The development of affordable smartphones, GoPros (and cheaper competitors), and other compact, high-quality cameras has made recording video on the go easier than ever. But how can you turn all that material into good (or at least watchable) clips? It still takes some effort, but it’s a lot less than it was previously.
As video capture has become more common, so has the variety of high-quality apps for editing and publishing it. Whether you’re a professional YouTuber, merely capture casual film of your kids, or somewhere in between, there’s a free or low-cost app out there that allows you to quickly and inexpensively generate high-quality videos on your phone. Right now, these are the finest video editing applications for iOS and Android.
Best for Getting Started: Quik
Quik (iOS/Android) is an excellent alternative if you’re just getting started and want to start editing videos right away. This GoPro app is for folks who are new to photography or who are in a rush. You can begin editing as soon as you install the app; there is no need to register.
Quik offers over two dozen themes, the majority of which are rather decent, to instantly enhance your videos with a few taps. The “Radical” theme, for example, adds geometric design to your video transitions, whereas the “Light” theme experiments with various lighting effects.
You may use the editing tool to reorganise, trim, and rotate video segments, as well as add text overlays to customise the content. You can choose the music for your artwork and when it begins. Videos can be saved in either 720p or HD when you’re ready to publish them (1080p).
Quik may be used to edit any footage you’ve created, independent of its source, despite the fact that it’s a GoPro product. As a consequence, it’s a fantastic way to quickly put together an acceptable video without having any prior editing skills.
iOS and Android, free trial for 7 days, then $4.99-$34.99/month
Best for Automation: Magisto
The most famous achievement of Magisto is the introduction of artificial intelligence to the video-editing process. So, what exactly does this imply? Simply said, the software analyses your video footage and recommends various modifications based on its findings.
The A.I. generates these enhancements automatically, so you can relax and let the software do its job. Video stabilisation, a wide range of filters and effects, automatic cropping, and facial recognition that the app tracks over time are among the enhancements. You may also choose from a variety of editing styles to construct your final movie, as well as a bank of stock content to utilise in your videos.
Magisto does not have a free version, but it does provide a week-long trial period before you have to pay for the service. To get access to the trial, you’ll need to establish an account and provide your credit card information.
iOS and Android, free trial for 7 days, then $4.99-$34.99/month
Best from a Major Company: Adobe Premiere Rush
For many experts, Adobe Premiere is the king of video editing, but what if you’re just getting started and don’t want to pay the expensive subscription fee? There’s good news: there’s a free version called Adobe Premiere Rush that you can utilise. The software allows you to use some of the Adobe Creative Suite’s features without paying the full price.
After installing the app, you’ll need to check in using an Adobe ID (or create one if necessary), but after that, you’re ready to go. You can use any video from your phone or import a video from your camera. If you capture your footage with the app, however, you’ll have access to a “Pro” shooting option that allows you more control over white balance, frame rate, and ISO.
All of the standard capabilities are available, including splitting, splicing, and trimming film, as well as transitions, titles, voiceovers, and more. Color presets are offered for rapid alterations, as well as manual colour settings for more in-depth adjustments. You can use your own or stock music in your project, and there are some handy features like automatic sound levelling and music volume decrease during speech.
Projects are linked automatically to your Adobe Creative Cloud account, which includes 100GB of cloud storage. There is a free trial that gives you access to all of the features for as long as you want it, but it only allows you to export three films.
It’s an excellent approach to determine whether Premiere Rush is the perfect tool for you. Free trial, then $4.99/month for phone-only, $9.99/month for full subscription; iOS, Android, and desktop; free trial, then $4.99/month for phone-only, $9.99/month for full subscription
Best for Social Media: InShot
Check out InShot if you want to make videos that are optimised for social networking. The programme is especially useful for making Instagram videos, with the canvas tool allowing you to effortlessly crop to a square format. For other systems, different aspect ratios are also available.
You may use the trimming tool to chop, trim, and split videos, as well as merge numerous clips into one. It’s simple to add filters, music, memes, and stickers, as well as zoom in and out of existing film and speed up or slow down the playback.
The ad-supported free edition has all of the features, but the final video has a watermark. You can pay separately to get it removed, or subscribe to the Pro version for monthly or annual access to additional effects and filters. Free with a watermark for iOS and Android, with in-app purchases.
Best for Advanced Features: KineMaster
Kinemaster does have a free, bare-bones version, but it’s nothing to write home about. When you subscribe to Premium, though, it really comes into its own. This unlocks a full-featured mobile video editor with advanced capabilities like adding unlimited text, pictures, and up to ten video layers all at once. With the ability to play eight or more tracks at once, the audio capabilities are equally advanced.
Blending, speed control, and even green screen support are all available. An “immediate preview” is a really cool feature. Instead of switching back and forth continuously, you can view your films as you edit them. While KineMaster’s features aren’t required for casual video editing, they’re great for more sophisticated users who want to take their mobile video to the next level.
Best for Stock Content: WeVideo
The video editing tool from WeVideo comes in five different flavours, so you can pick the one that best suits your needs. The limited free version allows you to perform basic functions such as cutting and voiceovers, as well as access to a tiny stock audio library. You’ll gradually acquire access to more features as you progress through the various priced editions.
The “essentials” library, which comes with the professional ($17.99/month) and business ($29.99/month) plans, is one of the most intriguing and valuable. This collection, which is built right into the editing process, provides access to over a million licenced and non-licensed photos, video clips, and music recordings. There are no restrictions on how much of this stock content can be used in videos.
Of course, you can always go online and look for license-free stuff to use in your videos, but having it all in one place saves a lot of time for people who want to generate high-quality videos quickly on the go. iOS and Android, with plans ranging from free to $29.99 a month.
Best for Android (Free): FilmoraGo
For a wide spectrum of users, the free FilmoraGo app for Android is an excellent free video-editing alternative. Playing video in reverse, slowing or speeding it up, and adding transitions, text, and titles are just a few of the features that are intuitive and simple to use. You may add voiceover dialogue, import music, and simply modify the volume levels between the two when it comes to sound.
There are several appealing filters and other visual features, and you may export in different aspect ratios according on which platform you’re uploading to, just as InShot (above). While the free edition of FilmoraGo does not include a watermark, it does include short advertising content at the end of the film. You can spend a few dollars to have the promo footage removed, or you can utilise additional filters and transitions.
Best for 4K Video: PowerDirector
PowerDirector is a rich and powerful editing suite for Android. The app’s drag-and-drop timeline interface makes even long footage easy to edit, with features like video stabilisation and slow-motion. The editor allows you to easily add visual and audio effects, as well as a variety of transitions. Trimming, cropping, and colour editing are all available, as are more complex functions like chroma key support for blue and green screens and the production of video collages.
You may also upload videos to YouTube and Facebook in any resolution up to 4K, however the free version is limited to 720p. Premium subscriptions are available on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. Watermarks and advertising are also removed, as well as additional transitions and filters.
Best for iOS: Lumafusion
Finally, LumaFusion is an iOS-only software that deserves to be included in this list. For professional filmmakers (or anyone else who just likes super-nice footage!) this programme delivers a robust video editing platform that is well worth the money. LumaFusion includes many video and audio layers, a variety of effects, slow and rapid motion (forward and reverse), colour correction, and advanced capabilities such as chroma key filters and limitless keyframes.
There’s a live audio track mixer, as well as high-end features like automatic audio ducking for interviews, stereo mixing for dual microphone recordings, and more in the audio department. You can export to a variety of platforms in the correct aspect ratio, at a variety of frame rates and resolutions, including 4K, automatically.
Inside the app, there are many more features to discover, as well as a thorough series of lessons to explain them all! Lumafusion is hard to beat if you’re looking for one of the most professional, polished iOS video editing apps and don’t mind paying for it.
$29.99 for iOS.