Today, you do not really need to break the bank to make cutting edge, high quality and professional videos. In this article, we will discuss and take a closer look at the best free video editing software in the market. When it comes down to choosing a video editing software, there really isn’t one size that fits all.
Looking for Video Editing Software? Check out SoftwareSuggest’s list of the best video editing solutions.
Video editors have their own set of requirements from a video editing tool. We will attempt to demystify what you can expect from each video editor and also suggest some workarounds to make the most of them. All the video editors featured in this article come completely free of cost or have highly capable free versions.
21 Best Free Video Editing Software
Software Name | Platforms | Features |
---|---|---|
Windows, Mac, Linux | It facilitates audio mixing and waveform visualization. It also supports other audio editing features such as syncing and scrubbing | |
Windows, Mac, Linux | Seamless and high-precision video trimming | |
Windows, Mac, Linux | Free 4K HD resolution support | |
Windows | Colour correction, Audio editing | |
Windows | Remove audio tracks, Supports AVI and WMV files | |
Windows, Mac, Linux | Facilitates simple cutting, Enables encoding | |
Mac, Windows | Interactive and engaging tutorials, Highly advanced cutting tools | |
Windows, Mac, Linux | Professional-grade trimming, Multi-camera editing support | |
Windows, Mac, Linux | Great audio mixing features, Realtime previews for video transitions | |
Mac | Pre-made transitions library, Great for video trimming | |
Windows | Pre-made transitions library, Supports movie export in multiple resolutions | |
Windows | It can convert movies with subtitles, Allows you to cut, join and rotate clips | |
iOS | Simple interface, Edit and cut videos with a few taps | |
iOS, Android | Automatically identifies videos containing seemingly great moments | |
iOS, Android | Other features such as transitions, colour correction, Freeform mode gives you the editing control | |
iOS, Android | Simple, easy-to-use | |
iOS, Android | Automatically creates videos using photos, videos and music of your choice | |
iOS, Android | Boomerang converts a burst of up to 10 photos into a mini video | |
iOS, Android | Auto-transcription of audio files and podcasts into videos | |
iOS | Stabilization technology, Share video directly on Instagram | |
Online, browser-based application | Hundreds of professional animations to choose from, Perfect for short-form content like ads, promos, and social media |
1. Blender
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
USP: 3D animation
Primarily a 3D animation suite, Blender also comes with a great video editor. Video cuts, splicing and video masking are all achievable with this tool.
Features
- It enables live preview and also offers luma waveform as well as a chroma vectorscope along with histogram displays.
- It facilitates audio mixing and waveform visualization. It also supports other audio editing features such as syncing and scrubbing.
- A generous number of 32 slots that accommodate audio, video, effects and images.
- Great advanced video editing features to facilitate speed control, transitions, filters as well as adjustment layers and keyframes, to name a few.
- Advanced video editing features
- teeper learning curve and limited video editing training resources
2. Lightworks
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
USP: Desktop video editing
Lightworks is an exceptionally powerful and feature-rich that makes it possible to bypass the pro version altogether.
Features
- Seamless and high-precision video trimming
- Multi-camera support capabilities
- Export at the rate of 720p for YouTube
- Supports diverse video formats
- Great video tutorials
- Possibly the most powerful free video editor for advanced editing
- 4K video support comes at a cost
3. Shotcut
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
USP: 4K HD video editing projects
Shotcut is a fully open source program with a quirky interface that supports a large number of video formats. Originally designed for Linux, it is a high-quality video editing tool.
Features
- Free 4K HD resolution support
- Timeline editing
- Saves time as there is no need to import video into the editor
- Interface
Interesting read: 25 Best Stock Videos Sites for High Quality Footage
4. VSDC Free Video Editor
Platforms: Windows
USP: Editing projects on Windows
The free version if the VSDC Free Video Editor is packed with features and is easy to learn and use.
Features
- Colour correction
- Audio editing
- User-friendly
- Paid technical support, Windows-only application
5. Machete Video Editor Lite
Platforms: Windows
USP: Video splicing
Possibly the simplest video editor on the list, Machete Lite is great for quick and fuss-free editing tasks.
Features
- Remove audio tracks
- Supports AVI and WMV files
- Easy to use
- Windows-only application, supports limited file types, no audio editing
6. Avidemux
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
USP: Great for beginners
Avidemux is great for people just foraying into video editing due to its simple user interface.
Features
- Facilitates simple cutting
- Enables encoding
- Great for filtering
- No technical training required
- Limited features
7. HitFilm Express
Platforms: Mac, Windows
USP: Excellent for YouTube Vlogs
While the HitFilm Express supports all basic editing tasks like splicing, trimming, and audio editing, it also comes with many advanced editing features enabling high-quality professional video editing. It contains all the features you would expect from a basic editor () plus many more.
Features
- 180 special effects
- Interactive and engaging tutorials
- Highly advanced cutting tools
- Green screen effects
- Great audio and video filters
- Superior compositing capabilities
- Supports layers and masking
- Supports 3D video
- Feature-rich
- Higher learning curve
Interesting read: Video Marketing Strategies for Your Business You cannot Afford to Miss
8. DaVinci Resolve
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
USP: Great for advanced projects that require extensive colour correction
DaVinci Resolve is the most advanced video editor on the list with an intuitive interface that is great for advanced video editing.
Features
- 2D and 3D titles for video
- Professional-grade trimming
- Multi-camera editing support
- Great colour correction capabilities
- Enables audio mastering
- Intuitive interface, colour correction
- Limited free tutorials
9. Openshot
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
USP: Excellent for beginners
You may mistake Openshot for iMovie owing to the drag-and-drop, easy-to-use interface. However, Openshot is fully open source and packs more features than iMovie.
Features
- Unlimited tracks and layers
- Great audio mixing features
- Realtime previews for video transitions
- Supports clip resizing, trimming, scaling, rotation, snapping
- Offers compositing, watermarks, image overlays
- Facilitates title templates and title creation
- Allows addition of subtitles including 3D animated titles and effects
- The advanced timeline offers drag-and-drop and also scrolling, zooming and panning, snapping
- Fully open source with unlimited layers
- Limited video tutorials
10. iMovie
Platforms: Mac
USP: Excellent for learning video editing
The iMovie is a widely used application that is great for learning video editing. Let’s not forget the legendary intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
Features
- Pre-made transitions library
- Great for video trimming
- Excellent audio editing features
- Supports split screen
- Supports 4K resolution
- Short learning curve
- Limited advanced features, slow import and render times
11. VideoPad
Platforms: Windows
USP: Great for beginners
VideoPad, again, is a great platform to hone your video editing skills as a beginner. Simple and user-friendly, advanced video editors may however, want to give this one a miss as it may be too basic for them.
Features
- Pre-made transitions library
- Supports movie export in multiple resolutions
- Great for 3D video editing
- Curtails camera shakes
- Library of sound effects
- Directly export for YouTube and other social media platforms
- Limited advanced features
12. Freemake Video Converter
Platforms: Windows
USP: Convert videos into a diverse range of file formats.
Freemake makes it possible to not just modify and convert videos but also extract audio from video clips while also allowing you to embed videos to websites. If you are looking for a solution that supports an extensive list of video conversions, especially for various gadgets and mobile devices, look no further. It’s great for creating slideshows and video clips as it supports a wide range of audio and image file formats.
Features
- 500+ formats to convert videos simply and quickly
- It can convert movies with subtitles
- Allows you to cut, join and rotate clips
- Supports 4K resolution
- No training required
- Some features remain locked for three days when you first install the application
13. Splice
Platforms: iOS
USP: Edit videos quickly when you don’t have much time to spare.
Splice is a popular free video editing apps available for iPhone and iPad users from the makers of GoPro.
Features
- Simple interface
- Edit and cut videos with a few taps
- Large built-in library for transitions and sounds
- Easy to use
- iOS only
14. Quik
Platforms: iOS, Android
USP: Automatic video editing
Another great offering from the makers of GoPro, Quik is an excellent free video editing app that is similar to Splice. It differs from Splice in that it has auto trim and edit features that speed up the editing process. You can still edit clips manually, should you prefer to do that.
Features
- Automatically identifies videos containing seemingly great moments
- Automatically adds transitions.
- Automates the editing process
- Limited editing control
15. Adobe Premiere Clip
Platforms: iOS, Android
USP: Great for basic mobile video editing
The Adobe Premiere Clip’s popularity comes as no surprise. Not only does it become a formidable application when paired with other Adobe applications such as Lightroom, it’s free version is very easy to use.
Features
- Choose from a music library or add your own music
- Other features such as transitions, colour correction
- Freeform mode gives you the editing control
- Automatic mode lets Adobe choose transitions and also trim your clip
- Adobe Creative Cloud support
- Missing a few basic functions like clips rotation
Interesting read: Top 13 Video Downloader Chrome Extensions for YouTube
16. Horizon
Platforms: iOS, Android
USP: Horizontal videos, position of the phone notwithstanding
With Horizon you can capture videos horizontally regardless of the position of your phone. It comes in handy when you miss out on capturing videos horizontally for any reason.
Features
- Simple, easy-to-use
- Tilt phone in any direction to capture horizontal videos
- No wastage of vertically captured content
- Android version lacks features available in the iOS version
17. Magisto
Platforms: iOS, Android
USP: Professional-quality video edits within minutes
A super-impressive award-winning, AI-powered video editor, Magisto can automatically create impressive videos for you. The best part is that the end result will be so great that nobody will believe that you did not spend at least a few hours to create the video.
Features
- Automatically creates videos using photos, videos and music of your choice
- Simply select the type of story you want to tell
- Excellent for Instagram posts
- AI-powered video editing
- Limited editing control
18. Boomerang
Platforms: iOS, Android
USP: Create engaging content for social media
Created by Instagram, you would have to be living under a rock to not know about Boomerang. Instagram. It is used most commonly to create fun videos for Instagram.
Features
- Boomerang converts a burst of up to 10 photos into a mini video
- It allows you to post the video directly to Instagram.
- Easy-to-use application, easy-to-share content
- It offers only one feature
19. Anchor Video Maker
Platforms: iOS and Android.
USP: Make engaging video content using audio files
Great videos can also begin to take life by starting out as soundbites. If you are looking to create engaging audio content for your videos, look no further than the Anchor Video Maker.
Features
- Auto-transcription of audio files and podcasts into videos
- Best suited for creating content for Instagram
- Shareable audio files
- Proofreading required
20. Hyperlapse
Platforms: iOS
USP: Engaging time-lapse video content
Time-lapse videos serve as great content. They condense a lot of time into a short video. Hyperlapse is the best tool for the job.
Features
- Stabilization technology
- Share video directly on Instagram
- Up to 12x time-lapse speed
- No need for tripods
- Requires a few attempts to obtain great results
21. Biteable
Platforms: Online, browser-based application
USP: Studio-quality video content with no editing experience required
Targeted at those who want stunning content quickly, Biteable is a drag-and-drop video maker that requires little to no creativity. It’s simple interface and extensive content library make video creation truly easy.
Features
- 1.8 million stock images and clips built in
- Hundreds of professional animations to choose from
- Perfect for short-form content like ads, promos, and social media
- Extensive library of video templates to help you get started
- Zero learning curve for beginners
- Better on desktop than mobile
Interesting read: Top 7 YouTube Video Editing Software
Conclusion
We hope that this list of free as well as open source and best free video editing software helps you to create awesome video content. In the age of social media, over-communication and over-exposure, everyone has upped their video content game. Videos have almost evolved into a powerful language that can be used to invoke a reaction and even inspire certain behaviour from the target audience. Luckily, creating slick, professional videos for various purposes, does not necessarily have to cost you.
Priya is a seasoned writer with expertise in the SaaS industry. With over five years of experience in the field, she deeply understands the requirement of this specific industry, its techniques, and tools. Her articles, whitepapers, and blog posts are known for their clarity, practicality, and actionable insights. Priya also possesses in-depth knowledge of SEO and content marketing, which enables her to develop effective strategies to increase website traffic and improve brand visibility.