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There are numerous options for GoPro software available for your Mac, PC, and even tablet and smartphone. If you’re brand new to editing GoPro videos, I highly recommend you check out my recommendations for GoPro Editing software for Beginners.
Choosing GoPro Software
For new GoPro owners, you may wish to stick with GoPro Software that was created by and is supported by GoPro. This includes Quik for Desktop and GoPro Studio. As you’ll read below, these may not turn out to be the very best options for you, but I still think it’s a good idea to download them and see if you can accomplish you GoPro video editing goals with them. After all, they are free! When you download Quik for desktop (which is available for Mac and PC), the software will also include the GoPro Studio Program. As of August 2017, GoPro Studio is no longer included as a download with Quik, and it’s no longer available to download.
GoPro Studio (No Longer Available)
(Mac & PC) free – I used to recommend GoPro Studio to all new GoPro users since it was created by GoPro and is designed with a beginner user in mind. However, this GoPro software has become increasingly buggy, especially for PC and Windows users. GoPro really wants their customers to be able to throw together their footage and create stunning videos without much fuss, but unfortunately, it often is not that simple when you’re using GoPro Studio. Click here for an in-depth guide to getting started with GoPro Studio. To download GoPro Studio, you must download GoPro’s Quik app.
Quik™ for Desktop
(Mac & PC) free – Quik™ was released in 2016 as a way for GoPro customers to organize and edit GoPro videos with ease. This program essentially does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to editing, but there are pros and cons of using Quik™. It’s very basic in terms of functions and often leaves users wanting more control over the length of their video and options for adding non-GoPro-provided music.
Adobe Premiere Elements
(Mac & PC) $99.99 – From the world class graphics editing company, Adobe, you can expect Adobe Premiere Elementsto be a top of the line, home movie editing package. I like to recommend Premiere Elements because it essentially has “training wheels,” making it an easy program to learn for a complete beginner, but is also packed with more advanced editing features you can pick up on over time. Premiere Elements offers “automated options, special effects, and in-app guidance to turn your video clips into entertaining movies that will wow family and friends.”
More about Premiere Elements
- Premiere Elements 13 – First Look at Adobe Premiere Elements
- Time Lapse Editing Tip in Premiere Elements
iMovie
(Mac) free or $15 – iMovie is a fun piece of video editing software. I like to recommend iMovie to beginner home movie hobbyists. It’s very beginner-friendly, and even pros use it to throw movies together quickly and easily. It’s not designed specially as GoPro software, but it works extremely well. The workflow and layout is very similar to higher end editors, so it’s a good gateway, so to speak. If you can get the hang of iMovie, then you’re well on your way to top notch home movies.
More about iMovie
- 5+ Reasons Why Editing GoPro Videos with iMovie is a Great Idea
- How To Import GoPro Clips to iMovie and Set up a Project in iMovie
- How to Export a Video in iMovie
VSDC
(PC) free – VSDC is a free video editor for PC users, and it promises to “Cut, merge video files, apply visual and audio effects, use filtration and image correction, make slideshows and add an appropriate soundtrack.” Download VSDC here. I created a 3-part Tutorial series on getting started with VSDC which you should check out!
Adobe Premiere Pro
(Mac & PC) starting at $19.99/month – As part of the Adobe Creative Cloud platform, Adobe Premiere Pro only comes through the monthly plan. This program is not for everybody, but it is my favorite editing platform by far. If you’re looking for a professional-grade video editing software, I recommend Premiere Pro.
Filmora
(Mac & PC) $50 – Wondershare Filmora is a fun piece of software that’s available for Mac and PC, and it’s very affordable. It’s perfect for any level of editing, especially beginners, and it has a bunch of really neat features and effects and stuff that are perfect for editing GoPro videos and family movies. Filmora recently released some updates making it a great platform for editing action videos. Though not strictly a GoPro software update, it’s very slick! Click here for my video on getting started with Filmora.
Final Cut Pro
(Mac) $299 – Final Cut Pro (owned by Apple) is the cool kids video editing software, and definitely suits any hard core video editor. If that’s you, do give it a try.
Cyberlink PowerDirector
(PC) $70 – PowerDirector makes it quick & easy to create videos in minutes, and even comes with it’s own effects, templates, and tutorials.
Vegas Movie Studio & Vegas Pro
(PC) price varies – Formerly under the Sony umbrella, the Vegas Creative Software suite is now under the Magix brand. A number of video editors are available, but I have not tested any of them at this point.
HitFilm Express
(Mac and PC) free – download here
DaVinci Resolve
(Mac and PC) free – download here