The Best Video Editing Software in 2024

Media Composer, Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve: Which Is the Best Editing Software of 2024? 

Avid Media Composer, Apple’s Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve are four of the leading video editing solutions in film and television. While any of these software solutions can help in editing content from raw footage to final delivery, each carries its own features, strengths, and functionality. So, which editing software reigns supreme in 2024? Sohonet weighs in on the pros and cons of each. 

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Avid Media Composer

Media Composer, designed by Avid Technologies, is an industry staple for professional editing. Known for its robust feature set and unmatched precision, Media Composer has been the go-to editing software for many big-budget films and television series.

At the heart of Media Composer is a complex media management system that can hold the massive amounts of footage typical for bigger projects. This media management system allows editors to efficiently organize, search, and access media. Additionally, the platform is collaborative and enables editors to work simultaneously on the same project, sharing bins, sequences, and media in real-time.

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Media Composer’s timeline editing tools are another highlight, providing editors with a powerful interface with support for multiple tracks and layers, allowing editors the flexibility to layer audio, video, and effects seamlessly. It also boasts an array of tools including trimming, effects, transitions, and titling.

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‍Apple’s Final Cut Pro 

Final Cut Pro, the editing software developed by Apple, has been a leading tool in media and entertainment since its inception. It offers powerful editing tools inside of an intuitive user interface, and seamlessly integrates with other Apple products. Final Cut Pro is exclusively available on Mac, making it the preferred software for Apple enthusiasts. 

Final Cut Pro offers a multitude of features, including the Magnetic Timeline, which automatically adjusts clips to remove gaps, making editing more seamless and efficient. The software also boasts built-in effects, transitions, and titles, allowing editors to create professional videos without third-party plugins. Integration with Apple’s Motion and Compressor allows editors to create custom graphics and export projects in various formats without a hitch. 

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Adobe Premiere Pro 

Adobe Premiere Pro, available within the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, is another widely used editing software. It contains countless features, compatibility with third-party platforms, and seamlessly integrates with other Adobe tools such as Photoshop, After Effects, and Audition, making it an ideal software for editors of various skill level. 

Premiere Pro offers a wide range of editing tools, including advanced audio editing, multi-cam editing, and support for different video formats. The Adobe Dynamic Link functionality allows for easy integration between Premiere Pro and other Adobe applications, enabling editors to create complex visual effects, motion graphics, and audio mixes without the need for manual rendering. 

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Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve 

Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve is another popular software, not only for its video editing capabilities, but also for its suite of post-production tools, including advanced color grading. In its early stages, DaVinci Resolve was known primarily as a color grading tool, however it has expanded into a picture and audio editing, audio mixing, and visual effects platform, all within a single software. 

DaVinci Resolve's editing interface offers a timeline that supports up to 1,000 tracks, along with trimming, transitions, effects, and multi-cam editing capabilities. It also supports collaboration, allowing multiple editors to work on the same project simultaneously. 

A primary advantage of using DaVinci Resolve over subscription-based Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro is its pricing model. A free version with a comprehensive set of editing tools is available online, making it an ideal option for students, independent filmmakers and aspiring editors. 

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So, which editing software is the best in 2024? 

Media Composer, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, and DaVinci Resolve are all top-tier products with countless invaluable features that can transform your raw footage into incredible content. 

Looking for the most powerful interface to achieve unmatched precision in your cut? Avid Media Composer will best help you achieve your vision. Are you a dedicated Apple product fan? Final Cut Pro, with its intuitive user interface and compatibility with other Apple products, will undeniably be your best fit. 

Adobe Premiere Pro offers a robust feature set and seamless integration into third party platforms. If you are using multiple systems across cloud storage, asset management, and more, Premiere Pro is for you. Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve is well-known for its all-in-one post-production suite, including advanced color grading capabilities. Content creators interested in a one-stop-shop would be best suited with DaVinci Resolve.   

Deciding between video editing software is ultimately dependent on the needs of the project, the editor and other creatives, as well as budget considerations. Let Sohonet help your editorial process with the integration of tools like ClearView Flex, our video collaboration software and ClearView Rush , our dailies review tool. Contact us for more information! 

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