Video editing plays a part in many people’s lives. Whether it is home movies, social media posts, or professional editing, most of us will have to edit a video to some capacity.
No matter what kind of video you are editing, you will want the best possible software to make it happen. You need an application that can perfect your video and create a masterpiece no matter what the content of the video is.
Two of the best video editing software on the market are Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects. Both are amazing in terms of video editing and have their unique touches that make them stand out from one another.
They also have many features and tools to be taken advantage of. Keep reading to find out which application may be best for you.
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Key Takeaways
- Adobe Premiere Pro is the better option for video editing software when comparing the two applications because of its control over the entire video editing process.
- Adobe After Effects is better for animation and motion graphics with video editing coming second, making it lack in certain places when compared to Adobe Premiere Pro.
- The applications are best taken advantage of when used together.
Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects Comparison Table
| Adobe Premiere Pro | Adobe After Effects | |
| Price | Adobe Premiere Pro costs $22.99 per month by itself. You can also get it as part of the Creative Cloud All Apps package for $59.99 | Adobe After Effects costs $22.99 per month by itself. You can also get it as part of the Creative Cloud All Apps package for $59.99 |
| Company | Adobe Inc. | Adobe Inc. |
| Main Uses | Adobe Premiere Pro is mainly used for video editing | Adobe After Effects is mainly used for animation, visual effects, and video editing. |
| Experience Level | Beginner to advanced | Intermediate to advanced |
| Best For | Experienced video editors looking to elevate their editing skills and their post-production workflow with collaborators. | Experienced animators and designers who want to use 2D and 3D animation or are interested in motion graphics and video editing. |
| System Requirements | Adobe Premiere Pro is a desktop app for Windows that runs Windows 10 or newer. For macOS systems, it has to be macOS Monterey version 12 or newer. Each requires a minimum of 8GB of RAM and a display of 1920 x 1080 or more. | Adobe After Effects requires Windows 10 or newer with 16 of RAM and a display of 1920 x 1080 minimum. For macOS it needs to run Monterey version 12 or newer also with 16 GB of RAM or more with a display of 1920 x 1080 or more. |
| Key Features | Gives control over all video editing aspects, focused on collaboration | Focused on animation with video editing capabilities, focused on post-production |
| Platforms | Adobe Premiere Pro is available for both Windows and macOS devices. | Adobe After Effects is available on both Windows and macOS devices. |
| Acceptable Import File Types | MP4, AVI, MOV, MPEG, MP3, WAV | JPEG, GIF AVI, WAV, PDF, TIFF, MP3 |
Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is a video editing app designed to let you work through every step of the video editing process. It is great for any level of editor from beginner to professional users.
Like any product, there are some downsides to such a powerful application. Adobe applications of any type are overwhelming to use when you first start. This application is well worth your time to learn if you are at all interested in video editing, however.
Key Features
- Focused on collaboration with many tools to make that process go smoother
- Helpful customer service with a variety of tutorials available and frequent updates
- Tools and plug-ins for video editing are abundant
- Great for any level of video editor from beginners to professional
- Perfect for every step of the video editing process
Uses
Adobe Premiere Pro is primarily used for video editing but also can be used to create different video effects. You can edit or trim videos to your specifications as well as add sound to them. It is used in every part of the video editing process making it perfect to get down the details.
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The nice thing about this application is it can be used for any level of video editing from professional-level film to home movies to even social media videos. It integrates perfectly with other Adobe applications, especially those in the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps package.
Adobe Premiere Pro Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Integration with other Adobe applications including through the Creative Cloud All Apps package | Can be overwhelming in terms of features and interface for non-Adobe users |
| Easier to learn and more user-friendly than Adobe After Effects | Autosave is not always reliable and it is known to bug out |
| Focused solely on video editing with every part of the process being seamless | Requires other Adobe apps to utilize some of the features |
| Great collaborative capabilities | Slow rendering speeds |
Popular Companies That Use Adobe Premiere Pro
Many companies use Adobe Premiere Pro for their video editing, but here are the top ones:
- TEGNA
- The Walt Disney Company
- Time Warner
- NBC Universal
- Hearst Television
- Nexstar Media Group
Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects is an animation and motion graphics application with video editing capabilities. While it is primarily focused on the animation side of things, the video editing qualities are still well-loved by professionals.
It can be difficult to learn and find your way around with bugs occurring frequently. However, it is still an industry-standard application worth consideration.
Key Features
- Great for creating visual effects or motion graphics to enhance videos
- A wide variety of features are available within the program
- Hundreds of plug-ins are available for download to improve user experience
- Integrates well with other Adobe products
- Versatile in its uses from animation to video editing
Uses
Adobe After Effects is primarily used for animation and motion graphics. Video editing is also a possible use, but not the main focus. Within the application, you can create specialized graphics for your videos as well as impressive visual effects to enhance them.
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This application is great in the video creation process. It integrates well with other Adobe applications including Adobe Premiere Pro, making taking advantage of the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps bundle essential.
Whether you are adding flare to your social media post or adding serious visual effects to a film, this application has it covered.
Adobe After Effects Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Great integration with other Adobe applications including through the Creative Cloud All Apps package | More focused on animation than video editing |
| Animation, motion graphics, and video editing capabilities | More difficult to learn than Adobe Premiere Pro |
| Many features and plug-ins to make your experience customizable | Slow rendering and speeds can drop off suddenly when files get larger |
| Good at dealing with a variety of file types | Prone to crashing with multiple bugs |
Popular Companies That Use After Effects
A variety of companies big and small use Adobe After Effects for their video editing including these:
- NBC Universal
- TEGNA
- Sinclair Broadcast Group
- Time Warner
- Fidelity Investments
- The Walt Disney Company
Adobe Premiere vs After Effects: Which Is Better?
Both Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects are industry-standard video editing applications with a variety of different capabilities. Each has its specialties with its upsides and downsides. As for which is better, it is hard to say.
However, if we are focused solely on which application is best for the video editing process, Adobe Premiere Pro is the best choice. With it, you can take advantage of all parts of the video editing process as well as collaborate on your projects with more efficiency. It is easier to learn and has more customization options for the video editing process itself than Adobe After Effects.
Don’t completely disregard Adobe After Effects though. This product is still great to use and would be best to use in collaboration with Adobe Premiere Pro.
With Adobe After Effects, you can create visual effects and motion graphics to use in your video editing on Adobe Premiere Pro. These applications are best when used together.
What Is The Best Video Editing Software?
Adobe Premiere Pro is the best video editing software on the market. This is not just in comparison to Adobe After Effects but in comparison to all other video editing applications. It has the most features and tools at a price that matches what it has to offer.
Are Adobe Products Worth The Price?
Yes, Adobe products are worth the price. Every Adobe product is top-of-the-line for their uses and many of them are used in professional-level industries.
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Whether it be for personal use or professional, investing in these products makes a difference. To take full advantage of them at a lower cost, it is in your best interest to consider subscribing to the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps bundle.