Top 5 Video Editor App for iPhone & iPad

Modern iPhones have some of the best cameras of any smartphone on the market. The video and photo quality that these cameras produce gets better and better with each new iPhone. As a result, many iPhone users have taken an interest in filming professional-quality videos on their phones.

While just ten years ago, you would have needed expensive desktop software to edit videos, today you can add effects and splice clips together straight from your phone. The Apple App Store has hundreds of solid video editing apps for the iPhone, but it can be challenging to find the right one for your needs and skill level with so many options available.

• Top 5 Video Editor Apps for iPhone and iPad
• FAQs on the Best iPhone Video Editor Apps
• Best New iPhone and iPad Models (2020)
• Conclusion

We have put together a list of the top five video editor apps for iPhone and iPad. Whether you are a YouTuber, enjoy posting videos on TikTok, or just want to edit old tapes of your kids, you can benefit from using the best iPhone/iPad video editor app for your needs.

Top 5 Video Editor Apps for iPhone and iPad

1. PowerDirector

Price: Free / $4.99 per month / $9.99 per quarter / $34.99 per year

• Trim, splice and rotate videos with simple taps
• Control brightness, color and saturation with precision
• Apply jaw-dropping effects and transitions with drag & drop
• Combine pictures and video in one clip using the multi-timeline
• Add text or animated titles to your video in seconds
• Add voice overs recorded on your mobile device
• Create video and picture collages with PiP overlays*
• Enjoy hundreds of free templates, effects, filters, background music and sounds
• Fast-forward and slow-motion effects
• Video stabilizer
• 4K Support

• Free version has watermarks and ads

There’s no doubt about it: PowerDirector is one of the best, most versatile editing apps for iOS on the market. This professional editor includes a wide range of editing tools, special effects, and export options that you just can’t find in other apps of its price range.

You can use most of PowerDirector’s features for free or upgrade to premium for a few dollars a month. Amateur video editors will find that its free option will meet their needs to a T.

One of the app’s best features is its 4K resolution support, which allows you to create clean, clear, high-quality videos. You don’t have to worry about your video quality suffering when you upload clips into the app. And once you finish editing, you can export your clip straight to YouTube or Facebook.

PowerDirector comes with dozens of editing tools, filters, corrections, and audio options. You can stabilize shaky footage at the touch of a button, add text or animated titles, control color and saturation, and even create fast-forward or slow-motion effects with ease.

Green screen effects are trendy today, and PowerDirector simplifies the process of changing your background by using chroma key tools. Advanced features, like double exposure effects and video overlays, are also easy to use.

Hobbyists will love the simplicity and wide range of features that PowerDirector offers at such an affordable price point.

2. LumaFusion

Price: $29.99

• Powerful advanced features
• Elegant user interface
• In-app tutorials

• No iCloud syncing

Though several good video editing apps for iPhone exist, not all of them offer the same level of quality and functionality. LumaFusion is one of the best video editors in the iOS store.

LumaFusion is a powerful video editing app that offers a range of advanced features at a reasonable price. This app is perfect for social media managers or journalists who need to film and edit videos from their mobile devices rather than on a desktop.

LumaFusion offers a lot of the same functionality as a desktop software—layer effects, chroma key, unlimited keyframes, audio ducking, and hundreds of additional features—in a mobile-friendly format. If you happen to be near a computer, you can even preview your videos on an external monitor.

You’ll need to pay about $30 to download this app, but with this price comes with all of the tools and effects you would ever need to create a professional video on the go.

3. iMovie

Price: Free

• Straightforward interface
• Built-in themes
• Dozens of filters, effects, and audio options

• Lacks advanced features

If you have owned an Apple product for any amount of time, you are probably at least somewhat familiar with iMovie. This free Apple video editing software comes built-in on Mac computers, but you can quickly download it on iPhones and iPads as well.

This app is an excellent choice if you are looking to make base-level edits to your video clips and do not have much editing software experience. Along with basic features, the app also includes a few advanced options like effects, animated titles, picture-in-picture options, and a library of free soundtracks.

Because iMovie is compatible with the larger Apple ecosystem, you can seamlessly transfer videos between devices and continue editing where you left off. You can even connect a keyboard and mouse to your iPad to use shortcut keys and streamline the editing process.

iMovie offers base-level editing features in a straightforward user interface, making this app perfect for amateur editors.

4. InShot

Price: Free / $3.99 per month / $14.99 per year

• Easy-to-use interface
• Video merger
• Fade audio in and out

• Includes only basic features

If you’re looking for a simple, easy-to-use editing app for a great price, InShot can easily suit your needs. This app includes all of the features you need to create a clean, basic video—including crop and trim options, audio tools, transition effects, filters, and text tools—without any advanced tools to get in the way of your editing process.

This app is perfect for creating short clips for sites like TikTok or Instagram. You can easily adjust your video ratio to fit these sites’ formats, and InShot comes with fun stickers to add to your clips at the touch of a button—it’s a great app for making memes.

When you’re done editing, you can export your video in HD and upload it to your favorite social media site in seconds. If you are a beginner editor or someone who wants to make a few simple adjustments to your clips, you will love the clean, simple interface and easy-to-use tools that InShot has to offer.

5. KineMaster

Price: Free / $3.99 per month / $22.99 per year

• Frame-by-frame precision trimming
• Instant previews
• Keyframe animation

• Free version includes watermarks

KineMaster is a powerful video editing app that includes more advanced features than your typical free editor. The app features all of the straightforward overlays, cropping, and speed adjustments that you can find in any app, along with dozens of more professional options for upper-scale video editing.

KineMaster includes advanced color adjustment tools, beautiful blending modes, reverse and slow-motion effects, multi-layer overlays, and more. You can create professional audio tracks and export your clips in 4K or 2160p.

If you plan to edit videos frequently, the few dollars a month you will spend on the premium features will be well worth the money. We think KineMaster is a great iPhone video editor app for more advanced editors who do not want to switch to desktop software.

FAQs on the Best iPhone Video Editor Apps

What Are Some Good Free Video Editing Apps for iPhones?

The best free video editor app for iPhone is PowerDirector. This program includes hundreds of useful features, a straightforward, easy-to-use interface, and the advanced tools you need to create a professional video.

Several of the other apps we reviewed also offer free versions or limited free trials. The basic version of InShot is free and includes a wide range of overlays, audio tools, and text options to create the perfect social media video. While iMovie does not contain as many advanced features as other apps, it is 100% free for Apple users and includes all of the basics.

You no longer need to pay hundreds of dollars to create high-quality videos on editing software. The Apple store features several incredible free video editing apps that include all of the necessary features without the hefty price tag.

Here are the best free video apps available.

What App Do YouTubers Use to Edit Their Videos on iPhones?

Though YouTubers use various apps to edit videos, one of the most popular video editing programs for YouTube is PowerDirector. PowerDirector includes all of the editing tools that YouTubers need to splice clips together, add transitions, adjust audio, brightness and color, and publish in high resolution.

Some professional YouTubers also use KineMaster to edit their videos. KineMaster offers precision and control when editing clips frame by frame and making minute adjustments to audio and animation. This app comes with more advanced features than you would find in a free program, allowing professional YouTubers to craft quality videos.

YouTubers sometimes even use iMovie and other free programs to edit their videos. Because iPhones produce such good quality videos, many YouTubers only make minor adjustments on video editing apps before uploading their content. Once you learn how to combine videos on iPhone, you do not need as many features on a video filming app.

Best New iPhone and iPad Models (2020)

The newest iPhone and iPad models offer cutting edge cameras and speedy operating systems to make filming and editing professional videos a breeze. These are our favorite models for all of your video needs:

1. iPhone 12

The iPhone 12 is a new iPhone model that improves upon previous models in camera quality and advanced features. The phone’s rear camera is truly incredible—it allows you to film in 4K HDR with Dolby Vision, and its f/1.6 aperture lets in more light than previous models.

This new iPhone model enables filmmakers to create professional-grade, elegant videos with minimal effort.

2. iPhone SE

The iPhone SE has been around for a few years, but the 2020 model outshines previous versions with an interface comparable to the iPhone 8. This model’s camera can record 4K video at 60 frames per second, and its rear lens shoots in 12MP quality with f/1.8 aperture. This phone is a quality choice if you are on a budget but want to shoot clean, stable videos.

3. iPad (8th generation)

iPad cameras have improved over the years, and their large screens make them ideal for using video editing tools and effects. The new 8th generation iPad model features a 10.2-inch retina display, an 8.2MP camera, and f/2.4 aperture.

While the iPad camera does not match the newest iPhone models, these tablets’ fast operating systems and clear displays allow you to edit your videos with ease. You can quickly transfer videos from your iPhone to your iPad if you would prefer to shoot videos on your phone.

4. iPad Air

The iPad Air is smaller and more lightweight than traditional iPad models, making it perfect for on-the-go editing. It utilizes a beautiful display and enhanced graphics to allow you to see the smallest details of your videos, and its fast OS makes it easy to quickly edit and post videos after you film them.

The Air’s back camera is 12MP and utilizes focus pixels, so you can take pretty good videos straight from your tablet, then edit them on the same device.

Conclusion

iPhones take some of the best videos of any smartphone, and having a high-quality editing app right on your phone elevates the filming process that much more. The five apps we reviewed all offer incredible features at affordable price points, but our favorite app by far is PowerDirector.

Check out PowerDirector and CyberLink’s other products today to see how you can take your video editing to the next level.

Interested in editing like a pro? Why not read our ultimate guide to video editing on iPhone and Android mobile. You'll cover all the topics needed to start producing awesome videos.