Editing video is a notoriously system-resource-hungry endeavor, but thanks to browser support for graphics hardware acceleration, editing videos online in a web browser is no longer a painful proposition. More and more services keep cropping up that can do it and the best ones offer a viable alternative to installing huge local programs.
Online video editors get you the basics of video editing–trimming, joining, and applying titles and transitions. Many of the tools are template-based and some even offer stock footage so you don’t have to start from scratch. Most can also add background music and have other audio controls.
Note that when you use an online video editing service, you have to upload your clips, so you need a fast internet connection if you plan on creating large, high-res projects. And don’t expect advanced features like chroma keying, motion tracking, 3D effects, or advanced color grading–you still need full-scale video editing software for that.
Nevertheless, these online video editing sites can admirably fill the bill for anyone who isn’t producing Hollywood blockbusters but just wants to easily produce a compelling watch.
1. Best for Creative Cloud App Users: Adobe Express
If you want to put out a polished social post with minimal effort, Adobe Express could be just the editor tool for you. This online app is a template-based design tool that focuses on helping you create still images, but also offers a modicum of video editing capabilities. Adobe Express is a good choice for graphics designers who use Creative Cloud apps but need some video editing tools, too. With it, you can add narration and background music, but it’s quite restrictive to the template you choose. For example, it didn’t let me extend a video clip longer than the template entry. It doesn’t include multitrack timeline editing either, only storyboard thumbnails. You can, however, speed up, slow down, reverse, and crop videos. The online Adobe Express also offers helpful design tips, like how to use negative space effectively. Free accounts get 2GB of cloud storage, basic editing, and thousands of design assets and templates. Premium subscribers ($9.99 per month) get 100GB of cloud storage and a full selection of premium templates and assets.
2. Best for Social Promo Videos: Canva
Canva is well suited to people who need to create videos for promotional use and social posting. Though it’s mostly about template-driven graphics creation, Canva also has some video editing capabilities. A Video project type helps get you started. You get basic abilities to crop, trim, split, speed up, and resize clips, but no multitrack timeline editing–just storyboard thumbnails. As you’d expect, the software has good support for social aspect ratios, especially for vertical mobile formats. Free users get 5GB of online storage and more than a quarter million templates, while Pro subscribers get 1TB of storage, more than 610,000 templates, and social post scheduling. Canva for Teams adds, workflow, branding, and reporting options.
3. Best Free Option From Microsoft: Clipchamp
ClipChamp is now the default video editor that comes with Windows, and it’s available free via the web on any platform. It’s best for those who need to create template-based social videos, though it also has fairly powerful timeline editing. You can start with a template or from scratch, either uploading clips or connecting your OneDrive account. The app lets you record your screen with or without your webcam image and can perform speec-to-text translation. Stock video and photos are available for b-roll, and there’s a good selection of title styles, background music, and sound effects. Many options, however, are paywalled for subscribers. Free users get unlimited watermark-free (unless they use premium content) exports up to 1080p, while Essentials subscribers ($11.99 per month) get premium filter and effects, a brand kit for managing logos and colors, and content backup.
4. Best Full-Powered Online Video Editing for Cheap: Kapwing
Kapwing is surprisingly slick and powerful. Along with Veed, it’s among the best options for those who want full-power video editing without the hassle of downloading and installing a local application. It lets you combine video clips, trim, split, and add transitions, overlay text and images, generate subtitles, and upload music. You can drag clips around and up and down in the timeline. Kapwing lets you crop and move the image, even using keyframes for things like pan and zoom. You get access to stock video, photos, and background music, but there’s no fancy stuff like chroma keying, motion tracking, or video effects. Free users’ output shows a watermark are limited to 7 minutes and 720p resolution. A $6-a-month Basic subscription removes the watermark on videos under 30 seconds, and the $16-per-month Pro account gets you high-res projects up to 2 hours along with branding tools
5. Best Free Online Video Editor: Oslo
Oslo is still considered a beta product, but it was completely functional in my testing. This online video editor is a good choice for those who want a free service, as the free account level is quite generous compared with others. Oslo provides multitrack timeline editing with the standard join, trim, and split tools. You get a few filters a la Instagram and a good set of transitions and text fonts, but no shape or sticker overlays. A nice touch is its comment feature, which can help teams work together on a video project. You can record your screen with or without included the webcam view. You can crop, zoom, change speed, and apply a few animations and basic image corrections. Free users can export 1080p videos up to 30 minutes without watermarks. You also get 15GB of online storage, a maximum file upload size of 5GB, and collaboration features. The paid plan is just $10 per month, which increases storage to 250GB, upload size to 20GB, and maximum export length to one hour.
6. Best for Marketing and Small Businesses: Promo.com
As its name suggests, Promo.com targets marketers and small businesses. There’s no free account level. You first enter your business name and sector, then pick a template from thumbnails to start, with more than 5,000 options. You can search or browse template categories, and you get a choice of landscape, square, or vertical aspect ratios. It’s a very simple interface, with just three buttons along the left for Editor, Media, and Music. Promo.com features a single-track timeline and just one choice of transition–fade. You get around 50 good-looking fonts, and you can apply a basic color filter but no special effects. Promo.com lets you schedule social posts or download your creation. The Basic account costs $29 per month and includes 2GB of storage. At the high end is the $199-per-month plan that includes “unlimited everything.” All accounts have a 5-minute maximum video length, include a choice of 1,500 fully licensed music tracks, and offer editorial stock content (meaning celebrities or newsworthy footage).
7. Best Replacement for Installed Software: Veed
Veed is an impressive multitrack timeline editor that features a clear and simple design. It’s best for those who want a full replacement to installed video editing software. You start with sizes suited for all output types, social and otherwise. Use either one of the predesigned templates or go ahead on your own. Then you can upload or record your media or use some of Veed’s stock video, music, or sound effect content. The site provides speech-to-text for automatic subtitles, or you can upload a subtitle file. Veed distinguishes itself by having effect filters–something you won’t find in many online video editors. You get a choice of stickers or shape overlays, but the app is somewhat short on transition styles, with just 10. That’s all in addition to the standard joining, trimming, and splitting of clips. Free users get 720p output up to 10 minutes with a watermark but no limit on the number of projects. The $18-per-month Basic plan removes the watermark and increases the quality to 1080p and the length to 25 minutes. The $30 Pro account adds unlimited use of stock media, branding tools, and subtitle translation.
When selecting an online video editor, consider factors such as ease of use, available features, pricing, and the specific requirements of your video editing projects. Each video editor mentioned above offers unique features and advantages, catering to different user needs and preferences.
The 7 best online video editors for 2024 provide users with accessible and user-friendly tools to create impressive videos.
