The popularity of video content has skyrocketed in the second decade of the 21st century, as smartphones, action, digital and DSLR cameras became largely available. Consequently, the number of video editing software products that allow its users to manipulate the footage they recorded has also increased.
However, the best and most affordable video editing apps for Mac computers in 2020 are by no means new on the market. In fact, the New Year didn’t bring any changes to the world of movie editing, as all of the video editors for Mac, we featured in this article already have a cult status among video content creators. So let’s take a look at some of the best and least expensive movie editors of Mac computers in 2020.
Best Free & Cheap Video Editors for Mac Computers
Some of the best full-feature movies created since the turn of the century were edited on Mac computers. Hence it is no wonder that there are so many options available, although there are only a handful of video editor products that can be used for free.
The vast majority of them have freemium versions that grant you access to a limited range of video editing tools. The complexity of video editing actions you would like to perform is the best way to determine if the freemium version of a video editing app is good enough for you or if you need to purchase the license in order to gain access to all of the options software has to offer. Here are some of the best video editing apps for Mac, most of them are free.
1. iMovie
Price: Free
Those of you who have been using Mac computers for years, don’t really need a special introduction to iMovie, as this video editing app has been available for years. Opting to install iMovie on your computer is a good choice if you are looking for a video editor that allows you to perform basic video editing tasks with ease.
Besides the standard set of video editing tools, iMovie also features a rich collection of visual effects and a number of templates you can use to create professional-looking templates. The app also grants you access to more than 80 smart soundtracks that adjust to the length of your video automatically.
Pros
- Offers support for 4K footage
- Rich audio and video effect libraries
- Intuitive interface
- Powerful social sharing capabilities
Cons
- Ill-suited for advanced video editing tasks
- Supports only a limited range of video file formats
2. Filmora9
Price: Free, pricing options start at $44.99 per year
You don’t have to be a seasoned video editing professional in order to create social media videos with Filmora9. What’s more, the Filmora9 video editing app is powerful enough to enable you to create a video of any length you desire.
The support for a broad range of file formats, advanced color correction tools or hundreds of available video and audio effects are only a few reasons why Filmora9 is one of the best video editors for Mac in 2020. Furthermore, you can export all your projects to your YouTube or Vimeo channels directly from Filmora9 which can save you a lot of time on uploading your content to video hosting platforms.
Pros
- Equipped with image stabilization options
- Offers hundreds of visual effects and image overlays
- Excellent audio mixing capabilities
- Supports a broad range of output video file formats
Cons
- All videos exported from the free version of Filmora9 are watermarked
- Doesn’t support 8K videos
3. DaVinci Resolve
Price: Free, $299.00
The first version of DaVinci Resolve was released in 2004, and since that time this cross-platform video editing software has established itself as one of the industry leaders. Professional filmmakers, as well as enthusiasts, use this video editor to edit their footage because it grants them complete creative freedom.
It is hard to think of a video editing task you cannot complete in DaVinci Resolve, but most professionals use the software for color correction purposes. The app’s audio editing capabilities are equally impressive and you can use them to create soundtracks for your projects effortlessly. However, you should keep in mind that the free version of this video editor offers only a limited set of video editing tools.
Pros
- Professional color correction features
- Support for 3D video editing
- Enables users to create masks easily
- Offers over 500 free foley sounds
Cons
- Aimed only at professional users
- You must upgrade to the paid version of the app if you want to gain access to all of its features
- Has a high requirement about the hardware
4. Canva
With social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Titkok flourishing and becoming a good source of income, almost everyone is determined to create an impressive and captivating vlog, story, or reel to present anything they can think of.
Canva’s Video Editor is the right tool that can be used by anyone who might have an academic presentation, a product or brand to promote, an experience to share, or just has a passion for editing videos.
Pros
- Easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor
- Collaborative – can work on video with teammates on the cloud
- Cross-device
- Library with thousands of royalty-free video and music tracks
- Massive template library (make video for social platforms, industries and topics)
- Cost: Available for free without watermarks (but pro version available)
- Extensive Animations, Photos, Transitions, Graphics, Animated Graphics library
- Shoot, upload, edit and publish video straight from the Canva mobile app
- Mobile-ready video sizes for TikTok, Instagram and more
- Shoot, upload, edit and publish video straight from the Canva mobile app
- Mobile-ready video sizes for TikTok, Instagram and more
Cons
- No auto subtitles (yet)
- Resizing video is not free
- SFX not free
5. Flexclip
Price: Free, pricing plans start at $4.99 per month
FlexClip is a drag & drop online video editor designed to create videos in minutes. It contains stunning video templates that users can select, whether used for commercial purposes or a home clip. It also provides you with various features such as importing images, video, sound files, text, and even logo to customize your video.
Pros
- Support all the popular formats, such as MOV, WEBM, M4V, MP4, AAC, FLAC, M4A, MP3, etc.
- Option to capture your screen and record voice-over.
- High quality video creation, including 480p, 720p and 1080p.
- No download and skill are needed.
- Provide some useful tools like:Free Video Converter, Free Video Trimmer,Free Video Compressor, Free Screen Recorder, Slideshow Maker.
Cons
- You can’t use it without a network.
- Video length is limited to 1 min for the free plan.
6. OpenShot
Price: Free
Trimming, cutting or cropping a video clip in OpenShot is a quick and easy process that anyone can perform regardless of their level of experience. This cross-platform video editor lets you add as many new audio and video tracks to the timeline as you want which makes it a perfect choice for video content creators who don’t want to spend a lot of money on video editing apps for their Macs.
OpenShot also enables you to animate keyframes, add transitions between two shots or apply visual and audio effects to your footage. Exporting videos directly to video hosting sites isn’t on this list of options this video editing app provides.
Pros
- The app’s interface doesn’t take long to get used to
- The intensity of all visual and audio effects can be controlled with keyframes
- Features a variety of presets that allow you to change a video’s playback speed
- Offers 3D animation tools
Cons
- Crashes easily when processing large video files
- Lacks advanced video editing options
7. Lightworks
Price: Free, pricing plans start at $24.99 per month
This is a professional video editing app that offers all video editing tools you need to create a captivating movie. In addition to the regular options other video editors for Mac provide, Lightworks offers support for all video file formats which enables you to open footage captured on cameras like Arri Alexa or RED Ranger.
The video editor also allows you to create proxies of high-resolution files which can speed up your workflow significantly. If you choose to install Fireworks on your computer, you will also gain access to a huge library of royalty-free audio and video files. Upgrading to the pro version of this video editor for Mac computers will enable you to use all of its tools.
Pros
- Supports virtually all video file formats
- Offers multi-cam editing option
- Features hundreds of visual effects with built-in presets
- Project sharing options enable collaborations in real-time
Cons
- The steep learning curve for novice video editors
- Plugins for Lightworks can be expensive
8. Blender
Price: Free
Even though Blender is equipped with video editing tools, it is primarily a 3D computer graphics software that is commonly used to create animated movies, 3D models and video games. The video editing options this open-source app features are limited as you won’t be able to do much more than to trim videos, apply transitions or adjust the playback speed of your videos.
In addition, Blender lets you create masks or use keyframes if you want to assign different values of effect throughout the duration of a video clip. Blender also visualizes the audio files you add to the timeline which makes the process of creating a soundtrack easier.
Pros
- Equipped with powerful camera and motion tracking tools
- Professional animation options
- Extensive modeling toolset
- All tools Blender offers a fully customizable
Cons
- Provides only a basic set of video editing tools
- Not the best option for social media video content creators
9. VideoPad
Price: Free, pricing options start at $5.50 per month
VideoPad is a simple but effective video editor that enables you to process videos quickly before exporting them and sharing them on social media. You can apply visual effects or transitions to all video clips you add to the timeline, create opening or end credits and even add subtitles to 360-degree videos.
VideoPad also features the green screen effect, so that you can change the background of a video clip effortlessly. It also offers the plugin support that enables you to use a broad range of video editing tools. Moreover, you can edit 360-videos with VideoPad and export them to YouTube from the editor or watch them on a VR headset.
Pros
- Simple 2D to 3D stereoscopic conversion
- Camera stabilization options
- Allows users to burn DVDs and Blu-rays
- Features voice recording options
Cons
- A limited selection of visual effects
- Supports only the most common output video file formats
Best Free Online Video Editors for Mac
In 2020 you no longer have to install a video editing application on your computer, if you just want to quickly edit your videos before sharing them on social media. Online video editors don’t have the capacities of professional video editing applications for Mac computers, but they still offer enough tools to enable you to remove parts of a video you don’t want others to see or change a video’s playback speed. Here are some of the best online video editors you can use from your Mac computer in 2020.
10. Type Studio
Price: Free, $18/month, $28month
Type Studio is an online text-based video editor that allows you to edit your video by just editing the transcribed text. When you upload your video it will get automatically transcribed into text. You can then make all your changes in the text and it will affect your video. For example, you can delete single words or sentences to cut the video. You can also change the aspect ratios and add subtitles automatically. Type Studio is primarily used by marketers and teachers. But text-based editing is in general helpful for all content-focused videos. To make your videos more accessible to a global audience you can also translate your videos into many different languages.
Pros:-
- No Watermark-
- Automatic Subtitles-
- Runs online in your browser-
- Easy to use without any editing skills
Cons:-
- Only works for videos that includes language-
- The video file size is limited to 1GB
11. Kapwing
Price: Free, or $20 per month for the Pro version
The Kapwing platform is a collection of video editing tools you can use to create GIFs, trim video clips, resize them or add audio to them. The video maker tool grants you access to basic video editing options, and you can use it to rotate a video, change its aspect ratio, or enhance the colors. You won’t be able to upload files larger than 1GB even if you purchase the Pro version of Kapwing, which limits the video editing options you have at your disposal. The platform’s audio editing capabilities are basic as you can only add audio files to videos and adjust their volume.
Pros
- No previous video editing experience is required
- Excellent file sharing options
- Allows users to edit multiple video files at the same time
- Adding subtitles to videos is easy
Cons
- The maximum size of a video file you can upload to Kapwing can’t exceed 500 MB
- You must be signed in to your Kapwing account in order to remove the watermark
12. ClipChamp
Price: Free, pricing plans start at $9 per month
Digital marketers and video content creators can benefit from creating an account on ClipChamp because the platform offers everything they need to edit a video quickly and post it on social media. You can edit video clips directly from a web browser even if you haven’t uploaded them and regardless of how small or big they are. ClipChamp grants you access to a wide range of fully customizable templates that are perfectly adjusted to different social media platforms. You just have to add your footage and insert the text and ClipChamp will do the rest for you. The platform also lets you cut or split videos, add audio and image files to your projects and apply filters and transitions to them.
Pros
- Enables inexperienced video editors to create video content
- A rich selection of video templates
- The number of monthly exports is not limited
- Offers a huge selection of stock footage
Cons
- You can only export videos in 480p resolution with the free version of ClipChamp
- Stock footage cannot be used for free
13. Online Video Cutter
Price: Free
In case you are looking for a quick and easy way to cut or rotate a video, then this platform is a perfect option for you. You just have to upload a file smaller than 500 MB to Online Video Cutter and use the handles at the end of the timeline to specify which parts of a video clip you want to remove. However, you cannot make several cuts in the same video clip, as you can only specify how far from the end or the begging of the clip you want the cuts to be. Optionally, you can also use this platform to rotate your videos in just a few clicks.
Pros
- Anyone with access to the Internet can use Online Video Cutter
- Perfect for Mac users who record videos with the Smartphones
- No watermark
- Supports a broad range of video file formats
Cons
- Features only two video editing tools
- You can’t trim videos larger than 500 MB
Conclusion
Movie industry professionals and video enthusiasts who like to edit their videos on Mac computers are not going have much trouble finding a video editor in 2020 as there are so many affordable options on the market. Free movie editors for Mac like Lightworks or DaVinci Resolve are aimed at skilled filmmakers who often work on demanding projects, while Filmora9 or OpenShot are a great choice for Mac users who want to create social media videos. Which video editor for Mac are you going to choose? Leave a comment and let us know.
