TL;DR: Try before you buy. There’s lots of options out there, and most offer a free trial.
So you’ve perfected your lighting. You’ve got a camera, and some sound equipment. You’ve even learned how to market your content once it’s live.
But in between shooting and posting, you gotta edit your content.
Sometimes that means subtle zooming and cropping, or adding transitions, or even color grading and image stabilization.
No matter what you plan to do, you’ll need some kind of video editing software.
But you don’t necessarily have to spend a ton.
Most of these softwares offer a free trial, so definitely try before you buy – some of ‘em are expensive, so you should make sure it’s what you’re looking for before you plunk down your credit card.
Let’s take a look at the best video editing software for models:
Free Software
You don’t have to spend a lot to get good-quality videos.
In fact, depending what you’re trying to do, you don’t need to spend anything at all.
Described as “The professional editor for everyone,” Lightworks is a surprisingly full-featured video editing software that is, as the tagline implies, free to use. Their credits include a couple of movies you might have heard of, like The Wolf of Wall Street and Pulp Fiction. If it’s good enough for those blockbusters, surely you can get some use out of it too.
It runs well on lots of different systems, so you don’t need a super-fancy computer. It’s high-powered, but relatively easy to get the hang of. And if you really need more features, there’s a Pro version clocking in at $24.99/month.
Super light, super easy, super free. OpenShot will run on almost any computer, and it’s really truly free. It’s perfect for trimming clips, adding transitions, and any relatively light editing work you need to do. If you’re a little more advanced, or want something more robust, this one might not be for you. But if you just want something free and easy to use for basic edits, this is a perfect option.
DaVinci Resolve is the free version of an enterprise/production-level software, but it’s still packed with useful features.
Opt for this one if you plan to do color correction and audio editing along with simple cuts and trims. They’ve also got great and easy-to-use effects and motion graphics if you wanna get fancy with it. This Emmy-award-winning software has everything you need to get your shots looking professional and slick. And, honestly, the full version is pretty affordable given everything you get with it.
Paid Software
The gold standard. The best of the best. Everything from Avatar and Deadpool to tons of your favorite porn was edited on Premiere Pro. The main disadvantage that people talk about with Premiere is that it’s moved to a subscription model instead of a flat-fee. That means you gotta pay $240/year (or $30 month-to-month) to keep access.
But in terms of features, this thing is a powerhouse. It’s got everything you need and many claim that it’s got the best user interface in the business. Edits, cuts, transitions, effects, color grading, you name it.
Premiere Pro’s #1 rival, Final Cut Pro X, is considered by many to be the best software out there. Honestly, whether you choose Final Cut over Premiere Pro is probably gonna come down to personal preference. It’s got all of the same major features. The main differences between Premiere and Final Cut are the user interface, which comes down to personal preference, and the pricing model.
When it comes to pricing, Final Cut Pro X is a flat-fee. No subscription. That means that it’ll take about 18 months before Premiere Pro becomes more expensive than Final Cut. If you’re ok with paying monthly instead of up front, then that might not bother you. But consider which option makes sense long-term.
It's also worth noting that Final Cut only works on Apple computers.
Please note that this is far from an exhaustive list - for this article, I'm just looking at the most popular options out there. There are dozens and dozens of other options available to you. Do some research of your own, try a whole bunch of 'em, and see which one you like best.
Do you use something else? Let us know what works for you in the comments.
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