Looking for Video Editing Software? THIS is your thread!

This post covers the vast majority of "What software should I use?" questions. It’s designed as a self-serve guide to help people find the right tools fast.

TL;DR? DaVinci Resolve for full-featured editing, Olive/Kdenlive for open-source, Clipchamp for easy basics.

Isn’t there an AI that magically edits everything?

Not yet. If it existed, we'd scream about it from the rooftops.

Stick around—things are changing quickly.

Before You Ask Anything

You must know two things first:

1. Your Footage Type — Different codecs affect performance dramatically.
2. Your Hardware Specs — “Good gaming PC” is not useful.

Not Good With Computers? Here’s How to Check

Footage

Footage from phones, webcams, GoPros, and screen recordings can choke your system.

Check with: https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo

Common problems:

• Out-of-sync audio? Likely Variable Frame Rate.
• Bad playback? Usually a hardware limitation, not the editor. Use proxies.

More info in our wiki:

• Codecs/containers: https://www.reddit.com/r/VideoEditing/wiki/codecsandcontainers/
• VFR issues: https://www.reddit.com/r/VideoEditing/wiki/faq/vfr/
• Proxies: https://www.reddit.com/r/VideoEditing/wiki/faq/proxies/

Hardware

Minimum viable editing rig:

• Recent i7 CPU
• 16GB RAM
• A GPU with 4GB+ VRAM
• SSD for cache

Check system with: https://www.hwinfo.com/

We ONLY need: CPU model, RAM amount, GPU model + VRAM.

Recommendations

Full Power, Free Tools

DaVinci Resolve — 99% of the full program is free.

Easy but Limited

• Clipchamp — Microsoft's simple editor.
• VN Editor — Free, lightweight, watermark at end.

(CapCut now hides many features behind Pro.)

Professional Tools (obligatory mention)

• Premiere Pro — Industry standard; huge ecosystem, tons of tutorials, widely used across YouTube, corporate, and broadcast.
• Avid Media Composer — Dominant in film/TV pipelines; rock-solid for longform, multicam, and shared workflows.
• DaVinci Resolve Studio — $299 one-time; advanced color, better GPU performance, noise reduction, and the good AI tools.
• Final Cut Pro — Mac-only rocket ship; insanely fast on Apple Silicon, great for fast turnaround work.

Open Source - Totally free.

• Olive Editor — Clean UI.
• Kdenlive — Very capable, actively developed.
• ShotCut — Straightforward, good for beginners.
• OpenShot — Simple but can struggle with heavier projects.
• Avidemux — Old-school, powerful for specific tasks but not a great editor.

Special Effects

• Resolve Fusion — Node-based power.
• Cavalry — Motion-graphics oriented.

Editing in a Browser (Run Locally)

• Novella.io - new, free, pay for AI generative elements OR bring your own API keys. Very cool, if in early beta.
• VidMix — New, free, surprisingly powerful.
• PikaMov — Keyframe animation on the web.
• wide.video — Background removal, noise reduction, all done locally.
• PhotoPea — Web-based Photoshop replacement.

Web Based Editorial

• Clipchamp – from Microsoft; you’ll need an account.
• Canva/Adobe Express — Both mostly free… until you need AI features.

Compression & Utility Tools

• Shutter Encoder — The Swiss Army Knife. Transcode anything, handle HDR, upscaling, unwrap/rewrap, download media, prep proxies—if it touches video, this thing can probably do it.
• Lossless Cut — Quick trimming without re-encoding.
• Smart Media Cutter — Silence detection + XML export.
• FreeUpscaler — Cloud computing upscaler.

Mobile Editors

• Premiere Mobile — Surprisingly capable and tightly integrated with CC.
• VN Editor — Fast, friendly, cross-platform, zero learning curve.
• Instagram Edits — Simple but powerful for social workflows.
• iMovie — Beginner-friendly on iOS.
• LumaFusion — The pro option for tablets/phones.
• KineMaster — Feature-heavy on Android.

Screen Recording

• OBS — The free standard. Record in MKV, then rewrap to MP4.
• viewio — Free screen recorder, Mac only, that is like screen studio (auto zoom + webcam).
• openscreen — Free screen recorder, Crossplatform only, that is like screen studio (auto zoom + webcam).

Animated Captions

• Wide Video in browser.
• itscaps - local tool https://github.com/francozanardi/tscaps.

Updates (Dec 2025)

• CapCut/HitFilm are no longer recommended.
• Premiere Mobile and Clipchamp (web)

New Tools We’re Watching

• Whisper-GUI (Windows)
• MacWhisper (Mac)
• Offdocs — Openshot in the cloud

BEFORE YOU COMMENT

Begin with: "I read the above"

Then provide:

• CPU + Model
• RAM
• GPU + VRAM
• Footage details (camera/screen, codec, container, framerate)

Removed tools: CapCut (now Crapcut), HitFilm (dead). FFS this thread isn’t about arguing what to use, but rather for a novice to figure out what to use.

Looking for recs for best auto organizing tool for the video files by categories, scenes and people. Any good ones that you love?

Manual organizing kills the creativity and I dread it, which makes me pile up videos I am not publishing... Mac, solo channel. Is Peakto or Resolve Studio worth the money?

Why should I read this? 🤔

This is your monthly guide for hardware recommendations.

• We aim to make you self-reliant with enough info.
• We focus on finding answers rather than brand debates.
• 📑 Skim the TL;DR at the bottom if you're in a hurry.
• Understand your media type and editing software to get the best recommendation.
• Important components: 🔑 CPU, RAM, GPU.
• 💰 We don't cover sub-$1K laptops. Consider used models for budget-conscious choices.
• You're not going to see us recommend a tool at less than $1k.

Hardware 101 🛠️

For DIY enthusiasts, check r/buildapcvideoediting

General Guidelines 📝

• Desktops outperform laptops 💪
• Start with an i7 or better 🎯
• Minimum 16 GB RAM 💾
• Video card with 4+ GB VRam 🎥
• SSD of 512GB is a must 💽
• 🚫 Steer clear of ultralights/tablets.
• Want a Mac? Here's your guide
• nVidia has a great set of systems from different vendors that you can pick from (keeping in mind the above suggestions)

Sept 2025 addtion.

Not sure between two different CPUs or GPUs?

Puget Systems has a benchmark and we recommend you use this to compare processors or GPUs.

It's a pretty even handed benchmark on performance.

We've linked to the Resolve one, but they also have ones for Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Adobe Photoshop.

Experiencing lag or system issues? 😓

🧐 Use Speecy to find out your system's specs.

⚠️ Footage Type Matters: Some footage may need workflow changes or proxies/transcoding.

Resources: - 📘 Why h264/5 is hard to edit - 📘 Proxy editing - 📘 Variable Frame Rate

What about my GPU?

In most cases, GPUs don't significantly impact codec decode/encode.

Specific Hardware Inquiry?

Links aren't enough. Please share: - CPU + Model - RAM - GPU + VRam - SSD size

📋 System specs for popular video editing software

Editing Details 🎬

Describing footage as "from my phone" isn't enough.

📊 Check your media type with Media Info

Monitor Queries 🖥️?

• Type: OLED > IPS > LED
• Size: Around 32" UHD is recommended.
• Color: Aim for 100% sRGB coverage 🌈

Professional color grading? See /r/colorists.

Quick Summary/TLDR 🚀

1. Desktops > laptops for intensive editing 💪
2. Prioritize Intel i7, avoid ultralights 🎯
3. Use proxies if supported by your editing software 📹
4. Provide CPU, GPU, RAM, and SSD details for inquiries 🧐
5. Footage from action cams, mobiles, and screen recordings may need extra steps.

Ready to comment? Include the following IF YOU WANT answers 🤷

Copy-paste this:

🖥️ System I'm considering

• CPU + Model:
• RAM:
• GPU + VRam:
• SSD size:

📷 My Media:
Check with Media Info

📷 Software: Your intended software.

Im getting these weird frames when exporting footage from davinci resolve. Theyre frames that really do appear later in the video but that are just placed in the middle of other clips, all the while having this weird coloration of only yellow and red and missplaced color. Im really unsure how to fix it.

This is the Monthly thread for feedback.

If you post your video, you need to come back and review at least one other person's work!

Key thoughts - Keep it civil.

• Feedback is "This section isn't working because of this."
• Feedback is not: "This is shit."
• If something is terrible, just move on.
• The more specific/suggestions the better.

Don't give a laundry list. Pick the 1-2 things that are the biggest issues and then comment.

Spoiler worth reading: *we expect you to* review TWO other videos - and edit your comment to *include those* after you've commented.

**Copy/paste this section**:

• , Link: (don't forget the running time)
• Two other videos I reviewed (link to the other ,comments NOT the video itself)

I have a copy of Adventures in Dinosaur city that is an old DVD rip I made but i dont have the DVD anymore so im unable to rip it again, first DVD i ripped. Although this image is sourced from Google it shows how my video appears, granted the image is not great quality itself.

I'm looking for tips on editing it, fixing colors, enhancing image quality Altogether.

Any insight would be great.

Thanks.

Turn a static photograph into a cinematic documentary shot using Adobe After Effects.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create smooth camera movement, isolate and highlight a subject, darken the background, and build a polished documentary-style composition.

Composer here. Free pack of 20 tracks across nine genres — useful for intros, transitions and background beds.

Uncompressed WAV plus OGG, free for commercial and personal projects, no attribution required, no signup.

https://andrewsitkov.itch.io/free-music-starter-pack-for-games-video-streams

All music hand-composed in a DAW.

Need help identifying an effect.

Clip: https://x.com/heisremanewss/status/2090852210858938372

It's the Rema "TEA" video. On the "TEA TEA TEA" hits, the people stay in the same spot but vibrate/jitter like the footage is glitching or skipping. Not a big camera shake. Not a full RGB glitch wipe. They buzz in place, like bad playback.

I want that exact look.

I do not care which app. After Effects, Premiere, Resolve, Alight Motion, CapCut, whatever.

What is this actually called, and what is the simplest way to do it?

Software I can use: - CapCut - Alight motion - or anyone that’s recommended

I'm exporting my short film at ProRes 422 at mix bit depth and max render quality, and I still get bad banding in the shadows when I upload to youtube, even at 4k. Is there any way to avoid this or is just the inevitable result of compression?

I don't know who made the video, or where it comes from, I just have it on my computer. I was wondering what the effect on the first 3 seconds is, with the slight 3D thing and being all wobbly. I don't know what it's called but if there's a name for it someone could tell me that would be super great. I've seen the same effect used in other places before.

I am looking for video editor. $50/hr will get paid. If anyone interested please let me know.

Hey,

I’m trying to figure out the best way to achieve this kind of old film/cinematic look regardless of the camera I’m using.

Music video example

I record my DJ sets and I do have an Osmo Pocket 3 that can shoot in log, but I also use phones and other cameras that don’t have log profiles. I’m fully aware that the reference video is professionally shot, with proper cameras, lighting, planning and grading to make it look the way it does, so I’m not expecting to replicate it perfectly. What I’m looking for is more like an Instagram filter that you can apply to almost any video and still get a similar overall vibe. I don’t need an extremely professional result, I’d just like my content to have a consistent visual style across different cameras. I have both DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro, so I’m happy to use either one.

Does anyone know a good tutorial, workflow, grading technique or general approach to get as close as possible?

Thanks

Hey guys, I could really use some creative/artistic ideas.

I made an interactive website as an artwork for a competition. It’s about air pollution, and the whole point is that you’re supposed to experience it by playing through the website, clicking things, moving through different sections, hearing sounds, triggering interactions, etc. The interaction is basically part of the artwork.

I just found out that the submission platform doesn’t allow URLs. They do accept MP4s.

My first thought was just to screen-record myself going through the whole thing, but honestly it feels incredibly boring compared to actually experiencing it yourself. I tried recording a full playthrough and it also ended up being around 8 minutes, which is way too long for the submission.

So now I’m wondering: how would you translate an interactive artwork into a short video without making it feel like a website demo?

I want the MP4 itself to feel artistic and emotional, almost like its own experience, while still making the judges understand what it feels like to interact with the original piece.

Would you make it like a trailer? A very fast edited journey through the experience? Show the cursor/interactions? Mix screen recordings with close-ups/text/sound design? Build some kind of narrative around a person experiencing it?

Basically: if you had 1–3 minutes to make judges feel an interactive artwork about air pollution rather than just watch documentation of it, what would you do?

Would love any weird / experimental ideas too. I really don’t want to submit a boring screen recording 😭

Hello,

I'm currently working on a project with some video content but mostly photos that need to be showcased but I obviously want to make it as dynamic as possible and not looking like it's a windows movie maker slideshow lol. I've worked on some videos with after effects and premiere and I'm still a begginer I guess.

Any tips that can help me?

I'm a beginner gaming editor using DaVinci Resolve i have 3 months of experience and I'm currently trying to improve my hooks and sound design.

I don't use music in my edits, so I'm trying to learn how to make hooks feel energetic and engaging using things like:

Impacts

Whooshes

UI/notification sounds

Risers

Layering multiple short SFX together

My biggest problem isn't finding SFX anymore. It's knowing what sound to use, when to use it, and how to layer sounds without making the hook feel noisy or over-edited.

For example, when a creator says something important in a hook, how do you decide whether that moment needs an impact, whoosh, subtle ambience, a small UI sound, etc.?

And how do you make a hook feel energetic purely through sound design, pacing, and visuals without relying on music?

I'd especially like advice from editors who are experienced with gaming/YouTube editing. How did you develop that instinct for knowing what SFX a moment needs?

I am working on a satirical, dark-comedy skit where I'm acting as a streamer, and I need a way to be able to greenscreen a faced-paced Twitch chat onto my screen.

Where can I find a 60 second loop of a streamer's Twitch chat I can use? Also, how do I then turn it into a greenscreen that I can overlay on my video and make it appear as if I'm the streamer?

Sorry if it's a little weird

Thanks

Heyo! First time poster, I've been into video creation for the last 9 years, and after some tinkering I got my original copy of Vegas Pro 14 working on my Windows 11 machine. (Yes, it's real, bought it a while ago)

I spent the last few days just doing all the things such as masking/3d panning/video and audio FX that I remember doing, and made a little edit showcasing all the techniques I used to create.

However, something I often did and still do, is just stare at my edit for a while and enjoy it. Like, I will leave it on endless repeat just to sulk in my accomplishment. I don't get much kick for what I do, since I edit videos for a niche hobby (Old DVD games) so I tend to motivate myself on my own.

Anybody else do that? Just enjoy and sulk in what they've created?

Seeking + hiring a second video editor. Hello! My name is Nick. I run a flourishing video production company- our short films, documentaries, & client work have won awards across the board in East coast film festivals. I also create ALOT of personal content! My editor is swamped! He also has personal work of his own. So here I am!

About the position:
You will receive commission request folders on google drive withholding a commission request document + notes & footage folders.

Rates are agreed upon by project or by editors usually payment preference. (20-40/hr depending on project) Always willing to negotiate upon request.

Editors should be comfortable working on a wide variety of professional projects from social media content, to full blown commercials.

If you are seeking to join the editors union. This is a great place to find meaningful work.

If you are interested please send an email to 3jents@gmail.com with a link to your website or portfolio.
3 Jokers Entertainment

i am already pretty good in after effects, i already use plugins like Continuum and Sapphire, i have messed with a ton of effects but i couldn't find the exact way to create such a blobby cool effect. here is the key point in the video: https://youtu.be/6ONRf7h3Mdk?t=170&is=78ugXYBVGzGcjW4O

the closest match was with S_Trails and S_Shine and a ton (about 20) stacked on top of themselves

I used to auto-cut every breath and filler on YouTube vlogs. The retention graph looked busy, but people said a 12-minute video felt like a TikTok.

I've been leaving some air in and only cutting the true dead spots. Feels more like a person talking.

Anyone else pulling back from aggressive silence detection on long-form, or is tight-cut still winning for you?

I've been editing for around 3 months using DaVinci Resolve (free version). I've mainly been learning gaming/long-form editing and have done some real client work, including one paid gig.

I've recently realized that while I can handle the basics of editing, cuts, pacing, basic zooms, subtitles, and sound design, I still struggle with the creative side of editing. I'll watch a good edit and see the editor add something that perfectly fits the moment, but I often don't know what I should add or when.

These are the main things I'm currently trying to improve:

1. Overall improvement: What skills would you prioritize most for someone at my level?

2. Hooks: How did you learn to make genuinely engaging hooks? Is studying and recreating good hooks the best way?

3. Sound design: How did you build your SFX library and, more importantly, learn which sounds actually fit different moments? I'm especially interested in the more unique/layered SFX you hear in polished edits.

4. Subtitles: How do you keep subtitles visually interesting after their initial animation finishes without constantly over-animating them?

5. Editing decisions: How did you learn when to use things like zooms, zoom-outs, camera shakes, memes, funny/awkward SFX, etc., especially in gaming videos?

6. Expectations: What would you realistically expect from someone after around 4 months of consistent editing?

I'd especially appreciate advice from editors who remember the stage where they knew the software basics but hadn't developed strong creative instincts yet. What helped you make that jump?

There are a couple of tools blacklisted here in r/videoediting, and CapCut is now falling into that category.

We've seen the progressive move of valuable features like captioning behind their paywall. Licensing issues. Buggy software. Slim to zero support.

r/VideoEditing is meant to be a resource for people playing in the editing pool, not a substitute for support.

Is VFR an issue (sync, lag, dropped frames)? Yes, it is, for every editorial tool. It's the #1 issue on this subreddit.

But this behavior is different.

It's "hook a user," analyze their usage pattern, and if possible, move that feature behind a paywall.

Captioning in general, and audio-to-text on screen, costs pennies per month.

Not dollars. Not $30 a month.

We're seeing a major uptick in CapCut complaints and frustrations. Right now our software thread has two tools that are 100% local/browser based and can do some of these features for free.

What prompted this post:

About 20 months ago, they made an offer of a locked-in rate. I took it.

Three or four months later, they canceled my subscription just to prevent me from having that locked-in rate. This is bait-and-switch behavior from a company that barely even has a modicum of tech support.

And each time I did a round of discussion/pushback clarification it was like a brand new support incident with a brand new person.

Now, I could give you a really strong argument that Zoom falls into that, or Amazon, or Walmart. Getting to an actual human being with any continuity of support is almost nil.

I gave up on Capcut license support about this in February (after a year of fighting it.)

But yesterday, out of nowhere, I got a response from six months ago.

Additionally pain points (about 2 minutes of research):

• Cloud material grants them a worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free, sublicensable license. Yeah, your face.
• If a user includes a trending sound or template that results in a copyright lawsuit, CapCut's terms dictate that the individual creator is legally and financially responsible.
• Basic tools, transitions, and export options are increasingly hidden behind the CapCut Pro paywall.

To be clear: this is not a thread to endorse other software (we have a monthly software thread for alternatives), and this is still a place that does not condone piracy.

I'm specifically looking to see how the community feels about the trend of capcuts behavior and horror stories. Yes, it's designed to attract a certain level of AIO/SEO attention.