7 Best Video Editing Apps for iPhone

2023 Guide to Video Editing Software

Filming videos on iPhone has become increasingly popular as iPhone camera lenses have advanced over the years. Many iPhone filmmakers want the power to edit their footage right from their phone for easy social sharing.

Using a video editing app for iPhone is a great way to conveniently create and post content. But with so many editing applications out there it's hard to know which ones are worth your time and money. To make the process simple, here is an overview of the 7 best video editing apps of 2023.

Be sure to also checkout iPhone Video Gear for Filmmakers and starting creators.

1. Quik for Mobile

By GoPro
Picture Credit: GoPro
Quik is a video editing software that was developed by GoPro. Compatible with footage shot on iPhone, Android, and GoPro cameras this app is a versatile option for filmmakers.

Quik comes with advanced editing features like slo mo and automatic audio detection. This software was developed with action photography in mind. The GPS Sticker feature shows how fast, high, or far you were going. Little elements like this make it perfect for editing action packed videos.

Using Quik you can trim, reorder, zoom, and rotate your videos. Or, you can use their Smart Cut tool which trims your videos for you. The app comes with 26 themes for IOS each with transitions and graphics. Also with more than 100 free songs to choose it's easy to find the perfect background music.

Quik is available for Free in the App Store and is a great option for the adventurous filmmaker.

2. Final Cut Pro

Professional post-production by Apple
Final Cut Pro is an advanced video editing software made for MacOS users. This powerful app is great for iPhone filmmakers that want to create complex projects with added effects.

Their user friendly interface comes with handy features like Magnetic Timeline. This tool allows you to trim and move clips seamlessly without disrupting the rest of the video. For extra convenience clips can be color coded to make staying organized simple.

Many iPhone creators want to achieve ultra wide aspect ratios and use an anamorphic lens attachment to do so. The anamorphic lens became popular among iPhone filmmakers because it stretches the x-axis and creates a wide horizontal frame. Final Cut Pro features software that can de-squeeze your ultra wide footage to make it fit into a normalized letterboxd frame.

Final Cut Pro has many programs that make it a professional level video editing app. Some noteworthy features include: advanced audio editing, 360° VR Editing, Motion Graphics, and Advanced Color Editing.

Final Cut Pro is available for download in the App Store. Downloading this app requires a one time payment of $299.99 that gives you unlimited access to every feature. No in-app purchases required.

3. LumaFusion

Pro video editing and effect by Luma Touch LLC
Photo Credit: 9TO5MAC
LumaFusion Pro has been a popular choice in the App Store for quite some time and ranks #21 among Photo & Video apps. For an affordable price this app provides many advanced features that makes it easy to create high quality content from your iPhone.

Like Final Cut Pro, LumaFusion Pro also has a magnetic timeline that makes rearranging your video content less time consuming. This app also allows you to drop markers to leave comments as well as multi-select clips to be deleted, moved, or copied. The intuitive interface creates a stress free experience when working on complex projects.

This software allows you to layer styles and effects to your videos. Using the Titler effect you can add multi-layer titles in a variety of shapes, texts, and images. LumaFusion is also capable of fully color correcting your footage from distortions such as over-exposure. Using the real-time preview you can access all the changes that have been made to your video.

This comprehensive video editing app takes into account all the essential tools needed for video editing and added in some cool advanced features too. The LumaFusion app is available for download for IOS. It costs $29.99 to download but this doesn't include advanced features which can be bought in the app.

4. Adobe Premiere Rush for Video

Create, edit & share videos by Adobe Inc.
Adobe Premiere Rush is like the little sister to Adobe's Premiere Pro editing software. The powerful but simplistic design of Adobe Rush provides just the necessities. Rush is a relatively new addition to Adobe's portfolio and is designed for iPhone and DSLR filmmakers that want to edit and upload content quickly.

Premiere Rush lays out your digital assets in a left to right chronological order. Navigating the Rush dashboard is very straightforward and can oftentimes be done without any instruction. The best thing about this software is its limited choices for editing.

When comparing Adobe Rush to software like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro you will notice that it lacks manual controls options. Adobe Rush is a good option for vloggers and video creators who require just the basics for editing.

A subscription to Adobe Premiere Rush costs $9.99/month and includes access to Adobe Fonts, Adobe Portfolio, and Adobe Sparks plus 100GB of cloud storage. Rush is available for download in the app store and is compatible with Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android devices that meet the minimum system requirements.

5. iMovie

Turn videos into movie magic by Apple
Picture Credit: The Apple Post
iMovie is the OG video editing software developed by Apple for IOS and MacOs users. Similar to Adobe Premiere Rush this iMove also provides the most basic video editing tools. iMovie offers the simplistic user interface that only Apple knows how to design.

Using iMovie you can add custom logos, cast names, and credit roles by selecting a style template that best fits your video. Using this app you get access to ten filters and eight themes to choose from. iMovie also comes with a small collection of audio effects and music.

Again, if you are looking for advanced video editing software it's better to choose an application like Final Cut Pro or LumaFusion. iMovie takes the minimalist approach to video editing and is best suited for individuals new to editing.

You can download iMovie for free in the App Store with no in-app purchases needed.

6. Filmmaker Pro Video Editor

Video Editor & Movie Maker by Samer Azzam
Photo Credit: Apple App Store
Filmmaker Pro is like an advanced version of iMovie. This app also provides basic video editing tools but comes with more manual options that let you control how your video is recorded.

The most exciting feature available with Filmmaker Pro is the ability to easily swap out any green screen background with only a few taps. This video editing app also allows you to adjust the color gradient, white balance, and saturation. Complete with 30 options for filters and transitions this app comes with enough tools to keep you entertained for quite a while.

Filmmaker Pro is a good option for intermediate video creators whose skills have outgrown iMovie. You can download this app for free in the Apple Store but in-app purchases are required to access advanced tools.

7. Splice Video Editor and Maker

By Bending Spoons Apps IVS
Photo Credit: Elegant Themes
Splice is different from other video editing apps because it's mainly designed for social media content. Splice stresses the importance of optimizing videos for social media sharing rather than exporting files to a computer.

Avoiding copyrighted music from your videos can be a challenge. Splice offers an audio library that allows you to record voice overs, add sound effects, or use music as a backdrop for visuals.

The app also offers an iTunes integration feature. However ,avoiding copyright laws can be tricky. All the sound effects provided in Splices audio library are licensed and won’t result in any copyright infringement.

Splice Video Editor and Maker is available for download in the app store for free but might require some in-app purchases to access some tools. Nonetheless, Splice is a good video editing app for any individual who wants to heighten their social media content.

Filmmaking Gear

Aside from the apps we mentioned above, we have also selected useful gear for iPhone videography (cinematography).
View Video Gear