--- title: Best Video Editing Software canonical: https://saasranked.com/best/video-editing-software/ facts_checked: 2026-10-08 --- # Best Video Editing Software Cut, grade and export videos on a Windows PC, from a quick social clip to a long project. 12 video editors ranked by points out of 100 from 19 published rules. Method: https://saasranked.com/best/video-editing-software/how-we-score/ | # | Product | Points | Systems | Price and licence | Output | Editing tools | Cheapest paid plan | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | [DaVinci Resolve](https://saasranked.com/software/davinci-resolve.md) | 87 | 6/10 | 21/30 | 16/16 | 44/44 | $8.19/mo | | 2 | [Shotcut](https://saasranked.com/software/shotcut.md) | 79 | 4/10 | 24/30 | 16/16 | 35/44 | $0 | | 3 | [Wondershare Filmora](https://saasranked.com/software/filmora.md) | 75 | 6/10 | 16/30 | 16/16 | 37/44 | $2.22/mo | | 4 | [Kdenlive](https://saasranked.com/software/kdenlive.md) | 73 | 4/10 | 24/30 | 8/16 | 37/44 | $0 | | 5 | [CyberLink PowerDirector](https://saasranked.com/software/cyberlink-powerdirector.md) | 66 | 6/10 | 24/30 | 13/16 | 23/44 | $3.89/mo | | 6 | [VEGAS Pro](https://saasranked.com/software/vegas-pro.md) | 62 | 0/10 | 13/30 | 16/16 | 33/44 | $6.11/mo | | 7 | [OpenShot Video Editor](https://saasranked.com/software/openshot.md) | 57 | 4/10 | 24/30 | 7/16 | 22/44 | $0 | | 8 | [Corel VideoStudio](https://saasranked.com/software/corel-videostudio.md) | 56 | 0/10 | 16/30 | 9/16 | 31/44 | $2.22/mo | | 9 | [Movavi Video Editor](https://saasranked.com/software/movavi-video-editor.md) | 42 | 6/10 | 6/30 | 9/16 | 21/44 | Not published | | 10 | [CapCut](https://saasranked.com/software/capcut.md) | 36 | 8/10 | 8/30 | 7/16 | 13/44 | Not published | | 11 | [Adobe Premiere Pro](https://saasranked.com/software/adobe-premiere-pro.md) | 34 | 6/10 | 0/30 | 0/16 | 28/44 | Not published | | 12 | [Adobe Premiere Elements](https://saasranked.com/software/adobe-premiere-elements.md) | 16 | 2/10 | 10/30 | 0/16 | 4/44 | $2.78/mo | ## 1. DaVinci Resolve Best for: People who want one editor for cutting, colour grading and sound without a subscription. DaVinci Resolve suits people who want editing, colour grading, effects and audio in one editor and prefer to pay once. The free version covers Ultra HD, multicam and proxy editing, and Studio adds noise reduction and AI tracking for $295. The catch: the vendor's pages do not say how long a $295 licence receives updates, and the apps are not listed as open source. ## 2. Shotcut Best for: People who want a free editor with no paid tier. Shotcut suits anyone who wants an editor at no cost, on any desktop system. It lists scopes, tracking, proxies, chroma key and plug-ins, and its code is public. The catch: the features page names no multicam tool and no shared projects, and its VST and OpenFX support is marked work in progress. ## 3. Wondershare Filmora Best for: Home creators who want a one-time purchase with colour scopes, proxies and plug-in support. Filmora suits home editors who want a one-time licence and a long feature list: scopes, proxies, multicam, tracking and OpenFX plug-ins are all documented. The free version adds a Filmora watermark to exports. The Perpetual licence stops at Filmora 16 updates and is tied to one operating system. ## 4. Kdenlive Best for: People who want free multicam and proxy editing on Windows, macOS or Linux. Kdenlive suits people who want a free editor with multicam and proxies. Its code is public under GPL-3.0. The catch: GPU render presets are labelled experimental, the docs list no general stabilisation effect, and an audit found a serious flaw in project-file handling, fixed in 26.04.1. ## 5. CyberLink PowerDirector Best for: Home editors who want multicam, tracking and HDR export without a subscription. PowerDirector suits home editors who want a one-time licence with multicam, motion tracking, chroma key and HDR export. The free Essential edition has no time limit, but its export limits are not itemised. The one-time licence gets no regular updates, and the vendor's pages do not list proxy editing, colour scopes or plug-in support. ## 6. VEGAS Pro Best for: Windows editors who want a one-time licence and many built-in tools. VEGAS Pro suits Windows editors who prefer to pay once. The one-time price of $219.95 works out well below the monthly subscription over three years. It covers multicam, scopes, tracking, plug-ins and speech-to-text. The catch: it runs on Windows 11 only, and the vendor's pages do not mention proxy editing or shared projects. ## 7. OpenShot Video Editor Best for: People who want a free editor with no watermark and no project limits. OpenShot suits people who want a no-cost editor with open-source code. Its effects list includes chroma key, tracker and stabilizer, and scopes are built in. It offers 4K and 8K export profiles. The catch: GPU acceleration is labelled experimental, and the guide pages mention no multicam, plug-in support, or 10-bit and HDR. ## 8. Corel VideoStudio Best for: Windows users who want a one-time purchase with multicam and tracking tools. VideoStudio suits Windows users who prefer paying once and want multicam, motion tracking and speech-to-text in a consumer editor. Pro lists at $79.99. The catch: there is no free version, only a 30-day trial, and the vendor's pages list no Mac or web editor and no 10-bit or HDR support. ## 9. Movavi Video Editor Best for: Beginners who want AI helpers such as automatic subtitles and a lifetime option. Movavi suits beginners who want one-click AI tools, such as automatic subtitles, audio noise removal, motion tracking and a stabilizer, on Windows or Mac. It exports 4K. The catch: the free version adds a watermark and a length cap, the pages show no colour scopes, multicam or plug-in support, and the page shows the monthly price after the trial at $44.95. ## 10. CapCut Best for: People who edit short social videos and want a free desktop editor. CapCut suits people making short videos who want a free desktop editor with captions, motion tracking and chroma key. A CapCut page says its desktop background removal exports without a watermark. The catch: CapCut's help pages show no Pro price, so the cost of the paid tier is unknown until you sign in, and PC membership features need Pro. ## 11. Adobe Premiere Pro Best for: Editors who want a subscription editor that works with team projects and Adobe's other apps. Premiere Pro suits editors who accept a subscription in return for multicam editing, Speech to Text and shared Team Projects. The first-year price is US$22.99 a month for new subscribers, and the page does not state the price after that. The catch: there is no one-time licence or free desktop version, and the US government's billing case against Adobe settled in 2026. ## 12. Adobe Premiere Elements Best for: Beginners who want guided edits and templates without a subscription. Premiere Elements suits beginners who want guided edits and templates for a flat $99.99. It is not a keep-forever licence: the app stops opening after 3 years. It also needs a recent PC, Windows 11 24H2 or later on an Intel 9th Gen or newer processor, or an AMD equivalent.