The process of testing a video editing app doesn't differ much from examining the properties of a graphic design platform or a social media scheduling app. Some criteria will remain in place throughout. Ease of use is perhaps the most obvious as no one wants to deal with a disjointed, dodgy, ill-designed app.

The end result is just as important, especially if you're dealing with something that will then potentially be admired by millions. For Instagram and YouTube, only the best will do. This is why we made sure that all the videos are clean and crisp.

Frugal as we are, we also paid attention to the price (if any) and how it fits into the average user's budget.

Instead of a tablet, we decided to test all the apps on a rather average phone. This made it more challenging but also more fun. It also showed how each platform performed in perfectly normal circumstances.

Apps that have been around for a while will usually have moderately high ratings, but few will retain a 4.8-star placement. In fact, such a high number is more likely to raise suspicion rather than instill a sense of trust. Once we run into such an app, we are immediately compelled to investigate. Could things really be that good? Or is this just another case of an army of bots artificially boosting the reputation?

After we have bravely faced the challenge and examined the situation in fine detail, we are confident enough to say that InShot definitely deserves all of its 4.8 stars - if not all 5. At first, you may be surprised how simple - perhaps too simple - the app appears to be. What some may perceive as an initial lack of features will soon reveal itself as a refreshingly straightforward interface in possession of every option you may need.

You can easily crop, trim and cut, merge, rotate, flip - and do just about anything else to your amateur or professional-level videos. Transition effects, backgrounds, text, subtitles, and even music are extremely easy to manipulate.

The app also boasts a decent selection of filters, effects, and even has a great collection of animated emojis, which are sure to put a smile on the face of any social media guru. In fact, it is precisely in this department that InShot excels. The entire program is EXTREMELY social media-friendly. It allows you to share directly onto YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and more than a few other platforms.

In addition to video production, it is also possible to record and edit audio and even take advantage of the photo collage feature. The latter is particularly well constructed and will save you the trouble of downloading a separate app for the purpose. Yours truly is, after all, always very careful when it comes to space.

While it may not be ideal for extremely demanding professionals, InShot is still the perfect solution for a very wide selection of users. Amateurs, social media personalities, those learning the craft of video making, and those who enjoy turning their precious memories into something beautiful will definitely know how to appreciate what InShot has to offer in terms of power and ease of use. The speed is another contributing factor as loading and rendering times are practically non-existent. Everything gets done in an instant - even on a pretty average smartphone.

Another thing that sets this app apart from others is the fact that you can pretty much use it free of charge without noticing any issues. Of course, if you wish for a truly premium experience, $10.99 per year won't be such a high price to pay, especially since it will also include a 7-day free trial - something you can opt-out of and still get all your money back. Convenient, isn't it? We say - go for it.

A user-friendly app such as this is always at risk of being branded as too simplistic. In fact, InShot is definitely one that we wouldn't recommend to demanding professionals in high-profile creative jobs. We have, after all, constructed this list so that it fits the needs of the average user - one that doesn't have all that much skill but one that still wants things to look polished.

Another drawback that is worth mentioning is the fact that some of the filter pack, as well as a couple of the more advanced features, definitely reside behind a paywall. Individual sets will require you to spend $1.99, while a Pro plan will cost $10.99 per year. Obviously, frugal as we are, we consider this a bit of a flaw but, for anyone who is ok with spending a tiny bit of money, this will be perfectly acceptable and will boost their creative potential even more.

There are quite a few video editors on the market and each brings something unique to the table. Finding a well-rounded solution, however, is often a challenge. Fortunately, we have been able to find not just one but a couple of apps that fit this bill. In addition to our winner, InShot, we would also like to mention Videoshop - an app that will help you get the result you need without any trouble.

The interface is convenient enough and it immediately allows you to choose between two options. One is the usual scenario of editing an existing video file while the other is to record something on the spot. We are sure that all streamers and social media pros who love to use Insta Stories will very much appreciate this option. It definitely streamlines the whole process and shortens the time needed to create and post something.

This, however, is not to say that it is only influencers who will benefit from this software. Quite the contrary! Its scope is wide enough and goes on to include features that will make makeup tutorials, outdoor shoots, and even music videos extremely easy to make. In fact, it is perhaps the latter that is what Videoshop is best suited for. Its inclusion of audio-editing features - as well as an extensive library of sound effects - makes it ideal for it.

As far as the core premise is concerned - that of good old-fashioned video making - everything that you could wish for is very much there. You can resize your clips, crop, cut, adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation - go into slow (or fast) motion, or even play in reverse. It is possible to introduce videos with animated titles, add effects, and export everything in exceptionally high quality.

In fact, it is at the last bit of the story that Videoshop scores an enormous point. Crystal-clear, perfectly crisp 4K quality is what this app brings to the table with gusto. Coupled with a sleek interface, it really makes downloading this app well worth it. We are not sure about the premium plan tho, especially since lifetime access costs no less than $39.99. Still, since using the free version gives good enough results, the question of paying may be purely hypothetical for many users.

Whichever category of apps we test, whichever type we do research on - we always aim for the most comprehensive solution available. If it's a video editing apps - we want all the pulls and levels to be available to us. If it's an RPG game - we want as many levels as possible, with added features and mini-games to boot. This, however, is not always possible - nor necessary. Sometimes, apps that specialize are an equally valuable addition to the digital arsenal.

VivaVideo falls into this category. It does have a large enough selection of features to be called thorough but, at the end of the day, it does not perform quite as well as InShot or Videoshop do. Why have we decided to include it then? Because it is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best thing for TikTok you can possibly imagine. With this social media network becoming more popular with each passing day, it is important to include something that will serve the needs of those who chose it as their main online home.

Still, let's cover the basics first. VivaVideo gives us all the expected options - to cut, trim, crop, merge, and edit all sorts of videos and animations. You can add music, effects, filters, and stickers - all actions taking up no more than a couple of seconds of your time. With numerous transitions and a really awesome glitch effect - what's not to love?

There's also voiceover, which brings us back to TikTok. VivaVideo offers great precision in this department which, in turn, makes it suitable for lipsynching challenges and other such content. Songs and lyrics can be easily included. In addition, the app has a vibrant, youthful design that is bound to appeal to the teen crowd.

Despite being more than obviously geared towards one platform, it still manages to impress us to such an extent that we simply must include it into our top 3. Even the premium price of $29.99 per year hasn't managed to sour the experience, especially since it is the route you will be able to avoid. Plenty of options are available in the freeware version, so any TikTok-er and aspiring videographer are sure to benefit from this app - even when on a budget.

GoPro edits both audio and video. It is a pretty neat solution for Instagram stories and other short clips. Anything longer than 60 seconds, however, will push your device to its limits. A 10-minute video with slow it down to a crawl. We didn't dare try anything longer. It is definitely not a piece of software we'd recommend for a serious project, especially if your smartphone is not a high-end one.

Premiere Rush comes as an integral part of a rather large package. It does work as a stand-alone app but, in reality, performs better in conjunction with other Adobe products. This sort of arrangement, however, comes with a substantial drawback - namely the price. Of course, getting Photoshop and Lightroom and all that is wonderful but only real pros who are making money off of it will be able to afford it. For us mere mortals, $49.99 per month for the entire Creative Cloud will be an unjustified expense. 

Overall, the app seems nice enough but, once you look a bit closer, you will realize that more than a few elements have a rather rough finish. We're not talking about a diamond in the rough. This is just plain rough. The cut feature, for example, can sometimes be so crude. More often than not, it will be borderline impossible to start or end the clip where you want it. Not ideal for very minute work (excuse the pun) and may perhaps be better on a tablet. On the phone, using it for anything requiring precision is simply not advisable.

This app is a good combo that includes not only audio and video editing options but also focuses on collage. Features include adding titles and captions, importing images from various sources, and manipulating all the content with filters and special effects. Once you get to the audio, however, things start getting problematic. If you're not careful, the whole thing can very easily go out of sync. This part of the software definitely falls into the "not quite there yet" bracket which is a pity as the rest of the platform is quite responsive and reliable.

Splice may or may not fit into the core premise of this article. It is an editor with a twist - a cloud platform for creating music videos. The emphasis is on collaborating with others which is a cool idea in itself that, unfortunately, suffers from abysmal execution. We are talking just bare bones. No polish. No finish. Nothing. It could barely be called a beta version and will literally need a couple of years to get anywhere near a proper app.

Despite its name, we wouldn't call this a video editor per se. It is a program geared towards collage creation. With its cute and fun effects, it could possibly be good for social media, especially if your image and/or brand is oriented towards a very young audience. Not the one you'd want to use for some serious video editing. Pros should definitely skip one and reach for any of our top three instead - or the Adobe option, if the budget allows for it.