Back in 2017, Adobe Premiere Pro cost $50 a month, Final Cut Pro was a one-time $300 purchase, and DaVinci Resolve 14 gave you professional color grading for free. For anyone who needed to edit screencasts or tutorial videos, the decision wasn't just about price—it was about whether your machine could handle 4K timelines, whether you needed multi-cam support, and how much you cared about learning a new workflow. Here's what seven editors actually delivered that year.
1. Adobe Premiere Pro CC (2017)
Premiere Pro was the industry standard for good reason. Its 2017 release brought native support for VR 360° footage and improved GPU acceleration (NVIDIA CUDA and AMD OpenCL). The interface remained dense but customizable, and integration with After Effects and Audition via Dynamic Link made complex workflows more efficient. For developers, the ability to edit H.264 and HEVC without transcoding saved time when working with screen recordings. The downside: the Creative Cloud subscription meant a recurring cost, and the software demanded a powerful machine — 16 GB of RAM was a realistic minimum for 4K projects.
2. Final Cut Pro X (10.3.4)
Apple’s professional editor had matured significantly by 2017. The magnetic timeline, while polarizing among traditional editors, actually reduced the chance of accidentally breaking sync — useful when you are more focused on code than on manual clip alignment. Background rendering and optimized media handling meant that even a 2015 MacBook Pro could handle 4K timelines reasonably well. The one-time purchase price ($299.99) was refreshing compared to subscription models. However, it was macOS-only, and the library-based project management could confuse users coming from a file-based workflow.
3. DaVinci Resolve 14 (Free and Studio)
Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve underwent a major transformation in 2017 with version 14. It added a full non-linear editing (NLE) suite alongside its legendary color grading tools. The free version supported unlimited resolution and offered professional scopes, noise reduction, and multi-user collaboration. For a developer on a budget, this was the best value — no watermark, no time limits, and the same core engine as the $299 Studio version. The catch: it required a dedicated GPU and a deep understanding of node-based color grading, which had a steeper learning curve than simple sliders.
4. Sony Vegas Pro 14
Vegas Pro had a loyal following among Windows users who appreciated its straightforward timeline and fast preview performance. Version 14 introduced 4K HDR support and improved HEVC encoding. The workflow felt less rigid than Premiere — you could drag and drop effects without nested sequences. For someone who just wanted to cut a webinar recording and add basic titles, Vegas was efficient. But by 2017, the software felt behind in collaboration features and lacked native team projects. It also had a reputation for crashing on complex timelines, though stability had improved.
5. Lightworks 14.0 (Free and Pro)
Lightworks had a long history in Hollywood (used on films like The Wolf of Wall Street). The 2017 free version allowed exports up to 720p, which was limiting for HD tutorials, but the editing tools themselves were professional-grade. The timeline trimming was exceptionally precise. The interface, however, was unlike any other NLE — it used a three-point editing system that felt alien to anyone used to drag-and-drop. For a developer willing to invest a weekend learning it, Lightworks offered a free path to understanding professional editing logic. The Pro version removed export restrictions and added stereoscopic 3D support.
6. iMovie 10.1 (macOS / iOS)
For quick, no-fuss edits on a Mac, iMovie remained the default. The 2017 version added 4K support and improved audio fade controls. It lacked multi-cam editing, keyframes, and any kind of color correction beyond basic presets. But for a developer who needed to trim a conference talk and add a title card, iMovie was already on the machine and required zero setup. The magnetic timeline (borrowed from Final Cut Pro) made it hard to accidentally leave gaps. Exporting directly to YouTube or Vimeo was seamless. The limitation: any project that needed precise audio syncing or custom transitions quickly outgrew iMovie.
7. HitFilm Express 2017
HitFilm Express positioned itself as a free editor with built-in visual effects and compositing tools. The 2017 version included over 180 effects, including particle simulators and green screen keying. It was a great choice for developers who wanted to add simple motion graphics to their screencasts without learning After Effects. The catch: the export watermark could be removed only by sharing on social media or purchasing the full version. Also, the interface was cluttered with promotional elements for the paid add-ons. Still, for a free tool, the feature set was generous — especially the 3D compositing workspace.
Choosing the Right Tool for Your Use Case
One practical tip from 2017: if you were editing a one-hour screencast with simple cuts, don't bother with Premiere Pro's subscription — iMovie or even the free version of Lightworks (accepting the 720p limit) would do the job. But if you needed to color grade a multi-camera interview, DaVinci Resolve 14 Free was the only free tool that could handle it without a watermark. The diversity of options meant you could always find something that fit your exact needs, as long as you were honest about what those needs were.
