We live in times of fast internet and viral content where everybody can record and share videos in an instant. But you will need to go beyond your smartphone video editing options to obtain specific effects. Many software video editors are expensive, but it is possible to find alternative online video editing tools.

When choosing such tools, you need to consider the following:
User interface, supported video formats, and any other factor that will help you create a professional video.

All of the following platforms offer free trials. However, Magisto is the only one that makes you submit credit card information before you can gain access to the free trial.

01. Biteable

Biteable’s simple yet sophisticated platform empowers business owners to create videos quickly and easily. With an intuitive, user-friendly interface designed for beginners and pros alike,  Biteable offers hundreds of high-quality video templates from which you can choose. You can build your own video from 1.8 million stock images and clips, and thousands of custom animations.

Unlike other video makers, Biteable has its own in-house team of animators, copywriters, and producers, which ensures that every video made with Biteable is striking and effective. Biteable is regularly updated with professional animations that can be customized to suit your brand and message.

With Biteable, you can create any kind of marketing video; whether it be a promo, presentation or social media video. You can use a watermarked version of Biteable for free, or, you can remove the watermark with a paid plan.

Biteable offers 3 plans:

• Try Biteable (Free): You will have access to 1.8 million images and clips and will be able to export watermarked videos.
• Plus: Tailored for individuals and small businesses, Plus includes unlimited video exports, custom branding (i.e. no Biteable watermark), 1080p resolution, commercial usage rights, and more. You can get the Plus plan for $19 a month.
• Ultimate: Best for those who work collaboratively. Includes all of the above plus unlimited seats, collaborative editing, video creation assistance, and more. You can get the Ultimate plan for $49 a month.

02. Placeit by Envato

Offering an incredibly wide array of marketing and graphically designed templates, Placeit can be relied on for any branding endeavor.

Its video editor is both intuitive and dynamic. You can choose from thousands of video templates and create stimulating videos within minutes. What makes Placeit stand out is its stock audio library. You can choose from over 1300 different audio tracks and give your video a truly unique touch.
Incredibly compatible with modern marketing needs, Placeit offers templates tailored to specific platforms or use cases.
If you’re creating an intro, a product demo, or an Instagram video or story- you can choose a video template that is optimized for each.

Placeit offers two subscription packages:

• A monthly plan for $14.95
• An annual plan for $89.69 (or $7.47)

Both plans will grant you access to Placeit’s entire suite of features:
Mockups, designs, logos, and, of course, videos.

03. Renderforest

Renderforest is a free online animated video maker. It will help you create slideshows, explainer videos, intros, and promotional videos. You can use video templates to make educational presentations and whiteboard videos. You can even create realistic mobile app videos and tutorials.

Offering more than 195,000 high definition royalty-free stock images, Renderforest is an extremely versatile platform. More so than any of the other platforms, Renderforest offers a ton of templates. These can be easily modified to appear consistent with your brand and unique imagery.

You have access to all features for free. However, if you want to export your video clip in high quality, you have two options:
Either pay per export or subscribe for a monthly or annual plan.

Besides the free trial, Renderforest offers 4 paid plans:

• Amateur for $9.90 per month: You can create 7 HD720 videos that will appear without a watermark. However, video runtime will be limited to 5 minutes.
• Pro for $19.90 per month: You can create 20 HD720 or 5 HD1080 videos that will appear without a watermark. Video runtime will be limited to 15 minutes.
• Popular for $39.90 per month:  You can create 60 HD720 or 30 HD1080 videos that will appear without a watermark. Video runtime will be limited to 30 minutes.
• Popular for $49.90 per month: The ultimate package for enterprises, you can create an unlimited number of HD1080. Video runtime will be limited to 60 minutes.

04. Lumen5

Lumen5 prides itself on being a go-to platform for those who have no video editing experience. With an incredibly user-friendly interface, Lumen5 is especially effective for companies and brands looking to efficiently scale their social media output.

Lumen5 really shines through when it comes to converting old text content into videos.
Thanks to powerful AI technology, you can easily transform articles and blog posts into cool, easy-to-digest videos. If you’re experiencing writer’s’ block,  all you’ll have to do is add a link to an article or blog post to your Lumen5 account. The platform will automatically fetch the content and populate your storyboard.
We’ve tried it and the final results were impressive.

Along with a free account (that will allow you to create 3 videos a month), Lumen5 offers four subscription packages:

• Starter for $19 per month: You can create 10  HD720 videos that will appear without Lumen5’s watermark.
• Premium for $59 per month: You can create 15 videos 1080p videos that will appear without a watermark. Additionally, you’ll be given access to 15 million stock photos & videos.
• Business for $149 per month:  You can create 20 videos 1080p videos that will appear without a watermark.
  Additionally, you’ll be given access to 200(!) million stock photos & videos, along with the ability to add your own watermark & font.
• Enterprise: Suitable for large-scale video teams. Price will depend on specific company needs.

05. WeVideo

WeVideo is a cloud-based online video maker platform for video editing, collaborating content, and publishing across devices. More people can work collaboratively for editing a video within WeVideo’s platform, using space from the Google Drive app. Offering a very friendly user experience, WeVideo is as close to a drag and drop platform as you’re going to get. Also, WeVideo Android’s app can help you capture raw footage directly from your phone or a webcam.

However, be warned:
This video editor is not as permissive with large files. The editor has an intuitive layout. You’ll find clips on the left, video player on the right, and timeline at the bottom of the page.

The Transform tool palette allows you to rotate (vertical and horizontal flip) or to scale. Also, you can sharpen or add effects, both audio and video. You can fade out or adjust the audio level or even upload audio files to the movie. We recommend you check out the free version, before deciding on subscribing to a paid plan.

If you have your heart set on your finished video appearing in 4K UHD, you will need to opt for one of the paid plans. These include the Unlimited plan ($9.99/mo), Professional plan, ($19.99/mo) and the Business plan ($39.99/mo). WeVideo’s logo will appear as a watermark on a video created using the free trial.

06. PowToon

PowToon is a simple video editor, reminiscent of traditional Craft Style. It is perfect for marketing professionals, small and medium businesses or start-ups, trainers, and educators. PowToon is straightforward and lets you arrange your footage on a black canvas or a colorful background. Created for beginners or inexperienced video editors, PowToon can help you create engaging videos and export them with one click.

With PowToon, you can create videos tailored and optimized for each specific social media platform. Video dimensions include 1:1 square, 16:9 horizontal, and 9:16 vertical videos. Choose between uploading your own video footage or built-in video sources from Storyblocks.  PowToon’s offers various drawings of people and objects. These can be added to a blank canvas or a colorful background of your choosing.

Fair warning:
If you don’t purchase the full version, you can only edit or create videos that last up to 45 seconds. Like with WeVideo, the PowToon logo will appear on the video as a watermark when exporting it while using the free trial.

PowToon offers three subscription packages:

• Pro for $19 per month: You can create 5 HD720 videos that will appear without PowToon’s watermark. Video runtime will be limited to 10 minutes.
• Pro+ for $39 per month: You can create an unlimited number of HD720 videos that will appear without a watermark. Video runtime will be limited to 20 minutes.
• Agency for $99 per month:  You can create an unlimited number of HD720 videos that will appear without a watermark. Video runtime will be limited to 30 minutes.

07. Wave.Video

Wave.Video is a great and easy-to-use video maker for small businesses and entrepreneurs. It gives you access to over 200 million stock videos and images. Of course, you can also upload your own media. However, having large stock footage library at your fingertips is a great asset for video makers.

You can instantly resize your videos, optimizing for all different social media platforms – ideal for any savvy marketers. Additionally, Wave.Video gives you endless customization tools making sure you always stay on brand.

08. Magisto

This free online video editor allows you to follow three steps:
Add videos and photos, choose a theme, and choose a soundtrack. Magisto picks out prime parts of your video, combines your selected music, themes, and effects and weaves them into wonderful movies.

As a cross-platform, Magisto can be used on mobile devices and tablets. You can share videos to Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook directly from the platform. However, you will need to upgrade your plan to get the free download.

Very user-friendly, Magisto equips you with most of the required tools and features of editing software, and it also offers a free plan.

Magisto shines when it comes to its AI (artificial intelligence). The platform can almost instantaneously take your video and whip them up into professional videos.

However, this will entail relinquishing some creative control to the platform. If you have an exact final video in mind, you may find this frustrating. On the other hand, such sophisticated AI can come in handy if you either lack that creative flair or simply do not have time to pore over such a project.

As an honorable mention, you might want to check out Adobe Spark.

Adobe’s user-friendly online video cutter alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro, Spark will enable you to create simple, stylish videos in a matter of minutes. You’ll just have to upload your video files and get to work.

Enjoy the creative process and make that video go viral!