It is becoming more and more common to record videos with our mobiles, although the recording can be as difficult to digest as when we did it with the video cameras of yesteryear. Before sharing the video on social networks or with friends, his thing is to edit it with specific tools. Multimedia editing applications are a very important category in the Play Store. While photo editors are usually the most downloaded, video editors command a decent number of downloads from users. Video editing apps also play a leading role and there are both very complete apps and other simpler ones focused on quick edits. What is the best video editor for Android? This in-depth
Features of a Good Video Editor
Before starting to analyze the video editing apps, it is convenient to review the requirements that we are looking for in a video editor, always bearing in mind that when dealing with mobile apps we will not have as many options or as much control as we can get in computer tools such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut.
Content from various sources and formats for a video editor to be versatile it is necessary that it let us select varied material, that is, that we can choose both videos and images in different formats. It is also interesting that it lets us choose clips or photos from various sources, not only from mobile memory but from Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc. Trim clips: being able to choose which part of the video to add or how long a photo will appear is a key point when editing videos. Image adjustments: just as we can do in image editors, in the video, it is also interesting to be able to adjust parameters such as exposure, tone, saturation, or contrast. Filters and effects: filters are very practical to give a different style to the image and in the video, they can be great allies so that everything is more unified. There are also very interesting effects such as frames or grainy to make it look like an old movie. Fades and Transitions: Cut transitions work very well, but in the video, we can have many more options and add crossfades, wipes, and other transitions between clips. Music: a widely used option in simple edits is to add a music track on top of the video. Here it is important that we can choose music from our library in addition to the one offered by the program in question. Audio adjustment: if the video has its sound, it is important to be able to adjust the volume of each clip for a good result. Labels: being able to add text on the image is also a common resource and it can be very practical to add titles to the video. Being able to choose the resolution: the final resolution of our video is a key aspect in video editing and it is also interesting to be able to choose it even if we do it from the mobile. Watermarks: Finally, many mobile video editors insert a watermark over the image. We prefer that you let us remove it and, once you have chosen, add our own.
Best Video Editing Apps for Android
Check out our carefully selected list of the best video editors for Android.
1. Cyberlink ActionDirector
Cyberlink is a name linked to multimedia publishing for many years. In Android, they don’t just have a video editor, but two: PowerDirector and ActionDirector. They are very similar, the main difference being that one of them has a vertical interface (ActionDirector) and the other a horizontal (PowerDirector). CyberLink Action Director has quite a few video editing options for a mobile application. You can also create a video by combining photos and videos, with dozens of filters and transitions to choose from, although not all of them are free. Some packages are purchased separately for prices around 2 euros. Video editing is relatively easy, with a timeline where clips occur and a clear button to assign transitions between clips. These clips can be adorned with effects, texts, stickers, and even apply “beauty mode” to them. When exporting the clip, you can choose between 720p or 480p at several frames per second of 30 or 24. To record at 1080p and dispense with the watermark, it is necessary to buy the paid version, with a subscription of 4 to 29 euros per month.
App Info
2. InShot Video Editor
InShot Video Editor is a complete video editor hidden under a great interest in monetizing the application. If it were a game we would say that it is Pay2Win. As it is not, we will limit ourselves to saying that it shows you advertising and encourages you to pay as soon as you are careless. The truth is that the use is not as intuitive as other editors in our list, since all the clips that you have chosen are shown together at the bottom until you touch the pencil icon. Still, it shouldn’t cost you too much to get used to it, similar to other mobile video editors. Clip editing does not have many options, but there is no shortage of classics such as trimming clips, adding texts and music (also effects and voice-over), or modifying the speed. There are approximately 50 filters available, some of them paid, although the Android version does not have transitions. When exporting your final video, you can choose between a resolution of 1080p, 720p, 640p, or any other of your preference. Without the Pro version, a watermark is included, although you can remove it by watching ads.
3. VideoShow
VideoShow follows the same template as InShot to such an extent that it is difficult to distinguish between them, although it manages to have an interface that is a bit easier to understand. It is a video editor that has many options and possibilities, although the presentation in the interface can be a bit overwhelming. For example, it has more than 40 filters and almost 70 transitions, the most of our entire list. Now, not all these effects and transitions are free, and in the store, you will find that many of them require the VIP privilege: 41.99 euros for life or 22.99 euros per year. Monetization aside, with VideoShow you can join videos and photos, join them with interesting transitions, bring them to life with special effects, and include music, voice-over, and texts with different designs. Without going through the box, the resulting video can be in HD quality and with a watermark.
4. FilmoraGo
Filmora Go is the video editor for WonderShare. Known for its Dr.Fone app and the desktop version of Filmora. Its video editor for Android is a simplified version that stands out for being quite easy to use. You can create a video from photos and videos and these are displayed at the bottom of the window a Adding transitions between clips is just as easy, and the app provides you with about 20 ready-to-use and about 50 filters for your clips. Not all of them are free, and in the store, you will find packages with filters and transitions for around 2 euros. FilmoraGo is a slightly different concept than ActionDirector and other similar editors, and the app is free there is no monthly subscription or Pro version, but you can buy packages and filters separately. One of these purchases is used to remove the watermark, which will cost you 1.99 euros.
5. KineMaster
KineMaster is a video editor that in a certain way represents what we normally imagine we will find in an app like this. The interface is a landscape and the app stands out for allowing you to create several layers with clips, texts, stickers, effects, or doodles. KineMaster is the closest thing to a complete editor you’ll find on mobile, although it comes at a price. To remove the watermark and access all Premium resources you must pay € 4.99 per month or € 29.99 per year. In a way, it is a video editor designed for those who have a very specific idea in mind and are determined to carry it out on their mobile. It is one of the few with which you can put one clip on top of another even with the Chroma key.
6. CapCut
CapCut is the video editing app from the creators of TikTok. It is a complete application focused on vertical video editing, although nothing prevents you from using it with other formats. The app offers so many possibilities that it seems incredible that it is a mobile video editing app. With CapCut you can add texts, stickers, sounds with special effects, filters, and music … The truth is that it will be rare for you to look for a video editing option that is not present in the application, including the quick selection between the 1080p format, 720p, or 480p. CapCut is ideal for editing videos, and in the resolution that we want, being able to adjust almost all the basic parameters of the video, such as brightness, contrast, saturation, exposure, and temperature, with a huge library of transitions and effects and texts.
7. Quik
Finally, we have the Go Pro video editor that, despite what it might seem from its name, you can use perfectly even if you don’t have any Go Pro and it is surprisingly good for both action videos and other quieter ones. GoPro changed its Quik video editor to GoPro Quick, which adds more premium features for an annual subscription of 9.99 euros per month. Without it, it is still functional, and you can easily create high-quality videos. You don’t have as much control over the final result as other apps, but rather accept suggestions about which points in each clip are key. Using that information along with the music and the desired duration of the final video, the app generates the video without much intervention on your part. In this way, you can create professional-looking videos by practically just choosing your clips and photos, a theme, and letting the app work its magic. If you want, you can roll up your sleeves and adjust some details for a more personalized result. Despite the limitations introduced in the new version, it is still a good option even without paying, and you can remove the final curtain with its logo.
Comparison Video: Best Video Editors for Android
As it is difficult to remember which app does what, we have summarized in this comparison table the main characteristics of all the video editors that we have included in this comparison, so that you can assess which one best meets your requirements.
Which Video Editor is Better
Now comes the million-dollar question, which video editor is better? As usual, the answer depends a lot on how you plan to use the video editor, your budget, and how much it bothers you whether the final result has a watermark or not. If you do not have a clear idea of the video you want to create, Quik is one of the best options, because you can use the main functions for free, it does not include a watermark and it also automates a large part of the process, joining scenes, clips, and photos as per art of magic but giving you the option to personalize the final result by choosing the important parts. SEE ALSO: Best Video Editors for Youtube If you have a concrete idea of how you are going to combine clips and videos, then you have several options. On the one hand, there is CapCut, free and with endless filters and effects. If you don’t mind going through the checkout, KineMaster is the closest thing to a traditional mobile video editor, with its layers and advanced effects, but for 29.99 euros per year.