Movavi Video Editor Review: Video Editing Made Easy

With the right tools and software, everyone can make professional-looking, high-quality videos. In this Movavi Video Editor review, I will discuss each aspect of the editor that will help you create professional-looking videos easily.

Quick Summary

Movavi Video Editor is one of the best video editing software for beginners. It helps you create amazing videos with minimal time and effort. In short, the editor has all the features to make your video stand out from the crowd with your creativity.

It has a user-centric approach and a host of video editing features. These include Special effects and Transitions, Keyframe Animations, pre-made Intros, Chroma key, Templates, and Blocks.

Pricing

It falls under two pricing plans in USD:

The one-year subscription version of Movavi Video Editor covers 1 PC or 1 Mac and costs USD 54.95. However, a lifetime license covering 1 PC costs USD 119.95. Using our Movavi Discount Coupons, you can buy the subscription of your choice at an almost 65% discount.

If you are looking for good video editing program alternatives that provide a lifetime license, you can try Wondershare Filmora & AVS Video Editor, which uniquely supports lifetime free upgrades as well.

I recommend you use the Free Trial version of any video editing program before making your purchase decision. However, I will do my best to help you understand the features and the real feel throughout this Movavi Video Editor review.

Movavi Video Editor 15 Vs Editor 2027

Note: Video Editor 15 is no longer on sale. We contacted their support, and here is what they have to say:

No further functionality development will be released for this version. However, if any critical issue arises- for example, rendering the program completely unusable due to a Windows update- we will release an update to address such an issue. This has happened in the past and can happen again.

Movavi Video Editor: Key Features Review

Basic Video Editing Tools

Movavi Video Editor offers a plethora of tools for a hassle-free video editing workflow. But first, let's start with the basics.

Trimming

Movavi Video Editor makes it easy to trim down sections from lengthy video files, keeping only essential moments. The program features three different methods to do so:

• Adjust clip edges: You can easily drag the edges of a selected clip in the timeline to adjust its start and end points.
• Use Blade Tool: Once done, you can apply the blade tool to make multiple precise cuts on the clips and remove the unnecessary bits. For better accuracy, you can use the Marker tool to mark exact points before cutting.
• Split Tool: You can split parts from a clip by placing the orange playhead at the desired spot and clicking the Split option from the toolbar or by holding Ctrl+B. It is the best use case during playback-based editing.
• Trim before adding to the timeline: You can also select a video in your Project files and trim it before adding it to the timeline, making it easier to select just the part you need.

Effects and Filters

Achieving the right tone and creating stunning visual effects can be complex. To address this challenge, Movavi Video Editor includes a variety of built-in filters and effects presets. You can use them in your videos to create the right tone and portray the perfect shot to your audience. Applying these effects and Filters is as easy as dragging and dropping them into the desired clip in the timeline.

Movavi Video Editor's VHS effects collection is my current favorite. I am also impressed with the latest update, which adds further customization options. I could tweak different parts of the effect, such as noise level, distortion, brightness, blending, etc. It helped me achieve the perfect look I was aiming for.

Variety of Transitions

Most videos consist of multiple scenes and clips composed into one. However, if transitions between scenes aren't smooth and natural, they can disconnect viewers.

Movavi Video Editor offers many types of transitions. To create a smooth transition, add a transition between two clips. The program offers greater control over transition effects. You can adjust the transition style and duration limits, adjust the Photo clip duration, and incorporate Pan and zoom effects within the applied transitions. You can also fill transitions in three ways: trimming content, freezing a frame, or slow motion.

Note: While Movavi Video Editor offers several free attention-grabbing transition effects, some themed collections need to be purchased separately.

Support for LUTs

LUT is short for 'LookUp Table.' This feature helps transform color input values in your video to any other color output values. It gives your final footage a very different look & feel.

Movavi Video Editor lets you import and apply LUT effects in .cube format, so you can easily recreate color schemes from other movies. You can also adjust the LUT intensity by moving the slider, which helps you tweak the entire atmosphere to your liking.

Record Audio and Video 

Besides importing media files from your local drive, Movavi Video Editor lets you record audio and video from within the app. It minimizes the need for third-party apps, letting you instantly add your recorded clips to the timeline—no extra setup needed.

The Record Video feature lets you adjust preferences such as the video capture device, resolution, frame rate, and audio capture device before recording. Similarly, to record voice-overs, you can use the Record Audio feature, select your preferred audio device, and adjust the volume.

Templates and Blocks

The 2027 version adds Templates and Blocks, which can save you some time when creating a video. Templates give you ready-made video designs that you can customize with your own clips, text, and other elements. Blocks are smaller ready-made sections that you can add to your project and edit as needed.

I found these useful when I wanted to quickly add some style to a video instead of creating everything manually. However, some of the templates, blocks, and other content are available only with an Effects Store Subscription. Some free options are also available.

Advanced Video Editing Tools

Now, let's look into the advanced video editing features of Movavi Video Editor. These tools give you greater control over your video, helping you achieve a professional look.

Color Adjustments

This tool gives precise color adjustment options for your video clips. There are two modes.

The Presets mode offers Denoise, Auto contrast, Auto saturation, Auto white balance, Magic enhance, and more. The Manual mode option allows you to tweak White balance, Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Highlights, Gamma, Shadows, Hue, Temperature, and Tint. 

Professional editors might find the color corrections basic. However, Movavi Video Editor balances this gap by offering creative control with its effects pack. Additionally, applying LUTs provides an added advantage for maintaining a consistent visual style throughout the video.

Blending Modes

Movavi Video Editor offers 13 blending modes to help you fine-tune your videos. This feature is especially useful for overlapping videos, images, or effects. It allows you to merge two clips creatively for a more dynamic and visually appealing result.

It also includes a strong collection of built-in overlay effects. This integration keeps your entire editing workflow in the program, minimizing the need to search for and import effects separately.

I could change the blending mode of an applied effect and try different options to see how they changed the look of the video.

Scene detection

So far, this is one of my favorite features in Movavi Video Editor. The Scene detection tool automatically detects scenes based on the selected scene duration and splits them into separate clips with a single click. 

It is ideal for creating short clips or snippets from long videos for social media content. It saves a huge amount of time that would otherwise be spent on manually reviewing and splitting scenes from lengthy footage.

Processing time mainly depends on your video's duration, resolution, frame rate, and bitrate. I tested it with 10-minute-long 2K Video footage, and it took around 3 minutes to detect scene changes at 1-second intervals. The result was quite accurate.

Stabilization

If you are into travel vlogging, you know how difficult it is to fix handheld, unstabilized footage during editing. Fortunately, Movavi Video Editor's Stabilization feature handles this challenge impressively well. This tool helps you eliminate unnecessary camera shakes by tweaking key parameters like Accuracy, Shaking, Radius, Smoothing, and Edge cropping. You can adjust these parameters until you find the sweet spot.

During my Movavi Video Editor review, I found the tool easy to use and effective. However, I was mostly impressed by its flexibility. I could experiment with different settings and readjust them if the result was unsatisfactory, without losing previous configurations.

Chroma key

Popularly known as the green screen, Chroma key is a video editor's favorite tool. Located under the More tools tab, it lets you remove and convert any color to a transparent background. Using this tool is as easy as selecting the color with the color picker and adjusting parameters like Color, Tolerance, Noise, Edges, and Opacity to achieve a more polished look.

Audio Editing Tools

Sound autocorrect

Movavi Video Editor's Sound autocorrect feature helps you remove unwanted background noise from your audio using 3 presets: Enhanced voice recording, Noisy place, and Recording studio.

To test its capability, I recorded a 30-second audio clip using earphones while a high-speed fan was running. The recording had noticeable wind noise, and my voice was fairly audible.

All the presets did a decent job handling the noise. However, in my experience, the Enhanced voice recording preset delivered the best balance of clarity and adequate noise reduction. Overall, the feature is quite handy and can be used for quick audio cleanups. To further polish your audio, you can later use the Noise gate and Compressor features.

Note: These presets may not help with recordings in extremely loud environments.

Synchronization

Fixing mismatched audio and visuals is time-consuming, but the Synchronization feature simplifies the process. It automatically checks for audio streams in different clips and syncs them in the timeline. It is ideal when you record audio and video using two different devices.

Using this feature is simple. Place both audio clips on separate tracks, select them, and hit Synchronize. The tool will automatically adjust one track to match the others' peaks

Beat detection

Another handy inclusion in the Audio section. The Beat detection feature efficiently detects audio beats in your video and displays them on your timeline. Once the beats are detected, you can adjust their tempo or make precise cuts and adjustments to further enhance your video project.

Silence removal

This feature in Movavi Video Editor helps remove long, awkward pauses in your video. The Silence removal tool can automatically detect silent intervals, remove them, and join the gaps to keep the video engaging.

For more control, you can use manual mode. You can tweak different settings like volume threshold, duration, and delay, as well as how the cuts should be applied after detection, with gaps or without gaps in the timeline. Perfect for editing podcasts, interviews, and tutorials, where long silences often slow down the video flow.

AI Tools

The AI features in Movavi Video Editor are designed to streamline your workflow, and my experience was no different.

AI Motion Tracking 

Editing a moving object can be challenging. Therefore, Movavi has integrated a motion tracking feature into its video editor. It simplifies the process further with the help of AI. With this feature, you can make elements (e.g., stickers, titles, text, etc.) track any moving object.

During my Movavi Video Editor review, the feature was quite basic. However, it effectively achieved its intended purpose. Nevertheless, I would appreciate more advanced motion-tracking options in the future.

AI Noise Removal

Thanks to Artificial intelligence, the Noise removal option effectively removes background noise present in your audio clips. During my test, the feature worked impressively well, leaving no space for unpleasant noise. However, using too much of this can distort the audio clip.

AI Background removal

Background removal uses artificial intelligence technology to remove the background from videos smartly. You can choose between Quick and precise removal options. In my experience, the Background Removal feature did a great job removing the background from a moving subject in a handheld shot. However, I noticed some rough edges at times. So I suggest using the feature on a fully static video for better accuracy and polish.

AI Auto subtitles

With AI, Movavi automatically generates subtitles for your videos. This feature is extremely handy, as it eliminates the need for manual typing. Once the subtitles are generated, you can also manually design them or pick from 30+ design styles to fit your needs. The design options include multiple templates, fonts, font sizes, colors, backgrounds, text positioning, and more.

During my Movavi Video Editor review, I found the feature to be extremely efficient. The feature took around 2 minutes 42 seconds to generate subtitles for a 3-minute 12-second video clip, and the result was fairly accurate. You can also edit the text if required.

The latest version also adds word-by-word highlighting, which highlights each word as it is spoken. This gives subtitles a more dynamic look.

Auto crop (Crop and rotate AI)

The Auto Crop tool makes it easier to change a video's framing while keeping the main subject in view. You can find it in the Crop & rotate AI tool. I found it useful when I wanted to change the video framing without having to adjust the crop manually throughout the clip.

Video Denoise

Video Denoise helps reduce unwanted noise in your footage and make it look cleaner. It is useful when a video has noticeable visual noise, especially in clips recorded in less-than-ideal lighting. You can apply it to the clip and adjust the effect to get the result you want.

Movavi Video Editor: Interface & Workflow

User Interface Overview

Movavi believes in making complex tasks easy for users through simplified software. Hence, the same applies to the video editor. 

Movavi Video Editor 27 has an easy-to-use interface. All the tools are pretty much based on 'What You See Is What You Get' or the WYSIWYG principle. Upon opening the editor, you can locate all the main tools in the left-side panel. From here, you can add effects, transitions, animations, stickers, and access other advanced tools.

The timeline is placed at the bottom of the screen & a live preview player is on the right. You can scrub through the video for minute changes as you edit.

The learning curve should be minimal for all users, even those with little to no background in video editing. The Video Editor's background is thoughtfully kept black, reducing eye strain when working with videos for long hours.

Quick Start and Timeline Editing

You can easily add media files to Movavi Video Editor by going to File import or by dragging and dropping the files into the File import window. The import section also includes built-in media files like sample video clips, Intro videos, and background images.

The Audio tab allows you to add audio tracks, background music, and sound effects to your videos. Movavi Video Editor includes numerous intro videos, which you can edit to create your own versions.

You can also Record Video through the front-facing camera or any other connected device. For audio recording, you can use the Record Audio option.

You can also add ready-made templates to your project and customize them with your own media.

The Preferences option, under the Settings section, lets you further control your app. It has four tabs to fine-tune the app: General, Files, Sharing, and Acceleration. You can adjust settings to suit your needs.

Note: The Slideshow Wizard, previously found in the File Import window, is now offered as Movavi Slideshow Maker, which is sold separately.

Timeline Editing

Organizing all your clips on the timeline is also very easy. You can drag and drop the clips on the timeline as you wish. By default, all clips are arranged in the order you add them.

Movavi Video Editor 2027 features an intuitive timeline, simplifying clip organization and streamlining the editing process. The toolbar section gives you many key video editing tools for quick access. The Auto crop tool is a new addition to the toolbar. Besides that, you get other handy tools like Record, Undo, Redo, Delete, Selection, Blade, Split, Marker, Auto Subtitles, and more. The Export option is thoughtfully placed on the right, which I found very convenient.

You can preview your project in the built-in player located on the right side of the window. This player has all the options you need to play, pause, forward, or back the video you are working on.

The Preview Window has a unique control that lets you detach it from the editor. I love this feature because I have a multi-monitor setup that lets me edit on one monitor and preview the timeline full screen on the other.

You can also increase the preview quality. I recommend it only if you have a powerful computer, as you might notice lag with the preview.

Managing Projects

When you start working in Movavi Video Editor, all your changes are saved under a 'Project.' Movavi Video Editor saves all video projects in the .mepj format on your device. You can open it anytime to process it in Movavi Video Editor. You can save your project by pressing the Ctrl+S shortcut key.

Sometimes, you might want to combine some of your projects into one. To do this, go to the 'File' menu and select 'Append project.' A window will open; find and select the project to append to the current project. However, note that the appended project files are always added to the end of the current project files.

One fantastic option when working with multiple devices is saving a portable project. When you save a portable project, Movavi Video Editor automatically saves all media files the project contains into a folder you can carry to another device. This is especially helpful if you have Video Editor on more than one PC/Mac and want to edit on them when you have them. For example, you can start your edit on your home laptop and resume the editing at the office.

Workflow Impression

Editing on Movavi Video Editor was smooth. While I faced some occasional lag due to my low-spec system and high-quality video inputs, the overall editing experience was impressive. Applying transitions, effects, and color corrections was all easy. Depending on the selected media, I was able to tweak different areas, such as volume, playback speed, applying Fade in or Fade out duration, opacity, blending options, etc., from the Clip settings tab.

The automation of advanced features like scene detection and Silence removal, and AI features like Auto Subtitles and Noise removal) sped up the editing task further. Overall, the experience was highly satisfying. 

Movavi Effects Store

Apart from all the pre-installed effects and stickers in the app, you can add more. There is a huge collection of amazing effects, transitions & stickers on the Movavi Effects Store. You can browse the collection online and purchase the ones you like for your project.

Note: In the latest update, Movavi has introduced new packs, including the Trendsetter Sticker pack and 3D Business Basics Pack. These effect packs can be exported with your video, but this is only possible if you subscribe to the Movavi Effects Store.

Movavi Video Editor: Exporting

Once you've finished editing your videos, you can export them using the Export Option. From here, you can export the full video or a specific segment. Also, you can export videos specific to devices like Android devices, iOS devices, or TVs.

Apart from videos, you can also export audio files using the most common audio codecs. You can also upload your videos directly to different online platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, or Google Drive.

There is no support for H.265 encoding. So, you will need to stick to other popular codecs like H.264.

Movavi Video Editor Performance

For my Movavi Video Editor review, I used 2K and a mix of 1080p and 720p sample videos for the export test. I also added subtitles, effects, and transitions to test the application's stability. My system specifications are:

• ‌Processor - AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 2100 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
• RAM - 12.0 GB
• Disk - 512 GB SSD
• OS - Windows 11 Home Single Language
• Graphics - AMD Radeon Vega 8 (Integrated)

Idle State Resource Usage

In the idle state, the program didn't use my computer's CPU resources, but it did use 1.2GB of RAM. The GPU was at a constant 10.9 MB.

During Exporting

Export Settings

Video Length: 10 Mins
Format: MP4
Quality: High
Resolution: 1920X1080
Frame Rate: 29.97 FPS
Size: 971 MB

Movavi Video Editor took around 12 minutes to finish the export, and the performance test results were quite impressive.

When initiating export, the CPU usage reached a maximum of 76.83%. Over time, CPU usage fluctuated between 30% and 45%. RAM consumption remained at 3 GB for the rest of the export session.

The GPU memory consumption fluctuated between 116.5 MB and 137.7 MB during the export.

Note: My tests show basic editing performance. As you add more elements to your videos, they will use more resources and take longer to export.

Conclusion

Throughout the testing process, my device performed smoothly without lag, which is a positive outcome considering the large file sizes I was editing.

Movavi Video Editor Review: Overall Experience

Movavi Video Editor is a highly efficient video editing tool for a diverse range of users. As a fellow video editing enthusiast, I liked some of its features.

What I Like

• The sleek design and user-friendly interface make navigation within the application seamless. Even individuals with minimal experience in video editing can quickly grasp the fundamentals.
• The detachable preview window is notably convenient for users with a multi-window setup, enhancing the overall video editing experience.
• One standout feature I found in Movavi Video Editor is that the program allows users to export videos in 4K resolution, a feature many standard video editing applications lack.
• The AI Auto subtitles feature has significantly improved Movavi's editing efficiency by eliminating the need for manual subtitle typing, which was a time-consuming task.

What I Dislike

• Movavi Video Editor supports importing H.265 videos, but playback and editing depend on your system's hardware and installed codecs. On Windows, you need the HEVC Video Extensions to open these files properly. However, the editor does not support H.265 encoding, so you will need to use H.264 when exporting videos.

How good is the Software Support?

Movavi Video Editor, like all other Movavi products, offers good software support. You can find the User manual through the Help tab on the main menu. This manual has a detailed description of every tool and function available for Movavi Video Editor.

The Support Center has a dedicated resource section that includes FAQs, Lost Key Recovery, Software Upgrades, How-Tos, Video Guides, and more.

Movavi also has a 24x7 AI chat agent. If the agent cannot resolve your issue, it can create a support ticket, and the support team will respond by email, usually within 1-3 business days.

Compared with other Video Editing Programs

In this Movavi Video Editor review, I've reached a point where I can compare it quickly with other popular, stable video editors. So, let's dig in.

Is Movavi Video Editor Better than Filmora?

Both video editors are easy to use and support faster processing of large HD Videos. Movavi Video Editor is much more beginner-friendly and has advanced features. Moreover, it is more affordable. Comparing Filmora Vs Movavi Video Editor in detail helps clarify the key differences between the two editors.

Compared to Movavi Video Editor, Filmora offers a screen capture feature that is missing in Movavi Video Editor. For screen capturing, Movavi has a separate program named Movavi Screen Recorder. Filmora also offers multiple presets for the split-screen effect compared to Movavi. Last but not least, Filmora supports the HEVC(H.265) export, whereas Movavi doesn't. Learn more in this Wondershare Filmora review.

Is Movavi Video Editor Better than AVS Video Editor?

Both share many features, like Chroma key, Video stabilization, and support for 4K video editing. AVS Video Editor includes all the basic video editing functions. Movavi Video Editor has much more advanced tools and a short learning curve.

Also, AVS Video Editor is available for Windows PCs only, and Movavi Video Editor is available for Windows and Mac.

Movavi Video Editor should not be compared to high-budget professional tools like Adobe Premiere Pro, HitFilm Pro, etc. They are not easy to learn and are unsuitable for general home or budget-conscious users.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Movavi Video Editor Safe?

Yes. Movavi Video Editor is completely safe to use.

As per the official Movavi website, Movavi software has no potentially harmful malware. Also, they claim that they do not compromise your privacy or collect any associated personal details other than those required for licensing.

Is Movavi Video Editor free to use?

No. You can try the free version of Movavi Video Editor for 7 days with restrictions. After the trial ends, you will have to activate the subscription.

Conclusion: Is it Worth Your Money?

To sum up, this video editor app is definitely worth your money. It is super easy to use, and the advanced options for creating a perfect video and prompt support make it a top choice among other video editing software.