Top Choice
Premiere
Runner Up
OpenShot
Best Value
Elements
Best Usage
Magisto
Chromebooks are relatively new computers that are designed to make life simple and efficient. These computers are small and sleek, but fast. They help make task management and getting work done easier than ever.
However, with a small and efficient computer like a Chromebook, there are some downsides. They are not designed to handle huge files or be weighed down by hefty applications.
Because of this, you need video editing software that a Chromebook can run easily while still fulfilling all your video editing needs. To find the best video editing software for you as well as have some of your questions answered, keep reading.
Check out this article on the Top Video Editing Software for Gaming.
Key Takeaways
- Adobe Premiere Pro is the best video editing software for Chromebooks thanks to its variety of tools and features.
- Good follow-up options include OpenShot, Adobe Premiere Elements, and Magisto.
- OpenShot is a good free option while Adobe Premiere Elements is a one-time purchase.
What Is the Best Chromebook Video Editing Software?
Chromebooks are not high-level PCs with expert graphics or rendering speeds. They are designed to be sleek and efficient, meaning video editing can become tricky. You don’t want software that will bog down your computer with unnecessary gunk. You want one that can handle your video editing needs without any extra hassle.
These are some of the best options for video editing software for Chromebooks, but we will only be focusing on the top four today:
1. Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-standard software and one of the best on the market. It has a vast amount of tools and editing options that leave competitors far behind.
The possibilities are endless and you can create anything you can imagine on this application. Like other Adobe applications, the learning curve is steep and the subscription-based service can turn some people away.
Key Features:
- Great integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications
- Works perfectly with the Chromebook interfaces
- Understandable tools that are quick to learn and make collaboration seamless
- Helpful customer service with consistent updates
- A large variety of options, tools, and settings for video editing
User Experience:
Adobe Premiere Pro is well known for its variety of video editing options from its tools and settings to its collaboration features. It makes video editing easier while offering the depth needed to make excellent films.
Customer service is helpful and responds to feedback well, sending out consistent updates to address any bugs that occur.
Adobe Premiere Pro, like other Adobe applications, integrates well with other Adobe products. It is also part of the Creative Cloud All Apps bundle, making integration even easier. Crossover from different Adobe products is seamless and easy. Collaboration and editing across different Adobe applications have never been easier.
Related Article: Adobe Premiere Vs After Effects
The main issue users have with Adobe Premiere Pro is the expensive monthly cost. Subscription-based services are often disliked by people in general, but the steep price of $20.99 adds to that displeasure. It costs even more if you want the benefits of the Creative Cloud All Apps bundle.
The other issue people find is that Adobe products, especially Adobe Premiere Pro, have a steep learning curve. Thankfully, there are a large amount of tutorial videos made by both Adobe and the community for your use.
Cost:
Adobe Premiere Pro costs $20.99 monthly with a subscription-based service that is easy to cancel whenever you wish. For individuals, $20.99 is the cost per month. However, there are other options. For licensed use for teams, it goes up to $35.99 monthly.
Adobe Premiere Pro is also available with the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps package. This package gives you access to many different Adobe applications as well as upgraded cloud storage. This package makes integration easy and usage of other applications seamless.
For this package, it is $54.99 per month for individuals or $84.99 per month for teams. There is also a student and teacher discount available that takes the price down to $19.99 per month. Aside from all of these options, there is also a free trial for Adobe Premiere Pro that you can try out.
What We Like/Dislike About Adobe Premiere Pro:
Like:
- Updated frequently with customer needs being kept in mind
- Large selection of tools with different settings and editing capabilities
- The interface is user-friendly and easy to interact with
- Responsive and high speeds with fast rendering
- Great with Chromebook
Dislike:
- Can be difficult to fully learn for beginners
- Subscription-based service
Scoring:
Adobe Premiere Pro earns a 9.5 out of 10. It is easily one of the best video editing applications on the market and it is no different when looking at applications for a Chromebook. It is unmatched in the industry for its tools and editing capabilities.
The only reasons it doesn’t get a perfect score are the learning curve and the cost. The learning curve can be combated with the plentiful amount of tutorials, but it still takes time to learn. While the cost may be steep, it does reflect the quality of the application you are getting.
2. OpenShot
OpenShot is a free, open-source video editing application. It was created and designed to be as user-friendly as possible to fill the gap many other video editors had left.
It is free and easy to understand with all of the basic features being right out in the open. While being free and beginner-friendly, it still manages to be one of the best video editors for Chromebooks.
Key Features:
- Simplistic user interface designed to be easy and friendly to beginners
- Completely free and open-source
- Easy to run even on entry-level processors
- Amazing task management features
- Offers all the basic features of any professional video editing software
User Experience:
OpenShot has a great many features. This includes their unbeatable task management, which many people praise as one of the main draws of this application. The infinite layering options help play into that as well.
OpenShot has every basic video editing feature you could need. Its interface is designed to be simplistic to make it as accessible to as many people as possible.
The main drawback that a lot of people critique OpenShot for is how basic their editing capabilities are. In comparison to an industry-standard application like Adobe Premiere Pro, yes, OpenShot is behind. However, with how easy the interface is to understand at no cost, the features that are offered are amazing and well worth your consideration.
Cost:
OpenShot is completely free to download and use. It is an open-sourced application and is meant to help reach as many people as possible. It has no limitations or restrictions on who can use it as long as you can access a device that can open it.
What We Like/Dislike About OpenShot:
Like:
- Completely free to download and use
- Simplistic user interface that is easy to understand and learn
- Helpful tutorials available made by the creator of the application
- Good compatibility with Chromebooks
Dislike:
- A bit basic in terms of tools and editing capabilities
- Gets slow with larger projects
Scoring:
We give OpenShot a solid 8.5 out of 10. This application is user-friendly and accessible to beginner video editors. It draws in many new people to video editing by being free and easy to use.
It loses points for being a bit basic in terms of its tools and features. However, it makes up for it with what it does have to offer. While being simplistic, the editing features it offers are just as powerful as many industry-standard competitors all while being free and easy to understand.
3. Adobe Premiere Elements
Adobe Premiere Elements is innovative as it pushes forward ahead of many other video editing software with new editing ideas. With these options, it sets the bar high in the industry for what should be available to any consumer or user.
The software is perfect for beginners and professionals alike as the features and interface make it adaptable to the user’s needs. Different levels of editing add to this adaptability, making it easier for beginners while allowing advanced users to make more in-depth choices.
Key Features:
- Has Guided Edits to help all levels of video editors with their pieces
- Auto-editing features generated by AI
- Different types of editing modes for people of different experience levels
- One-time purchase
- Simple and efficient interface
User Experience:
Adobe Premiere Elements has a vast amount of tools, features, and editing capabilities available. It is easy to figure out for beginners due to its simple interface and easy-to-navigate editing options.
More advanced users can place more detail into each of their choices with the options provided and can take advantage of many of the features beginners can as well.
Adobe Premiere Elements has several drawbacks. It has an excellent reputation as an Adobe product and deserves it. It is known for being similar to Adobe Premiere Pro but in a more limited, but more easily understood format.
Adobe Premiere Elements has fewer features and tools than many of its competitors. The overall performance of the application in addition to the lack of features makes people scared of such a big purchase. However, it is only a one-time purchase for a quality product that can help you a lot with your video editing down the line.
Cost:
Adobe Premiere Elements is a one-time purchase, unlike other Adobe products which are usually subscription-based. For the latest version of Adobe Premiere Elements, it is a one-time purchase of $99.99.
There are several other purchase options as well that allow you to bundle Adobe Premiere Elements with other Adobe products.
You can get the latest version of Adobe Premiere Elements alongside the latest version of Photoshop Premiere Elements for $149.99. You can get this same bundle at a discounted rate of $79.99 if you are a student or teacher.
What We Like/Dislike About Adobe Premiere Elements:
Like:
- Simplistic and easy-to-understand user interface
- Many different features that allow you to add flare and personality to your videos
- One-time purchase
- A variety of tools to help beginners create professional-level videos
- Great capabilities that both beginner and advanced video editors can take advantage of
Dislike:
- Lacks many tools and features that other competitors have
- Rendering speeds are slow
- Expensive
Scoring:
Adobe Premiere Elements earns an 8 out of 10. It has an amazing amount of options to be taken advantage of by all levels of video editors. The variety it offers leaves it ahead of many of its competitors for Chromebook video editing software.
While the cost may be steep, it is a worthy investment with what you receive for the price. It is only a one-time purchase unlike many other video editing products out there as well.
However, it trails behind the others on this list because of the cost and lack of features it has when you compare them all.
4. Magisto
Magisto is a video editing software that primarily uses AI or artificial intelligence in the use of video production. For every step, AI is there to help with both creation and editing. Magisto is teamed with Vimeo to make the video editing process even more seamless as the integration between these two programs is easy.
AI features make editing easy for beginners while giving advanced users more options to explore. Different subscription options allow you to choose how much you want to invest in this application, but it also limits how much you will get out of it in return.
Key Features:
- Easy to navigate and understand
- Different plans available at either a monthly or yearly rate
- Teamed with Vimeo to provide more for your money
- Many customization options to add more to your videos
- Variety of premade templates to make things quick and effortless
User Experience:
Magisto is a great application for all levels of video editors, but especially beginners. The interface is easy to navigate and all of the features available to you are easy to find. Even for people who have never edited videos before, this program is easy to understand.
Many features add to the ease of use including some of the templates that allow users to follow them or even have the editing done for them in no time at all. For more advanced video editors, the options available allow endless customization and detail-oriented work.
However, Magisto frustrates many users with its pricing system. Tiered subscriptions are not popular among users and leave many frustrated with the outcome. The subscription is expensive for the monthly plan, even more so than Adobe products which are known for their price.
To unlock all of the features, you have to fully invest your time and money. What you get for your money is well worth the price if you are willing to invest. However, many people would rather consider other options.
Cost:
There are three different tiers for Magisto purchase options. They are either monthly or yearly payments with the yearly payments being considerably cheaper.
The first tier is Magisto Premium which unlocks the most basic features of the application. It costs $9.99 per month for the monthly plan or down to $4.99 per month with the yearly plan.
The next tier is Magisto Professional. This tier unlocks most of the features of Magisto and gives you a Vimeo Pro subscription included with it. It costs $19.99 per month for the monthly plan or $9.99 per month for the yearly plan.
The last tier available for Magisto is Magisto Business. This unlocks all the features of the software and gives you a free Vimeo Business plan included with it. This plan costs $69.99 per month with the monthly plan or $34.99 per month with the yearly plan.
What We Like/Dislike About Magisto:
Like:
- Teamed with Vimeo so you get more for your money
- Easy to use and understand for every level of editor
- Many options available to make your videos suited to your tastes
- Themes, templates, filters, and more make the video editing process more efficient
- Video editing is time efficient while still looking professional
Dislike:
- Features are extremely limited unless you invest in the top tier
- Videos are limited to only 10 minutes in length
- Expensive and subscription-only
Scoring:
We give Magisto a 7.5 out of 10. Magisto is user-friendly and great for beginners. The features make video editing easier than ever before while still offering options for more advanced users to add depth to their products.
However, it loses a few points because of the cost and its limitations. With only the basic subscription, almost no features or tools are available to you.
You have to invest in the expensive top-tier to get full use of the application. Even then, 10-minute video limitations can be unhelpful to many users looking to create longer productions.
Chromebook Video Editing Software FAQS
Does Chromebook Come With A Video Editor?
Yes, technically Chromebooks do come with their video editor application. In Google Photos on Chromebook, there are video editing capabilities.
However, they are extremely limited. The video length is limited and the features for editing are nonexistent when you compare them to that of an application designed for video editing.
If you are at all interested in editing videos, you should look at other avenues for video editing than Google Photos. You will get more features, tools, and settings out of any actual video editing service than you will with the application that comes with Chromebooks.
How Do I Get the Adobe Premiere Pro Student Discount?
It is pretty easy to get the student Adobe Premiere Pro discount. When you go to sign up for Adobe, sign up with your student email rather than your personal email. If you already have an Adobe subscription under a different email, you cannot switch it over.
You will have to cancel your old subscription and then start over under that new email. This applies not just to Adobe Premiere Pro, but also to any other Adobe product that offers student discounts including the Creative Cloud All Apps bundle subscription service.
Are There Any Other Adobe Applications You Can Use For Video Editing?
Many of Adobe’s applications have video editing capabilities. Besides Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Premiere Elements that have been discussed, you can also use Adobe After Effects, Adobe Animate, Adobe Character Animator, Adobe Audition, or Adobe Media Encoder to edit videos.
As you can tell, many Adobe products have some level of video editing available within the application. However, the other options besides the ones we’ve reviewed are not as well suited for video editing.
The other applications are best used for other things and it is best to stick to Adobe Premiere Pro or Adobe Premiere Elements for your video edits.
Why Are Adobe Applications So Expensive?
Adobe applications are industry-standard products that set the bar for what each program should look like. The products they release are always some of the best available and are often unmatched in their field. This applies to any of their applications no matter what they are for.
On top of that, all of their applications have frequent updates with helpful customer support that will listen to your concerns. With good products like this comes high demand. The higher the demand the higher the price, but also the higher the quality.
The quality of Adobe products often reflects the price you are paying for them. The money you pay goes into providing that helpful customer service, the frequent updates, and the high quality that you enjoy.
Do YouTubers Use Adobe Premiere Pro?
Yes, Adobe Premiere Pro is used by YouTubers for video editing. The great thing about Adobe Premiere Pro is that it is good for every level of video editing. This includes beginners who are trying to clean up a home movie to professional film creators who are finalizing their products.
Conclusion
Each of the video editing software on this list is some of the best on the market not just for Chromebook, but also in general. They are loved by many individuals and businesses, being used and refined for years on end.
Each offers options for casual and professional video editors. No matter which software you choose for editing while using your Chromebook, you will be satisfied.