Last updated: 2026-01-15

For most creators in the US, the simplest way to edit YouTube Shorts is to record or stream in StreamYard, then trim and repurpose directly into 5–60 second vertical clips without leaving your browser. If you later need heavy AI auto-clipping from long back catalogs, you can layer in tools like Opus Clip or VEED on top of that core workflow.

Summary

• Record or multistream with StreamYard, then repurpose those recordings into 5–60 second YouTube Shorts without manual exports.
• Use StreamYard’s AI clips and Repurpose tools to auto-generate vertical, captioned highlights and quickly trim them to the right length for Shorts.(StreamYard Help Center)
• Consider Opus Clip for higher-volume, multi-platform automation and VEED for browser-based editing when you truly need extra layers of AI or manual control.(Opus Clip) (VEED)
• Keep costs and complexity low by starting with one primary tool (StreamYard) instead of juggling multiple subscriptions and file transfers.

What actually matters in a video editor for YouTube Shorts?

When people search for “video editor for YouTube Shorts,” they’re usually not looking for cinematic color grading. They care about:

• Speed: How fast can you get from a 30–60 minute recording to a polished 20–40 second Short?
• Minimal file juggling: Can you go from recording to Short without downloading, re-uploading, and syncing drives?
• Smart automation with guardrails: Can AI suggest good moments, while you still guide what makes the final cut?
• Engaging, shareable output: Vertical framing, readable captions, and clear audio are non‑negotiable.
• Total cost per minute processed: Especially if you publish multiple Shorts per week.

That’s why a streaming-first workflow with built‑in repurposing is so practical: you solve recording, live distribution, and Shorts editing in one place.

How does StreamYard handle YouTube Shorts editing?

If your content starts in StreamYard, you already own most of the workflow.

After a stream or recording finishes, you can open it in your video library and repurpose it into Shorts and Reels. You trim a segment between 5 and 60 seconds, and StreamYard formats it for vertical platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels, LinkedIn Profiles, and TikTok.(StreamYard Help Center)

If your original recording is widescreen (16:9), StreamYard automatically converts it into a 9:16 vertical format by adding a blurred effect above and below the main video, so your Short fits the vertical canvas without weird crops.(StreamYard Help Center)

On top of that “Repurpose” workflow, you can use AI clips:

• After a session, you click Generate clips and we use AI to automatically create vertical 9:16 clips with captions and a title from your recording.(StreamYard AI Clips)
• Clips are auto‑reframed so the active speaker stays in focus wherever possible.(StreamYard AI Clips)
• You can generate clips from recordings up to 6 hours, so one long show can turn into many Shorts.(StreamYard AI Clips)

This combo (Repurpose + AI clips) means you can:

1. Let AI find likely highlight moments.
2. Tweak or trim them into 5–60 second cuts.
3. Publish them directly as YouTube Shorts.

All without downloading a single file.

How does pricing and “cost per minute” compare in practice?

For most creators, the question is: How many hours of content can I reasonably process each month without overspending?

StreamYard tracks AI clips usage by batches generated, not by minute or “credit.” Each batch can process a recording up to 6 hours long. On the Free plan, those batches translate into roughly 12 hours of content per month, which is equivalent to about 720 credits in Opus Clip’s model—Opus charges around $87/month for that volume.(Opus Clip Pricing)

On StreamYard’s Advanced plan, 25 AI clip generations per month give you processing power comparable to 1,500 Opus Clip credits, for which Opus charges about $145/month.(Opus Clip Pricing) In other words, if you’re already streaming or recording in StreamYard, your effective cost per minute processed for Shorts-style clips is dramatically lower than paying for a separate, credit‑based service at similar volume.

StreamYard’s standard subscription pricing in the US (including free and discounted first‑year plans) is structured so you can handle recording, live distribution, basic editing, and AI clipping under one roof, instead of stacking multiple subscriptions just to get your Shorts out the door.

When do Opus Clip or VEED make sense alongside StreamYard?

There are real cases where you might want an additional tool.

Opus Clip

Opus Clip is a standalone web app that turns long videos into multiple short clips with AI highlights, captions, B‑roll, and reframing.(Opus Clip) It can ingest content from multiple platforms, not just your StreamYard recordings.(Opus Clip)

It’s a good fit when:

• You manage lots of content sources (Zoom, YouTube, StreamYard, Loom, etc.).
• You want more layers of AI such as automatic B‑roll or certain advanced styling tools.
• You’re okay with a credit-based model and a separate workspace for clipping and exports.(Opus Clip Pricing)

Trade‑offs:

• You still have to export or link your StreamYard content into another platform.
• High‑volume usage can get expensive because every processed minute consumes credits.

VEED

VEED is a browser-based editor that includes a Clips feature for turning long-form videos into short, social-ready clips. The feature can auto-frame the speaker, auto-trim segments, and auto-generate subtitles, with usage limits that vary by plan.(VEED Clips Feature)

VEED’s Clips feature can help if:

• You like working on a traditional timeline in the browser with more manual control.
• You want auto-framing and auto-subtitles inside a broader video editor.

Trade‑offs:

• You still upload/download between your recording setup and VEED.
• Plan-level Clips access can differ (for example, one-time trials on lower tiers vs. ongoing access on higher tiers).(VEED Clips Feature)

For most StreamYard-based creators, these tools are optional add‑ons, not the foundation.

How can you guide AI and still get Shorts that feel on-brand?

AI is most helpful when it does 80% of the work and you keep creative control.

With StreamYard’s AI clips, the workflow is designed around:

• Prompt-based selection of moments. You can guide the system towards the kinds of highlights you care about (e.g., tips, answers, hooks), rather than relying purely on vague “viral” scoring.
• Voice-triggered highlight marking. During a live show, you can simply say “Clip that” out loud; that moment is flagged as a highlight so AI clips can focus on it later.(StreamYard AI Clips)
• Fast refinement, not heavy editing. The goal is to get a strong, captioned, vertical clip in minutes, not to replace full editing suites.

A simple example:

1. You run a 45‑minute Q&A show in StreamYard.
2. Each time a guest drops a standout quote, you say “Clip that.”
3. After the show, you open AI clips, generate vertical highlights, and then pull the best 20–40 second sections into the Repurpose workflow for YouTube Shorts.

This gives you intentional, on‑brand Shorts with very little manual hunting through the timeline.

How do you convert 16:9 recordings into vertical Shorts without hurting quality?

Most livestreams and screen-share heavy sessions are in 16:9. Turning those into vertical Shorts can easily look bad if you crop aggressively.

StreamYard’s Repurpose workflow helps by:

• Automatically turning your horizontal video into 9:16 vertical with a blurred top/bottom effect that preserves the original frame while filling the screen.(StreamYard Help Center)
• Letting AI clips track the active speaker and reframe around faces where possible, which keeps talking-head Shorts feeling natural.(StreamYard AI Clips)

If you need more complex reframing (multiple camera angles, heavy motion graphics), that’s usually a sign you’re moving into full editing territory—and a dedicated NLE (like Premiere Pro or Final Cut) layered after StreamYard makes more sense than relying on any Shorts-only editor.

What we recommend

• Default: Record or stream in StreamYard, then use Repurpose + AI clips to generate 5–60 second vertical YouTube Shorts directly from your video library.
• When you need more AI layers: Add Opus Clip on top of a StreamYard workflow if you’re repurposing large back catalogs across many platforms and you’re comfortable with a credit-based pricing model.
• When you want a browser timeline editor: Consider VEED’s Clips feature as a supplemental editor for Shorts that need more manual tweaking.
• Keep it simple: Start with StreamYard as your central hub so you minimize subscriptions, file transfers, and time spent wrestling with tools instead of publishing content.