# iMovie Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is iMovie the right Video Making solution for you? Explore 428 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/207187/iMovie/reviews --- iMovie 4.5 (428) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/207187/iMovie/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of iMovie Ease of use 4.5 Customer Service 4.3 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews Free for Apple device users 93% positive reviews out of 42 Most reviewers appreciate pricing, noting iMovie is free with Apple devices and offers strong value. Limited advanced editing features 43% negative reviews out of 65 Some reviewers indicate features are basic, lacking customization, advanced tools, and third-party plugin support. Galateya M Executive Administrative Assistant, 5,001 - 10,000 employees. "The least I like about iMovie is that it can be limiting for advanced users due to its lack of more customization options." Streamlined social media sharing 95% positive reviews out of 37 Most reviewers indicate social media sharing is effortless, enabling quick posting and professional-looking content. Christopher W Creative Director, 2 - 10 employees. "We use it everyday to produce professional content for use on broadcasting channels as well as YouTube and other social media channels." Consistently high video quality 94% positive reviews out of 34 Most reviewers describe video quality as impressive, with built-in effects and stabilization enhancing finished projects. ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 428 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Carlos Andres C. Instructor Broadcast Media Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Powerful features on a small an affordable package. " October 18, 2022 4.0 iMovie is an excellent entry level option for video editing. The tools are basic but valuable for creators. It’s very reliable and plays well with the rest of the Mac ecosystem of apps. Pros It integrates very well on the Mac ecosystem. Works great with photos; GarageBand and the iWorks set of applications. Cons Once you are experienced with video editing; iMovie will come short and the tools are basic; the next step will be Final Cut Pro. Switched from [Adobe Premiere Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/233456/Adobe-Premiere-Pro/) Unreliable and limited set of features. Not as easy to use as iMovie Review Source AY Andrew Y. Technical Support Manager Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "iMovie makes editing doable for anyone" May 28, 2025 4.0 Many of our quick edits are done with iMovie. Usually with trimming clips, doing hard cuts from one cut to the next, and apply simple dissolve transitions. Using iMovie really allows for any of our team members to do these minor edits for quick and simple videos. It also allows for us to move the completed project to final cut to do more enhanced editing like color grading, animations, and more. Pros Ease of use and ability to have work done on multiple medians. Often a project begins on a iPhone or iPad, then will continue to be completed when on a Mac. Cons Some features are a bit limited. Understanding this is not final cut or premiere pro, you will not get all the same options and abilities you would with a more elite editing software. However, the limited features are still ok for what you would need it to be. Review Source LM Lorenzo M. Owner Online Media Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Easy to use, yet it lacks features" October 30, 2024 3.0 I used this software to edit my first youtube videos, and i was pretty happy with it until I discovered better editors Pros It’s simple to use and all of the features are available for free Cons There are only few effects/transitions to choose for text/video, too little features Switched from [FlashBack Express](https://www.capterra.com/p/203150/Flashback-Express/) I haven’t had to record videos on my pc, which had worst quality Review Source PS Parker S. CEO Music Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great Beginning Piece of Software" November 19, 2025 4.0 It is a great beginning app to get to know and to mess around in before upgrading to a new and improved software. Pros I like how you could add pretty much any video or audio and combine the two. I also liked how we could speed up or slow down the audio Cons The output quality has always been subpar for me, whether that be on desktop or on mobile, the final cut of the movie is always not the greatest of quality. Alternatives considered [Adobe Express](https://www.capterra.com/p/174232/adobe-express/) Reason for choosing iMovie this application came stock on my iphone and mac and was free Review Source FF Fernando F. Photographer, Designer and Producer Media Production Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Easy Video Editing with iMovie" February 6, 2025 4.0 i used iMovie when it first cam out and have used it fro quick video editing and previewing. Pros iMovie is simple video editor easy to use. Cons In is simplicity iMovie lacks some of the more basic and powerful features needed in a complete video editor. Alternatives considered [AVS Video Editor](https://www.capterra.com/p/190789/AVS-Video-Editor/)[Movavi Video Editor Plus](https://www.capterra.com/p/228422/Movavi-Video-Editor-Plus/) Reason for choosing iMovie I chose to use iMovie because it was simple and easy to use and it came with my Mac. Review Source SB Simone B. Priest Religious Institutions Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "iMovie ahead" February 20, 2025 5.0 Exactly what I searched for Video editing for my reels and Music video on my YouTube channel. It requires such a good computer to work with but it's worth of it Pros It is a very good alternative to Adobe Première Pro Cons I say nothing because have all the things it needs to work with video/audio editing Switched from [Filmora](https://www.capterra.com/p/186540/Filmora/) because iMovie is MacOS native and Wondershare is still a little bit buggy Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Editor Motion Pictures and Film Used the software for: 2+ years ### "iMOVIE REVIEW" January 12, 2026 5.0 It's been a fantastic experience. I have used to edit several videos and items. It's got some cool features and allows you to shape your own film narrative on your iPhone or computer. Pros I can take footage and create a movie from it. This is amazing that I can use footage from my camera and make a movie if I would like. I can add music, templates, trim, add fonts, etc. Cons The compression isn't the best. If the movie is long or has a lot of data it's very hard to save it or send it out. And it will take up a ton of storage on your phone or computer. They don't have the best compression component to make it easy to share. Review Source YD Yanatha D. Consultant Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "iMovie - Capturing all the important moments" November 20, 2025 5.0 Pros With customer support not needed, strong security, value for money, video creation, project creation, animation and save and export tools, iMovie is essential. Cons There are no cons for iMovie. I have made so many movies with iMovie it's my go to application on my phone or computer. Review Source EB Ethan B. Detailer Automotive Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "iMovie review" August 11, 2025 5.0 I really like it unfortunately my employees also do content creation and cannot use it since the company phone is android Pros I love how it is for being an Apple user because of how it integrates with Apple products and icloud Cons I did not like how android users and others are not able to access it since it is an Apple product and it’s not meant for android Review Source KP Kennedy P. Licensed Master Esthetician Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Love iMovie!" May 21, 2025 5.0 I love it for my Youtube Channel. It is very easy to use and very convenient for Macbook users especially. Pros iMovie is easy to navigate, quick and efficient, and straight forward. it is very easy to use for anyone who is just starting out with editing softwares. Cons I do not like that it doesn't keep up with the sound effect or text trends, and exporting feature isn't as fast. Review Source DMR Diana Marlene R. Student Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The most practical movie " May 27, 2022 5.0 iMovie has helped me making and editing a lot of videos for my courses at school. During the pandemic I had to make videos showing my presentations or the evidence of some experiments I made and I always used iMovie. My experience has been great, I consider it very useful, easy to understand and very practical. Pros What I like the most about this software is that everything is very simple. All of the tools are very useful and easy to manage and you can figure out how they function on your own. Cons What I like least about the software is that sometime it is "heavy" for the device you are using. For example, in a MacBook Air, it may reduces its speed and the ventilator could make very loud sounds. But really, its not a mayor problem. Switched from [KineMaster](https://www.capterra.com/p/233236/KineMaster/) Because I like more the functions of iMovie, I thought It was way easier and practical and also, it didn't have any adds. Review Source KM Kris M. Freelance Writer Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Basic video creation and editing without unnecessary bells and whistles" October 20, 2023 4.0 Most of the videos I make for clients are quite short and do not require more sophisticated features than those offered by iMovie. So, iMovie is the ideal choice, for the most part. For all other instances, I use another video creation tool. Using iMovie makes the process of creating videos quick and easy. Pros I love how streamlined the video creation process is in iMovie. Using iMovie makes the creation of simple videos a very quick and painless process. Cons There are times when some more sophisticated tools are necessary - say, for colour correction. iMovie is not equipped to handle such tasks, and so it is not always the best tool. However, it is meant to be a video creation product for basic needs and beginners. Alternatives considered [Lightworks](https://www.capterra.com/p/173468/Lightworks/)[Adobe Premiere Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/233456/Adobe-Premiere-Pro/) Reason for choosing iMovie iMovie was bundled for free with my Mac, and once I began using it I found that it was a fun program that could handle most relevant tasks. Review Source MH Marit H. CEO E-Learning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Absolutely perfect for the basics" April 30, 2024 5.0 Pros Easy to use, great drag & drop functions, nice little library of free sounds/sound effects. Cons Capcut does offer more options (AI subtitles, more color grading options, effects, etc) Switched from [Adobe Premiere Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/233456/Adobe-Premiere-Pro/) iMovie is way easier, I don't need that many options Review Source GM Galateya M. Executive Administrative Assistant Computer & Network Security Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Recommendation for iMovie" October 11, 2024 5.0 My overall experience is Positive. iMovie offers an intuitive and enjoyable video editing experience, making it easy to create polished videos with minimal effort. Pros The most I like about iMovie is that it has user-friendly interface makes video editing accessible to everyone, even beginners. Additionally, its range of built-in templates and effects allows for the creation of professional-looking videos with ease. Cons The least I like about iMovie is that it can be limiting for advanced users due to its lack of more customization options. Review Source KK Kendall K. Employee Automotive Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Super easy to use for all!" January 15, 2025 4.0 Super dependent and very easy to use for all Pros I loved how easy it is to use and straight to the point it is Cons It can crop the movie in a weird way sometimes Review Source Erika S. Owner Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Keeping in my editing arsenal for my online business" August 27, 2024 4.0 I use iMovie weekly for my content editing needs, and have no desire to learn a new editing software! It works great for me and integrates my audio, video, transitions, and text elements cohesively and easily. Pros iMovie is a great jumping off point to learn how to edit content. It's relatively user friendly and once you get the hang of it you can go quite quickly. Cons I have found it at times difficult to get help on using certain features and have had to spend time googling outside sources for tutorials. Review Source RP Ross P. Director Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "iMovie, you get a lot for very little!" July 15, 2024 5.0 Pros I've used iMovie for a number of years to create both personal and promotional videos. It's easy to you and the provided templates are brilliant! A highlight for me is being able to cut and paste elements between projects and create personal templates to use over again. You can also easily drop in images created in software such as Sketch, right into the project. This is not possible in other free products. There are lots of translations and effects that some as standard, for free. Overall it's great bit of kit. Cons It's an obvious one really, you need a Mac to run iMovie. This is a big issue when it comes to sharing projects, and collaborating outside of the office. I find myself doing all the editing when others could be helping, but they can't as they have windows machines. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Founder Music Used the software for: 2+ years ### "iMovie Makes Video Creation and Editing Accessible to All" March 24, 2022 5.0 Overall, my experience with iMovie is a very positive one. It takes video editing to the next level, and provides all the basic tools needed to make amazing videos. Pros iMovie is amazing software that makes video creation and editing easy and effortless. I love the text templates, ability to drag and drop photos and video clips wherever they are needed, and the audio enhancement features. iMovie comes with great templates, and my favorite text animation is the Star Wars type text template. I also love the color filters like Sepia, black and white, etc. The ability to edit Picture in Picture and green screen are amazing. Cons Overall, iMovie is amazing. I just wish there were more text options that included highlighted text or ability to change text outline thickness and shadow. When making videos with bright backgrounds, sometimes the text doesn't show up no matter what color you make it, and making the text bold, or adding an outline doesn't help. In these cases, highlighted text is needed, or the ability to change the thickness and shadow of the outline to make the text more prominent. Review Source SR Shari R. CEO, Marketing and PR Executive Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "iMovie Could Use An Upgrade!" July 17, 2021 5.0 Overall, my experience with iMovie has been okay but not the best. I hope for there to be a major surprise upgrade to this software soon. Pros What I like most about iMovie is its ability to create great videos. The software has a good selection of text animations and transitions, picture in picture, green screen, voice animations and video speed. Cons What I like least about this software is its lack of upgrading. There needs to be a load more of text animations and transitions, as well as the ability to better edit photo/video picture quality to make it look more professional and smooth—as if it were taken with a professional high quality camera. There also needs to be a load more of new templates to start with, as the ones available are super outdated and overused. iMovie is definitely behind on video editing quality. Review Source JM Javier M. Podcaster / Entertainer Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "iMovie is the perfect school if you aspire to upgrade to Final Cut Pro in the future" May 8, 2022 4.0 I started using iMovie when I make the switch from PC to Mac. It was also included in the OS, so it was a no brainer with an integrated program to the ecosystem and for free. It was easy to get familiarized with the interface and project creation. Drag and Drop and the magnetic timeline makes easier the editing since it puts together all clips automatically. This software is great for non experienced users or total beginners to edit a quick clip, maybe a family birthday party video, a trip, etc. The iPad / iPhone App versions are surprisingly smooth and easy to make quick edits as well. More complex editing requires the Mac version. This software is great if you need to edit quick clips and for a more personal use. Maybe is a little short for professional use if you need a more demanding result, with transitions, animations, a more detailed color correction, etc. Mostly because it's doesn't have a big offering of plugins and addons like Pro software does. In this case, Final Cut Pro is a better option for you. However, iMovie is the perfect "school" to practice editing and eventually make the upgrade if you want to become Pro. Pros Why I liked the most about iMovie is the fact it makes the process of switching from other video editing software very easy thanks to the interface. For non experienced users it's a great tool to get familiarized with video editing and eventually make the jump to other heavyweights like Final Cut Pro Cons The main Con is the fact it's a Mac exclusive software. Also, latest versions demand the Latest OS and newer hardware with more RAM / video card resources, which means more money for the latest Mac. Review Source RS Rachel S. Digital communications production Broadcast Media Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "iMovie: great for beginners, but definitely not for the pros" December 29, 2021 3.0 This is what I began my editing experience using when I started my position in high school. It is a great learning tool, but I would honestly consider this to be a “training wheels” program for editors. Pros This would definitely help beginners or people that just need simple tasks completed, like editing clips together and nothing more. It is intuitive, fast, and extremely easy to figure out on your own. Cons I do not like how basic iMovie is. There are minimal things that can be done when creating videos with it. This can be helpful for some people, but for those who would like to edit and make their video actually look good, this is not for them. Review Source TS Trincell S. Owner Food & Beverages Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A Professional Movie" July 28, 2021 5.0 At one point I was a beginner until I was able to find my way around it. Pros Easy to understand and use tools. Free access to user guides on Apple's support site. Can mix both still and moving images in one video platform with just a tiny transition Cons You have to keep track of the social platforms and which are connected for direct sharing if possible. Reason for choosing iMovie More features and easier to use Review Source Joel M. Quality Coordinator Engineer Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "If you are not professional, iMovie is the best way to learn and to do your amateur videos" June 14, 2023 4.0 My first experience with any video editing software was with iMovie and it was very easy and organic to use, everything was just spontaneous and logical. Once you do your first 20-25 videos, you feel like you want to do some new transitions or effects that in iMovie is just impossible to do Pros It is just beautiful and easy to use, it has many features for your amateur creations and again, it is easy and it feels like your learning path is organic Cons It has less features and characteristics than other softwares like Final Cut Pro or Adobre Premier which are more professionals and the use of RAM and space is less compatible and difficult to manage with iMovie Review Source VR Verified Reviewer digital marketing Capital Markets Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "I movie best video editing apps and IOS" May 1, 2022 5.0 Pros I like to do video editing from i movie apps and its animations are very good Cons There is nothing to dislike about these iMovie apps, everything is OK Review Source SC Sam C. Graphic Designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "iMovie - The best editor to start with!" October 4, 2021 4.0 Overall, my experience with iMovie is good. While I definitely prefer more robust video editing programs, iMovie is still my go-to when introducing new people to video editing. iMovie does simplicity and better than any other video program, which makes it an amazing pice of software for a quick video. Pros The best feature that iMovie has to offer is its overall simplicity. I love that someone with very little video experience can open up iMovie and get started with a video project right away. iMovie takes a lot of the confusing thought out of video editing and instead allows users to quickly drag and drop and move things around. Perhaps the best hidden feature of iMovie is its ability to quickly generate cinematic movie trailers—complete with music and text. iMovie has some great pre-made templates that really make video editing fun and intuitive. Cons While iMovie is great for its simplicity, its simplicity is also its downfall. While iMovie can still accomplish a significant amount when it comes to video editing, it lacks more of the precise and robust features offered by other video editing programs such as Adobe Premiere and Final Cut. Having learned video editing on more advanced software, switching back to iMovie was quite difficult. Because it is so simple, the workflow looks vastly different than the majority of video editing softwares. It lacks motion integration, detailed colorization and timeline size/format setup and exporting, for example. However, these features aren't fully necessary for a great product. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Related categories [Video Making](https://www.capterra.com/video-making-software/)