iMovie vs. ScreenFlow

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
iMovie
Score 10.0 out of 10
N/A
Apple offers iMovie as a video editing platform supporting video creators with high quality effects, support for 4k resolution, audio editing, and other features supporting the creation of videos and movies.
$0
ScreenFlow
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
Telestream in Nevada City offers ScreenFlow, a video editing and screen recording application for Mac boasting a range of editing tools, graphics and effects, and easy video sharing.N/A
Pricing
iMovieScreenFlow
Editions & Modules
Free Tier
$0.00
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
iMovieScreenFlow
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
iMovieScreenFlow
Considered Both Products
iMovie
Chose iMovie
Both Pinnacle and iMovie have similar features and capabilities. Most of the pros of iMovie has been posted in my review already but I would say the most positive aspect of iMovie is the fact that it is pre-installed on Apple products so you don't have to buy it, compared to …
Chose iMovie
iMovie produce professional quality video without the advanced but complicated features of professional softwares. OF course it has its limits compare to professional applications but the key here is when to use which application I use Final Cut frequently for larger video …
Chose iMovie
iMovie is free for Apple devices, and it have a plus with that. The other software are for pay and are a little bit more complicated to use. iMovie is fast, intuitive, and have and extended free library with free royalties to use in different platforms of social media or video …
Chose iMovie
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 …
Chose iMovie
IMovie is way easier to use and the result regarding social media content is almost the same (obviously depending on what do you want to do or expect).
Chose iMovie
Final Cut Pro can be expensive if you are not ready to fully divulge in video content for your brand/company. iMovie is a great starting place as it's easier to understand how to use it (in terms of UI/UX) and great for a team just starting out/figuring out a strategy for their …
Chose iMovie
We use Adobe Premiere Pro, ScreenFlow, and iMovie. All for different things. If we're doing heavy editing, some effects, and overlays, we use Premiere. If we're recording a bunch of stuff all at once and doing a screen record, we record with ScreenFlow and edit while we're …
Chose iMovie
Other tools are available but most of them are paid while iMovie is free. iMovie is easy to learn and anyone can get started quickly with it. Some built-in effects are available with one-touch import so you can import them and just needed to add context in it, you are ready to …
Chose iMovie
iMovie has its place in the world of video editing software. It's definitely not the fanciest on the market but it is simple and easy to use and gets the job done and done well! There are times where I'll gravitate toward iMovie because I just don't need the extra features that …
Chose iMovie
I have an iPhone and recently bought a Macbook, so it was a natural choice. YouTube's movie creator was basic and not nearly as functional as iMovie (although I just wish the two worked together when creating movies). My Mac-based coworker says he used to use After Effects but …
Chose iMovie
I haven't been able to find a comparable solution for what I need for video editing.
Chose iMovie
iMovie is just as good and a lot cheaper than the competition. For my simple projects, it works well. For more advanced tasks, I outsource the work to better video editors and they usually work with Final Cut or Adobe Premiere. There’s no need for me to upgrade to anything else …
Chose iMovie
iMovie is not a pro video editor like FCPX or Adobe - however if you are entry level and not looking to advance further, I'd recommend staying there. If you plan to get more experienced in the industry, I'd leave it behind in an instance and move on to a pro editor.
Chose iMovie
iMovie was way better when it came to the likes of Filmora and Windows Movie Maker. Both look amateurish, and Filmora is even paid to begin with. The ability to match and sync audio unto a much smaller fraction of a second, the overall smoothness of product, and the easy to use …
Chose iMovie
This can be a bit overly complex to a novice and iMovie tends to be more beginner. We are not classically trained video people so that helps us do a better job with iMovie.
Chose iMovie
While iMovie worked for our organization for a while, we eventually moved to other software to create our video media content. iMovie was a great fit for entering into the realm of video content creation, but lacked the functionality provided by Final Cut Pro X and Adobe …
Chose iMovie
ScreenFlow and iMovie serve different purposes; however, I find iMovie easier to use for beginners.
Chose iMovie
We like Snagit, and still use it too. But IMovie is much more extensive an application and really let us grow our video content market.
Chose iMovie
I have used Adobe After Effects. After Effects is perfect for creating animated title cards as well as video and audio splicing. The basic nature of iMovie means little to no lag, whereas After Effects may suffer from this (especially with larger audio files). However, if you …
Chose iMovie
Adobe Premier is complicated for the non film student. Can you get it to work well for you? Of course, but not without considerable learning.
Chose iMovie
iMovie is kind of like Premiere Pro Lite. You can create videos, easily, and export them, but you don't get the fine tuning and control that you get with Premiere Pro. That being said, Premiere Pro is much more expensive, and takes a much longer time to learn. It made more …
Chose iMovie
iMovie has all the capability most video producers need. Great videos are made in the editing because the right content is already there. Adobe has a great product but their editing software doesn't have to be that intense, as when it is, it takes away from the great creative …
Chose iMovie
iMovie compares very well with Premiere's and Final Cut's basic video and audio editing and for simple transitions. For the heavier lifting, you'll need a better application. iMovie isn't meant to be a Hollywood-level application but it can hold its own for most things. It's …
ScreenFlow
Chose ScreenFlow
Open Broadcast Studio - limited editing capacity
Final Cut Pro - advanced but difficult to learn
Chose ScreenFlow
I haven't used Camtasia much, but it's the alternative for teachers using PC systems. It seems very popular among the instructors. We have received video exports from Camtasia to edit in Adobe Premiere. Another way we have done screen recordings is a combination of QuickTime …
Chose ScreenFlow
We looked at things like Loom and all those other screen recorders, but Screenflow is just so much more powerful. It can do everything we want it to and more, even things like Chroma Key (green screen), text on video, transitions, all that. It's a pretty great software for …
Chose ScreenFlow
screenflow is much easier, and less expensive as well. Anyone can make a screen record using quicktime, but the tools that are included help you polish off your content end to end.
Chose ScreenFlow
Camtasia is a strong competitor to screenflow. Camtasia has a bit more functionality. screenflow is less expensive and does exactly what I need it to do. screenflow doesn't have any bells and whistles, Camtasia does. I prefer screenflow because it is very straightforward to use …
Chose ScreenFlow
Screenflow offers a clean interface and intuitive tools like I have not seen across other video editing products, often times because of the many complexities that are delivered with video editing software. I have used many many video editing tools in my past and this one …
Chose ScreenFlow
  1. Beginning with Adobe Premiere Pro - which I still use, it is a computer-power consuming product and has many more options for video production that are needed for training videos. There have been a few times where I have used Premiere Pro and taken the video and added it to …
Chose ScreenFlow
While loom is the fastest, it lacks editing power. Loom is best suited for quick communication. Camtasia is the only direct competitor I'm aware of, but it's much more expensive and not as easy to use. The only benefit of Camtasia is that it has superior text on screen …
Chose ScreenFlow
I haven't personally used Camtasia but was informed by multiple people who have that it is much harder to use than Screenflow is which is one of the main reasons we moved away from using it.
Chose ScreenFlow
While Final Cut Pro X is definitely more full-featured, the learning curve is also considerably steeper. Also, as far as I can tell, Final Cut does not have the built-in capability to record my computer screen. If you are a hardcore video editor, Final Cut is the way to go. …
Chose ScreenFlow
Adobe Premiere Pro is the golden child of video editing software, and sadly screenflow cannot truly compare. However, screenflows ability to capture video/ audio from internet sources is the best reason to purchase.
Chose ScreenFlow
ScreenFlow is quick and easy. The interface doesn't seem complicated like other tools I've used in the past and it works offline which is a benefit if you need to work offline using screen recorded footage.
Best Alternatives
iMovieScreenFlow
Small Businesses
Descript
Descript
Score 8.4 out of 10
iMovie
iMovie
Score 10.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Adobe Express
Adobe Express
Score 8.8 out of 10
iMovie
iMovie
Score 10.0 out of 10
Enterprises
Adobe Express
Adobe Express
Score 8.8 out of 10
Adobe Express
Adobe Express
Score 8.8 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
iMovieScreenFlow
Likelihood to Recommend
10.0
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
10.0
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.1
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
iMovieScreenFlow
Likelihood to Recommend
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
ScreenFlow is well suited to the creation of short video projects. When the project becomes longer than 10 or 15 minutes, the application seems to bog down independently of the configuration of the hardware on which is running. if you want to create animations, this is not the application to use
Read full review
Pros
  • File management. This is one of the tricky things that is not a benefit if you are a pro user, however iMovie has a built in file management system that makes sure all the files you are using in your edit are carried along with the project file. It's easy to lose these files as it typically requires manual organization - however iMovie does it for you, automatically.
  • The editing UI is designed for a modern generation. No longer are we connected to the manual cutting and pasting of the moviola era, it's a drag and drop friendly platform for the digital generation.
  • Auto save is another huge feature. You never lose progress due to forgetting to hit command + S.
Read full review
  • Screenflow easily records your desktop video and/or audio, with functionality that works even across multi-monitor setups.
  • The program has really incredible features for basic cutting and editing of the capture within screenflow once it is done.
  • The program has an impressive amount of options for expecting different formats of video and audio. I'm most impressed by the lossless audio and uncompressed video formats that give the best possible quality for importing into video projects.
Read full review
Cons
  • Exporting. You’d think this would be more intuitive but the language Apple uses is a little bizarre...you can choose to save it as a theater project or as a file but it’s not super clear.
  • Fine tuning. Sometimes you need an exact moment where to stop audio and start a person talking and it can be difficult to get that level of detail to match up.
  • Tutorials. It would be nice for iMovie to have some quick and dirty tutorials for you to take within the software as many others do but as far as I can tell there is no such thing.
Read full review
  • You have to use specific keys to stop recording and if you forget them you have to close out the application to stop recording.
  • It's a fairly basic software, it would be nice to see them add new functionality, but they haven't done much to improve it over the years.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
No answers on this topic
Definitely need it for future recordings
Read full review
Usability
Once again, iMovie is a fast application. It's easy to use and navigate through. It has never frozen or glitched. There is an auto-save feature which helps you to easily close and re-open the software and continue from where you left off. Being an Apple product I do believe there is a level of superiority that surpasses Windows as well.
Read full review
It's simple to set up and use. The editing features are laid out in an easy to understand way making it the perfect go-to tool for a novice video editor and an advanced one. I will use ScreenFlow at times over other bigger tools like Adobe Premiere because it's quicker to make changes to videos.
Read full review
Support Rating
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
It works well and fits into my workflow. The tools are much easier and straightforward to work with. Other video editing tools like Adobe Premier or Final Cut Pro are simply too complicated for this type of task.
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
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
  1. Beginning with Adobe Premiere Pro - which I still use, it is a computer-power consuming product and has many more options for video production that are needed for training videos. There have been a few times where I have used Premiere Pro and taken the video and added it to what I do in Screenflow. Additionally, Premiere is a subscription-based purchase / rent - which I am not fond of whatsoever. Screenflow is my first choice.
  2. Adobe Captivate is again, too much offered - hence the higher pricing and then the complexities that are not necessary. I can accomplish all that I need with screenflow and at a more reasonable price ... AND it doesn't crash -- in four years it never has.
  3. I keep Snagit on my computer but find it is better for still image / screenshots vs video screen capturing. Screenflow is much smoother, quicker, and complient.
  4. Camtasia has not produced a "Good" Mac version - Screenflow is much better in producing what I want, speed, and compatibility. Not to mention, major price differences.
Read full review
Return on Investment
  • iMovie has given a fantastic ROI for the brand as it allows us to expand our channels (YouTube, TikTok, IG Reels, etc.) and reach new users.
  • Video is the new digital platform to get on and iMovie helps us churn out video content quickly and precisely.
  • iMovie helps get our message across in a visually pleasing way for users to easily understand what our product is about, giving us a great ROI as more users convert after watching video content.
Read full review
  • As an education, the best way to answer this is that my students improve after viewing my videos. Their success IS my business.
  • It is, as stated before, a time saver. My ROI is more time than I had prior to using it.
  • I save funds by not having to purchase applications that are priced extremely higher.
Read full review
ScreenShots