Chromebooks are more than glorified web browsers; they can perform many of the same tasks as Windows and macOS. Including video editing.

But what's the best video editor for Chromebooks? In this article, we list the best video editing software for your Chromebook...

1. WeVideo

The popular web-based video editor WeVideo has an official app in the Chrome Web Store. It is arguably our favorite video editor for Chromebook.

The app earns plaudits for its ease-of-use. Video editing can be complicated for beginners, but WeVideo's accessible interface means even total novices can create respectable footage. Another feature that makes the app shine is the presence of a vast library of sound effects, transitions, and video effects. They are all free to use.

You can use WeVideo to edit photos on your device's hard drive or in real-time from your device's camera. Custom text, transitions, voiceover recording, and slow-motion are all supported.

The only downside of the free version of the app is the presence of a watermark on your video. If you plan on using the video in a professional setting, you'll need to upgrade to one of the four paid plans.

Because WeVideo is web-based, you will need an internet connection to use the service.

Download: WeVideo (Free, premium version available)

2. PowerDirector

All new Chromebooks---as well as some older ones---can install the Google Play Store and run Android apps. As such, users have far more video editing options available to them than they did when Google first launched Chrome OS.

If your Chromebook supports Android apps, you need to check out PowerDirector. It's one of the best video editors for Android. Admittedly, the Android version of PowerDirector isn't as full-featured as the desktop edition of the app, but it still has more than enough functionality for the vast majority of users.

The app deploys a timeline editor that lets you easily add effects, create slow-motion sequences, and insert sound and voiceovers. PowerDirector also supports other common video editing tools like fading, transparencies, and blue/green screen.

PowerDirector is free to use, but you'll need to pay to unlock all the features.

Download: PowerDirector (Free, in-app purchases available)

3. Google Photos

google photos web video editor

Not everyone needs a feature-laden editing suite. If you just want to do some simple video editing on a Chromebook, the Google Photos movie editor may meet your needs. The app offers video stabilization and cutting. You can also flip the saved version of the video between landscape and portrait.

Since late 2019, Google Photos' movie editing features are available on the web version of the app, meaning you no longer need to run the Android version if you want to edit your footage. Unfortunately, the rollout has been slow; at the time of writing, the feature is still not available worldwide.

Download: Google Photos (Free)

4. OpenShot

openshot video editor

If you're a Linux user, you will have heard of OpenShot. It's one of the best video editors for Linux. It's also one of the best video editors for Chromebook.

The editor itself boasts an impressively long feature list. You can resize, scale, trim, snap, rotate, and cut your videos, use image overlays and watermarks, create transition lumas and masks, and add scrolling motion picture credits.

OpenShot also supports many video and audio codecs, including WebM (VP9), AVCHD (libx264), HEVC (libx265), LAME, and AAC.

The app is free to use.

Download: OpenShot (Free)

When we reviewed video editors for kids, the author's kids ended up preferring OpenShot.

5. Magisto

Magisto is well-established as one of the best video editing apps on Android; it's been featured as a Google Play "Editor's Choice" app many times. Therefore, if you own a Chromebook that supports Android apps, you should give it a try.

The app is squarely aimed at social media users who want to post their exploits to the various networks and who aren't skilled video editors in the traditional sense. Using a smart AI, Magisto can create professional-looking videos from the videos, pictures, and music on your device. You can also add your own text and effects.

Because it's predominantly designed for social networks, Magisto lets you easily share your creations from directly within the app. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Vimeo are all supported.

Download: Magisto (Free, in-app purchases available)

6. KineMaster

Another app that brings the best of Android to Chrome OS is KineMaster. It's a professional video editing suite.

The app support multi-layer videos and offers frame-by-frame trimming, hue, brightness and saturation controls, audio filters, royalty-free music, color LUT filters, and 3D transitions.

The free version of Kinemaster is available to everyone, but like WeVideo, it will place a watermark in the corner of your creations. You can upgrade to the pro version from within the app. It removes the watermark and adds access to the KineMaster Asset Store. It's a vast repository of visual effects, overlays, music, and more.

Download: Kinemaster (Free, in-app purchases available)

7. VivaVideo

VivaVideo used to be available in the Chrome Web Store, but like many of the best video editing apps for Chromebook, it decided to limit itself to the Google Play Store after Chromebooks started supporting Android apps.

The app manages to walk a fine line between fun and professional. For example, you can add stickers, GIFs, funny sound effects, and other social media-friendly gimmicks, but can simultaneously trim, edit, and enhance your video using VivaVideo's wide range of tools. It also supports edits such as transitions, adding text, merging and splitting videos, changing the speed, and reverse playback.

Download: VivaVideo (Free, in-app purchases available)

8. YouTube Studio

youtube studio trimming

Users often overlook YouTube's video editing tool. It's part of YouTube Studio and lets you edit videos on your Chromebook without needing to worry about installing extensions or running Android apps.

The app is fairly basic. You can use it to trim your videos, cut your videos, and blur out faces, names, and other identifiable information. In the past, YouTube Studio offered more advanced tools, including filters, text, music, lighting, and transitions, but Google has discontinued them.

To use YouTube Studio, you will need a Google account.

9. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the few video editors for Chromebook that still has a listing in the Chrome Web Store.

It's a two-in-one tool; you can use it for video marketing and for video editing.

There is a free version and a paid version. The free version lets you trim, crop, add text, and tweak other basic parameters. If you need more power from your video editing app, you need to upgrade to the paid version.

Download: Hippo Video (Free, premium version available)

10. Kapwing

kapwing video editor

Kapwing is a surprisingly full-featured Chromebook video editor. It is accessible via any web browser, including Google Chrome.

You can use the tool to add text, combine videos, add subtitles, add audio (you can record audio from a Chromebook), resize your video, remove backgrounds, and trim your video. The app also lets you either upload a video to edit directly from your hard drive or paste the URL of an online video (for example, from YouTube) and edit it directly in the app.

You can even customize your video's output ratio. 1:1, 9:16, 16:9, 4:5, and 5:4 are available. As such, the app is perfect for anyone who needs to create social media content.

What's the Best Video Editor for Chromebook?

These video editors for Chromebook target a diverse spectrum of users. If you're a novice video editor, perhaps it's time you picked up some video editing skills. While apps like Magisto are fun, your creations will be infinitely more impressive if you can use one of the more professional apps recommended above.

If you'd like to learn more about editing videos, whether on your Chromebook or not, be sure to read our article explaining how to edit videos like a pro.