How long does it take to edit a video?
By Mohamed Mokbel, founder · Last updated:
It depends on the footage, the style and the editor, and the published estimates are wide: roughly 30 to 60 minutes of editing for each finished minute of video, less for a simple talking-head cut. This page lists the ranges we found, with a link to each source, and gives no Cutora speed claim.
How long editing takes, by length
How long does it take to edit a YouTube video?
Plan on hours, not minutes: the sources we read put a 5-minute YouTube video at about 3 to 8 hours of editing. TastyEdits says about 3 to 5 hours for a 5-minute video, Veedyou says 4 to 6 hours, and Vidico says 4 to 8 hours (all read 27 October 2026). They are estimates from editing services, not measurements, and the gap between them shows how much it depends on the footage and the style.
How long does it take to edit a minute of video?
The usual rule of thumb is 30 to 60 minutes of editing per finished minute. That is the average given by TastyEdits; Veedyou says 45 to 60 minutes on average, 20 to 30 minutes for simple talking-head or social clips, and 1 to 2 hours for stylized or motion-heavy work (both read 27 October 2026). Heavier effects, colour work and larger files push the number up.
How long does a 20 minute video take to edit, or a 5 minute video?
A 5-minute video is about 3 to 5 hours and a 20-minute video about 10 to 20 hours, according to TastyEdits (read 27 October 2026), which also expects two to three days of turnaround for the 20-minute one. Veedyou puts a 5-minute video at 4 to 6 hours and a 2-minute video at 1.5 to 2 hours. These are hands-on editing hours for an editor, not the time a tool spends processing.
Is video editing time consuming?
Yes. Even a short video takes hours by the ranges editing services publish, and the work does not end with the first cut. Veedyou says a revision of the first cut takes 10 to 25% of the time spent editing it, and TastyEdits says revisions generally take another 24 to 48 hours per round when you use a service (both read 27 October 2026). A tool can take over the repetitive part, such as cutting pauses; see our guide to editing talking-head videos.
Talking-head videos and turnaround
How long does it take to edit a talking head video?
Less than a heavily produced video, but still not minutes by hand. Veedyou says simple talking-head or social clips can sometimes be edited in 20 to 30 minutes per finished minute, and Subscribr suggests a time limit of 60 to 90 minutes for a standard talking head (both read 27 October 2026). Captions says its users can edit a talking head video in minutes; that is the vendor's own claim. Cutora's product facts do not say how long its processing takes.
How long is the turnaround if someone else edits the video?
Expect days, not hours. TastyEdits says typical turnaround starts at 48 hours, with 24 to 48 hours for a Short or a ten-minute YouTube video at some services and two to seven business days for shorter videos as standard. Vidico gives 3 to 5 days for YouTube videos (both read 27 October 2026). Express options usually cost extra, and each round of revisions adds time.
Hiring an editor
Should I hire a freelance video editor?
Hire one if an hour of your time is worth more than the editor's hour, or if you want a finished look that a tool does not give you. Do the editing yourself if the video is one person talking and you publish rarely. Vidico (June 2026, read 27 October 2026) puts freelancers at $25 to $150+ per hour, and $300 to $1,500 for a 10 to 20 minute YouTube video, which is a lot over a year of weekly uploads. Cutora is software that makes a first cut for you to review, not a done-for-you service.
How do I outsource YouTube video editing?
Start with one paid test video, a written brief and a fixed number of revision rounds. Vidico (read 27 October 2026) advises hourly billing when the scope may change and project billing when the deliverable is clear, a 15 to 20% budget buffer for revisions, and checking whether music and stock assets are included. It also warns that editors under $20 an hour can cost more overall through extra revisions. TastyEdits adds that contacting your editor in advance often shortens turnaround.