Whether you’re making bitesize vertical video for IG Reels or TikTok or longer landscape videos for YouTube and Facebook, it’s possible to edit the whole thing on your phone.
But there are so many editors available it can be hard to pick the right one for your needs.
I’ve narrowed my 2022 pick down to 3 top contenders (plus one bonus app – the new kid on the block!). Click the links to go to my tutorials on each app or download my PDF summary below.
They are all excellent editors with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Which one is right for you? Well that depends on what you need. Let’s have a look.
VN Video Editor – My go-to app for editing instagram Reels and TikTok
This is my most used app right now. I use it for my own business to create short vertical video clips for sharing on Reels and TikTok (but also LinkedIn and Facebook). I use it in training with clients because it’s intuitive to learn and seems completely glitch free. It’s a solid and reliable editor and I can’t believe the tools that are packed into it for free!
What I love about VN:
- great for beginners because it’s easy to learn due to its intuitive interface
- room for growth for intermediate editors with advanced tools like keyframes which allow you to animate graphics and a fantastic speedramp tool.
- compatible with iOS and Android with a FREE desktop version for Mac or Windows
Adobe Premiere Rush: My pick for team collaboration
Remote working is here to stay and the Adobe Creative Cloud is a world class solution for any communications or marketing teams looking to collaborate in this new environment.
Adobe Rush itself is a fantastic editor with a range of powerful tools available on the smartphone version and the desktop. The real joy of this app is the creative cloud synching which allows you to share your project immediately with anyone on your team and they can pick up the edit where you left off.
What I love about Adobe Premiere Rush
- What I love about Adobe Premiere Rush:
- Collaboration is easy.
- Start the edit on your phone then synch the full project in Adobe’s Creative Cloud
- Now other team members can continue your edit on their phone or desktop from any location in the world!
LumaFusion: When I want pro level tools on the move
If you’re an experienced editor used to desktop software like Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premiere Pro, you’ll love LumaFusion. This app costs less than £20 (compare that to FCPX at £300!) yet it can take on most tasks you’d ask of your professional desktop editor.
What I love about LumaFusion
- a powerful editor giving you access to pro tools on your phone or iPad.
- Export as an XML project, airdrop to your Mac, and continue the edit on your desktop.
- Link directly to a huge library of stock video and backgrounds on Storyblocks (pay the subscription to unlock more)
- One time payment – no subscription
So Which Editor Is Right For You?
VN – beginners/intermediate editors making short clips for social media.
Rush – teams looking to collaborate and spread the load between phone, tablet and desktop.
LumaFusion – experienced editors who want to access the full range of pro tools with the flexibility of an iPhone or iPad.
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK – CAPCUT
AUTOGENERATE SUBTITLES IN SECONDS!
I think I will be writing about this editing app much more in the future.
But for now go and download it and have a look at what it can do.
There are so many great features but what I’m using it just now is to autogenerate captions (subtitles) to add to my short social media videos. It’s so easy to do and it means I don’t have to add captions separately on every platform when I upload it.
