Likelihood to Recommend I really can't think of a video editing scenario that would NOT be suited for. It's quite robust and intuitive. It's quite appropriate for all levels of video editing that I have any need for - and you can really make it just about as complex or simple as you'd like.
Read full review iMovie is a great editing tool for beginners and users with little to no experience. If you are looking for a simple, straight forward way to edit your videos without having any training, this is the tool for you. If you are looking for a robust and very advanced editing platform, you may wish to look elsewhere.
Read full review Pros Simple Intuitive Very good resources for learning to get the most out of it Read full review iMovie allows users to upload their own clips and edit them together. You're able to add in more clips as you're working on your project which is great as some film editing software don't allow add ons of video clips once you've begun the editing process. iMovie continually saves as you're working on your project and syncs with your devices so you can work on your project from other like computers. iMovie is quick to update changes which allows time to be saved during the editing process. It's very helpful when you need to adjust 1-2 things and don't want to spend hours waiting for the changes to go through. Read full review Cons I would like a library of additional resources such as transitions I would like to see available work and templates that can be downloaded to speed up processing More video demonstrations/teaching would be nice Read full review Audio for video editing is a bit limiting. A pro user would feel limited, but the average person can pretty well do what they need in iMovie and that's what matters for this platform. The design of the UI could use some updating so it doesn't feel so bubbly. This may purely be an aesthetic concern, and maybe the old style makes it more approachable, but i'd prefer to see a more slick design so you don't feel like you are using a kids program. If you ever want to share the project or manually manage files, it can be a bit difficult to figure out. Fortunately Apple allows you to import a project from iMovie into FCPX if you ever want to be upwardly mobile. Read full review Usability It keeps simplicity and power in one program at a very fair retail price. Features are clearly marked and I feel spending about an hour with the program will make it a valuable asset to most organizations. Great for creating videos based on templates and a need for quantity. I can't imagine anything easier or better.
Read full review I'd give it a higher rating but there seems to be some things that are so over-simplified that it's tough for an experienced user to work backwards when needed. That said, it certainly is easy enough for a 7 year old to pick up and use without much instruction or training.
Read full review Support Rating Updates are rare and it could be improved with a forum that addresses issues.
Read full review Apple does a great job supporting its products. I have never encountered trouble that could not be solved through chat or email. The knowledgebase section of the website, video tutorials online and various user forums also help with most issues. If after using all of these avenues you still have an issue, it may be time for you to outsource your project to a professional!
Read full review Alternatives Considered I haven't reviewed any other products, as I've been using [Corel] VideoStudio for 10 years now. I really don't have a need to switch.
Read full review Not as easy to use as iMovie, and a similar cost structure. iMovie is easier for Apple users / and MS users, to both get proficient at. Movie Maker isn't bad, it just isn't as slick as iMovie. We actually used MovieMaker for a couple of years before migrating most users over to iMovie. We have not regretted the move.
Read full review Return on Investment Clearly stated goals and presentations A fun, anti-boring way to present new ideas and/or past success Has effectively shown an important opinion; it gets the message across in a sharp, exciting way in a space where many struggle to capture attention Read full review iMovie is a very inexpensive alternative to other video editing software. It's very easy to train new users on iMovie, so time is saved there. We started a project where we were tasked to create a new 5 minute video every week. We started with little to no knowledge of video editing, but iMovie was so easy to pick up and use that we were able to start filming and putting together videos right away. If we had to learn a more complex program, like Premiere Pro, it would have pushed our timeline back considerably. Read full review ScreenShots