PowerDirector
- Ready-to-Use templates, titles, transitions & effects
- Millions of royalty-free stock content
- Monthly new features & content updates
Whether you are a business looking to create professional marketing videos or a YouTube vlogger seeking to polish your content, powerful and easy-to-use video editing software is essential. While Wondershare’s Filmora has good marketing to make it seem like the best choice for anyone, in truth, it is lacking in many ways compared to most other software.
In this article, we'll examine some of the best options available. Learning to use video editing tools and make the most out of the footage is also crucial, so we will review how to use our top pick.
The absolute best alternative to Filmora is PowerDirector. It's an easy-to-use video editing software with a far greater number of effects, transitions, and other features. Plus, it includes all the tools you need to create professional-looking 4K videos. Detailed Review >
If you want to cut TV shows, movies, or commercials, Filmora is simply not your video editor. Instead, you need an industry-standard program like Adobe Premiere Pro. With professional workflows and everything you need to produce broadcast-ready projects, there isn't a better option for professionals. Detailed Review >
If you are a die-hard Apple loyalist, you might want to skip Adobe Premiere Pro and go for Final Cut Pro. All three of our top picks can deliver far superior content than Filmora, but only Final Cut Pro can harness all the power of an M1 Mac for professional film and TV projects. And just like all Apple products, the price tag lets you know it. Detailed Review >
Wondershare Filmora is a prosumer video editor that offers stunning video effects and provides access to a selection of animated titles, transitions, filters, overlays, and royalty-free audio. It also includes advanced audio editing with tools like audio equalization, audio keyframe, and background noise reduction.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
Overall Rating: 10 / 10
Beginner-friendly: 10 / 10
Key Features
While Filmora is a slimmed-down video editor, PowerDirector takes a more well-rounded approach. It is a robust video editing software with every feature and tool you need to create Hollywood-quality videos. Not to mention, it is far easier to learn, making it a top choice for beginners.
It includes thousands of video templates, a built-in stock library provided by Getty Images, and a vast collection of drag-and-drop transitions, effects, and titles. As a result, you can create unlimited content without ever shooting a thing yourself. Plus, there isn't another video editor that comes close to the speed you can create with PowerDirector without using anything outside the project.
To top it all off, the video editor has the latest AI technology to enhance your videos, so they look and sound their best. For example, with almost no effort, you can replace a sky, perfectly fit a music track to the length of a project, or enhance speech by removing distracting background noise.
Reasons to Recommend
PowerDirector App
The best full-featured video editor
Image from Adobe.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
Overall Rating: 9 / 10
Beginner-friendly: 4 / 10
Key Features
With its powerful tools and professional workflows, Adobe Premiere Pro earns its position as our favorite film industry-level video editing program. It allows professionals to produce videos at a Hollywood level.
Adobe Premiere Pro is a high-end, expansive timeline-based editor and is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud collection. Creative Cloud includes video effects, graphic design, and web development programs, and all can be obtained in one subscription.
Adobe Premiere Pro is an excellent choice if you work in professional editing; otherwise, be prepared to spend a lot of time learning the software. Also, be prepared to pay a high subscription.
Image from BolderVideo.
Compatibility: Mac
Overall Rating: 8.8 / 10
Beginner-friendly: 5 / 10
Key Features
If you are a professional video editor who prefers to use a Mac, Final Cut Pro is the best alternative for you. It can handle even the most complex projects. In addition, it has a typical Apple-style sleek-looking interface and a unique approach to video editing with its magnetic timeline. Despite some professionals not liking the non-traditional timeline, some believe it is a superior approach.
Final Cut Pro has been a proven industry-level tool for years. It includes features to speed up the editing process. For example, you can create Compound Clips to bundle separate video and audio clips into a movable package. Or create Auditions for trying out different takes.
The downsides to Final Cut Pro are, like most things Apple releases, it is very expensive. Also, if you are new to editing, you might find it very difficult to learn.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
Overall Rating: 9 / 10
Beginner-friendly: 7 / 10
Key Features
Movavi Video Editor is ideal for both intermediate and experienced users. You can use it to trim, merge, crop, and add music to videos, as well as create effects.
In a straightforward interface, Movavi offers a ton of functionality. PiP, chroma-key, titling, simple keyframing, and even motion tracking. Though not as quick or feature-rich as other rivals, it won't take weeks to learn.
Image from TechRadar.
Compatibility: Windows
Overall Rating: 8 / 10
Beginner-friendly: 7 / 10
Key Features
Pinnacle Studio is a quick, feature-rich, not quite pro-level video editing program with an average learning curve. It has complete color grading functionality, premium effects, seamless transitions, and titles.
Pinnacle Studio has more advanced features like video masking, motion tracking, and multi-cam editing. It supports HD, 4K, and 360 video editing with infinite tracks. It can take your home movies to the next level.
Image from DesignBuckle.
Compatibility: Mac
Overall Rating: 8 / 10
Beginner-friendly: 8 / 10
Key Features
For Mac users, iMovie is a preinstalled free video editor. With just a few clicks, it enables you to create fun home videos and trailers in 4K resolution. In addition, you can quickly and easily produce stylized, edited clips that include titles and transitions.
The process of making stunning, unique projects that sound great and look fantastic is made even simpler with drag-and-drop features.
Overall, it is an excellent option for beginners but doesn't have the tools or features to support intermediate to professional level video editing projects.
Image from Shotcut.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux
Overall Rating: 8 / 10
Beginner-friendly: 8 / 10
Key Features
The open-source, cross-platform editor Shotcut has an extraordinarily smooth and straightforward user interface that provides all the resources and tools required to produce high-quality items. In addition, it features a multi-track timeline and native support for manipulating media files and can support various audio and video formats and codecs.
It offers you a variety of panels that can be docked and undocked as necessary. While it is a solid choice for any new video editor, its limited features are not ideal for more advanced editors.
| Software | OS | Beginner-friendly | Intro Designer with Thousand of Templates | AI Tools | Stock Content | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PowerDirector | Windows, Mac | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Adobe Premiere Pro | Windows, Mac | No | No | Yes | Additional cost | Download |
| Final Cut Pro | Mac | No | No | Yes | No | Download |
| Movavi Video Editor | Windows, Mac | No | No | Yes | Yes | Download |
| Pinnacle Studio | Windows | No | No | Yes | Yes | Download |
| iMovie | Mac | Yes | No | No | No | Download |
| Shotcut Video Editor | Windows, Mac, Linux | Yes | No | No | No | Download |
OS
Windows, Mac
-
Beginner-friendly
Yes
-
Intro Designer with Thousand of Templates
Yes
-
AI Tools
Yes
-
Stock Content
Yes
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Follow these steps to edit videos using the best alternative to Filmora, PowerDirector:
PowerDirector App
The best full-featured video editor
Whether you are brand new or have been editing videos for years, PowerDirector is a perfect fit for you. It uses advanced AI technology, video templates, and a straightforward design to help you create videos fast. It has almost no learning curve but is back with all the most up-to-date professional features.
Download it for free to see what you can create.
PowerDirector App
The best full-featured video editorNo, PowerDirector is the best video editor, which allows you to cut projects quicker and with more professional results.
PowerDirector is better than Wondershare Filmora, no matter if you are a beginner or a seasoned pro. It has more features and is easier to learn.
No, Filmora’s full featured editing tools, built-in effects, and templates are not free.
By taking a scaled down, simple approach to video editing the Filmora video editor is suitable for beginners but not the best option.