There are many factors that go into creating the perfect marketing video. An engaging script, polished camera work, strategies on SEO copywriting services, and seasoned direction are all important elements. But it’s when you begin editing that they all come together to form a coherent message. 

Editing begins once you’ve finished filming your video and chosen the best shots to use. It’s during this stage that you can enhance the different aspects of your footage. Some ways to do so are by adding transition effects between shots or inserting background music. You can also include text or certain animations to make it more engaging for your viewers.

You can achieve these and more by using video creation software. There’s a massive selection of programs available that help businesses produce stunning videos. Some are designed to assist beginners and intermediate creators. Others cater to experienced professionals who have the knowledge to use more advanced tools. 

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the best video creation software available and discussed their unique features to help you decide what’s best for your business. 

What You Need to Consider First 

With so many choices available, you want to make sure you choose the right software to invest in. They’re all equipped with powerful features and tools to help improve your videos, but there are other factors you should consider to make sure you get your money’s worth. 

To help inform your decision, answer these four questions:  

• What is your budget? 

The first thing you should figure out is how much you’re willing to pay for video software. 

There are free programs available, but these have certain performance limitations. On the other hand, some higher-end alternatives, which have better features, can end up costing you plenty of coins. 

Knowing the type of video you want to create and the editing capabilities you need to achieve it is a major element to setting a budget.

As a small business, it’s important to be mindful of your budget in the long term. There are applications that require annual payments while others can be used for life with only a single subscription. You want to put your money into something that’ll benefit your business in the years to come.

• What is your (or your team’s) video creation skill level? 

If you’re new to creating videos, you’re much better off with a simple program that you can learn easily. The last thing you want is to buy video software then spend months learning how to edit your first video. This is impractical and could delay your brand’s marketing initiatives. 

If you’re an experienced editor, however, choosing a low-end application may not meet your expectations. 

You need a realistic understanding of your video editing skill level so you don’t buy a program that’s too complex – or simple – that it fails to produce the quality you want.  

• How often will you use the software? 

According to Wyzowl, 85% of businesses use video as a marketing tool to promote their brand. 

If you know you’ll be busy making videos for many years to come, you should select a sustainable editing system for your business. If you’re only going to be creating one video, it’s pointless paying $100 (or even more), especially if there are free alternatives available. It’s important to plan your marketing initiatives in advance to identify the tools you’ll need to achieve them. 

• How much time can you attribute to filming and editing videos? 

Your choice of a video editor should also depend on how much time you can put into learning how to use it. You should be working with video software that provides you with complete functions for a fast workflow. If not, you risk missing important deadlines because you’re too busy figuring out something way too complicated.

Available video creation software

Below are six popular video creation software available for businesses. Each has its own set of features for different situations. After reviewing each program, you’ll gain the knowledge to decide what’s best for you. 

Video creation software for beginners 

Beginner-friendly software will allow you to learn fast – especially if you’re just about to commence video marketing for your brand. These programs offer ease of use with all the necessary features to put together a good video. They are also free or come with free trials, which gives you a chance to test your hand at it with zero cost. 

OpenShot

OpenShot is a great choice for small businesses. It’s completely free to use and supports all operating systems. Its uncluttered interface is a great help for beginners who just want to put their footage together. You can simply drag and drop video clips into the timeline and edit frames with its resize, scale, trim, snap, and rotate features. OpenShot also has basic support for audio editing. 

Pros 

• Completely free
• Supports multiple video and audio formats 

Cons 

• Limited video effects
• Frequent lagging reported by users

Shotcut

Shotcut was originally designed for Linux, so Windows and Mac users may have difficulty with its interface. Despite this, it’s a decent video editing software that users can download for free on all operating systems.

Shotcut supports a wide range of video formats, provides its own built-in filters to beautify clips, and has effects for smoother transitions. What sets Shotcut apart is its extensive audio editing options, which is great for videos that use background music or voiceovers. 

Pros

• Wide support format 
• Extensive audio features

Cons 

• No option to export to social media platforms
• Lacks editing transitions and effects

Filmora

Filmora has a broad range of video editing features ideal for social media content. Users can explore it with its free trial version for 30 days. 

Filmora sports an interface with four editing modes: Action Cam, Full Feature, Instant Cutter, and Easy Mode. It’s a fully capable program that can produce quality videos for users with varied skill sets. 

It also has support for animated text, a vast music library with free tracks to use, and the ability to create GIFs – some capabilities that other tools don’t have. 

Pros

• Very affordable software for social media content creators  
• More than 300+ effects and filters are available 

Cons

• It may be challenging to use for beginners 
• Still lacks some advanced video editing tools that professionals use

Advanced video creation software

The following list features upper-tier programs available at certain costs. If you’re committed to learning the ins and outs of these applications, or if you have a fully capable team that can maximise their features, these are certainly worth the investment. 

Lightworks

Price: $437.99 for Outright License 

Lightworks has a free version and offers different Pro subscription plans. Its Outright License, which has no expiry, offers the most features and greater export flexibility. 

Its professional features require a high level of technical knowledge, but Lightworks has an intuitive interface that beginners can easily navigate. It makes use of Blackmagic Fusion, a post-production image composition software for creating visual effects typically used in TV and movies. 

Pros

• Fast, full-featured video editing with real-time effects
• Extensive support for video formats

Cons 

• Requires a higher level of technical knowledge 
• Free version exports are limited to 720p
  

Final Cut Pro X

Price: $299.99

Final Cut Pro X is Apple’s exclusive, professional-level video editing software. Its full features come at a one-time cost, and it can be used on up to 10 different Apple devices. It’s a great collaboration tool for video editors in film and television. 

Its innovative features include 360-degree footage and HDR, quality 3D effects, and multi-camera options. It also allows users to dabble in motion graphics and special effects. 

For first-time users, its non-threatening interface lets them experiment with its features. But for experienced video creators, it has the advanced capabilities to help achieve their vision in ways the entry-level iMovie cannot. 

Pros 

• Seamless video editing with high-quality exports 
• VR handling, motion graphics, and special effects 

Cons 

• Works exclusively on iOS 
• Suffers from compatibility and format issues

Adobe Premiere Pro

Price: $239.88 per year

Adobe Premiere Pro is considered the industry standard for creating and editing videos thanks to its powerful set of tools. As part of the Adobe Creative Cloud software collection, many users find it the best investment. It’s stable software that’s proven to produce quality results. 

Among its unique set of features include Virtual Reality (VR) support and multi-camera angle editing. It also provides templates for motion graphics. 

Premiere Pro makes use of the Lumetri Colour Tools, which offer a remarkable amount of colour manipulation for video footage.

Pros

• Clear, flexible interface
• Powerful editing capabilities 

Cons

• Slow rendering even on top systems 
• Requires high processing power because of its RAM consumption 

Certain elements will dictate the video creation software you should choose: Your budget, video requirements, and willingness to learn it all contribute to this decision. Each video software program we’ve discussed above comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Knowing this, you will be able to select the best program to achieve the videos you need to grow your business.