Last Updated on May 22, 2024 by Jhonni Jets
With the ubiquity of smartphones that come equipped with high-quality cameras, capturing professional-looking videos has never been easier. However, shooting great footage is only half the battle – editing it into a polished, share-worthy video takes specialized tools. Fortunately, the app economy has exploded with video editing options for mobile. In this article, we will explore 10 of the best video editing apps for iOS and Android that allow you to customize, trim, and refine your videos on the go. Whether you’re an aspiring content creator, small business marketer, or casual user who wants to give your videos some polish, these apps have powerful yet accessible features to elevate your mobile video making.
Adobe Premiere Rush
As the mobile counterpart to the desktop video editing stalwart Premiere Pro, Adobe Premiere Rush is one of the most fully-featured video editing apps for smartphones. With intuitive timeline and multicam editing, robust titling and color correction tools, customizable presets, and integration with Creative Cloud, it gives you near-desktop capabilities on your phone. You can start projects on the go and seamlessly transfer files to your computer to finish in Premiere Pro. It has a generous free tier with all core tools, or opt for a subscription that provides additional capabilities and asset storage. If you’re serious about your mobile video content, Premiere Rush sets the gold standard.
Quik by GoPro
Originally created for editing action camera footage from GoPro cameras, Quik has evolved into a versatile video editing app in its own right. It uses AI to automatically generate polished edits from your smartphone’s camera roll by interspersing your clips with different transitions and soundtracks. But you don’t have to stop there – you can fine-tune auto-generated videos or start from scratch with custom timeline-based editing. Integrated with the GoPro subscription service, Quik also allows uploading clips directly from GoPro cameras to your phone. Whether or not you own a GoPro, it’s an incredibly easy way to churn out attractively edited videos with minimal effort.
InShot
Boasting over 500 million downloads, InShot claims the top spot among video editing apps on Android. It provides a generous set of tools like speed controls, filters, subtitles, transitions and green screen with virtually no learning curve. You can even create cinematic-looking videos using its motion tracking feature and overlay multiple videos or images. InShot also has a dedicated music library that syncs tracks to the length of your clips. Though barebones compared to paid desktop software, it gets the job done capably for basic video slicing and splicing on a smartphone. The free version watermarks exports, but it’s hard to beat for powerful yet accessible mobile video editing.
PowerDirector
As the mobile counterpart to CyberLink’s popular desktop video editor, PowerDirector offers a full-featured set of professional tools. You can create sophisticated multi-track projects using its timeline interface, precisely trimming clips and adjusting volume/pan levels. PowerDirector goes beyond basic overlays and scaling – color adjustment, keyframing, speed ramping and more advanced effects are all at your fingertips. While its learning curve is steeper than simpler apps, PowerDirector rewards you with output rivaling desktop video editors. A subscription unlocks additional assets, but even the free version gives you enough power to make true cinematic mobile videos.
Videoshop
If you crave creative video editing tools beyond basic effects and trimming, Videoshop is worth exploring. Its signature video masks and tracking features allow you to isolate parts of clips for applying effects, coloring or blurring selectively. You can also composite multiple clips together or insert images/text in innovative ways using green screen, chroma key and screen blending modes. Advanced stabilization keeps your footage buttery smooth. While not as streamlined as auto editors, Videoshop truly opens the door to visual storytelling with your smartphone. Its one-time purchase provides full access and unlimited exports without watermarks.
Conclusion
Whether you want set-it-and-forget-it auto videos, basic trimming functions or Hollywood-style control, there is a powerful video editing app for every skill level and need. The gold standard options we covered enable you to craft near-professional quality movies using just your phone. So next time you find yourself with some great footage and downtime, pull out your smartphone instead of just uploading raw clips. With the right app, your impromptu recordings can become polished, share-worthy creations that highlight your storytelling abilities – wherever inspiration may strike.