Get Content Ready Faster With This List of Easy Editors

9 Best Free and Easy Editing Apps You Should Know

Richard Bennett

Dec 14, 2023• Proven solutions

Have you ever made a video 100% on your phone using a mobile video editing app?

If you’ve just started off on YouTube, there’s a good chance your main camera is the one in your phone. Actually, there’s a good chance of that even if you’ve been making YouTube videos for a while now.

Since you’re shooting videos on your phone, why shouldn’t you edit them there too? Here are 9 free video editing apps you can use for YouTube.

Note: This is not a ranked list. The apps will appear in alphabetical order.

Adobe Premiere Clip (Android or iOS)
Cameo (iOS)
Clips (iOS)
Filmora (Android or iOS)
Funimate (Android or iOS)
iMovie (iOS)
Movie Maker Filmmaker by Alive (Android or iOS)
PowerDirector (Android)
Vlogit (Android or iOS)

Adobe Premiere Clip (Android or iOS )

Key Points:

Automatic using clips. Times them to music
Guides you with pop-up tips
No text/title overlays
Exports directly to YouTube

Adobe Premiere Pro is a professional-grade desktop editor, and Adobe Premiere Clip lives up to the quality standards set by its big-brother software. It is missing some features you might want for YouTube videos, like title effects, but it does have some bells and whistles. There’s a good selection of filters.

Making changes to your picture, like adjusting the exposure or the prevalence of highlights or shadows, is just a matter of sliding bars. The tools for splitting and duplicating clips are easy to find too. You just toggle between the two icons right above your video – the one that looks like a shutter and the one that looks like adjustment bars – to switch between the picture tools and the other tools.

You cannot add what you might normally think of as a title effect in Adobe Premiere Clip, so it’ll be hard to fully complete your video. You can add text cards to put in-between your video clips, but you can’t overlay the title on top of a clip.

You can share your video directly to YouTube when you export.

Cameo (iOS)

Key Points:

Easy-to-apply themes
Customizable titles
Limited features
Exports to 4K (if your clips are 4K)

Vimeo is a video sharing site with more of a ‘filmmaker’ focus than YouTube, so it isn’t a surprise that their mobile editing app Cameo can export high-quality 4K videos.

Like some of the other apps on this list, Cameo does not have a huge variety of functions. You can reorder your clips, trim them, add titles, and apply themes (essentially filter and title combos).

There are three icons on the main interface: Scissors, a Music Note, and Filters.

The Scissors will take you to the trimming screen, where you can make your clip shorter or longer.

You can also add a title in the trimming screen, but you will not be able to change the font style or color until you are in the Filter screen.

In the Filter screen (tap the overlapping filters icon on the main interface) you will be able to adjust the color of your text by tapping on the circle with the A in it. Tapping where it says ‘Font’ will change your font style.

You can also tap on Themes and choose a premade style.

Here’s what ‘Crush’ looks like applied:

My font was changed, and there’s also a filter now. In order to apply a filter, you must start with a theme.

Clips (iOS)

Key Points:

Great selection of stickers
Lacks some basic tools
Simple interface

Clips is an intuitive app with a lot of options for decorating your videos. It is lacking in some of the more basic editings features you might expect (i.e. you cannot split clips or do any color correction), but it has a lot of fun features like stickers and emojis that could make up for that depending on your needs.

There are also more traditional effects, like filters and titles. There are a wide range of title options in styles that are popular on YouTube, and a fairly standard filter selection.

While you cannot split clips in this app, but trimming and reordering them is easy. For trimming, you just select the clip and then Trim to open a screen where you can drag the start and end points of the clip.

To rearrange your clips, just tap the clip you want to move and hold down. You’ll be able to drag it to a new location.

It’d be hard to rely on Clips exclusively as your YouTube video editor, but it’s well suited for Instagram or for making quick ‘on-the-go’ videos.

Filmora (Android or iOS)

Key Points:

Export directly to YouTube
16:9 or 1:1 for Instagram
Includes effects like transitions, filters, and overlays
End-roll logo

You can make a complete video easily just by tapping and dragging in Filmora, and there are even effects like filters, transitions, and overlays you can add to make your video more polished.

After importing your media into Filmora (you can import videos and photos saved on your phone, or media which has been uploaded to a social media account like Facebook or Instagram) you can change the order of your clips by tapping one, pressing down for a moment, and then dragging your clips where you want them.

Trimming a clip is as simple as tapping on it and then Duration. You’ll get this screen where you can adjust the length easily by dragging the markers to beginning or endpoints.

Cropping and zooming are simple too.

Filmora comes with pre-made themes you can apply which include titles, filters, and other effects. These might not be ideal if you already have branding you like to use for YouTube, but in some situations, they can make video creation a lot faster.

Filmora comes loaded with music, or you can even import your own music from your phone.

Once you’re done, tap ‘save’ in the top right corner of your screen to export your video. From the save screen, you’ll be able to export your video directly to YouTube.

One potential drawback is that Filmora will add its own logo to the end of your exported video. This logo will not distract from your video content since it is added at the end and never overlaps any of your clips, but it still might not be ideal for all creators.

Funimate (Android or iOS )

Key Points:

Easily add text and shapes
Rainbow doodling
Shake effects
Small ‘Funimate’ watermark in videos from the free version

Funimate is lives up to the ‘fun’ promise in its name. It’s designed mostly for music videos/Musical.ly and while it is missing a lot of more typical editing options, there are a few free tools in Funimate that other apps just don’t have.

For example, there are shake and distortion effects available through Funimate that you usually only find in desktop software.

You can also draw rainbow designs on your video with your finger – no other app on this list can do that.

The text tool in Funimate is easy to use, and there are cool looking glow effects you can apply in the color selection screen. Those options are also available when you’re adding shapes, likes stars and sparkles.

Funimate is not built for typical editing, which is both its strength and its weakness. Trimming your clips is its own stage which you must complete before you start adding effects, and you cannot split clips or add multiple clips.

The free version of Funimate does add a small watermark to your videos in the bottom-right corner, but it is subtle enough that I almost missed it completely while reviewing the app.

iMovie (iOS)

Key Points:

Trailer templates
Themes
Limited tools and resources

iMovie’s mobile app is designed for ease and includes things like ‘trailer templates’ and themes that allow you to make a video quickly and with minimal effort.

This streamlined app is limited in its features. Other apps on this list have left out color correction tools or clip splitting tools and instead loaded up on decorative features like stickers, emojis, and overlays. iMovie has left out these tools and does not have an abundance of decorative features either.

There are filters, themes, and titles, however.

The titles are simple but polished, and you’ll find all the standard types of filters.

The themes include a variety of graphics and are applied to your entire video, not individual clips. You can also apply one filter to your entire video.

iMovie also includes a decent selection of transitions, which you can apply easily by tapping the area between two clips.

Movie Maker Filmmaker by Alive (Android or iOS )

Key Points:

Good title tool
Stickers
Change clip duration
16:9 or 1:1

Movie Maker Filmmaker (the app will be labeled ‘Alive’ in on your phone) has a lot of features that will help you put together a fun YouTube video. There’s a great selection of stickers, filters, and overlays and they’re all easy to apply. You just click on what you want and resize/reposition it in the player.

This app is missing a lot of basic editing features, however. You cannot adjust things like brightness or saturation. This won’t be a problem if you’re happy with your clips as-is, but it’s a bit odd to not have those options.

There is a text tool and while it is fairly basic, it is also flexible. There is a good selection of fonts to choose from, and you can also choose whether or not you want a colored background, and if your text should have a shadow.

Once you’ve decided on the look of your text you can drag it, resize it, and tilt it however you want in the preview screen.

A slightly odd feature of this app is that it doesn’t save your video to your phone or export it directly to YouTube. Instead, it saves it – and shares it – within the app and gives you the option of sharing it with YouTube after.

Power Director (Android)

Key Points:

A timeline like desktop software
All the basic editing features
Lots of transitions
Videos from the free version will be watermarked

The first thing you’ll notice when you open up Power Director is that the interface looks a lot like the interface of a lot of desktop editors with a very classic timeline. This familiarity could make it easy to jump into if you’re used to editing on your laptop.

However, Power Director is a bit less intuitive than most of the other apps on this list. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s difficult to use – it isn’t, it’s much easier than a lot of desktop software – but among mobile apps designed for streamlined efficiency it does stand out as being a bit harder to dive into.

That is partly because there’s a lot you can do with it. It has the tools you would expect in an editor. You can split and trim clips, and you have all the standard color tools including some that most mobile apps leave out.

A lot of apps have Brightness, Contrast, and Saturation, but PowerDirector also has Color Temperature and Tint.

In addition to editing tools, PowerDirector has bells and whistles like filters –

- and a ton of great transitions.

One drawback of PowerDirector is that the free version will watermark your videos. This watermark is not intrusive, but it isn’t as subtle as the Funimate one either.

You can export videos from PowerDirector directly to YouTube.

Vlogit (Android or iOS )

Key Points:

Easy thumbnail maker
Export directly to YouTube
Animated stickers

Vlogit is also an app from the creators of the Filmora Video Editor. It isn’t quite as intuitive as Filmora, but the major benefit of Vlogit for YouTube creators is that it was designed with you in mind. It has features like animated stickers, emojis, and a thumbnail maker which were included specifically because YouTubers and vloggers need them.

All the usual adjustments you might want to make, like saturation or sharpness, are easy in Vlogit. So are adjustments to the length or crop of clips.

After you save your video you’ll have the option of creating a thumbnail using a screenshot from your video. You can add a colored border, text, emojis, and more!

Once you’re done, you can export directly to YouTube. Like Filmora, Vlogit does have a post-video logo roll.

Have you ever used a free mobile app to edit one of your YouTube videos? What did you use, and were you happy with the results?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Mastering the Art of Incorporating YouTube in Slate Presentations

Create High-Quality Video - Wondershare Filmora

An easy and powerful YouTube video editor

Numerous video and audio effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Google Slide presentation is a powerful tool for creators to keep their audience engaged. This online platform lets you create and demonstrate your ideas. It will capture your viewers’ attention from the very beginning. It also doesn’t matter whatever learning style you engage. Adding YouTube videos to Google Slide will appeal to all levels of individuals.

More so, it is the best way to provide a break for both the audience and the creator. You can break Google Slide presentations with videos to offer some break. Viewers and the presenter get a breather in the process. The presenter can take a short break from speaking while the video plays. Let’s now dive into how to embed a YouTube video in Google Slides.

Why should we add a video to Google Slides?

There is a great impact of adding video to Google Slides.

For attention

Videos will automatically awaken you, especially if your thoughts have started to sway during a presentation. A video has a direct way of showing creativity. The audience automatically connects the dots between the video and the presentation lines alike.

To stimulate discussion

A picture is worth a thousand words. There is a way that an added video will help the audience connect to the day’s topic. It will bring up several ideas and stir up discussion with the presenter.

Easy following

With videos embedded in Google Slide, viewers will find it easy to understand and digest. Videos automatically eliminate boredom and make any topic interesting.

How to add a YouTube video to Google Slide

Use these two methods to add a YouTube video to Google Slides. Via the Search and Direct link.

Method 1. Embed YouTube video to Google Slide by search and selection

Google has owned YouTube since the year 2006. You can, therefore, integrate Google’s products with YouTube easily.

Step 1. First, go to the slide where you want to embed your video.

Step 2. Then choose the “Insert” option from the menu bar and hit the “Video” option.

Step 3. It would be best if you now viewed the “YouTube” search bar to type in the video you want to embed. You can use keywords to search for the video in question and view instant search results.

Step 4. Then select the video you want to embed, and you’ll see it appear on the “Slide.”

Step 5. Format your video. Remember that the entire video will be embedded. You don’t necessarily need the whole video. It is time to select just a brief but relevant clip from the video to use. Then position your video to the right point using the axes from the exact starting point to the finished part you want the video to appear in.

Method 2. Embed YouTube video to Google Slide by direct link

You can engage this method if you want to include the entire video.

Step 1. Get the URL of the specific YouTube video that you want to use.

Step 2. Then go to your browser’s “Address bar” to copy the YouTube link.

Step 3. Next, open the “Presentation” slide to put your video to.

Step 4. Choose the “Insert” tab from the menu bar.

Step 5. Then hit on the “Video” option from the drop-down menu that appears.

Step 6. A new window will open automatically. Choose the “By URL” tab.

Step 7. Then paste the YouTube video URL in the “Paste YouTube URL Here” bar section.

Step 8. Wait for the video file to load and press the “Select” option. The video will immediately appear in the presentation slide. Just drag and drop the video in your preferred position.

Note: You can do a few edits inside the application. Set the timer when your video should start and when to stop. You can also adjust the video player size.

How to choose the right video for your Slides?

Not all videos will make an impact on your Google Slide. You need to use the best shot that adds value to your presentation. These guidelines will help you to settle on the best video.

Be Professional – choose the best video for your presentation. Remember that the video is part of the presentation and carries more weight. Settling for quality video will bring out the professionalism in you.

Relevant – how do you know that what you are showing your audience corresponds to the presentation piece? Ensure that the video you add has something to do with the Google Slide presentation topic. The two should naturally flow to make it easy to understand the whole concept.

Precise – your presentation is not about the video. The ideal length should not exceed 60 seconds. The longer the video, the greater the chance for your audience to lose track along the way.

Know every footage you are working with – this will help you pick the best shots for your presentation. So, learn every aspect of the video before settling down to use it.

Add new content – even though one content may suit several presentations, don’t rely on the same piece each time. Your audience will want to feel something fresh each time you are presenting. So, compose different videos for different scenarios to make that big impact.

Create an eye-catching video for your Slides with Filmora

The video quality matters when it comes to creating your Slides. The best video creator – Filmora – works in simple steps to give you an eye-catching video. It will create videos for all scenarios like marketing, tutorial, gaming, etc.

Key features of Filmora

It offers you advanced video effects like filters, motion elements, etc
You can multiply your fun with multiple screens with the Split Screen feature
Easily change backgrounds using the Green Screen feature
The speed control lets you fast forward or slow down a special moment
Import your video clips to social media platforms
You can also adjust the audio of your tracks using the Audio Mixer feature

Follow this guide to create a video for your slide with Filmora

Step 1. Launch Filmora
First, begin by downloading and installing Filmora on your computer device. Once installed, launch it and allow it to run. You can either create a new project or open an existing project to work on.

Step 2. Create a new project
Here, click on the “New Project” tab on the app’s welcome screen. The editor should load immediately. Then proceed to register the product. Just hit on the “Register” tab.

Step 3. Import video
Check the upper left corner of your screen to see the “Import” tab. Click on it and choose the “Import Media Files” option. Next, navigate to the location of your computer’s local list to select the clip or video you want to edit. Then, hit the “Import” button to add the video to the timeline for editing.

Step 4. Edit video
Drag and drop the raw footage to Filmora’s timeline to begin editing. Here, you can trim, add other video clips, merge, and add effects as you wish. Likewise, you can add opening titles, subtitles, and end credits to your video. More so, this tool offers different templates to use. Just drag and drop the templates you wish to use to a specific location on the timeline.

Step 5. Preview your file
Last but not least, you can preview your files. Click on the “Play” tab to start previewing your video clips. The main essence of this part is to allow you to make the necessary changes to your clips if there is a need.

Step 6. Export and Share
With Filmora, you can export your file to various social media platforms. But first, go to the “Output window” and select the video file format to use. This software supports several output formats to apply to any platform and device. Just click on the “Format” tab and choose the file format to use. Then also change the resolution and other parameters like frame rate and channel of your video in the “Settings” section. Finally, share your video to your YouTube channel and get ready to add the video to the Google Slide presentation.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Conclusion

● You now know how to put a YouTube video in Google Slides the simple way. You can search for your YouTube videos or directly use the URL link. Whatever the case, remember that it’s the quality of your video that carries more weight. Thanks to the availability of third-party apps that you can use to create and improve the quality of your videos.

● Filmora is at your service to create high-resolution videos that you can export in any format to your YouTube channel. The tool is intuitive, and it won’t matter whether you haven’t tried it before. It is a perfect choice for both professionals and first-time users.

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