Want to edit video? Our 4 best beginner video editing software picks

Modern marketing has shifted towards video in an intense way. Media platforms like YouTube dominate the internet, and social media generally is pushing harder every day for video content. Now is a wildly opportune time to jump into video production, and today’s tech makes it effortless to jump into. For beginners, it’s wise to start small and only use what you need. We’ve chosen a handful of software for our “Blueforest tools for video production” stamp of approval. Check out our picks for the 4 best beginner video editing software suites and get started today! We’ve got mostly free options (with a few exceptions), but we’ll start with the ones lightest on your wallet.

Apple iMovie

Apple’s share of the computer market is rising, which means more of you are making the switch to Macs. Good news: you’ve already got one of the most popular video production software packages around! Coming pre-packaged with every Mac, iMovie gives you an unencumbered feature set so you can get off the ground quickly. It isn’t always the easiest software to use, it’s a great starting point to gain your bearings (and see what features you’ll actually need) before diving deeper into the complex paid software. It’s best to get as familiar with this tool as possible learning to push your limits and know every square inch of the process. Work on the basics first before jumping to the shiny expensive stuff.

Price: Free with every Mac.

Hitfilm Express

Yet another free software, Hitfilm Express is available to both Windows and Mac users. The base package is impressively feature packed for a starter setup. That said, you’ll find it really easy to add in things like 3D model importing and “Chroma Key”– the green screen feature– with simple itemized purchases. This way, you get only the features you need when you need them. Hitfilm takes a bit of time to learn, but it’s more professional than most free offering available. “HitFilm Express gives you access to the most powerful free video-editor and VFX software on Earth and a community of 3.8 million filmmakers.” If you are just starting out and are interested in getting into more elaborate film projects I would try this free service out and see if its a fit for you.

Price: Free, with add-on features available for individual purchase.

VideoPad

At the low, low price of free, VideoPad has the same pay-as-you-need-it approach to features as Hitfilm. This software has the added bonus of being simpler to handle for beginners. Not to mention it’s also available on both Mac and Windows. However, more advanced users might actually like the options like Hitfilm if you want to get intricate with things like multi-cam editing. As a beginner, you’ll enjoy how easy it is to get going with your video creations. This is especially useful for those making less complicated productions like YouTube vlogs and such.

Price: Free for non-commercial users, starting at $60 commercially. (Currently, it’s discounted to $39.95 until the end of May 2018!)

Corel VideoStudio Ultimate 2019

Arriving at our first purchase-only option, Corel VideoStudio Ultimate 2019 has got a killer suite perfect for the beginner video producer. Window users will love how in-depth the toolset is, and will be even happier to know it’s easy to approach. In fact, the only drawback is that sometimes the features run a little too deep. If you’re up for a challenge, it can’t hurt to at least have access to these features while you’re exploring what you need. Additionally, if you want to go cheaper, most of the tools are contained in the Pro edition.

Price: $59.99 for Pro version, $89.99 for the Ultimate version

Choose what you need, get the rest later.

I’m sure you’re eager to get started editing your vacation films, creating video game playthroughs on YouTube, or finally getting your brand into video marketing. As some of the best video editors around for beginners, you’ll find most of what you need here. We at Blueforest Studios recommend you identify what tools you need and focus on creating great content. Remember, software can’t enhance a lackluster video. Do a bit of research before you begin video editing, and if you ever have any questions, we’ve got your back. If you found this blog helpful and decided to use one of the software leave a comment below!