Best video editing software for youtube beginners

AI summary

CapCut is the best default for YouTube beginners wanting a free, accessible cross-platform editor; choose iMovie when working exclusively within the Apple ecosystem for a zero-cost option. Alternatively, choose Wondershare Filmora or Movavi Video Editor when you prefer dedicated desktop templates, effects, and streamlined beginner workflows requiring minimal setup. Finally, choose DaVinci Resolve when you are willing to navigate a steeper learning curve to master advanced professional-grade production tools for free without outgrowing your software over time.

4 platforms queried8 brands recommended49 citations from 26 domainsAnswers collected Aug 9, 2026

Rankings across AI platforms

Rankings are shown when an answer sets an order; a dot marks an unranked recommendation. Coverage includes both.

Brand	Avg. rank	ChatGPT	Gemini	AI Mode	AI Overviews	Coverage
Wondershare Filmora	1.0	—		—	•	50%
CapCut	1.5		2	•	•	100%
DaVinci Resolve	3.0	2	4	•	•	100%
iMovie	3.0	•	3	•	•	100%
Movavi Video Editor	—	—	—	•	•	50%
Adobe Premiere Pro	—	•	—	—	—	25%

Original AI responses

Review each answer in full, including its recommendation order and cited sources.

What is the best video editing software for youtube beginners?

Collected Aug 9, 2026, 7:10 AM UTC

If you're just starting a YouTube channel, my top pick is CapCut Desktop.

🥇 Best overall for beginners: CapCut

CapCut Desktop

Why I recommend it:

Very easy to learn
Free to start
Great for cutting clips, adding music, text, transitions, and captions
AI features can speed up editing, including auto captions and removing filler words
Works on both PC and Mac
You can make polished YouTube videos without learning complicated editing workflows. www.capcut.com

A recent Think Media comparison of popular editors also picked CapCut as its best free option overall, while positioning DaVinci Resolve as a more advanced step up. www.youtube.com

Other good choices

Software	Best for	Difficulty	Cost
CapCut	Absolute beginners	⭐ Easy	Free + paid features
DaVinci Resolve	Beginners who want to become advanced editors	⭐⭐⭐ Moderate	Free + Studio
iMovie	Mac/iPhone users making simple videos	⭐ Very easy	Free
Final Cut Pro	Mac users who want professional editing	⭐⭐ Moderate	Paid
Adobe Premiere Pro	Professional/advanced editing	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Harder	Subscription

My advice: Don't start with Premiere Pro just because it's "professional." Your first goal is to learn cutting, pacing, audio, B-roll, captions, and basic color correction. CapCut lets you concentrate on those things instead of fighting the software.

Once you're comfortable, DaVinci Resolve is an excellent upgrade because it gives you much deeper professional control. Community discussions also commonly recommend the CapCut → DaVinci progression for beginners. www.reddit.com

If you tell me whether you're using Windows, Mac, iPhone, or Android, I can recommend the exact editor I'd start with and a simple beginner workflow.

Sources cited by AI platforms

Sources are ordered by the number of platforms that cited them, then by total citations.

Methodology

One prompt, submitted to four AI platforms.

We submitted the prompt “What is the best video editing software for youtube beginners?” to ChatGPT, Gemini, AI Mode, and AI Overviews. We preserved each answer, its recommendation order, and the sources returned with it.

The summary and comparison are generated from those collected answers. Average rank uses only platforms that assigned the brand a numeric rank. Coverage is the percentage of queried platforms that mentioned the brand.

This report shows what the AI platforms recommended at the time of collection. It is not an independent review, endorsement, or product test.

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