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As there are so many on the market, we’ve put together a selection of 7 of the best free video editing software on the internet. 7 free and easy to use video editing software Some of the software listed below are all recommended for either both Windows and Mac. Another best video merger software for PC or Mac is Movavi Video Editor. The program provides an easy way to merge MP4 and other videos into one and also gives you a chance to edit films in different ways. Creating full-length movies using Movavi Video Editor can be very easily. Openshot is an open source Mac video editing software. It may remind iMovie with its easy to use drag-and-drop interface. However, Openshot contains more features than iMovie, including an unlimited number of layers and sound mixing. This free video editor for Mac offers a good balance between advanced features and a simple interface. Which Mac should you buy to edit video: Mac Pro, iMac Pro, iMac, Mac mini, MacBook Pro or something else? We look at the best Apple hardware and software for the job By Karen Haslam, Editor.

What should you look for in video editing software for Mac? That is a question you may ask when looking for an application to edit your videos. But the better question is–where do you plan to use your videos? The answer can help you choose, as some solutions are simpler than others, allowing for the quick creation of professional-quality presentation or tutorial videos. Other platforms are the more advanced types, with an array of high-tech tools suitable for use by commercial video/film producers and editors.

You’ll be surprised at the diverse range of video editing software for Mac in the market today. If you research all of them, you’ll need to take a few days of leave from work. Don’t worry; we have done the heavy lifting for you and came up with a lineup of the 12 best video editing software for Mac. These best video editing tools are either intuitive to casual users or powerful for pros, while some are scalable so that they can be used by both types of users. We also highlight the key features of each software to make it easier to compare them.

Employees prefer Mac for work because it increases productivity, a survey found. Also, workers believe that Mac computers boosted their creativity and collaboration. What’s more, they say that Mac enables them to be self-sufficient.

Workers choose Mac for better productivity

Source: Apple Insider

Since workers across a broad stream of departments prefer to use Mac, it is a natural course for software vendors like video editing software companies and developers to take their product right at Mac’s doorstep. As one of the 100 million Mac and MacBook users worldwide, you’re on the right track upping the ante of your video quality (our apologies, PC users), not just with the right machine, but with any of the software on our list. If your requirement is not Mac-specific, you can read our 20 best video editing tools for more options.

12 Best Video Editing Software for Mac

1. Final Cut Pro

First on our list of 12 best video editing software for Mac is Final Cut Pro. It is Apple’s premier professional video editing software for macOS users. The application is built to tap into the robust processing core, graphics card, and VRAM that power the latest Mac machines. With the software harnessing multi-core and multi-thread hardware capabilities of Macs, together with a huge set of cutting-edge editing tools, the result is smooth and accelerated post-production work from start to finish.

Final Cut Pro gives you the ability to import, share, and edit videos from a variety of cameras and devices with support for multiple formats. It has numerous tools for editing and timeline, trimming, effects, audio enhancement, color correction, closed captions, multimedia management, and project workflow. It can handle VR headset playback and 360-degree video editing, as well as HDR and ProResRAW sources. The software allows you to integrate dozens of third-party tools, devices, content, and plug-ins to give you an extendable platform.

The software is a standalone, on-premise solution priced at $299 (one-time payment). While it is locally deployed, the software allows you to upload, organize, and download files from online storage and stock media sites for project collaboration and sharing. It is designed for iMac and MacBook computers with macOS 10.13.6 or later versions of the operating system.

• Advanced tools for video/audio editing, motion graphics, and delivery
• Built on 64-bit architecture for handling complex projects and effects
• Extendable workflow via integration with dozens of external tools

2. Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is a video editing software for professionals and enthusiasts. Its claim of being “a cut above the rest” has an element of truth about it. That’s because it has become a popular tool for filmmakers, videographers, TV editors, and YouTube content creators. It has evolved into an industry-standard not only in video editing but also in workflow automation and media asset management. It supports all kinds of cameras, all types of formats, and any platform, including Mac and PC. This would make an excellent platform to use in conjunction with content marketing software, which could assist you in reaching out to your audience.

From its extensive R&D and the suggestions of its horde of users, Adobe Premiere Pro is a continually improving product with new features rolled out for every new release. It offers a new Freeform view for organizing and viewing storyboard and media files; rulers and guides for the precise layout of clips, text, and graphics; auto-Ducking for adding ambient sounds into your audio mix; faster mask tracking; and a dozen other enhancements on audio and video.

Of course, all the other features Adobe Premiere is known for are still there, including precise color grading, motion graphics, and animation, instant audio improvement, and integration with hundreds of partner technologies. The software also works seamlessly with its sibling Adobe products like After Effects, Audition, Photoshop, InDesign, and others. The software is part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud, which means it is accessible online from any connected device. It has several packages for business, students, and schools. For individuals, the plan is pegged at $29.99/month or $239.88/year.

• Established industry leader
• Multi-platform, multi-format, compatibility
• Regular roll out or updates and new features

3. iMovie

iMovie is another Apple product designed for macOS and iOS platforms. It is an entry-level video clip editing tool to help you produce visual stories from photos and videos. It gives you access to themes, templates, and tools for adding music, titles, and effects. It makes it easy for you to capture and cut photos directly from your iPhone, transfer them automatically to your iCloud Drive, then download them to your Mac or iPad, where you can add music, transitions, and fades, special effects, and other final touches.

iMovie, however, is not a barebones application. It can handle 4K videos and is loaded with dozens of design styles for creating animated titles and credits. You can also apply cinematic filters and effects on the entire video or the selected clip. In addition, it lets you control video speed (speed up or slow down), include green screen effects for changing backgrounds, put in picture-in-picture or split screens, and add or edit audio elements. iMovie is free and can be downloaded from the App Store.

• Zero-cost solution video editing tool for Mac and iOS devices
• Easy to navigate and simple to use with intuitive features
• Allows for quick creation of short videos and sharing them online

4. WeVideo

WeVideo is a cloud-hosted video editing and sharing software that can support multiple formats and multiple platforms, including Mac, PC, Chromebook, Android, and iOS devices. The software makes it a breeze for you to capture, create, view, and share your videos even at up to 4K resolution. Its advanced editing features and simple interface allow you to produce professional-level videos without the needed expertise and without having to pay for expensive tools.

With WeVideo, you can edit anywhere on any device with full control over tools for video editing and processing, motion titles, green-screen effects, screencasting, picture-in-picture, voiceovers, collaboration, and sharing, and media management. It utilizes Jumpstart technology that lets you start editing without waiting for your video to upload, allowing you to create movies in minutes. It has a storyboard, timeline, pre-built templates, and advanced text editing features to further speed up your video creation.

WeVideo has a free plan, and four paid plans that start at $3.74/month. Its higher-priced plans give you access to a library containing thousands of video, music, and image files that you can use for your video projects. But if you prefer an all-around solution, you can look at digital asset management software instead.

• Provides file and media management, collaboration, and sharing tools
• Supports more than 600 video, audio, and video formats
• Maintenance-free cloud platform

5. Filmora

Filmora is designed to simplify the video editing process through an online solution that can be accessed through any connected device. It can be used by all kinds of video creators, whether for creating personal movies or for coming up with business presentations, product demos, or marketing videos. It allows you to incorporate overlays, filters, custom titles, and transitions as well as adjust audio, remove background noise, and set keyframes. Aside from basic editing tools, you also have compositing tools for imaginative videos using green-screen effects and layering clips.

Filmora supports 4K video editing, multiple footage, and multi-format sources. It is capable of importing multiple videos and using up to a hundred layers of multimedia materials for creating complex stories, without having to pour in hours of work. Once you’re done with your video project, you can quickly transfer it to DVD or sharing directly to Facebook or Vimeo right from the Filmora platform. The software offers various pricing plans for schools, individuals, and businesses and has dedicated plans for Mac and Windows users. Its Filmora plans for Mac are priced at $49.99/year for a one-year subscription for one Mac; $59.99 for a lifetime license; and $179.97 for a lifetime license of up to five Macs.

• Simplified professional-level video editing
• Dozens of creative filters and special effects
• Dedicated packages for Mac users

6. DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve is a professional, on-premise editing solution that brings together tools for 8K editing, visual effects, color correction, and audio editing in one package. It is built to streamline post-production workflows and enable multi-user collaboration. It allows for one-click shuttling between tools for editing, effects, color, and audio. These capabilities enable members of a post-production team – producer, director, video and sound editors, graphic artists, and others – to easily work together on completing the project, whether it is a TV show, music video, or full-length feature film.

DaVinci Resolve is a complete color grading program for film and video editing. It offers color correction and finishing tools that editors and colorists can use to create cinematic results regardless of whether the project is intended for theater, TV, or online viewing.

DaVinci Resolve is available in just two plans. First is a free one with all the tools for editing, motion graphics, visual effects, color correction, and audio enhancement. The second is a paid plan at $299 that adds several 3D tools, plugins, special effects, and collaboration capabilities.

• Affordable high-end video/audio post-production platform with advanced features
• Over 250 tools for compositing, keying, compositing, rotoscoping, text animation, etc.
• Optimizes CPU and GPU for smooth and responsive playback

7. HitFilm Express

HitFilm Express is a free online video editing and visual effects software that gives you all the tools you need to prepare you for professional filmmaking. You can create Hollywood-style movies right from your home studio without the need to hire professional video editors. The software supports both Mac and Windows and is ideal for indie filmmakers out to make theater-ready movies. It gives you a revolutionary workflow that can combine timelines, customize the interface, work with various formats, configure export settings, and more.

With HitFilm Express, you get video editing tools for adding animations, enhancing composite shots, add unlimited video/audio tracks, modify layers, make precise cuts, and add smooth transitions. You also have at your disposal tools for color correction and grading, keying and extraction, 3D modeling, simulating objects and particles, and an array of other special effects.

HitFilm Express requires a high-end system such as that of MacOS 10.11 or higher. While the software is entirely free, you have to buy add-on packs and modules ranging from $10 to $50 each, which extend the software’s functionalities and give you more specialized effects to work on.

• Offers extensive, regular tutorials for recreating FX footage from hit movies
• Cost-effective, feature-rich editing/special VFX software
• Dedicated technical support team and active online community

8. Wideo

Wideo is an online animated video platform accessible by Mac, Windows PC, and other connected devices. It is intended to help businesses come up with fun and engaging promotional, explainer, and marketing videos. Creating presentation videos through Wideo is fast and easy, with 80 ready-made templates. You can create, edit, and share videos using the drag and drop interface. You don’t have to start from the ground up since there are ready-made templates that allow you to create animations in no time, even without any video editing background. And while you are at it, you can keep these 13 video marketing trends for 2020 in mind to ensure that your efforts hit the mark.

There are several template categories you can choose from to match your business and industry, including those for ecommerce, marketing, product demos, startups, school projects, company presentations, and more. The process is simple – sign up to create your account, then choose from the ready-made templates or, if you prefer, upload your own. You can then customize your video by adding transitions, apply effects, change the animation speed, copy or remove keyframes, and preview your work before uploading them online and sharing interactive links.

Only paid plans allow branding, longer videos, and full HD downloads. There are three paid plans offered, starting at $59/month or $19/month if billed annually.

• Over 80 video templates built by professionals
• You get premium support, priority downloads, privacy control, and monetization rights
• Easy drag-and-drop video creation and editing

9. VideoPad

VideoPad is a full-featured digital video editor built with a simple user interface and intuitive tools. It is suitable for use by individuals and businesses looking to create professional-quality videos minus the complexity and high cost. With the software, you can create and edit videos simply by adding clips through drag-and-drop function, apply video effects from a library of over 50 transitions and effects, and burn your videos on DVD or upload them online. The software supports all major video formats such as avi, wmv, mpv, and DivX, regardless of the video source.

VideoPad comes with video optimization tools to fine-tune colors, adjust video speed, and add images to sequences, and do 360-degree or 3D editing. The on-premise software is available in several pricing plans, including a lifetime license at a discounted price of $34.99. Several add-on tools for capturing, converting, recording, labeling, and more, are offered at additional cost. There are also separate editions available for Mac OS X, Windows, iPhone/iPad, Android, and Kindle devices.

• Has a dedicated edition for Mac users
• Utilizes pure digital editing tools
• Equipped with complete video optimization capabilities

10. Lightworks Pro

Lightworks Pro is a big player in the video editing industry, having been used in blockbuster films like Pulp Fiction and Heat. The software is a complete video creation, and editing package for work intended not only for big-screen projects but also for TV, social media, video sharing sites, and for professional-level business projects. Lightworks is loaded with features that include an intuitive interface, easy timeline editing, and trimming, audio and video effects, multi-format support, up to 4K video export, and access to royalty-free video and audio content.

Whether you’re making a short video or feature-length films, Lightworks got you covered with all the professional-grade tools you need to do precise edits and enhancements like color grading, blending, transitions, keyframing, and adding special effects. The video editor integrates with Blackmagic Fusion, an image compositing tool for creating VFX for movies, commercials, and TV shows. Also, you can utilize plug-ins from Boris, a vector-based titling tool, for adding filters, graffiti, and graphics. The online platform offers a free version with limited features and three premium editions with prices starting at $24.99. You can also get a full license with no expiration for $437.99.

• Runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux systems
• Enhanced VFX with Boris FX plug-ins and Blackmagic Fusion tools
• A vast set of tutorial videos and vibrant online user community

11. macXvideo

macXvideo is a free, next-generation video processing application dubbed as the best tool for 4K video processing. Despite its name, it is not an Apple product but is designed to leverage the computing capabilities of Mac machines for efficient and effortless compression of 4K (up to 8K) videos without loss of quality. The software is simple to use with intuitive tools that do not require video editing expertise for editing, decoding, encoding, and compressing ultra-high-definition 4K or higher resolution videos.

macXvideo offers a number of video editing features for transforming raw videos into high-quality movies. It comes with tools for video trimming/cutting, splitting, merging, variable playback speed, captions/subtitles, and audio enhancements. It also has capabilities for adjusting and correcting colors, saturation, gamma, contrast, and hue. The software supports videos from whatever source and is compatible with all types of audio/video formats, codecs, size, and quality.

• Entirely free on-premise video editing solution
• Superior and fast processing for UHD video materials
• Next-gen video compression technology while retaining near original video quality

12. Rocketium

Rocketium is a cloud-based video creation and editing software that makes it easy to produce business videos. Targeted at marketers, publishers, and agencies, the software provides a simple and hassle-free way for businesses to tell their stories or relay their messages through promotional videos, product or company presentations, or ad campaigns. It offers powerful and professional design and editing tools for video scene trimming, cropping, and adding multimedia elements like music and images. You get single-click styling, colors, fonts, animation options, and timing, and positioning, among others.

Rocketium is compatible with Mac and Windows operating systems. It gives you access to millions of royalty-free video footage, images, and soundtracks so you can easily complete your video with all the components you need. You can likewise customize your video to reflect your brand and use the software’s “workspaces” to collaborate with colleagues on your project. Rocketium is available in four paid plans starting at $9/month.

• Access to huge multimedia content
• Trello-like task boards for managing projects
• Built-in video content translation tool for 100+ languages

Use Free Trials to Find the Best Video Editing Software for You

Reading up on a video editing software and watching demos and tutorials may not be enough. For you to find which application works best for you, you need to have hands-on experience with a platform. But subscribing to each program on your shortlist could be unnecessarily expensive. Fortunately, vendors now offer free trials of their products. You can take advantage of these to test drive tools and features.

Speaking of finances, it is an easy choice to go for the most expensive video editing software from a well-known developer. This is because you can be sure it packs a punch, feature-wise. It may not be suitable for your budget, though. Still, there are other solutions on the list that could serve as an alternative to your first choice. With those, you have the powerful tools you need that will still enable you to create the best videos.

Some people believe when it comes to video editing, there is no such a thing as having GOOD and FREE at the same time, but that's not the case. We got 14 good candidates for you here and put together a 15-minute or so review of best free video editing software for anybody in need. Whether you'd like a quick editing or set your hands on professional film making, you'll find the answer.

This list is in no particular order of importance. We tried and tested each one from various aspects, and grouped them for different editing scenarios based on their highlighted features.

Our Picks for Top Free Video Editing Software Are:

• Photos App Windows Movie Maker iMovie - Best for quick editing
• Shotcut VSDC PowerDirector- Best for sports videos
• Hitfilm Express Lightworks - Best for film-making and VFX
• DaVinci Resolve - Best for landscape videos
• Kdenlive - Best for making video tutorials
• Openshot - Best for small business and studios
• GoPro Studio Quik - Best for videos featuring outdoor activities
• Blender - Best for 3D modeling and animation

Why should you trust us? Jump to the bottom to see how we picked the best free video editing software.

#1. Windows 10 Photos App

Best for: novices seeking a quick editing tool for occasional usage.

Supported OS: Windows 10

Windows Photos app has a hidden video editing feature, and can be utilized to quickly trim videos, change speed, or draw freely directly over the footage. Depending on your Windows 10 version, you might have additional options to add music to a video in windows 10 or create 3D effects. These additional features allow you to do a project-based editing, with storyboards, filters, animated text, camera motion effects and 3D effects such as rain, fire, and thunders, ready to lay over your footage.

Photos app is a good pal when all you need is quick and basic edits. Since all functions are self explanatory, you need zero editing experiences to get going. It works nicely if you want to quickly churn out a 5 minute video of traveling shots and recordings. Plus, you can take advantage of the apps integration with mobile media importing. This app allows you to directly import photos and videos from iPhone, iPad and other USB-enabled camera devices. If you are familiar with those auto-created memories videos on iPhone, you would love the automatic video with music option.

Chances of improvement:

• The lack of true NLE features makes it less productive for a beginner who wants to dive deeper.
• Users on Windows 10 N versions will find most video editing features missing.
• Limited options to save video as a desired format.
• Less filters and effects to choose from.

So, have you ever used the Photos app to cut a video?

You can use photos app as the media library to host and display your videos and photos, and the hidden editing feature might surprise you if you simply want to trim off unwanted parts, add music and text to the footage. Those with a Microsoft Surface can also utilize the touch screen and the pen.

Read our full review of Windows Photos app >>

#2. Windows Movie Maker

Best for: plenty of templates, easy-to-navigate interface for quick editing.

Supported OS: Windows

Windows Movie Maker was the pre-build program of Windows. Though it has been phased out for years and was officially discontinued in 2017, it is still the set on for many who want to create simple videos with background music and subtitles. No learning curve or tutorials to watch, it offers beginners with the most straightforward timeline and menu to do all necessary edits like cutting, rotating, subtitling, stabilizing, speeding up, subtitling, filtering videos.

As is often the case when you do home video or slideshows editing, you want to correct the picture color, add transitions, create subtitles or captions, and then put background music. Windows Movie Maker makes the acquiring of all those features a snap, with 77 different transitions, 26 effects, 6 movie themes, stock audios, and rich caption templates come in handy.

Chances of improvement:

• Lack of a few basic and frequently use edit features like watermark, subtitle files, and crop.
• Output video has to be MP4 or WMV video, and the ratio rate has to be with 16:9 or 4:3.
• Transitions, effect, and templates are ready-make which leave little room for creative users making intriguing content.
• As a discontinued app, it has lots of bugs, crashes and compatibility issue on Windows 8/10, and all known cons would never get improved

Believe it or not, Movie Maker uses hardware acceleration, however

The loading of high-resolution video can take minutes. It still responses extremely slow when editing 4K or any types of high-resolution videos. Windows Movie Maker benefits little from the GPU acceleration. Anyway, that's not a surprise for an app abandoned by its developers. Besides, the resolution of the generated video can't go beyond 1920 x 1080pixels.

Read our full review of Windows Movie Maker >>

#3. iMovie

Best for: quick editing with plenty of theme templates and transitions.

Supported OS: macOS, iOS

Mac user? It might be a bit bold but I'll say: No one can come up with an easier alternative to iMovie for Mac. It is accessible on any iOS devices so that you can do part of the editing on the iPhone, finish movie creating on Mac, and then share on social media instantly.

It covers basic (4K) video editing features, for instance, cut, crop, rotate, stabilize, overlay, subtitle, chroma key, speed controls, transition, etc. Thanks to the intuitive and clean interface, iMovie is the epitome of simple. You just plug in the footage and it can do the rest. In addition, there are dozens of themes, animated titles, and credits, creative filters in various genres that you can access to spice up your videos without needing to set a plethora of parameters.

Chances of improvement:

• iMovie does not support plug-in effects. The majority of the handful of built-in effects are over bright.
• The support of GIF file is absent. iMovie displays the animated picture as a still image.
• It doesn't allow you to tweak the intensity of color correction.
• The timeline of iMovie is inflexible and inconvenient for movie creating as you can only add 2 video layers.
• It only permits video outputting in H.264 and ProRes. Most drone clips and H.265 videos won't be read correctly.
• Not support GPU acceleration. This brings up slow and error-ridden playback, effect rendering, and exporting. On my Macbook, the CPU utilization gets pegged to nearly 100% when exporting video.

Ready to dive deep?

iMovie is very limited. It enables the editing and export of 4K 60FPS videos if only the initial clip we put to timeline is 4K 60FPS clip. You are not allowed to create any videos with 1:1 aspect ratio. Sadly, Facebook, Instagram, and many social media still love square videos.

Read our full review of iMovie >>

#4. Shotcut

Best for: high compatibility and easy stabilization for sports videos.

Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD

Shotcut is cross-platform open-source free video editing software developed by Dan Dennedy based on the MLT multimedia framework. It provides both 32-bit and 64-bit version for Window 7 to 10. macOS needs to be 10.10 or above. Shotcut is popular for numerous input/export options, low hardware requirements, good developer support, vibrant forum community, and surely multiple video editing features for quick editing. As a rule of thumb, it takes a total noob ten tries to get the hang of it.

As to sports video editing, video files recorded by drone/GoPro in 4K HDR and high frame rate like 120fps are well accepted. Necessary filters like lens correction and video stabilization are available. And thanks to FFmpeg, you are allowed to have a good control over the export settings. Based on our testing, Shotcut seems to be comparatively more stable than other free video editing tools. It does crash occasionally, but at the very least, the failure recovery sounds fantastic.

Chances of improvement:

• The interface is unusual and a bit confusing to the beginners.
• Proxy is said to be removed from the plan for the next version.
• Keyframe based animations and transitions are not available.
• Lack of support for RAW camera video formats.
• No stock media and templates.
• The speed function needs much improvement.

Shotcut users are the most loyal ones. Why?

Still remember the developer's name? Dan Dennedy, he is one of the two reasons why a lot of users choose to stay with Shotcut, despite various free options out there, while another is the existence of a school-like forum community. But is Shotcut really qualified for creating amazing outputs besides sports video?

Read our full review of Shotcut >>

#5. VSDC Free Video Editor

Best for: editing ultra-high resolution videos and applying fish-eye correction for sports videos.

Supported OS: Windows

VSDC Free Video Editor is the free version of VSDC Video Editor. Though being a cut down version, it is still a well thought out app developed by Flash-Integro LLC, and allows you to do most of everything its big brother can with a buffet of awesome features. Adjustable filters, chroma keys, masks, picture-in-picture, animated text, and many advanced tools can get accessed by clicking the well-designed visual icons. Therefore, even a beginner can take advantage of VSDC Free Video Editor to create stunning videos while keeping things incredibly simple.

Thanks to its capability to edit and export 4K UHD videos in high-compressed H.265/HEVC codec, adrenaline junkies can use VSDC Free Video Editor to process 4K UHD recordings from DJI Drone, DSLR, and action camera without comprising much to the picture quality. Besides, it lets you to amp up the excitement with countless effects, for instance, crop, split, rotate, speed, play backward, lens distortion, etc.

Chances of improvement:

• Mac and Linux cannot take advantage of this Windows-only program.
• Slow rendering and stutter preview of 4K high-resolution video due to the lack of hardware acceleration.
• Frequently pop-up ads that remind you to upgrade to the pro version is annoying.
• The transition options are very limited and difficult to properly apply to your recordings.

Any features missing compared to its brethren?

Hardware acceleration, video stabilization, motion tracking are 3 most often used toolkits for the post-production of large sport videos. Sadly, they are available on the paid VSDC Video Editor only. The masking tool and chrome key of VSDC Free Video Editor are less flexible than the pro version neither.

Read our full review of VSDC Free Video Editor >>

#6. CyberLink PowerDirector

Best for: quickly producing sports video with eye-catching effects

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, Linux

PowerDirector is the flagship product presented by Cyberlinks. This intuitive and elegant piece of software offers you a streamlined experience, no matter you are in storyboard mode, time-line based free editing, slideshow or auto mode. If you priority is to quickly cut and edit videos to share with friends and families, while investing less effort in learning how to use an NLE, then PowerDirector perfectly fits the bill. Technical newbie or moderately experienced hands, you can quickly pick up PowerDirector to trim videos, add effects, and apply transitions and music.

PowerDirector can spice up your sports videos and showcase those exciting moment. On the plus side, motion tracker in Cyberlinks helps you to track designated objects, so that you can add text, graphic and other elements along with that object in motion. It is nice because the tracking is done automatically, instead of created manually frame-by-frame. You can also make use of time shift to create slow motion out of a section of your footage, thus allowing viewers to savor that highlighted moment during a slowed-down flow of time.

Chances of improvement:

• Won't support exporting H.265/HEVC in free version.
• Lack of advanced tools making it not suitable for commercial environment.
• Speed control is limited to constant speed change, with simple option to ease in and ease out; You cannot make speed ramping effects using curves to smooth out harsh cuts.

Want to see time flows back? Use Video in Reverse in PowerDirector

Besides Speed Multiplier that allows you to speed up or slow down a part of the video, PowerDirector also helps you to reverse speed, creating a rewind effects that everything moves backwards in terms of time flow. Instead of showcasing the cliff diving moment, you can reverse the footage into the diver rising back onto the cliff from the sea. Ready to explore more ?

Read full review of PowerDirector >>

#7. HitFilm Express 14

Best for: visual effects dabblers and YouTubers; create VFX-intensive videos for fun.

Supported OS: Windows 10/8, macOS (High Sierra and later)

Presented by FXhome, HitFilm Express is a decent desktop editor with powerful VFX tools to produce films, gaming videos and other great content for free. It combines editing, VFX and 3D tools in one place, so that you won't need to hoop from one app for editing, to another app for compositing. It has all the basic editing functions you would expect from mainstream NLEs, and relatively large amount of effects and features that you wouldn't expect in other free editors.

HitFilm Express is mostly noted for its VFX capacity that helps to turn your footage into impressive filmic productions. Gunfire and Star War lightsaber effects, bold and flashy animation titles are all at your disposal to spice up the video. HitFilm even helps you to create animate 3D particles based on audio waveforms! Nicely enough, this app adopts a dual-timeline approach, with all the basic editing done in the editing timeline, and VFX done in the composite shot timeline. In this way, it keeps the main editing timeline from getting cluttered up, so that you can easily assemble the clips order. While in the composite shot timeline, you can let your creative juice flow and play around with graphics, effects and visual elements.

Chances of improvement:

• Won't support HEVC/H.265, which might be a hassle if you shoot regularly on iPhone in high efficiency format.
• No XML/AAF/EDL support, meaning you won't be able to share the project to other software to continue editing.
• No multicam editing, and audio editing toolkit is limited, there is no EQ adjustment.
• Exporting errors occur if you choose to render in-and-out instead of content, as the tool mistakenly choose a non-existence point as out point.

Are you a big fan of editing mini-epic with dope VFX?

Thinking about a horror movie? How about the scene of ghost cropping out of your mobile phone? With HitFilm Express, you can utilize the tracking feature. While the character is walking with a mobile phone at his hand, you can use the tracking tool to follow the same trajectory. Then you shall be able to replace the mobile screen, with a clip of ghost popping out. There is more for HitFilm to re-create what's in your mind..

Read our full review of HitFilm Express >>

#8. Lightworks

Best for: movie industry experts and content marketers.

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, Linux.

Lightworks as a professional video editing software has been around for more than 25 years, as long as Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere start their business in the industry. It offers a free version for serious enthusiasts to try out most of the commonly used features. If you are looking for a free editing program with ready-to-use templates for titles, animation graphics and stickers, Lightworks is definitely not the best choice. This tool is designed with professional editors, with requirements and workflow logic that are feature-film-specific, and may be difficult for people without a movie editing background.

For that reason, a certain feature may be highly praised by professional editors, while at the same time complained by beginners or people accustomed to other paradigms of more popular NLEs. For instance, the unique Flexible layout allows experts to experiment with ideas and compare various edits easily, while beginners would be confused. No razor tool in Lightworks is another head scratcher for people coming from other programs, while the supplementing mark-and-park method is loved by loyal users.

Chances of improvement:

• Lack of guided wizards makes it difficult for beginners to get the work done.
• Different editing paradigms entail a transitional pain for seasoned editors accustomed to other popular NLEs.
• No 1080p or 4K support, limited export settings: the free version maxes out at 720p, H.264/MPEG4.
• Free users are required to reactivate the license from time to time, and failure of activation might be a problem if you have unfinished projects.

Biased reviews occur when people fail to make the best of Lightworks

Beginners and seasoned editors may fail to access the full power of Lightworks, due to lack of decent tutorials and 'muscle memory' from other NLEs. For instance, when you get accustomed to mark-and-park and pressing x at the cursor point, instead of thinking in terms of razor cut, you would find Lightworks efficient. Want more tricks?

Read full review of Lightworks >>

#9. DaVinci Resolve 16

Best for: breathtaking color correction in HD/UHD landscape video editing.

Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

DaVinci Resolve is a non-linear video editing system developed by Blackmagic Design, making a name for itself as a top-notch color corrector originally, and having been awarded for Engineering Excellence by the Hollywood Professional Association. The learning curve would be steep to be familiar closely with such a professional free video editing tool. But to get started quickly, crash courses are everywhere.

Color correction is key to creating awe-inspiring landscape videos and cinematic looks, which happens to be what makes DaVinci Resolve critically acclaimed. In DaVinci Resolve 16, you can have a full control of image in precision with node-based color grading tools. And both the editing and rendering of landscape video in RAW formats like CinemaDNG and ARRIRAW can be fast, even on an old computer, for its proxy mode and optimized media support. Two bonus features for advanced users - Fairlight for audio adjusting and Fusion for VFX. Remember there is only 64-bit version for Windows 10, and Mac should be 10.10 or later.

Chances of improvement:

• Fusion and Fairlight are too complicated to learn, with few tutorials available.
• Audio and video out of sync issue happens a lot, most importantly, with no effective solutions.
• RED and BMPCC 4K footages have rendering errors frequently.
• Occasional 4K video stuttering, slow rendering, or media import problems.
• DaVinci Resolve is still light on third-party plug-ins, not enough for using.
• Once you load your videos/audios, the project frame rate value can't be changed anymore.

Ready for some filmic look with enchanting color?

For your information, DaVinci Resolve was used for the color grading in famous movies and TV shows like Avatar, Deadpool 2, La La Land, The Walking Dead and Westworld, to name a few. You won't want to miss the chance to embrace such a great tool for free. To check how mighty the color grading could be:

Read our full review of DaVinci Resolve 16 >>

#10. Kdenlive

Best for: tutorial videos with 2D titles, screen/sound capture.

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, FreeBSD, Linux, Ubuntu

Kdenlive is one of the most involved and complex open-source video editors. It offers all you need to create simple videos. It's wide range of advanced functionalities like multiple tracks, transitions, keyframe, rotoscoping, video/audio scope, and chroma key, just to name a few, even rival some commercial video editing software. However, those nifty features come with the sacrifice of a nitty interface. The major update it received recently, somehow, further separates it away from beginners.

One essential feature for making easy-approached tutorials is the screen capture tool. Kdenlive is well designed on this facility. It can record your computer screen or webcam with sound coming from the microphone. The latest version allows you to add audio track on the timeline. This is a useful capability for instruction video creators as it lets them record sound while previewing the video simultaneously. Subtitle is another terrific feature of Kdenlive, with which you are on your own to create plain or animated text and decide when and where the subtitles showed up, for how long, and in what kind of format.

Chances of improvement:

• It can't create video in some of the most prevalent formats like MKV and AVI, and offers no ready-made output format.
• Some effect options seem to be absent from the drop-down menu, as like, you can only found the curves effect by entering its name on the effect search bar.
• Buggy & Laggy. It is buggy as hell on Windows, and voracious with its CPU and RAM requirements. Sometimes it even becomes laggy when you just try to preview the file without any editing.
• Unstable. For example, it worked fine yesterday on my Windows 10 64 bit i5-3470 with SSD and 8GB RAM but keeps crashing this time, with nothing different from the previous process.
• GPU acceleration is absent. This is not likely to change for the foreseeable future as it's a sad flaw of the underlying MLT framework.

Worth updating to 19.x version?

Kdenlive now combines audio and video in one track, and you aren't enabled to opt 'auto separate audio and video' anymore. This controversial update is in fact another sacrifices made by Kdenlive to gain a buggy free performance.

Under the render tab, there are only WebM, Mpeg-2 and few other codecs. Beginners have to learn FFmpeg command to understand those video jargons.

Read our full review of Kdenlive >>

#11. OpenShot

Best for: quick editing for small business video.

Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

OpenShot is another open-source free video editing software, started by Jonathan Thomas for Linux originally, compatible with various pla1tforms now including Windows, macOS and FreeBSD. Different from Shotcut based on MLT framework, OpenShot uses C++ libopenshot project library. Note that OpenShot is only available in 64-bit for Linux, Windows 7 to 10, and OS X 10.9 or later.

Due to the ease of use and unique 3D animation features 'borrowed' from Blender, OpenShot is pretty good for novices to make decent small business videos. All OpenShot updates try to keep up with the latest Blender for new 3D features, so that stunning 3D animation titles can be used to attract your customers in the presentation. Various presets in transitions, filters, curve-based time-mapping and hardware acceleration in the latest 2.5.0 could be pluses.

Cons:

• Severe slow and crashing problems, maybe out of the operating system, the hardware, or the software algorithm.
• Presets only in time-mapping and speed changes. There is no curve to adjust manually.
• Limited editing functions, good for quick editing but not enough for advanced refining.
• Hardware acceleration is still in experimental period.
• Random final file broken error without any sign during the editing.

Does OpenShot support GPU acceleration now?

Download OpenShot 2.5.0 or later and you should see hardware encoder options like NVENC and VA-API in the Export panel. But since it is still experimental, errors happen a lot. Most Windows 10 users find it can't detect GPU correctly, leading to 'No acceleration' problems. To check detailed information:

Read our full review of Shotcut >>

We have brought only the major changes, so you won’t get bored.The Mac OS X Jaguar has Aqua theme which is a replacement for the older themes called Platinum.Quartz Extreme (who is both a display server and windows manager) is added for integrating graphics completely on the video card. Mac os x recording software. Only a minor number of users were involved in developing dedicated software just to render graphics.

#12. GoPro Studio

Best Free Video Editing Software For Mac 2019

Best for: personalizing videos of outdoor activities.

Supported OS: Windows, macOS

GoPro Studio was the standalone official video editing software of GoPro for both PC and Mac, which however was wrapped up into the Quik Desktop suite and then removed forever. An educated guess is that GoPro thinks people prefer auto edits for instant sharing than sitting down for mind-numbing post production.

The best part of GoPro Studio for outdoor activity video editing should go to its Edit Templates with background music and slow-motion effect. Creating an awesome GoPro-style video could be as easy as this: import media, mark in and out the highlights, convert to CineForam for smoother editing, choose a template, drag your highlights onto one separate clip, export your video until all cuts have been replaced by your own footages. You still have necessary functions for sports video editing like fisheye lens correction and color adjusting.

Chances of improvement:

• Limited output file format - MP4 (H.264) and AVI/MOV (CineForm).
• It is only possible to rotate a video 180 degrees. 90 degrees option is not accessible in GoPro Studio.
• No support of GPU acceleration and HEVC codec, which makes it not the ideal one for 4K H.265 video editing.
• A total 10-second GoPro branding will always be there in the start and end of your video, which can't be deleted.
• Anyway, Studio was discontinued years ago. There seems to be no chance of any improvement.

Where to download GoPro Studio now?

Although it is discontinued, you still have ways to free download GoPro Studio 2.5.9. 2658. But if you have installed Quik already, GoPro Studio won't be installed or installed correctly, unless you uninstall Quik. Even if you have both installed on your computer, choose Open In Studio will only lead GoPro Studio to shut down.

Read our GoPro Studio download tutorial >>

#13. GoPro Quik

Best for: fast creating mini clips full of outdoor activity highlights.

Supported OS: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

Quik is a free video editing app developed by GoPro running on both desktop computer and mobile phone. Well, according to our test, Quik for mobile is much more brilliant than Quik for desktop, while the iOS version has more features than Android. Before you download it, check its system requirements: Windows 10 (64-bit only), Mac OS X 10.10 or above, iOS 10 and up, Android 5.0 and up.

Quik seems like a hint of Quick. Together with its support of stock music, various templates in different themes, smart Auto modes, instant uploading options, and the unique built-in Wi-Fi connection between editing system and camera, Quik is quite handy for personalizing videos of vacations, trips, family gatherings, etc in a very short time for sharing on the go. Basic editing features like cutting, rotating, and text adding surely are accessible as well.

Chances of improvement:

• Quik for desktop imports GoPro camera media only. Files from any other cameras won't be detected.
• Only 10 music tracks can be used for free, and there is no way to load local audios.
• Annoying crash problems after 2020 update of Quik for mobile phone.
• Efficient but not profound. There is color correction and clip rearranging options, but not as flexible as you imagine.
• 1080p and 60 seconds are your highest option for resolution and video length when exporting.
• No need to wait for video transcoding before editing, at the cost of losing accurate frame control and slow raw GoPro file editing.

GoPro Quik vs. GoPro Studio, which is better?

You probably know that GoPro Studio has been replaced by Quik for a long time. But why are there so many people still struggling to find a safe GoPro Studio download file? Which one of them is more full-featured and better for video editing? To get a detailed analysis:

Read our full comparison of GoPro Studio and Quik >>

#14. Blender

Best for: 3D modeling and animation

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, Linux

Born in 1988 as NeoGeo's in-house 3D toolset in Netherlands, what was known as Blender today undergone re-writing in 1995 and went open-source in 2002. It is the Swiss army knife of 3D modeling and sculpting, animation, video editing and VFX. With the incorporation of video sequencer, Blender grows into a powerful all-in-one tool, especially after the release of 2.80. Small studios and freelancers use it extensively and bigger studios resort to it in a few work stages, for instance, object modeling and texturing. The game industry also witnesses its popularity in recent years.

Whatever other high-end 3D modeling and animation programs can achieve, Blender helps you do almost the same without spending a dime, provided that you have the technical know-how and a skilled hand. You can utilize the powerful tools to focus on some aspects in 3D pipeline: be it modeling, animation, rigging, compositing, simulation or editing. In terms of video editing, Blenders offers you a complete editing system sequencer and compositer. Therefore, if you are daunted by 3D features, you can still learn this tool simply for editing clips (termed as strips in Blender), after all, it is free.

Chances of improvement:

• User interface seems archaic and could be frustrating some times.
• Require users to be familiar with tons of keyboard shortcuts to get the hang of this tool, thus making it daunting for less experienced users who might be accustomed to think 'cut' in terms of a razor or a scissors icon.
• Lack of official explanation on certain features to help users know the difference: for instance, to make proxies in VSE, there are one option to choose proxy render size directly and another option to make selections in sequencer's properties before choosing render size. Users would be confused as to which is the right way to make proxies.
• Error crops up every now and then if you let Blender to set the frame rate or using a custom frame rate, and this may be due to the difficulty of dealing with floats, 29.92 fps for instance.

Is Blender Good for Video Editing?

Blender helps you do basic video editing in a timeline-based manner, just as many other NLEs. You have the tracks to cut footage, add layovers, transitions, as well as audios and texts, though you have to acquaint yourself with numerous keyboard shortcuts to give it a spin. As you become more skilled, you will appreciate the range of 3D graphics tools and options in Blender. Aspiring to read more on 3D modeling and animation in plain language?

Read more in our Blender review for beginners >>

Best Free Video Editing Software FAQs

What's The Best Free Video Editing Software For Mac Software

One person's meat is another's poison. There is no absolute one best video editor that caters for all, given your budget, hardware, operating system, and the comfort level. Casual hobbyists may be adequately served by no-brainer tools, while professionals and serious learners go for highly customizable NLEs.

1. What is the best video editing software for beginners?
If you have zero experience in video editing, and are merely seeking tools for quick trimming, add text and background music, use Windows Photos app or iMovie on Mac.

If you are a serious beginner, and are willing to invest in time and effort to become a master, use popular editors. You can quickly hone your skills with YouTube tutorials, and seek help in active forums. In this regard, Shotcut, Kdenlive and DaVinci Resolve may fit the bill.

2. What is the best professional video editing software?
Hollywood mainly uses Avid Media Composer, and those outside Hollywood use Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, Edius etc. These NLEs only offer trial versions, and are thus out of the scope of this article.

3. What is the best photo slide show editor?
Go to Windows Photos app to create automatic slideshow videos with background music, and the Mac counterpart is iMovie, with more options and templates.

4. Which software is best for slow motion video?
Shotcut and Kdenlive allow you to cut up a section and slow it down, say 1/4 speed of the real time. If you prefer speed ramping to harsh cuts, you can use HitFilm or DaVinci Resolve for gradual speed control, and there is a learning curve.

5. What is the best video editing software for low spec computers?
Timeline-based video editing is a computing intensive process that occupies enormous resources on your machine. Want to edit high res files, hard-to-decode format, or add lots of visual effects and animations? It's more about upgrading hardware than picking an editor, though you do have the choice to optimize video clips for smooth editing, in iMovie, Shotcut, and DaVinci Resolve.

How We Picked Best Free Video Editors

It took us half a month to round up 14 best free video editors out of numerous programms on the market.The result is where all the following efforts come together:

1. A list of more than a hundred of video editing tools was compiled based on market presence.
2. Powerful programs that only have a paid version or limited free trials were removed from the list ( and that's why big names such as Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro is missing from the final list).
3. That left us with twenty-some truly free programs. We tested each one on Windows and Mac computers, and picked out 14 applications based on following factors.

What's The Best Free Video Editing Software For Mac Free

Factors Considered During the Test

• Compatibility - which platforms can run the free editor software.
• Capability - how well it nails the task for a specific editing scenario.
• Stability and smoothness - especially when you scrub, playback, render and export the video.
• Ease of use - how natural it is to finish a certain editing task and make use of a utility.
• Quality of support - can you get timely response from forums, official tech support, or find resourceful tutorials.

Test Environment

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
• CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-8300H CPU @2.30GHz
• GPU 1: Intel(R) UHD Graphics 630 GPU 2: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti
• RAM: 8GB VRAM: 4GB SSD: 500GB

• Operating System: macOS 10.10.5
• CPU: Intel® Core i5 @2.7GHz
• GPU: AMD Radeon HD 6770M
• RAM: 8GB VRAM: 512MB SATA Disk: 1TB

What's The Best Free Video Editing Software For Mac Torrent

General System Requirements for Video Editing

• More than half of the free video editors we tested (on this list or not) provide 64-bit version only.
• Most can run on Windows 7 and later. But when it comes to Mac, every application seems to have its own standard.
• Minimum requirement of RAM varies, but normally 4GB is needed, while 16GB/32GB for 4K and VFX. Theoretically, the larger, the better.
• Only part of the free video editing tools we used gives a clear indication of what kind of GPU or how much VRAM is required. Generally, 2GB would be OK.

Advance Notice

Don't walk away. Our R&D engineers are beavering away on a brand new video editing software – a fully-fledged NLE – and it will be COMPLETELY FREE! You are cordially invited to share this post to social networks, or leave a comment to let us know your most concerned features.

Best Free Video Editing Software For Mac Reddit

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