re looking for a level up in effects, transitions and AI tools then CapCut could be the iPad video editor for you!
iPad Video Editor #3: LumaFusion
LumaFusion is the OG when it comes to professional-grade iPad video editing apps.
It seriously packs a punch. There are so many pro-grade features, many of which you’d expect to find in professional desktop video editing software.
Standout Features
It’s hard to narrow down the best features here because there are just so many. But here are some of our favorites:
- Incredible level of control & adjustments over video clips (SO much more than the first two apps we mentioned)
- The ability to export your timeline, meaning you can start your project in LumaFusion and then transfer it to your desktop video editing software so you can finish your editing there
- Amazing multicam feature that makes it really easy to seamlessly sync up your clips and to edit your multicam videos (this is an additional purchase)
- It has a customizable interface so you’re seeing the tools and features you use most regularly to maximize your screen real estate
Another thing we love about LumaFusion is the pricing model.
LumaFusion Pricing
LumaFusion has one pricing option and that’s a one-time fee of $29.99. We think that’s incredibly cheap considering what you get access to.
So for anyone who doesn’t want to be on another rolling monthly subscription (because hey they really add up!), this would be an awesome option.
Overall, LumaFusion is a great iPad video editor for anyone at the intermediate to advanced level. If you’re looking for more pro-level video editing tools on your iPad (the kind you’d usually only find on desktop), this would be right up your alley.
iPad Video Editor #4: Final Cut Pro
This one’s the new kid on the block. Final Cut Pro for iPad has finally been released! A lot of people have been waiting a long time for this.
Obviously there are a lot of similarities to the desktop version of Final Cut Pro, but they’ve also re-engineered the way you edit on iPad to make it really user friendly.
The overall interface is very intuitive, especially considering that this is one of the more professional iPad video editing apps out there. In fact, the learning curve would be easier compared to options like LumaFusion and even the next app we’ll cover.
So while it is designed as a more professional tool, it’s still going to be easy enough for a beginner to jump in and figure out how to use it.
If you’re coming from editing on the desktop version of Final Cut, you’ll be able to get up to speed with the iPad version really quickly. But there’s also a little bit of re-thinking due to the new editing approach.
Standout Features
Here are some of our standout features in Final Cut Pro for iPad:
- The most fun video editing app out there (and if something’s fun, you’re going to do more of it!)
- They’ve added more touch controls, a new jog wheel and they’ve also moved a lot of the core functionality to the left and right side (where you’d be holding your iPad) making it really easy to navigate through your video clips & trim down footage
- Live drawing functionality is really cool and would be useful for anyone who wants to quickly annotate your footage or even explain something by drawing it out on screen
- The built-in multicam support makes multi camera editing really easy
- Integration between Final Cut Pro iPad and desktop, so you can start your project on iPad and finish it on your desktop Mac (but currently it can’t go back the other way, hopefully this is something they fix soon!)
They’ve also integrated pro-level camera functionality, so it’s like your built-in camera but with more features.
We can see why they’ve done this and the workflow is great, but it’s probably not something that we’d use. If we were shooting on an iPad, we’d be leaning towards a more advanced tool just for that like FiLMiC Pro. But it might come in handy for some users!
Potential Downsides
There are a couple of things to be aware of but hopefully this is stuff that’s fixed over time, especially given that it’s still so new!
Firstly, there is external drive support but it really just helps you import your footage onto your iPad.
So if you’re bringing in clips to edit from an external drive, it’s going to automatically copy those over to your iPad. This means you’ll need to have enough storage capacity to hold all of those files.
The second thing is in regards to the color correction tools. There are built-in tools that can help you get good results with your color grading.
But it’s not to the level you can find in a lot of the other pro-grade iPad video editing apps.
There’s really just sliders that you can move around. You won’t find any color wheels, curves, or other more advanced color grading tools.
The next thing to keep in mind is that this won’t work on a lot of the older iPads. Generally speaking, your iPad will need an M1 or M2 chip for Final Cut Pro to work on it.
Lastly, there are some cool built-in effects like automatic background removal and auto reframing. But it’s definitely not to the extent of effects and AI tools in something like CapCut.
Final Cut Pro For iPad Pricing
You can jump on a 30 day free trial but after that you’ll need to jump on a subscription.
There are two options:
- Monthly subscription: $4.99/month
- Yearly subscription: $49/year
Overall, Final Cut Pro for iPad is a great all-rounder. It’s definitely suitable for beginners – not as intuitive as the first two options, but easier than something like LumaFusion.
It also has a lot of professional features, making it great for more advanced users as well.
iPad Video Editor #5: DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve for iPad is hands down the most professional video editing app for iPad that’s available.
If you’re not familiar with DaVinci Resolve, it’s one of the top video editing tools out there for Mac, Windows and Linux. This is software that’s used by professional video editors for TV shows and Hollywood movies!
The desktop version is broken down into different pages which are different steps in your video editing process. So there’s importing, cutting down your media, color grading, adding motion graphics, and so on.
But the iPad version currently only had two of those pages: the Cut page for editing down your content and the Color page for color correcting your footage.
PRO TIP: If you’re interested, there is a way to unlock ALL of the pages and use a lot of the core functionality from desktop over on your iPad. Check out a YouTube video on how to do this here.
Given that it is possible to unlock all the pages, we have hope that sometime in the future DaVinci Resolve will provide the full functionality on iPad.
Standout Features
Let’s run through some of the top DaVinci Resolve iPad features:
- Works with the Black Magic Cloud service so you can transfer your projects to and from your computers
- Full external drive support (like LumaFusion) where your external storage is just picked up as an extra drive so you don’t need to rely on using your iPad storage
- So much advanced functionality e.g. plug in support, external hardware support for things like their speed editor
As an added bonus, while this video editing app is designed for the newer M2 and M1 iPads, it actually does run on some of the older ones as well.
Downsides
This isn’t necessarily a downside, more something to be aware of in terms of usability.
The app really feels like a desktop tool on an iPad, which can be good! But it also means that it’s tempting to use it with a mouse, trackpad and keyboard connected, rather than just holding the sides while sitting on the couch.
On the other hand, Final Cut Pro for iPad makes it so easy to edit on the iPad without needing to connect any other devices. Then again, this could just be a testament to how good the new controls in Final Cut Pro are!
DaVinci Resolve iPad Pricing
There is a free version of DaVinci Resolve for iPad available, just like there’s a free desktop version. This free version gives you access to a lot of the core functionality.
If you ask us, it’s pretty amazing that you can access those pro-level tools completely free of charge.
There is also a Studio Version which unlocks extra effects and some additional professional-grade tools.
If you want to buy the Studio Version, it’s a one time fee of $95.
Overall, if you’re looking for the most professional video editing tools on your iPad, you really can’t go past DaVinci Resolve.
What is the best iPad Video Editing App?
So which is the best iPad video editing app for you?
If you’re looking for something simple and easy to use, then VN Video Editor could be the best option for you.
If you want lots of extra effects, transitions, filters and a lot of AI functionality, then it’s going to be hard to go past CapCut.
From there, things get a little more complicated. LumaFusion, Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve will all help you get really great results. But they’re different offerings.
So the best one for you will come down to your personal preference, specific needs and skill level.
LumaFusion used to be without a doubt our top option here. It’s still an amazing option and probably the most complete package right now.
But that could definitely change if DaVinci Resolve unlocks the other pages on iPad.
We’re also super interested to see what the next version of Final Cut Pro app looks like as well.
Overall, Final Cut Pro is the one we’re most excited about at the moment. It’s the most fun to edit in and their new approach to editing is really great.
Now you know the best video editing apps for iPad!
If you want to level up your video editing the best way to do it is with an effective process.
Download a copy of our complete video editing process, The Primal Video Method, where we take you through step-by-step the most efficient method to edit videos.
FAQ
Which is the best video editing software for iPad?
The best video editing software for iPad will come down to your particular needs and skill level. Our top 5 recommended options are VN Video Editor, CapCut, LumaFusion, Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve. Read the full guide to find the right one for you.
Are iPads good for video editing?
Absolutely! There are some incredible & powerful video editing apps that allow you to get really creative with your video editing. You can create amazing video projects using your iPad.
Is there a free video editor for iPad?
There sure is. There are a number of free iPad video editing apps that can help you edit videos. VN Video Editor, CapCut and DaVinci Resolve all have free versions available.
Recommended Gear & Resources
Check out an up-to-date list of all the gear, software & tools we use and recommend right now at Primal Video on our resources page here!
