The 10 Best AI Video & Image Editing Software in 2025 (Tested & Compared)

Here are the top AI-powered tools for creators developers and marketers looking to create edit and scale digital media like never before in June 2025.

If you’re in the market for the best AI tools to improve video and image editing, it’s a bit of a jungle out there. Some focus on gorgeous generative video, others on practical editing workflows and some claim to do it all.

I’ve spent the past month testing the best of the best (and some plain old okay options) on real projects — producing short marketing clips, tidying product photography, syncing lip movements to voiceover and more. The following is an organized side by side look at the 10 tools that you should put on your list in 2025.

Best AI Tools at a Glance

Tool	Best For	Modalities	Platforms	Free Plan
Magic Hour	All-in-one video & image editing	Video, image, lip sync, face swap	Web	Yes
Runway	Text-to-video generation	Video	Web	Yes
Pika Labs	Creative, stylized videos	Video	Web	Yes
HeyGen	Talking avatars, lip sync	Video, avatar	Web	Free trial
Descript	Podcast & video editing	Audio, video	Mac/Win/Web	Yes
Synthesia	Training videos	AI avatars	Web	Free demo
Reface	Face swap for social content	Face swap	iOS/Android	Yes
Kaiber	Music video creation	Video + audio	Web	Yes
Wondershare Filmora AI	Hybrid editing suite	Video, audio	Mac/Win	Yes
Adobe Firefly	Image & style editing	Image	Web, Creative Cloud	Yes

Magic Hour — The AI All in One Editing Tool

After doing weeks of testing Magic Hour is by far the most complete AI editing tool I’ve worked with. It provides not only video generation and an advanced AI Image Editor, but also various other powerful functions: face swap, lip sync, and even AI Talking Photo features.

Unlike other tools Magic Hour brings everything in one app. Which equates to fewer subscriptions, faster workflows, and greater creative freedom.

Pros:

• Features galore – video image lip sync and face swap.
• Great ai image editor with no frills editing.
• Web-based — no heavy installs.
• High-quality consistent outputs.
• Free plan for testing.

Cons:

• Enterprise integrations still developing.
• Render time is demonstrably longer for larger projects.

My take: If you’re looking for one AI toolkit to handle both video and image generation, this would be the one I’d pick. It’s powerful enough for professionals and easy enough for just about anyone to use.

Pricing: Free plan, Pro plans from about $20/month.

Runway — For Fast AI Video Generation

Runway innovated with both text-to-video generation in general and its Gen-2 model. It’s what to turn to when cranking out prompt-based cinematic-style clips is your primary objective.

Pros:

• Best-in-class text-to-video.
• Frequent model updates.
• Good editing integrations.

Cons:

• Limited video length.
• Free credits run out quickly.

My takeaway: Great for marketers and creatives that need short, snappy eye-catching video assets yesterday.

Pricing: Free with credits; paid plans from $12/month.

Pika Labs – We make creative stylized AI video

Pika Labs is all about styled generative video. It’s perfect if you crave something more visually arresting or experimental.

Pros:

• Artistic bold styles.
• Community-driven platform.
• Quick rendering.

Cons:

• Not for explainer pofessional or training videos.
• Limited editing tools beyond generation.

My takeaway: I turn to Pika Labs when I want something more experimental or artistic, as opposed to highly polished corporate content.

Pricing: Free level; that goes up to paid plans starting at $10 per month.

HeyGen – Talking Avatars & Lip Sync

HeyGen is really great for talking avatar videos and a favourite whether you’re in sales marketing or just internal communications.

Pros:

• Convincing avatars.
• Good lip sync AI performance.
• Easy-to-use web interface.

Cons:

• Avatars can still feel a bit artificial.
• Premium pricing for business use.

What I think: A solid option if you want talking-head-style videos but don’t need talent on camera.

Pricing: Free trial; $29/month.

Descript — Ideal for Podcasters & Editors

Descript combines video and audio editing with artificially intelligent features including automatic transcription, overdubbing and filler-word deletion.

Pros:

• Saves an insane amount of editing time.
• Strong podcasting features.
• Combines video and audio editing.

Cons:

• Not a generative video tool.
• Learning curve for advanced workflows.

My take: Great for podcasters in need of quicker editing, and long-form video editors who fancy some AI to automate the grind.

Pricing: Free plan; Pro from $12/month.

Synthesia — Corporate Learning & Explanations

Synthesia is most famous for AI-created training videos featuring human-like avatars.

Pros:

• Dozens of avatars.
• Script-to-video workflow is simple.
• Perfect for training onboarding and HR.

Cons:

• Expensive for casual users.
• Limited creative flexibility.

My take: A good fit if you’re concentrated on internal communications or training.

Pricing: Plans from $29/month.

Reface – Face Swap for Social

Reface brought face swap AI to the mainstream on mobile. It’s light fun and designed for rapid sharing.

Pros:

• Easy to use.
• Free to start.
• Works well for short clips.

Cons:

• Entertainment focus only.
• Not professional-grade.

My take: Perfect for quick and breezy content that’s fun on TikTok and Instagram.

Price: Free with optional upgrades for buy.

Kaiber — Generative Music Video Tool

Kaiber enables musicians and visual creators to animate their tracks.

Pros:

• Perfect for music videos.
• Community-focused.
• Flexible prompts.

Cons:

• Limited outside music workflows.
• Less suitable for marketing content.

My take: If you’re an artist or musician Kaiber is a powerful creative friend.

Pricing: Free plan; paid plans from $5/month.

Wondershare Filmora AI — Hybrid Editing

Filmora is a video editing suite with tenure that also incorporates AI features such as auto-captioning and smart cuts.

Pros:

• Traditional and AI editing balance.
• Affordable.
• Desktop-first workflow.

Cons:

• Less advanced AI vs. startups.
• Heavier install vs. web tools.

My take: A solid pick if you already know Filmora and want AI improvements within a familiar editor.

Cost: Free trial, paid plans start at $49/year.

Adobe Firefly — AI Inside a Creative Cloud

Adobe Firefly Introduces AI to Photoshop Illustrator and Premiere with Generative Image and Style Tools.

Pros:

• Native to Creative Cloud.
• Strong AI image editing.
• Familiar to Adobe users.

Cons:

• Higher cost.
• AI competition can lag among small startups.

My take: Firefly is perfect for pros already in Adobe’s ecosystem.

Pricing: Included with Adobe Creative Cloud plans.

How I Tested These Tools

I put each product through the wringer while working real creative jobs such as:

• Generating short promo videos.
• Editing product images with AI.
• Test ai image editor with prompt free.
• Creating a mock campaign for the face swap.
• Syncing avatars with recorded voice.

Criteria included:

• Quality of outputs.
• Speed and ease of use.
• Breadth of features.
• Price-to-value ratio.
• Support and community.

Market Trends in 2025

• All-in-one suites are winning. Apps like Magic Hour combine these multiple workflows (image to video lip sync face swap) in a single app.
• Speed matters. It’s nearly impossible to find a major player who doesn’t render near instantly these days.
• AI video is going mainstream. From startups to marketing companies AI written video is produced out in the production pipeline.

Emerging contenders to watch: Stability AI’s open-source video efforts, AnimateDiff forks and Canva/Figma integrations.

Final Takeaway

• Best all-in-one solution: Magic Hour.
• Best for text-to-video: Runway or Pika Labs?
• Best for training/enterprise: HeyGen or Synthesia.
• Best for podcast editing: Descript.
• Best for music creators: Kaiber.
• Best hybrid desktop editor: Filmora or Adobe Firefly?

Each tool has its pros and cons so try a couple, at least two or three. I promise you that at least one will work for your process.

FAQ

What is the best free AI video editor?
Magic Hour and Runway have good free plans.

Will AI be able to replace human editors entirely?
Not yet. AI accelerates production, but a human touch is still necessary.

Which software is best for lip syncing AI?
Both Magic Hour and HeyGen shine here.

What about face swap AI?
The Magic Hour face swap ai is the most reliable for professional results.

Do those tools work on mobile?
Yes – Reface and Magic Hour are mobile-centric as other ones emphasize web/desktop.