What’s the best video editing software on Windows in 2022? Keep reading to find out in our annual review of the leading video editors for PC!
We’ll share our top recommendations for all types of video creators, from free and beginner friendly apps to more advanced and professional editing alternatives.
Important: When available, we use affiliate links and may earn a commission!
As usual, we’ve broken down the top contenders into three categories:
- Best Free Video Editing Software for PC
- Best Video Editing Software for Windows Under $200
- Best Video Editing Software for Windows Over $200
As we move through each section, we’ll make sure to include software from the previous categories. So even in the Over $200 section, we’ll consider the Free video editing software.
Why? So that by the end of this review we’ll have arrived at the BEST video editing software for PC out there – regardless of price.
But remember that the best video editor for you will depend on your skill set and the types of videos you want to create. So make sure you stick around for all the options.
We recommend narrowing your top picks down to a couple of different options. Then play around on their trial versions so you can get a really good idea of which one will suit your needs.
We’ll include previous contenders in all categories – just because it’s free doesn’t mean it might not be the best!
This way you’ll know for certain that you’ve chosen the best option for you!
In this complete guide to the top video editor for 2022, we’ll also share with you our top 3 video editing tips. These tips will help you edit faster no matter which video editing software you’re using.
Let’s get started with our top picks for free video editing software.
Best Free Video Editing Software for PC
We’ve only included options that are actually free. That means we’ve only included software that doesn’t require payments to unlock necessary features or put watermarks your videos.
All of these video editors will allow you to get good results without spending any money.
There are lots of great apps in the best video editing software free category
In this category are options like VSDC, HitFilm Express, Shotcut, Avid Media Composer First, DaVinci Resolve, Kdenlive, OpenShot and VideoPad.
After lots of trialling and testing, we’ve narrowed these down to a shortlist. Our top 3 free video editors are OpenShot, Kdenlive and DaVinci Resolve.
Let’s take a look into these options.
OpenShot
This is a really simple and powerful that allows beginners to jump in and get editing really quickly.
OpenShot is a great, basic and free video editing software
OpenShot’s key features are:
- Simple and straightforward interface
- Super easy to pick up and start editing right away (little to no learning curve)
- Impressive performance with great rendering times, saving capabilities and overall editing experience
- Works on PC, Mac and Linux
This is a basic, entry-level application that doesn’t have any advanced features. You have the ability to add titles, simple effects and transitions. There’s also key frame based control to help you dial in those features.
This free video editor has a super simple & intuitive interface
Overall, this a great option for beginner to intermediate level editors who want to jump in and edit their videos simply. If you don’t need all the bells and whistles that more advanced tools offer, OpenShot could be the right choice for you.
Kdenlive
This is the next step up from OpenShot. It’s a much more professional tool with some great features. It’s awesome that they’ve packed so much into this open source software!
Kdenlive is another awesome free video editor for Windows
Things that make Kdenlive great:
- Fairly intuitive interface (not as simple as OpenShot but not overwhelming considering all the features it offers)
- Professional color grading tools and multi-camera editing functionality
- Supports a larger range of file types and codex
- Works on Windows, Mac and Linux
Video editing with Kdenlive is a great experience with solid features and an easy interface
Overall, this is a good option for anyone at the beginner level who wants something with more features and controls. Just keep in mind that there will be more of a learning curve than with software like OpenShot.
It’s also a good choice for editors at the intermediate to borderline advanced level who want a simple editing solution.
DaVinci Resolve
This is the most professional free video editor on Windows out there. If you ask us, it’s insane that they give you access to this for free! It’s the type of professional-grade software they use to make Hollywood movies with.
DaVinci Resolve is a strong contender for best video editor for PC
Top things to note about DaVinci Resolve:
- Heaps of pro-level features and controls that allow you to create incredible videos
- Much more of a learning curve (because it’s so advanced)
- Requires a fairly recent, powerful computer for best results (if you have an older or lower spec computer, it won’t run very well)
- Works on Mac, PC and Linux
This editing software will have a much bigger learning curve than the previous options
There is a paid version of DaVinci Resolve available but unless you’re an absolute professional, you won’t need to upgrade to that Studio version. You’ll get access to all of the core features and functionalities with the free version.
So, Which Is The Best Free Video Editor For PC?
If you’re an absolute beginner looking for a solid all-rounder, OpenShot is probably the best option for you.
If you’re looking for a software with additional features but is still fairly easy to use, Kdenlive could be the best software for you.
DaVinci Resolve wins the Free category for best video editor for Windows
Finally, if you want professional-grade industry standard video editing software then you can’t go past DaVinci Resolve.
If we had to pick one overall winner, it would have to be DaVinci Resolve. It’s such a powerful tool that can help you create incredible videos once you get the hang of it.
Now let’s check out the best video editor for under $200.
Best Video Editing Software for Windows Under $200
Generally when you’re moving from free software up to the paid options you’re unlocking more features, power, performance, and generally a more polished and fluid editing experience.
But since there were some great contenders in the first category, we’re including those options here as well.
There are heaps of awesome video editing software in this category
In this category you’ve also got AVS Video Editor, VSDC Pro, Adobe Premiere Rush, Movavi, Filmora, WeVideo, Movie Studio, Movie Edit Pro, Magix Movie Edit Pro, Adobe Premiere Elements, PowerDirector, and Filmora Pro.
After the usual testing, we narrowed down to WeVideo, Filmora, and DaVinci Resolve.
Let’s take a look at the shortlisted options.
WeVideo
WeVideo is an amazing online cloud-based video editing solution. This means you don’t need to download and install anything on your computer – it literally just runs in your browser.
WeVideo is an incredible cloud-based video editing tool
Some of WeVideo’s awesome features are:
- Insanely powerful and fast, even if you’re working with 4K videos
- Tons of built-in templates and effects that you can customize
- You can start editing right away – don’t need to wait for the video files to upload to the cloud
- Because it’s run in the cloud it’s a great tool for collaboration and working with remote team
This software is a great option for those collaborating with others or working with remote teams
Of course, because it’s on the cloud it does require a decent internet connection to upload your video files. But on the plus side, because it runs in the browser it can be used on low powered and older computers as well.
WeVideo Pricing
There are a few different pricing options but the two most popular are:
- Unlimited – $7.99/month (allows you to edit in 1080P)
- Professional – $19.99/month (allows you to edit in 4K and comes with more templates & stock footage)
There are multiple different pricing options for WeVideo
Overall, this is a really solid option for beginners right through to intermediate level editors. Especially if you don’t have a powerful computer, WeVideo could be great software for you.
Filmora
Filmora is another great video editing software. It’s not something we recommended previously but it’s grown a lot recently and now it’s a super powerful, really awesome application.
Filmora is another awesome video editor for Windows
Key features of Filmora:
- Great usability and really intuitive interface
- Lots of professional tools and features built-in
- Incredibly fast performance for export times, render times and overall usage
- Works on Windows and Mac
If you want an extremely fast and well-performing editing software – Filmora could be the one
In terms of features, Filmora is very similar to Kdenlive. The difference is that Filmora hands down has better performance and usability.
Filmora Pricing
There is a free version available but it watermarks your videos so we don’t recommend using it. There are two main pricing plans:
- Annual – $61.99 per year
- Perpetual – $89.99 one time fee for lifetime access
There are 3 different pricing options available for Filmora
Overall, this is an awesome option for beginners to intermediate level editors. It has such a great mix of simplicity, speed and advanced features making it a really powerful tool.
DaVinci Resolve
That’s right, not only did DaVinci Resolve take out our top free video editing software but it’s also shortlisted as one of the best apps costing under $200 as well.
DaVinci Resolve is one of the most advanced software for video editing right now
For all the reasons we mentioned above, it’s an incredible choice. If you’re looking for a more powerful solution with advanced features and controls, you can’t go past DaVinci Resolve.
So, Which Is The Best Video Editor Under $200?
If you’re at the beginner to intermediate level, both WeVideo and Filmora are really great options.
WeVideo is a better choice if you want to be editing on the cloud possibly due to having a lower spec computer. Filmora might be the better option if you want more advanced tools on a more traditional software.
Because of its advanced interface and pro-level features, DaVinci Resolve wins again
But if you’re at an intermediate to advanced level and you want high-level, professional capabilities – DaVinci Resolve could be the way to go.
Which is why, our number one recommendation for this category is once again DaVinci Resolve. It’s just crazy the amount of pro tools and pro features you can use for free!
Now let’s check out the best video editors over $200.
Best Video Editing Software for Windows Over $200
In this third category we’re reviewing video editing software above $200. But we’re also including the Free and Under $200 options as well. This way we’ll be able to reveal the absolute BEST video editing software at the end of this guide.
This category includes Over $200, Under $200 and Free so we can find the ultimate winner
Once again, typically as the price increases you’re able to unlock more advanced features, controls, pro-grade tools and more robust solutions.
In this category, we’ve got things like HitFilm Pro, Camtasia, Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Magix Video Pro, Vegas Pro, and Lightworks Pro.
Shortlisting those down and stacking them up against the previous categories that we’ve mentioned, our shortlist for best video editing software comes down to WeVideo, Filmora, Adobe Premiere Pro, and DaVinci Resolve.
There are lots of great options in the Above $200 category as well
It might be surprising that we haven’t included more software that costs over $200. But you can access extremely powerful software without needing to spend an arm and a leg!
Now the only one of these we haven’t mentioned yet is Adobe Premiere Pro, so let’s take a look into this video editor.
Adobe Premiere Pro
This is a really popular option when it comes to video editing. It’s used by a lot of video production professionals, YouTubers, and also for Hollywood movie stuff.
This is one of the most popular video editing applications available today
Key things to note about Premiere Pro:
- It’s great for collaborative editing and working with remote editors
- Really easy to work with the entire Adobe Suite like Photoshop and After Effects
- Nowhere near as intuitive or easy to use as software like Filmora
- Works on both Windows and PC
The overall interface is very similar to DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut – there’s a lot of similarities between all the pro software. But this means it’s harder to get the hang of.
Adobe Premiere Pro is much harder to learn but once you do – it has an amazing workflow
We’ve also found that it can be a bit unstable or buggy at times. This isn’t ideal but as long as you make a habit of constantly saving and backing up your work – it’s not a deal breaker.
Adobe Premiere Pro Pricing
You’ll need to jump on a subscription plan to use Premiere. You have two options:
- Adobe Premiere Pro – $20.99/month
- Entire Adobe Master Suite – $52.99/month
Premiere Pro can only be accessed by signing up for a monthly subscription
Overall, this is an incredible option for anyone at the intermediate through to absolute professional level. It’s also a good option if you’re a beginner but want to invest some time into learning the ins and outs of a professional tool.
So, Which Is The Best Video Editor?
First up, let’s summarise our final shortlisted video editing software:
- WeVideo – Great, simple, fast option for absolute beginners right through to intermediate editors. Especially good if you want to edit on the cloud or have a lower spec computer.
- Filmora – More features, more controls and a great mix of simplicity with power and performance packed in for beginners through to intermediate.
- DaVinci Resolve – Incredibly pro-grade software without the price tag for intermediate to advanced level editors.
- Adobe Premiere Pro – Used by the most professional video editors. Next level software for intermediate to advanced editors or beginners who want to invest the time.
When it comes to which one is best for you, this is again where we recommend you play around on the trial versions (or the free DaVinci Resolve version) and find out which one works for you.
What is the best editing software in 2022?
For us, our overall winner for the best video editing software right now in 2022 is… Adobe Premiere Pro.
We really think it’s the complete package. We love that you can easily collaborate with your team. It has an incredible workflow that allows you to quickly and easily edit once you know how it all works together. Plus it’s awesome that it works so smoothly with the other Adobe tools as well.
Adobe Premiere Pro wins best video editing software for PC in our 2022 roundup
But remember, the perfect software for you will depend on your particular use case and skill level.
As promised, it’s time to share our top three video editing tips that will help you edit faster in any video editing application.
Our Top 3 Video Editing Tips
1. Cut Down Your Content First
It can be tempting to jump straight into the editing software and begin adding a ton of effects and color grades to your footage to make it look good. But this really slows down your workflow. If you add these effects before editing down your footage, your computer has a lot more to process!
Wait until the end of the editing process to add filters and effects
Focus on building out your story and cutting down your footage first. Then go through and make it look awesome by adding effects and color grades afterwards.
2. Use Stock Footage
You don’t need to go out and film everything from scratch! There are amazing resources and libraries full of stock footage that you can easily download and add to your projects.
You can save heaps of time by using stock footage rather than filming B-roll yourself
Plus, stock footage makes your videos more engaging meaning that viewers are more likely to watch them for longer. Storyblocks and Artgrid are great resources for finding quality stock footage.
3. Learn Keyboard Shortcuts
This is probably the fastest way you can speed up your editing. Knowing the shortcuts mean you can press one key on the keyboard rather than moving your mouse around to find a tiny little icon on the screen.
In some cases, pressing the one keyboard shortcut button will save you from performing three or four actions using a mouse.
Shortcuts allow you to speed up your editing no matter which software you’re using
To find the keyboard shortcuts for your particular program, go to the help section inside your software or do a quick Google search. You’ll be able to find a full list of all the editing shortcuts that will cut down your editing time!
Now You Know The Best Video Editing Software for Windows PC
There you have it, our complete guide to the best video editing software for Windows PC in 2022. If you found this guide useful, feel free to share it on social media or with someone you know who might like to learn more about the best video editor for Windows.
To see our top recommendations for best video editing software on Mac, you can check them out here.
If you’d like to learn more video editing tips to optimize your workflow, check out our Primal Video Editing Guide. It’s a free download that takes you through the most efficient way to edit your videos with minimal wasted time and rework!
Links
When available, we use affiliate links and may earn a commission!
Best Free Video Editing Software for Windows
- OpenShot
- Kdenlive
- DaVinci Resolve
Best Video Editing Software for PC under $200
Best Video Editing Software for PC over $200
Recommended Tutorials:
- DaVinci Resolve for Beginners
- Complete Beginner’s Guide to Video Editing on Windows
- Best Video Editing Software for Mac – 2021 Review!
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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