Outsource video editing is the process of assigning video editors outside of the company to process video narratives. Professional video editing is available through freelancing and company-based services. Due to fast, cost-effective, and high-quality results, manually edited video editing solutions have globally increased demand.
Expert-edited videos ensure creativity, utilizing modern technology, scalable results, faster delivery, and timely content publication for brands. Outsourcing agencies offer 4 types of services, such as raw video editing, video enhancement service, industry-oriented video editing, and viewers’ targeted video editing to cover global professionals, brands, and business visual narrative needs.
To find the right video editor to outsource, consider their location, service category, portfolio, free trial, experience, video length and complexity, pricing, and ratings. Editing a 2-minute video takes 3-7 hours or 1-2 business days, considering the complexity level, video length, and revisions. The cost of video editing in NYC, USA, starts at $20 per minute.
What you’ll learn in this article
- 1 What is Outsource Video Editing?
- 2 Why You Should Outsource Video Editing Services?
- 3 What Services Does an Outsourced Video Editing Company Provide?
- 4 How to Outsource Video Editing Services?
- 5 Where to Outsource Video Editing Services?
- 6 How Much Does it Cost to Outsource Video Editing in New York, USA?
What is Outsource Video Editing?
Outsource Video Editing is the process of hiring external/3rd party video editing services from individual professionals, raw video processing companies, to ensure quality and volume within the deadline. As part of a company’s visual creation team, outsourcing video editing offers all types of video post-production works, including video trimming, cutting, resizing, color grading, sound designing, adding transitions, and subtitles etc.
The e-commerce industry, social media content creators, corporate industry, real-estate companies, advertising and marketing agencies, entertainment industry rely on 3rd party video editors to enhance quality, save time and cost, ensure flawless application of complicated and advanced-level editing, and to get scalable results.
Is Outsource Video Editing Profitable?
Yes, outsourcing video editing is more profitable in terms of cost, workflow management, project clearance, and ROI compared to in-house editing. Outsourcing benefits offer small and medium businesses to large enterprises and Fortune 500 companies with high-quality and fast service, scalable projects, cost management, and flexible resource management.
- Workflow Management: Professional video editors maintain workflow with project management tools, ensuring a streamlined workflow. It creates informed collaboration with clients and ensures fewer mistakes on the projects.
- Cost: Outsourcing video editing cuts down overhead costs, salaries, pc setup, and software licensing for businesses required to establish an in-house video editing team. A 2025 statistical data titled Video Editor Salary in the United States states that video editors’ salary is calculated at $5,022/month. PC setup, software licensing, and editing resources all take in the cost, surpassing $5000.
Overall, an in-house setup needs approximately $10,000 in investment. Outsourcing video editing cost starts at $100 per hour, and depending on your project, the amount would be much less than the in-house monthly expense.
- Project Clearance: The Outsourcing video team is a group of skilled professionals who deal with diverse clients’ requirements. By assigning them to your projects, you can gain insightful and effective output, finalize several projects simultaneously, and prepare video narratives for online publications, ad campaigns, etc.
- ROI (Return on Investment): Professionally edited videos contribute to improving business traffic, engagement, and conversion. A 2025 article by DemandSage titled Video Marketing Statistics 2025 [Latest Data & Trends] has reported that videos are responsible for 82.5% global internet traffic. As the need for quality video narratives grows, so does business reliance on skilled video editors through outsourcing to achieve higher returns.
Why You Should Outsource Video Editing Services?
You should outsource video editing services to ensure high-quality services with creativity and technical variety from a team that has experience and expertise, along with knowledge in advanced tools, offering cost-effective and scalable solutions within a fast turnaround. Apart from a satisfactory customer journey, it ensures you free up resources to invest in core businesses.
According to a report statistical data published in Verified Market Reports titled Global Video Editing Service Market Size By Type of Service (Basic Video Editing, Advanced Video Editing), By Industry Vertical (Entertainment, Education and E-Learning), By Target Audience (Businesses, Content Creators and Influencers), By Delivery Method (Cloud-Based Services, On-Premise Solutions), By Video Format (Live Action, Animation), By Geographic Scope And Forecast, it is reported that video editing service market revenue is projected to reach $ 5.76 billion by 2033. The global demand for edited video narratives is increasing for the following reasons.
- To Ensure Creative and Technical Variety
The in-house team follows organizational requirements, and their work style centers around it. Outsourcing allows companies to explore fresh and new perspectives, diverse creative knowledge, and create a unique visual narrative for businesses.
- To Access Experience and Expertise
Outsource video editing agencies are equipped with ample skilled manpower, setup, and resources to serve individual professionals, businesses, and brands. Recruited video editors are proficient in video editing software and advanced editing methods. Also, those companies or agencies have diverse video editing service categories, fulfilling traditional to customized-level video solutions. As a result, you get high-quality results within time.
- To Take Advantage of Advanced Tools
Professional video editing service providers use premium video editing software, paid tools, and plugins, full-fledged computer setup to ensure smooth workflow and the highest quality video narratives. Large-scale businesses can afford such a setup, but not the small and medium businesses or teams this is where outsourcing is accessible to practical solutions.
- To Get Cost-Effective and Scalable Results
Outsourcing offers scalable and cost-saving solutions to businesses, content creators, and marketers needing videos. An in-house video editor team comes with lots of expenses (salaries, overhead costs, software licensing, pc, and necessary equipment, etc.) By assigning external video editors, those professionals can scale up and down their projects as required, saving cost and time, and focusing on other core activities such as content creation, strategy, and business growth, client engagement, etc. Also, outsourcing companies prices project in pay per, with bulk discounts and budget-friendly options.
- To Recieve Edited Videos in a Fast Turnaround
Outsourcing video post-production services ensures fast delivery with high quality. During a large-volume project, post-production companies assign multiple editors to a client project. The dedicated team members work extra time to make sure clients can maintain organizational workflow and make a timely and consistent publication.
Why Outsourcing Hand-Drawn Video Editing Still Matters in the AI Era?
Outsourcing hand-drawn video editing still matters in the AI era because of precision, creativity, and authenticity, and following brand guidelines in developing consistent visuals. AI-video editing offers faster results, automated editing and transitioning, open to command. But human touch confirms the final dignified look a brand needs for its visual narratives.
Quality Content for Video Sharing Platforms: Human-edited videos have always proven to bring significant impact and sales to businesses. The advent of AI has had a negative impact on people’s video content creation. In 2025, YouTube made a statement on demonitizing video content purely automated or lacks human contribution.
Creative and Authentic Feel in Videos: Manually edited videos display an authentic feel in videos that AI lacks. AI-edited videos look polished, but they have an artificial layer on them that lacks professionalism and clarity. But human editing makes the scenario realistic, similar to the real world, which people can connect with and relate to more.
Elaborating Brand Differentiation: AI-edited videos look similar as their processing comes from a similar algorithm. Contrary to that, humans’ concept and mind process thousands of decisions in a day, and dealing with this allows them to create unique concepts to stand out from the crowd. Brands take that advantage to position themselves and build a unique identity.
Avoiding Resource Wasting: Human editors offer time and resource-saving solutions. AI-editing in all sectors is still on a learning curve, and commanding complex editing will result in messy images and a lack of artistic expression. Human excels in planning, storyboarding, character sketching, and producing systematic video narrative development that AI lacks.
Flawless Output Through Hybrid Workflow: Manual video editing is still needed even if companies decide to rely on a hybrid (AI+human) approach for faster video production. Complex and heavy level editing requires manual intervention and monitoring for accuracy and efficiency content development to balance storytelling depth.
What Services Does an Outsourced Video Editing Company Provide?
An outsourced video editing company provides raw video editing services, video enhancement services in any specific category, industry-oriented video editing services, viewer-targeted video editing services, etc, depending on the business types, its target audience, and goals. Professional video editors ensure quality, consistency, and brand guidelines or publishing platform’s video measurement guidelines to fulfill clients’ organizational workflow and requirements.
1. Raw Video Editing Services
Raw video editing services are the categories extended to all video clips that require fundamental adjustments, from trimming footage to synchronizing, merging, sound designing, transitions, and subtitles to develop a sound and coherent storyline. Product promo videos, music videos, wedding and event videos, and corporate videos mostly require this type of editing.
Used Techniques: Cutting and trimming, multi-angle synchronization, color correction, sound effects, BGM, VFX, beat matching, branded graphics, animated text, subtitles, professional pacing, and cinematic storytelling.
Example: Product promo videos, music videos, corporate videos, event and wedding videos, etc.
2. Video Enhancement Services
Video enhancement services prioritize improving videos by upgrading any specific areas, such as color correction, noise reduction and sound stabilization, graphics, and transitioning to meet clients’ requirements. Enhancement services on video are used on travel blogs, recipe or tutorial blogs to ensure viewers’ understanding.
Used Techniques: Color correction and color grading, background adjustment, surrounding noise reduction, audio enhancement, logo animation, typography, graphic overlays, transitions, aspect ratio adjustments, captions, and platform-specific optimization.
Example: Amazon product video, eBay product video, YouTube Video, TikTok video, Instagram video, etc.
3. Industry-Oriented Video Editing Services
Industry-oriented video editing services stand for processing videos to fulfill industry-specific needs for businesses, such as e-commerce, fashion, real estate, etc. Industry-specific videos follow industry trends, brand requirements, along viewers’ preferences.
Used Techniques: Product demo videos, 360-degree product rotation, drone footage edits, virtual tours, highlight video, branded lower thirds, audio synchronization, and conversion-focused visual storytelling.
Example: E-commerce video, real-estate property video, fashion product, and accessories video.
4. Viewers-Targeted Video Editing Services
Viewers targeted video editing refers to customized video editing services to fulfill clients’ video editing needs on YouTube, TikTok, or e-learning platforms to engage the targeted audience. Such videos intend to teach, inform, or share knowledge or ideas with the viewers. By outsourcing, you can ensure high-end narratives for targeted viewers on various platforms, including social media and e-learning platforms.
Used Techniques: Long-form videos, social media reels, online ads, behind-the-scenes videos, unboxing videos, animated segments, reaction videos, split screens, annotations, and step-by-step tutorial visuals.
Example: social media videos, e-learning videos, etc.
How to Outsource Video Editing Services?
To outsource video editing services, first define the types of videos you need and the publishing platforms. Note down that information for clear instructions for the video editors and avoid miscommunication. After listing, gather all the recommended and online-search video editing agencies to compare.
Check their expertise, portfolio, sample works, free trial, pricing, and reviews to analyze if the editing style fits your needs. If everything matches, provide clear guidelines on video length, target audience, editing style, reference videos, video format requirements, and publishing platforms. After receiving the edited videos, give feedback to fine-tune.
How to Find the Best Outsourced Video Editor?
To find the best outsourced video editor online, evaluate these 8 important factors: location, service category and portfolio, samples and free trial experience level, video complexity and length, turnaround, pricing, and review. By choosing wisely, you can save time, cost and ensure the right partner for long-term collaboration.
- Location: To ensure language and cultural compatibility for easy communication.
- Service Category and Portfolio: To confirm that the editor’s expertise matches your video requirement needs.
- Samples and Free Trial: To assess if the quality of work is suitable for your editing style to continue for present and future projects.
- Experience Level: To determine the editor’s capability in how proficiently they can optimize different editing levels.
- Video Complexity and Length: To estimate required tools, effort, and approximate cost.
- Turnaround Time: To guarantee content submission within a specific timeline to meet project publication on time.
- Pricing: To know pricing at different levels of editing to curate high-quality videos within budget.
- Review and Ratings: To know what service receivers’ experience is about their reliability, professionalism, and quality in the industry.
Where to Outsource Video Editing Services?
To outsource video editing services, you can outsource from agencies or freelancing platforms. Both of these platforms offer advanced and custom-level video editing services, but agencies are equipped with an extensive and diverse range of solutions. Deciding whether agency or freelancing is the best option depends on budget, type of video editing, project complexity, and turnaround.
1. Video Editing Agency: Professional video editing agencies are companies that offer industry-grade video processing solutions to businesses and brands’ commercial standard visual narrative needs. They possess the right manpower, skillsets, technology, and knowledge for managing complicated, detail-oriented, and large-volume projects with quality and an accurate timeline.
2. Freelance Platforms: Freelance platforms are marketplaces that have sheltered basic to advanced-level video editors from all around the world. These offer fast, flexible, and budget-friendly video processing services. Finding skilled editors here poses some risks, as many people claim to be skilled without having much knowledge.
What Should You Expect from a Professional Video Editing Workflow?
You should expect clear processing and communication from a professional video editing workflow. In video post-production, the steps that a video editing company follows to keep the clients informed include setting an appropriate deadline, using the right communication tools, following detailed instructions, file transfer (with proxy), and revising. It results in fewer misunderstandings and faster and quality output.
- Setting an Appropriate Deadline: To ensure you get the project completed before your publication.
- Using Effective Communication Tools: To keep you updated, and if you need to reach them for sudden adjustments.
- Following Detailed Instructions: To maintain brand consistency, make sure to provide all necessary information about the outline, example, video’s target audience, file format, resolution, etc.
- File Transfer (with Proxy) and Revising: To ensure smooth processing of videos and to adjust editing to any parts.
What is the Typical Turnaround Time for Video Editing Projects?
The typical turnaround time for video editing projects is 1 business day to 2 weeks, depending on the project complexity, video length, and number of revisions. Simple editing takes video editors 1 to 2 days, medium-level video editing takes approximately 1 week, and advanced and custom video editing takes 2 weeks or more.
How Many Hours Does it Take to Edit a 2-Minute Video?
A 2-minute video takes 3-7 hours or more, depending on the complexity, graphics and effects, and customization level. Video editors’ skill and expertise are a crucial component as well. Skilled editors finalize videos within your timeline and with accuracy and quality.
How Long Does it Take to Edit a 30-Second Video?
It takes around 5 hours to edit a 30-second video, and it can extend to 1 business day, even though the video is short. Short videos carry much information, visual transitions, and concepts for viewers to understand, requiring quality time to edit.
How Long Does it Take to Edit a 20-Minute Documentary?
To edit a 20-minute documentary, it takes 1 to 3 weeks to stick to the narrative development, footage sequencing, audio and BGM mixing, color correction, and feedback. The time may take longer if the footages contain multiple angles, B-rolls, etc.
How Much Does it Cost to Outsource Video Editing in New York, USA?
Outsource video editing in New York, USA The cost starts around $90. The pricing varies, taking several factors in for example, the video editor’s expertise, video length, editing complexity, turnaround time, number of revisions, etc, and is segmented on a per-project, per-minute, per-hour, per-month basis.
Standard pricing range for video editing on different categories is as follows.
| Category | Starting Price | |
| Pricing Based on Time | Per Minute | $20 |
| Per Hour | $100 | |
| Per Month | $1500 | |
| Per Project (Specific Time) | $1000 | |
| Weekly | $500 | |
| Monthly | $1500 | |
| Pricing Based on Type | 2D & 3D Animation | $100 |
| Explainer & Documentary | $80 | |
| Corporate, Events, Training, Education Videos | $1000 | |
| Advertisement Videos | $300 | |
| Product Demo, Explainer Videos | $1500 | |
| Animated Videos | Starts at $2000 | |
| Social Media Videos | $100 | |
| High-End Commercials | $2000+ | |
