Video editing has become a mainstream creative outlet for both hobbyists, and professionals. Getting the right video editing software can give you the freedom to express yourself better and make good videos. Most importantly, it needs to be reasonably priced since you don’t want to end up shelling out a bomb.

But how do you know which is the right one to choose? If you are a first time video editor looking for options and need help in knowing what to look for, you have come to the right place.

Here are three main guidelines to watch out for when buying your first video editing suite.

System Compatibility:  If you’re on Windows, get a program that works on for it. If it’s a Mac, Final Cut Pro is compatible with it and runs beautifully on it. You should choose your video editing software according to your system specs. Buying a cutting edge video editing program might seem like an obvious choice. However, problems will arise if your system specs fall below the software’s minimum requirements. This could mean they won’t run or even install in few cases.

The second problem is even if it does meet the specs, will it actually run well? Some video editing programs are lightweight and don’t consume a lot of RAM. Whereas others come with gigantic file sizes and consume a lot of hardware resources. Do your research on the technical side of the software before buying.

Multicam Feature:  Make sure your video editing program comes with multicam feature. If you shoot with your smartphone or DSLR, it can add a lot of depth to your final product. Multicam features lets you shoot the same scene from multiple angles. A video editing suite that allows for this can expand your creativity and ease of use. You should feel comfortable while making videos and not feel restricted. A good video editing package will help you with this.

Additional Features:  Other features to look out for include rendering formats, import formats. Check if the video editing package offers animations, transitions, and titling. Most video editing suites these days lets you create custom 3D titles from 2D text and rotate them on their axes. This is important since you will want to use a 3D title when making trailers or intros. Look out for this.

Additionally, make sure they provide options for adding multiple audio and video tracks to the timeline. The ability to cut, trim, copy, paste, and edit seamlessly on the timeline is what matters most. A good video editing package will offer you the best of all worlds in decent proportions. Finally, make sure it fits within your budget and meets all your requirements.