On a phone, start with Edits, Instagram's free editor and the top photo and video app on India's App Store, which exports 4K with no watermark, or Adobe Premiere's free app, with no ads or watermark; both run on iPhone and Android. VN, free with no watermark, and InShot, whose watermark goes with its Pro plan, are the other editors most Indians use, since CapCut has been banned in India since 2020. On a laptop, Clipchamp is free on Windows with watermark-free 1080p exports, iMovie is free on a Mac, and DaVinci Resolve is the best free serious editor for Windows, Mac and Linux (Studio is $236 once, on offer). Pay when you outgrow those: Premiere Pro on subscription after a seven-day trial, Final Cut Pro at ₹29,900 once on a Mac, or Descript at $16 a month billed yearly to edit talking videos by their transcript. Rule: Edits or VN on a phone, DaVinci Resolve on a laptop.
Part of Video editing on eChai Explore.
13 resources, 13 link-checked.
A tester who put more than 90 editors through their paces for this update picks Premiere as the best professional editor, DaVinci Resolve as the best free one and Clipchamp for quick web edits.
From zapier.com by Tim Brookes
The record of the 2020 ban that keeps CapCut off Indian phones, the reason it is missing from this list.
From inc42.com by Kritti Bhalla
Instagram's free phone editor, ranked No. 1 in Photo and Video on India's App Store today, built for Reels and Shorts.
From apps.apple.com by Instagram
The same free editor on Android, with more than 100 million downloads.
From play.google.com by Instagram
Adobe's free phone editor for Shorts and Reels, with no ads or watermarks, also on Android.
From apps.apple.com by Adobe
Adobe Premiere mobile app on eChai Explore
A free multi-track phone editor with no watermark, No. 2 in Photo and Video on India's App Store, with a Mac version too.
From apps.apple.com by Ubiquiti Labs
VN Video Editor on eChai Explore
One of the most downloaded editors in India, with more than 500 million installs on Android, for quick trims, music and text on short videos.
From play.google.com by InShot
A free editor in the browser and on Windows for quick edits, with AI tools and watermark-free exports.
From clipchamp.com by Microsoft
Microsoft Clipchamp on eChai Explore
The free professional editor for Mac, Windows and Linux, with editing, colour, effects and audio in one app.
From blackmagicdesign.com by Blackmagic Design
DaVinci Resolve on eChai Explore
Apple's free editor for the Mac, also on iPhone and iPad, the simplest way to cut and title a video on Apple devices.
From apps.apple.com by Apple
Apple's professional editor for Macs with Apple silicon, a one-time purchase of ₹29,900 on India's Mac App Store, and part of the Apple Creator Studio subscription.
From apps.apple.com by Apple
Final Cut Pro on eChai Explore
The professional standard on Windows and Mac, priced in rupees with GST on Adobe's India page, with a seven-day free trial.
From adobe.com by Adobe
Adobe Premiere on eChai Explore
Edits a talking video or podcast by editing its transcript, free to start.
From descript.com by Descript
