Video editing · 8 tools compared
What is the best video editor in 2026?
Short answer
CapCut ranks first on published facts: a free plan (free templates and basic editing tools), paid plans from $12.49 / mo. The cheapest paid option in the first year is Wondershare Filmora ($49.99). 5 of 8 have a free plan.
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | From | 1st year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. CapCut | Quick social video editing with AI | Yes | $12.49 / mo | $149.88 |
| 2. Kdenlive | Free open-source multitrack editor | Yes | Free | $0 |
| 3. Shotcut | Free open-source cross-platform editor | Yes | Free | $0 |
| 4. Adobe Premiere Pro | Professional editing in Adobe ecosystem | No | $22.99 / mo | $275.88 |
| 5. DaVinci Resolve | Pro editing and colour grading, free tier | Yes | $236 one-time | $236 |
| 6. Wondershare Filmora | Beginner-friendly editing with AI tools | No | $49.99 / yr | $49.99 |
| 7. Lightworks | Free pro-style editor with paid tiers | Yes | $20 / mo | $240 |
| 8. Final Cut Pro | Mac-based professional video editing | No | $299.99 one-time | $299.99 |
From = cheapest paid plan, billed yearly where offered. 1st year = that plan for 12 months.
How did we rank these 8 video editors?
On published facts only, scored out of 7: free plan (2, or 1 for a trial), first-year cost against the others (up to 3), three or more paid plans (1), mobile apps (1). We do not test tools hands-on.
| Tool | Score / 7 |
|---|---|
| CapCut | 5.7 |
| Kdenlive | 5 |
| Shotcut | 5 |
| Adobe Premiere Pro | 3.4 |
| DaVinci Resolve | 3.3 |
| Wondershare Filmora | 3.1 |
| Lightworks | 2.9 |
| Final Cut Pro | 0 |
The 8 best video editors, ranked
CapCut
Best for: quick social video editing with AI
- Free plan
- Yes, free templates and basic editing tools
- From
- $12.49 / mo
- 1st year
- $149.88
Kdenlive
Best for: free open-source multitrack editor
- Free plan
- Yes, fully free and open source
- From
- Free
- 1st year
- $0
Shotcut
Best for: free open-source cross-platform editor
- Free plan
- Yes, fully free and open source
- From
- Free
- 1st year
- $0
Adobe Premiere Pro
Best for: professional editing in Adobe ecosystem
- Free plan
- No, 7-day trial
- From
- $22.99 / mo
- 1st year
- $275.88
DaVinci Resolve
Best for: pro editing and colour grading, free tier
- Free plan
- Yes, free version with editing, colour, VFX, audio
- From
- $236 one-time
- 1st year
- $236
Wondershare Filmora
Best for: beginner-friendly editing with AI tools
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $49.99 / yr
- 1st year
- $49.99
Lightworks
Best for: free pro-style editor with paid tiers
- Free plan
- Yes, 1080p export, full timeline editing
- From
- $20 / mo
- 1st year
- $240
Final Cut Pro
Best for: Mac-based professional video editing
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $299.99 one-time
- 1st year
- $299.99
Which video editor is cheapest?
Kdenlive, at $0 for the first year, then Shotcut at $0.
| Tool | Cheapest plan | 1st year |
|---|---|---|
| Kdenlive | Free | $0 |
| Shotcut | Free | $0 |
| Wondershare Filmora | Basic | $49.99 |
| CapCut | Pro | $149.88 |
| DaVinci Resolve | DaVinci Resolve Studio | $236 |
| Lightworks | Create | $240 |
| Adobe Premiere Pro | Premiere (individual) | $275.88 |
| Final Cut Pro | Final Cut Pro | $299.99 |
Which video editors have a free plan?
5 of 8: CapCut, Kdenlive, Shotcut, DaVinci Resolve, Lightworks.
- CapCut: free templates and basic editing tools
- Kdenlive: fully free and open source
- Shotcut: fully free and open source
- DaVinci Resolve: free version with editing, colour, VFX, audio
- Lightworks: 1080p export, full timeline editing
Sources
| Vendor page | URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| CapCut pricing | capcut.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Kdenlive pricing | kdenlive.org/en/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Shotcut pricing | shotcut.org/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Adobe Premiere Pro pricing | adobe.com/products/premiere/plans.html | 27 Oct 2026 |
| DaVinci Resolve pricing | blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Wondershare Filmora pricing | filmora.wondershare.com/pricing.html | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Lightworks pricing | lwks.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Final Cut Pro pricing | apps.apple.com/us/app/final-cut-pro/id424389933?mt=12 | 27 Oct 2026 |
Prices in USD as published by each vendor, billed yearly where offered. How we compare