There are TONS of iPhone video editing apps available in the App store. With so many solid options out here, it can feel impossible to figure out which video editing app best meets your video creation needs.
There’s options like Kinemaster, LumaFusion, Adobe Premiere Rush, Powerdirector, Splice, Quik, FilmoraGo, Video Leap, iMovie, CapCut, Inshot, VN Video Editor – but how do you know which video editing app is right for you?
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We’ve narrowed it down to just four options including everything from the best FREE iPhone video editing app right up to more professional and advanced options. There’s a great video editor for every budget and skill level.
We’ll include what’s changed since our last roundup in 2022 and share a review of the leading video editing apps for iPhone right now.
Stick around to find out the best video editing app for iPhone and iPad users in 2023!
Shortlist Of Best Video Editing Apps For iPhone & iPad
We tried and tested all the leading options and narrowed it down to a shortlist of the top four video editing apps for iPhone & iPad right now. They are:
Before we announce the best video editing app for 2023, let’s take a look at each of these options in a little more detail.
Video Editing App #1: CapCut
CapCut is an amazing, free video editing app for iPhone, iPad, Android and there is even a desktop version for Mac & Windows now as well.
This was probably the toughest call in the shortlist because CapCut and VN Video Editor are really similar video editing apps. They’re both really easy to use, intuitive and fast to edit in. They’ve both got a lot of controls, filters and video effects to help you create amazing videos.
VN Video Editor does have some more advanced export settings. But CapCut was the overall winner because of everything that’s included in the app and the overall editing experience.
CapCut is owned by ByteDance which is the same company that owns TikTok.
So there are heaps of effects and filters in there to help you create awesome TikTok videos and other similar short videos. But there’s also plenty of great tools for creating regular videos as well.
As well as the basic video editing tools you’d expect, some of CapCut’s standout features are:
- A really powerful background remover to cut you out of your background
- Video stabilization to improve any shaky video footage
- An AI caption generator to automatically add captions to your videos
PRO TIP: Check out our Complete CapCut Tutorial to get a full rundown of these features.
Overall, CapCut is one of the best video editing apps for short, simple edits. It’s a really awesome free video editor.
If you’re going to be creating videos that are longer form or if you’re looking for more advanced features, then the next options might suit you a little better.
Video Editing App #2: VLLO
The next video editing app is VLLO. This is another app with a very similar interface to CapCut and VN Video Editor.
VLLO works on iOS, Android and if you’re using an M1 Mac you can install it on there as well.
Again, it’s fluid, fast and really easy to use. Even if you’ve never edited before, you’re not going to have an issue jumping in.
Some of the really standout features in VLLO are:
- The ability to jump between different editing steps using the custom layouts (this maximizes your screen real estate and makes it easy to edit using a small device)
- Ripple edit tools which make it really quick & easy to trim clips (these are tools you’d usually only see in more professional desktop video editing software)
- Effects are handled through adjustment layers, meaning you can apply a filter to an entire layer instead of just to individual video clips (another pro-level tool!)
Overall, VLLO is a really good video editing app for anyone who’s looking for something really simple and easy to edit with but also has some of the more professional video editing tools available.
You could think of this as the next level up from CapCut. But if you’re looking for something even more advanced, that’s where the other video editing apps we’re about to mention come in.
VLLO Pricing
There is a free version available but we’d recommend getting the premium version so you can unlock all of those advanced features.
You can choose between a few different payment options:
- $2.49 per week
- $6.49 per month
- $19.99 per year
- $29.99 one-time payment for lifetime premium access
If you ask us, the one-time fee option is a bit of a no-brainer but it’s awesome that you’ve got plenty of options depending on your specific needs.
Video Editing App #3: LumaFusion
Until very recently, LumaFusion was hands down the most professional video editing app for iPhone and iPad.
Now, as far as we’re concerned – DaVinci Resolve takes that crown. But we’ll cover that one next.
LumaFusion’s overall interface is still really easy to use and fairly intuitive.
It’s not as easy as the previous apps. But that’s really not surprising since it’s a much more professional app. It really mimics what you’d find on desktop video editing tools.
Some of our favorite LumaFusion features are:
- Customizable interface with different preset layouts so you can optimize your screen space
- So powerful that you can give it super high quality, professional footage and it doesn’t miss a beat
- Professional-grade audio tools, color grading features and tons of export options so you can really customize everything up
Overall, if you’re looking for a super professional video editor with a ton of control then LumaFusion could be the best pick for you. Especially if you’re going to be creating longer videos on your Android device, it’s an awesome option.
PRO TIP: Check out our Complete LumaFusion Tutorial to see these tools in action.
LumaFusion Pricing
There’s no free version of LumaFusion and just a single payment option. It’s a one-time lifetime fee of $29.99. It’s great value considering what you get access to.
Video Editing App #4: DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve is the new kid on the block when it comes to iOS video editing apps. It’s currently iPad only.
Fair warning, it’s still so new that we have come across a few bugs. Even so, this app is AMAZING.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with DaVinci Resolve on desktop, there are different pages with different tool sets depending on which stage of the video editing process you’re at.
So when we’re editing with the desktop video editing software, we’ll jump straight to the Edit section because this has the most familiar interface. It’s similar to other video editors like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro.
But currently, DaVinci Resolve has only brought the Cut section over onto the iPad.
Having said that, the Cut page is still amazing and an absolute breeze to edit in.
Plus, there are a bunch of YouTube videos on how you can unlock the Edit section as well.
So it seems like DaVinci Resolve have actually ported the whole software across but maybe they’ve just restricted them for now while working out some bugs.
Either way, this app is incredible.
The overall editing process is super fast and fluid. This is literally pro-grade software that’s used to cut Hollywood movies. And now you have access to it on your iPad!
Some of the top advanced tools in DaVinci include:
- Full professional industry standard color grading tools
- Can share & transfer your projects between desktop & iPad through Black Magic Cloud and even iCloud
- Incredible performance – really well optimized with insanely fast render times
Overall, DaVinci Resolve is a good option for anyone who wants the most professional tool set when editing videos on iPad.
Obviously there’s a much bigger learning curve than the other apps we’ve covered in this guide. But if you’re looking for top tier, professional tools – you really can’t go past DaVinci.
DaVinci Resolve Pricing
Just like with the desktop version, you’ll likely find that the free version on iPad will do everything you need.
You can upgrade to the Studio Version for a one-time fee of $94.99.
Keep in mind, this is completely separate from the Desktop Studio version. So if you’ve already bought that, this is an additional purchase.
It’s awesome that you can just pay a one-time fee but it is more expensive than the other options.
Best Video Editing App on iPhone & iPad?
Picking just one overall winner is a really tough call because all of these video editing apps are great for different types of content.
If you’re doing basic edits for short, fun videos like social media posts or stories, CapCut is a really quick and easy video editing app to jump into.
But for anything more advanced than that, the tools and features in LumaFusion are incredibly helpful.
Those are our two go-to video editing apps right now.
But the overall winner for best video editing app in 2023 goes to… LumaFusion.
Having access to those pro-grade features at your fingertips (while still being easy to use!) is a game changer. It really is a GREAT video editing app that will allow you to edit videos that are polished and professional.
But we definitely see potential for DaVinci Resolve taking LumaFusion’s place in the future. It’s just not quite there for us yet.
Remember, the right iPhone video editor app for you will come down to your skillset and the types of videos you’re making.
You can always try out a free video editing app to see if it has the video editing tools that suit your workflow and needs. And if not, you can progress in price from there.
Now that you know the best video editing apps for Android, want to learn how to film on iPhone like a PRO? Check out our FREE iPhone Filming Guide.
Interested to find out the best video editing app on Android as well? You can check it out here.
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!
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