HomeAlternativeTop 8 Adobe Premiere Pro Alternatives for Windows and Mac
There’s no doubt that Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the best video editing tools that is out in the market right now. It is the go-to choice for many video professionals including many famous YouTubers along with professionals working in the movie and TV industry (Dust to Glory, Superman Returns, Avatar, Deadpool are some examples). That speaks volumes about the power of Adobe Premiere Pro. However, like any other piece of software, it is not flawless and it has its own fair share of problems.
Adobe Acrobat Standard For Mac
For example, Adobe Premiere Pro has a history of compatibility issues with the macOS operating system. Just a few months back, a new bug was found which wreaked havoc and caused heavy thermal throttling in the new Macs. I also don’t like the fact that Adobe Premiere Pro comes with a subscription pricing which means I have to pay a monthly fee of $19.99 if I want to keep using this software. Adobe Premiere Pro is also very resource hungry which means that you can only use it if you have a powerful setup.
All these reasons and more means that Adobe Premiere Pro is not the best video editing tool for many users out there. That’s why, in this article, we are going to bring a list of the 8 best video editing software that you can use as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro:
- Best Adobe Acrobat Alternative for Mac (OS Sierra Included) Why Does Adobe Acrobat Enjoy Great Popularity It cannot be denied that Adobe Acrobat is the most popular and powerful PDF editing software for Mac users, it is the grand daddy of all PDF editors and it tops the competition in every area.
- Adobe Acrobat is a program from Adobe Systems that is designed to manipulate any Portable Document Format files (also known as PDF). With this tool, users can create, view, and edit any PDF files without any hassle.
Top 8 Adobe Premiere Pro Alternatives
1. Avid Media Composer | First
Avid Media Composer is the go-to video editing tool for most of the movie professionals who have to deal with big projects. Some of your favorite movies including the Guardian of Galaxy (vol. 2), the Martian, and the Baby Driver have been edited using Avid Media Composer. When you get Avid Media Composer, you know you are getting one of the best video editing tools that are available in the market right now. And while this tool is too costly to recommend to normal users, it has a free version called “Avid Media Composer | First” and it’s the most powerful free video editor that you can get.
Adobe Acrobat enables you to edit, convert, sign, send, and manage PDF documents on Mac and Windows. With the recent addition of the Adobe Document Cloud, you can now work on PDFs across devices.
99% the things that you are doing with Adobe Premiere Pro today can be done with Avid Media Composer | First, that too for free. I have personally been using this software for quite some time now and I still haven’t found a feature which I need but is locked behind a paywall. If you are looking for a professional grade editing software which can go head to head with Adobe Premiere Pro and is totally free, click on the link below and download the Avid Media Composer | First.
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS
Supported Input Formats: MPEG, DV, DVPRO, H.264, XDCAM, MPEG-4, AVCHD, and more (click here to learn more)
Supported Output Formats: MPEG, DV, DVPRO, H.264, AVC, AVC-Intra, MP4, and more (click here to learn more)
Supported Input Formats: MPEG, DV, DVPRO, H.264, XDCAM, MPEG-4, AVCHD, and more (click here to learn more)
Supported Output Formats: MPEG, DV, DVPRO, H.264, AVC, AVC-Intra, MP4, and more (click here to learn more)
Pros:
- Fully featured video editing tool
- Support for all the major audio and video formats
- Powerful enough to manage even long projects
Cons:
- Has a longer learning curve
Download:Free
2. Final Cut Pro X
If you are a Mac user who has been using Adobe Premiere Pro for reasons which I will never be able to comprehend, you should switch to Final Cut Pro X as there’s no better video editing tool for Macs when it comes to performance and stability. Since Final Cut Pro X has been designed in-house at Apple, it just works. Final Cut Pro X is just so in sync with their hardware that you get the best possible performance. I mean, I can easily edit 4K footage on my 13-inch MacBook Pro 2016 using Final Cut Pro when I can’t even dream of doing it with Adobe Premiere Pro or any other video editing software for that matter.
Final Cut Pro X not only performs well but it also brings a big set of features allowing you to easily manage projects irrespective of their size and requirements. When it comes to features, Final Cut Pro X is as good as the Adobe Premiere Pro. Also, if you are just starting out, you will be happy to know that it is also one of the easiest video editing software to learn as far as professional grade video editing software is concerned. The bottom line is if you are looking for Adobe Premiere Pro alternatives and you use a Mac, stop searching and install the Final Cut Pro X.
Supported Platforms: macOS
Supported Input Formats: H.264, Apple Animation codec, Apple ProRes (all versions), AVHCD, DVCAM, DVCPRO, and more
Supported Output Formats: Apple Pro-res, H.264, HDV, MPEG, and HDV among others
Supported Input Formats: H.264, Apple Animation codec, Apple ProRes (all versions), AVHCD, DVCAM, DVCPRO, and more
Supported Output Formats: Apple Pro-res, H.264, HDV, MPEG, and HDV among others
Pros:
- Fully featured video editing tool
- Highly optimized for macOS operating system
- Easy to learn as far as professional grade video editing is concerned
Cons:
- Has a high up-front cost
- Only available for macOS
Download:$299.99
3. Hit Film Express
Hit Film Express is a full professional grade video editor which also happens to be completely free. Hit Film Express cannot only be used for your normal video editing needs but it can also be used to apply could video effects. And I am not just talking about your normal video effects rather about the proper VFX effects that you see in the movies including green screen effects, lighting effects, 3D-models, shootout effects, and much more. If your work requires to use video effects, Hit Film Express is the software that you should go with. Do note that it is a full professional grade video editing software so you will need to invest quite a bit of time before you can make use of all its powers. That said, on the plus side, unlike Adobe Premiere Pro, the software is totally free and there are no ads to ruin your experience.
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS
Supported Input Formats: MP4, H.264, AVCHD, QuickTime Import, AVI, M2T, M2TS, MTS, MXF (DVCPro HD), DV, HDV, and WMV among others.
Supported Output Formats: MP4, H.264 among others
Supported Input Formats: MP4, H.264, AVCHD, QuickTime Import, AVI, M2T, M2TS, MTS, MXF (DVCPro HD), DV, HDV, and WMV among others.
Supported Output Formats: MP4, H.264 among others
Pros:
- Fully featured video editing tool
- Goode visual effects tools
- Free to use
Cons:
- Visual effects application is harder to learn
Download:Free
4. DaVinci Resolve 15
Just a few months back, Blackmagic Design released the latest version of their video editing software, the DaVinci Resolve. Dubbed as the DaVinci Resolve 15, it is one of the best video editing tools out there and can certainly replace the Adobe Premiere Pro for users who are looking for a replacement. DaVinci Resolve has always been the best video editing software for color correction and with the new update, the software has become even better. Now, not only the software can be used for video editing and color correction, but it can be also be used for post-production of audio, visual effects, and more. The new VFX tools are especially great as they allow you to use node-based editing template which is far easier than using multi-timeline editing. Overall, the DaVinci Resolve 15 is very powerful and has become an all-in-one solution for all your video editing, audio post-production, and visual effects needs.
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS
Supported Input Formats: QuickTime, AVI, R3D, MXF, Prores, DNxHD, MXF, DPX, CIN, EXR and others
Supported Output Formats: H.264, HDV, MPEG, and others
Supported Input Formats: QuickTime, AVI, R3D, MXF, Prores, DNxHD, MXF, DPX, CIN, EXR and others
Supported Output Formats: H.264, HDV, MPEG, and others
Pros:
- Combines video editing, visual effects, and audio editing features
- Offers best color correction tools in the business
- Node editing for visual effects is really good
Cons:
- Too many tools can complicate things for beginners
Download:Free, contact for full pricing details
5. OpenShot
One of the biggest drawbacks of Adobe Premiere Pro is that there’s no Linux version available. That means if you are a Linux user or are planning to switch to the open-source operating platform, you will have to switch. The good thing about this whole ordeal is that most of the software that are available for Linux are themselves open-source and hence completely free. When it comes to video editing software for Linux, we have chosen OpenShot as the best free Adobe Premiere Alternative. The software brings an easy to learn interface which is complemented well with its set of professional video editing features including 3D-rendering, video effects, animations, keyframes, and more. One of the good things about this software is that it is very easy to get used to. It’s also regularly updated with devs introducing new features from time to time. Overall, I quite like this software and consider it the best free video editing tool for Linux users.
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, and Linux
Supported Input Formats: Based on FFmpeg hence supports most of the video formats
Supported Output Formats: H.264, WebM, ProRes, MPEG-2, and others
Supported Input Formats: Based on FFmpeg hence supports most of the video formats
Supported Output Formats: H.264, WebM, ProRes, MPEG-2, and others
Pros:
- Available for all the major operating system
- Easy to learn
- Free to use
Cons:
- Not as powerful as some of the other tools in the market
Download:Free
6. Sony Vegas Pro 16
I have always love Sony Vegas Pro as it is one of the few video editing software in the market which come with a full-fledged audio editing interface. While Adobe Premiere Pro gives you some control over your audio, if you want total control, Sony Vegas Pro is the way to go. The software also brings tons of video editing features including HDR color support, video stabilization, motion tracking, 360-degree video editing, automatic subtitle creation, multi-cam editing, and more. With its latest version; Sony Vegas Pro 16, new features such as streamlined editor, extensive file backups, hover scrub, high DPI scaling and more have been introduced. Sony Vegas Pro 16 is a very powerful video editor and no Adobe Premiere Pro alternative list can be complete without mentioning it.
Supported Platforms: Windows
Supported Input Formats: DV, HDV, AVCHD, NXCAM, MOV, MP4, WMV, MPEG-1/2/4, H.264/AVC, and more.
Supported Output Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, AVCHD Disc, (DV-)AVI, MJPEG, MXF, MOV, WMV, XAVC, XAVC S, MPEG-1/2/4, H.264/AV, and more
Supported Input Formats: DV, HDV, AVCHD, NXCAM, MOV, MP4, WMV, MPEG-1/2/4, H.264/AVC, and more.
Supported Output Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, AVCHD Disc, (DV-)AVI, MJPEG, MXF, MOV, WMV, XAVC, XAVC S, MPEG-1/2/4, H.264/AV, and more
Pros:
- Good professional grade video editing tools
- Brings full blown audio editor
- Support for extensive file backups
Cons:
- High upfront cost
Download:Starts at $399
7. Edius Pro 9
Edius Pro 8 is relatively unknown video editor when compared to the likes of Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro X, however, it is one of the most powerful video editors on the market. The software brings all the usual editing tools that you expect from a video editing software along with pro tools including motion tracking, image stabilization, slow-motion effects, OFX support, H.265/HEVC decoding, 4K video editing, and more. It also supports Multicam editing of up to 16 different sources simultaneously along with support for unlimited video, audio, title, and graphics tracks. The whole editing UI is quite user-friendly and I don’t think it will take anyone much time to get acclimated with the software.
Supported Platforms: Windows
Supported Input Formats: Sony XAVC (Intra/Long GOP)/XAVC S, Panasonic AVC-Ultra/AVC-Intra 422, Sony RAW, Canon Cinema RAW, RED RAW, ProRes, DNxHD/HR
Supported Output Formats: H.264/AV, AVC, 4K XAVC, and others.
Supported Input Formats: Sony XAVC (Intra/Long GOP)/XAVC S, Panasonic AVC-Ultra/AVC-Intra 422, Sony RAW, Canon Cinema RAW, RED RAW, ProRes, DNxHD/HR
Supported Output Formats: H.264/AV, AVC, 4K XAVC, and others.
Free Alternative To Adobe Acrobat For Mac
Pros:
- Easy to learn
- Support for most of the major audio and video formats
- Good multicam editing features
Cons:
- No clear details on pricing
Download:Pricing and other details available at authorized resellers
8. Pinnacle Studio
The last Adobe Premiere Pro alternatives that we suggest to our readers is the Pinnacle Studio which brings one of the best video editing experience at quite a reasonable price. Starting at just $59, it is the best solution for anyone who is looking for a cheap Adobe Premiere Pro alternative. The editor brings features like multi-track video editing, enhanced color and add effects panel, wide-angle lens correction, multi-camera video editing, split screen video editing, color grading tools and a collection of over 1500+ effects, titles, and templates. Despite its low price, the software also supports most of the popular video and audio formats. The bottom line is that I quite like the features and pricing of this software and highly recommend it as Adobe Premiere Alternative to users who are just beginning their video editing journey.
Supported Platforms: Windows
Supported Input Formats: AVCHD; DivX; MKV; MPEG-1, 2, and 4, QuickTime, WMV, XAVC S and others.
Supported Output Formats: MP4, MOV, AVI, and others.
Supported Input Formats: AVCHD; DivX; MKV; MPEG-1, 2, and 4, QuickTime, WMV, XAVC S and others.
Supported Output Formats: MP4, MOV, AVI, and others.
Pros:
- Easy to learn
- Low upfront cost
- Good selection of video editing tools
Cons:
- Not as powerful as some of the other tools in the market
Download:Starts at $59
Adobe Acrobat Free For Mac
SEE ALSO: 15 Best Cameras for YouTube Videos You Can Buy
Edit Your Videos Like A Pro Even Without Adobe Premier Pro
That ends our list of the best Adobe Premiere Pro alternatives that you can use to start your video editing journey. Since I work on a Mac, I am using the Final Cut Pro X, but I would love to hear from you guys. Do let us know which is your favorite video editor from the list by writing in the comments section below. You can also share any other recommendations that you have for us. We love to hear from our readers and your inputs are always welcome.
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It's not easy to find a truly free PDF editor that lets you not only edit and add text but also change images, add your own graphics, sign your name, fill out forms, etc. Below, however, is a list of exactly what you're looking for.
Some of these are online PDF editors that work right in your web browser, so all you have to do is upload your PDF file to the website, make the changes you want, and then save it back to your computer. That's the quick way — but do bear in mind that, typically, an online editor isn't as fully featured as its desktop counterpart, plus the file is exposed to the internet (which might be of concern if it contains sensitive content).
Because not all of these free PDF editors support the same features, and some are restricted in what you can do, remember that you can process the same PDF in more than one tool. For example, use one to edit the PDF text (if that's supported), and then put the same PDF through a different editor to do something supported in that program (for example, to edit a form, update an image, or remove a page).
Switching Formats
If you don't need to change the contents of the PDF but instead just need to change it to another file format (such as .docx for Word or .epub for an e-book), see our list of free document converters for help. On the other hand, if you have a file you created yourself that you want to save as a PDF file, see How to Print to PDF.
Microsoft Word: A Top Choice
If you already own Microsoft Word 2019, 2016, or 2013, then skip all the suggested programs below: You have a great PDF editor at your disposal right now. Just open the PDF as you would any Word document, give the program a few minutes to convert the PDF, and then edit away.
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Sejda PDF Editor
What We Like
- Lets you load PDFs from other websites
- Supports adding hyperlinks
- Includes a signature tool
- Lets you insert blank pages into the PDF
- Can remove pages from the PDF
- Supports whiting out parts of the page
- Can insert images and shapes into the PDF
- Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
What We Don't Like
- Can be used on only three PDFs every hour
- Limited to PDFs with fewer than 200 pages
- Doesn't edit PDFs larger than 50 MB
Sejda PDF Editor is one of the very few PDF editors that actually lets you edit pre-existing text in the PDF without adding a watermark. Most editors only let you edit the text you add yourself, or they support text editing but then throw watermarks all over the place.
Plus, this tool can run entirely in your web browser, so it's easy to get going without having to download any programs. You can get the desktop version if you'd rather use it that way.
There are some differences between the online and desktop versions that you should know about. For example, the desktop edition supports more font types and doesn't let you add PDFs by URL or from online storage services as the online editor does (which supports Dropbox and Google Drive).
Another neat feature is the web integration tool that lets PDF publishers provide a link for their users that they can simply click to automatically open the file in this online PDF editor.
All uploaded files are automatically deleted from Sejda after five hours.
You can use both the online and desktop versions to convert a PDF to a Word doc or a Word doc to PDF. Open the Tools section in either program to find that option.
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Inkscape
What We Like
- Can edit PDF text
- Supports manipulating graphics
- Includes lots of image-editing tools
- Works with Windows, macOS, and Linux
What We Don't Like
- The number of graphics-editing tools can be overwhelming
Inkscape is an extremely popular free image viewer and editor, but it also includes PDF editing functions that most dedicated PDF editors support only in their paid editions.
Inkscape is a very capable image editing program. If you're not already familiar with programs like GIMP, Adobe Photoshop, and other image editors, however, it's probably a bit advanced for you.
In the context of PDF editing, though, you should consider Inkscape only if you want to delete or edit the images or text in the PDF. We suggest you use a different tool in this list to edit PDF forms or add shapes and then plug that PDF into Inkscape if you need to actually edit the preexisting text.
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PDFescape Online PDF Editor
What We Like
- Works online through your web browser
- Includes lots of tools
- Lets you add your own text and images
- Can delete and add PDF pages
- Works on any OS
What We Don't Like
- Can't edit existing text
- Doesn't edit large PDFs
PDFescape has quite a lot of features. It's completely free so long as the PDF does not exceed 100 pages or 10 MB.
You can't truly change text or edit images using this editor, but you can add your own text, images, links, form fields, etc.
The text tool is very customizable so that you can pick your own size, font type, color, alignment, and apply effects such as bolding, underlining, and italics.
You also can draw on the PDF, add sticky notes, strikethrough text, put white space over anything you want to disappear, and insert lines, checkmarks, arrows, ovals, circles, rectangles, and comments.
PDFescape lets you delete individual pages from the PDF, rotate pages, crop out parts of a page, reorganize the order of the pages, and add more pages from other PDFs.
You can upload your own PDF file, paste the URL to an online PDF, and make your own PDF from scratch.
When finished editing, you can download the PDF to your computer without ever having to make a user account. You need one only if you want to save your progress online without downloading the PDF.
PDFescape has an offline PDF editor, too, called PDFescape Editor, but it isn't free.
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PDF-XChange Editor
What We Like
- Uses OCR to identify the text in the PDF
- Can import a variety of shapes and images
- Supports adding QR codes to the PDF
- Offers a portable version
What We Don't Like
- Many features require a license
- Works with Windows only
PDF-XChange Editor offers some great tools, but not all of them are free to use. If you use a non-free feature, the PDF will save with a watermark on every page.
If you stick to just the free features, however, you can still do some editing to the file and save it back to your computer.
You can load PDFs from your computer, a URL, SharePoint, Google Drive, and Dropbox. You can save the edited PDF back to your computer or to any of those cloud storage services.
The PDF-XChange Editor program has lots of features, so it might seem overwhelming at first. All of the options and tools are simple to understand, however, and they're categorized into their own sections for easier management.
One nice feature is the ability to highlight all the form fields so that you can easily spot where you need to fill in. This is really helpful if you're editing a PDF with lots of forms, such as an application.
Although the free version puts watermarks on your edited documents, this program does let you edit existing text, add your own text to the PDF, and add or delete pages from the document.
You can download this program in portable mode to use on a flash drive or as a regular installer.
Many of the features are free, but some are not. If you use a feature that's not covered by the free version (you're told which features are not free when you use them), the saved PDF file will have a watermark attached to the corner of every page.
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Smallpdf Online PDF Editor
What We Like
- Is completely free
- Lets you add more text to the PDF
- Can put white space over areas you want to erase
- Supports importing shapes
- Can load and save PDFs from various sources
- Works with any OS
What We Don't Like
- Doesn't let you edit existing text
- Only two PDFs can be edited every hour
One of the quickest ways to add images, text, shapes, or your signature to a PDF is with Smallpdf.
This website allows you to upload a PDF, make changes to it, and then save it back to your computer all without needing to make a user account or pay for any anti-watermarking features.
You can open and/or save your PDF to your Dropbox or Google Drive account, too, in addition to your computer.
You can import three shapes into a PDF with Smallpdf: a square, circle, or arrow. You can change the object's main color and line color, as well as the thickness of its edge.
Text size can be tiny, small, normal, large, or huge, but only three font types are available. You can change the color of any text you add.
When finished editing the PDF, just hit the FINISH button and then decide where you want it saved; you can even generate a share link. You can also run the edited PDF through Smallpdf's PDF splitter tool if you want to extract the pages from the document.
If you edit two PDFs within an hour, you have to upgrade to Smallpdf Pro if you want to keep using the website. Or, you can wait an hour to edit another.
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FormSwift's Free PDF Editor
What We Like
- Everything is free
- Doesn't leave a watermark
- Can erase or redact existing text and images with white or black space
- Lets you insert your own images
- Can add your own custom text to the PDF
- Circles, checkmarks, and 'x' icons can be placed over any text
- Supports highlighting anything on the page
- Easy typing, drawing, and signing
- Works on any OS
What We Don't Like
- Cannot edit existing text
- No easy-to-access undo button (but you can delete what you've done)
- Can upload PDFs only from your computer (not from other places such as Google Drive or Dropbox)
- Must make a user account to save the PDF
FormSwift's Free PDF Editor is a very simple online PDF editor that you can start using without even making a user account.
It's as simple as uploading your PDF file to the website and using the menus at the top of the page to quickly perform some basic PDF editing functions before downloading it back to your computer.
When you're done editing the PDF, you can download the file as a PDF file, print it directly to your printer, or save the PDF as a Microsoft Word .docx document.
The .pdf-to-.docx conversion didn't work for every PDF that we tried, but in those that did convert successfully, the images were formatted nicely and the text was fully editable.
Another feature offered by FormSwift at formswift.com/snap lets you quickly edit or sign PDFs from your phone by taking a picture of a document. You can then share or download the PDF when you're done. It's not perfect: Most things done through a web app are spotty. It does work, however, with a little patience.
You can upload Word documents and images to FormSwift, too, if you need to edit those instead of a PDF.
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PDFelement Pro
What We Like
- Lets you edit the PDF's text directly
- Supports adding images, links, and custom watermarks
- The background of the PDF pages can be edited
- Headers and footers can be included in the PDF
- Supports combining several PDFs into one
- PDF pages can be cropped
- Supports OCR
- Can insert, extract, delete, and rotate PDF pages
- Editing embedded forms is easy
- Can password-protect the PDF
- Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
What We Don't Like
- Free version places a watermark on the PDF
PDFelement Pro, just as the name sounds, is free but with a major limitation: It places a watermark on every page of the PDF. That being said, the watermark doesn't cover much of the page, and it's important to realize that it supports some truly great PDF editing features.
This program would be a truly free PDF editor if it weren't for the fact that the free edition will not save without first putting a watermark on every single page of the PDF.
Depending on what you'll use the PDF for, however, the features it supports might be enough for you to consider living with the watermarks.
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