iMovie review

iMovie is the simplest editor on this list and costs nothing on a Mac. It organizes your clips and photos in one library, edits at up to 4K with footage from recent iPhones, GoPro and other Ultra HD cameras, and supports 1080p at 60 frames per second. Twenty-nine Hollywood-style trailer templates come with original scores, and you get titles, transitions, travel maps, fast-forward and slow motion, picture-in-picture, side-by-side and green screen effects. One-click Enhance, color controls and stabilization fix common problems, and 48 video and audio effects add some flair. You can start a project on iPhone or iPad and finish it on a Mac, then export a version optimized for YouTube. When you outgrow it, a project can be sent to Final Cut Pro. The limits are clear: it runs only on Apple devices and lacks advanced color, audio and motion graphics tools. For a first editor on a Mac, it is hard to beat.

Who it is for

Mac beginners making family videos and first YouTube uploads.

Price

Free on Mac; no paid plan.

Only for Mac Free
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Editing at up to 4K resolution on compatible Macs
• 29 trailer templates with original scores
• Picture-in-picture, side-by-side and green screen effects
• One-click Enhance, color controls and stabilization
• Send projects to Final Cut Pro

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Completely free
• Strength: Start on iPhone or iPad and finish on a Mac
• Strength: Exports optimized for YouTube and Facebook
• Weakness: Apple devices only
• Weakness: 48 video and audio effects is a small library
• Weakness: No advanced color, audio or motion graphics tools

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Trailer templates: 29
• Effects: 48 video and audio effects

Where it ranks

iMovie is No. 7 in our Best Video Editing Software verdict.