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Tech-savvy content creators and marketers understand the power of videos as a communication tool. Whether for Instagram, TikTok, Vimeo, or YouTube, high-quality videos can significantly boost your engagement rates and reduce your audience’s hesitation in purchasing. Investing in reliable video editing software is a must for any content marketer.
In this guide, we’ll dive into some of the best free video editing programs available online and explore their features, pros, and cons. Since each content creator has unique needs, we’ve included a diverse list of software to cater to various preferences.
1. VideoPad
The VideoPad application is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a free video editing program. It offers simple and easy-to-use features like 3D video editing and a sound effects library for experimenting with different video compositions and styles.
Key Features:
- Editing is easy and intuitive with a double-screen built-in
- Pre-made customizable transitions for a professional look
- Exporting presets for optimized video files for specific platforms
- Social media sharing and publishing tools for instant online sharing
- Visual effects and video transitions available in large libraries
- Video optimization tools, such as stabilization
Availability: Mac, Windows
Cost: Free
Watermark: No
2. Lightworks
Lightworks boasts With its simple and intuitive interface, beginners will have no problem getting started. Video editing software with detailed video tutorials is also an accessible and easy-to-use option.
With Lightworks, you can edit marketing videos with original stock and music clips, giving them a polished look.
Key Features:
- High-quality trim functions for fast and precise video editing
- OImporting new content while editing at the same time, optimized for speed
- Synchronizing clips from multiple cameras using multicam editing
- Share real-time team projects with control over editing
- Videos can be easily shared on YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and Instagram
- A wide range of video formats supported
Availability: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Cost: Free; Pro version available at $23.99 per month
Watermark: No
3. iMovie
iMovie is a software included with Mac OS that allows you to edit videos. It offers an uncomplicated and simple drag-and-drop interface, making it easy to build powerful videos to bolster your YouTube marketing efforts.
One of iMovie’s major advantages is its cloud-storage functionality, which allows you to work on the same project interchangeably on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Key Features:
- Support for 4K resolution for cinema-quality films
- Cloud-storage functionality for seamless project handling across devices
- Dozens of studio-quality title animations
- Stylish video filters for specific film genres
- Built-in music, sound effects, and voiceover recording
- Speed controls for action scenes and sports highlights
Availability: Mac
Cost: Free
Watermark: No
4. HitFilm Express
HitFilm Express might seem daunting for beginners due to its advanced features used to produce Hollywood-style films. In spite of the initial learning curve, it is one of the best free video editors around.
There is no need for composite shots in HitFilm Express since it comes with an array of animation tools. This feature is a massive time-saver for content creators.
Additionally, it offers 3D effects for films, music videos, and even YouTube content, along with features typically found in paid software, like 4K video and 360-degree editing.
Key Features:
- Professional video editing with tracking, color selection, and cropping functionalities
- Composite shot enhancements for surreal video effects
- An auto-stabilizer for smooth video footage
- Unlimited video and audio timeline track creation
- An adaptive trimmer for adjusting your clips after adding them to the timeline
- Ability to copy attributes from one clip and apply them to another or an entire project
- Audio mixer for professional quality output
- Various transition options like push, zoom, and dissolve
Availability: Mac and Windows
Cost: Free; Pro version available at $12.99 per month
Watermark: No
5. Shotcut
Shortcut with a large collection of tutorial videos, it is an open-source, cross-platform video editor. It supports various formats, including FFmpeg, 4K, ProRes, and DNxHD.
Key Features:
- FFmpeg supports the latest audio and video formats
- Native timeline editing for direct video file import
- Multiformat timeline for mixing resolutions and frame rates
- Bandpass filters, balance, bass, treble, and compressor are among the advanced audio filters.
- Encoding and decoding of AV1
Availability: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Cost: Free
Watermark: No
6. DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve is a software that allows you to edit video in 8K, correct color, add effects, and post-process audio. It’s a favorite among professional editors of films, television shows, and commercials.
Key Features:
- Quick navigation, cutting, and trimming with a dual timeline
- Dedicated trim interface for detailed editing
- Video and audio clips sync automatically with intelligent auto-editing
- Built-in tools for picture-in-picture effects, retimings, stabilizations, dynamic zooms, text, and audio.
- Facial recognition for detecting faces and organizing clips based on the people in each shot
- High-quality motion estimation for speed changes and frame rate conversions
Availability: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Cost: Free; Full Studio version available at $295
Watermark: No
7. VSDC
VSDC offers both a free and paid version of its desktop video editing software. The free version still comes with VSDC’s complete video editing tools, including a mask tool and chroma key functionality for green-screen video effects.
Key Features:
- Color-correction tools for a professional look
- A full suite of transitional effects
- Easy-to-use image filters
- To hide, blur, or highlight specific elements, use mask tools
- Social media links for sharing videos online
- Support for the advanced HEVC/H.265 video-compression standard
Availability: Windows
Cost: Free; Pro version available at $19.99
Watermark: No
8. OpenShot
OpenShot is an excellent video editing program for intermediate editors. Its intuitive interface and minimal design make it perfect for straightforward editing.
Key Features:
- Watermarks, background videos, and audio tracks can be added to unlimited layers
- Customizable title-card templates
- Drag-and-drop functionality for adding files
- Digital video effects like brightness, gamma, hue, greyscale, and chroma key compositing
- Powerful key-frame animation capabilities
Availability: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Cost: Free
Watermark: No
9. Windows
Microsoft’s built-in editor, Windows Video Editor, is convenient for people looking for basic video editing functionality.
Key Features:
- Auto-preview tool for edits and effects
- Customize your video clips with auto-movie options
- Adding music, titles, and credits is easy with the animation tab
- 3D effects with minimal customization
Availability: Windows
Cost: Free
Watermark: No
10. KineMaster
KineMaster is a powerful yet free video editing app perfect for mobile devices. With KineMaster, you can easily shoot, edit, and upload videos from your phone or tablet.
Key Features:
- A store where you can download effects, soundtracks, stickers, fonts, and more
- Keeping video projects safe with backup and sharing capabilities
- Eight blending options for artistic video effects
- Reverse tool for easy focal shifts and in-camera transitions
- Support for editing and exporting 4K videos at 60 fps
Availability: iOS, Android, Chromebook
Cost: Free; Paid plan available at $3.99/month
Watermark: Yes
11. Vimeo
Vimeo Create easily turns your existing product images and text into polished e-commerce videos with this free editing software.
Key Features:
- More than 1,000 templates to choose from
- Facial recognition, filters, effects, and auto-cropping
- Professional auto-editing ability
- Ability to share videos across marketing channels
- Unlimited high-quality stock images with iStock integration
- A library of commercially licensed music
Availability: iOS and Android
Cost: Free; Plus subscriptions start at $7 per month
Watermark: No
12. Movie Maker Online
Movie Maker Online is an excellent browser-based video editor. It’s a cost-effective tool for those who want to create videos without any software installations.
Key Features:
- Free, browser-based video editor
- Royalty-free music, photos, and sound effects
- Easily trim, combine, and adjust videos with this tool
- Built-in support
Availability: Browser
Cost: Free
Watermark: No
13. Movavi Video Editor
Movavi Video Editor lets you create polished, professional videos with a range of dynamic features. With its easy-to-use interface and intuitive functionalities, this software is great for beginners and more experienced editors.
Key Features:
- Automatic video quality improvement
- A vast library of visual enhancements
- Superimpose your video over any background for green screen effects
- Assists you in accurately splitting your video by identifying changes in your footage
- Manages and balances the sound levels in your project
- Provides multiple layers of audio, video, and effects for intricate editing
Availability: Windows and macOS
Cost: Free trial; Paid plan starts at $79.95 per month
Watermark: Yes
14. Video Grabber
Video Grabber is a powerful free online video editor and downloader that caters to a wide range of users. It’s a video downloader, converter, screen recorder, and basic video editor.
Key Features:
- Downloading videos from any online source is possible
- Converts video and audio between various formats
- An adjustable screen recording function is included
- Offers a user-friendly editing suite for basic tasks like cropping, trimming, and adding effects
- Ability to add subtitles to videos
- Multiple videos can be downloaded or converted at once using batch processing
Availability: Browser
Cost: Free
Watermark: No
15. Active Presenter
Active Presenter is an all-in-one video editing and screen recording software available for free and for purchase. It’s a go-to tool for creating engaging video content, especially for instructional and e-learning videos.
Key Features:
- Full screen, window, or locked application recording
- Create screenshots with a single hotkey.
- Audio normalization, picture-in-picture (PIP), and text-to-speech (TTS)
- SCORM and xAPI exports for interactive quizzes
- Video formats include AVI, MP4, MKV, and WebM, and images include JPEG and PNG
- Essential for creating interactive e-learning content
Availability: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Cost: Free; Paid version starts at $199
Watermark: No
Choosing the Right Video Editing Software
With numerous video editing software options, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. While each option has unique strengths and weaknesses, you should select a tool that aligns with your video production needs and skills.
To edit videos for YouTube or TikTok, you need to consider the following:
- User Experience: Pick software with express editing modes that align with your preferred editing style. Templates are also a bonus. Good editing software will also have tutorials to help you learn the features and make the most of them.
- Editing Features: Check if the software has powerful video editing tools that can impress your viewers. For instance, if you’re working with drone footage, you might want a tool to enhance and add effects to videos. Other advanced features like chroma key editing, color grading, and 360-degree editing may also be helpful.
- Hidden Costs: Some “free” video editors only offer basic features and require you to pay for better functionality. Fully free video editing software may have limited format support or performance issues. Therefore, ensure your chosen software meets your basic editing needs without hidden fees.
- Support: Customer support can be a lifesaver, especially if you’re new to video editing. Software may offer email/phone support, FAQs, or community forums.
- Export Options: Consider where you’ll be publishing your videos. Your video editing software should be capable of outputting high-quality videos in popular formats for easy uploading to your social channels.
- Requirements: Some programs only work on certain operating systems. Before investing time in software, check if it’s compatible with your desktop.
Conclusion
You can start testing the best free video editing software now that you’re familiar with it. While each option has its strengths and weaknesses, you should be able to find a tool that caters to your video production needs.
Remember, videos are a powerful way to engage your audience and develop your brand’s personality. With numerous video editing software options, the sky’s the limit for your video content creation.
