Best Free Video Editing Software for Desktop
The following list of the best video editing software is desktop based, and offered for free. Desktop applications typically have more editing power than mobile apps.
Use these video editors when you need to produce longer-form content for YouTube (or) your website.
All of these video editors are either entirely free to use or have an excellent free version. This video software ranges from basic to advanced.
1. Blender
Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Blender is an open source program that is entirely free to use. Blender was actually designed as a 3D animation suite, but it does come with a very useful video editor. Blender’s video editor should be enough for most of your video needs.
The Blender Video Editor includes the following features:
- Live preview, luma waveform, chroma vectorscope, and histogram displays.
- Audio mixing, syncing, scrubbing, and waveform visualization.
- Up to 32 slots for adding video, images, audio, and effects.
- Speed control, adjustment layers, transitions, keyframes, filters, and more.
Pros: Perfect for advanced users who are not put off by all the features.
Cons: The sheer array of features make the learning curve a little steeper. Most of the tutorials are focused on the 3D animation/modeling side. The resources to help you with the video editor are very limited.
Best for: More advanced projects that may involve 3D animation.
2. Lightworks
Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux
Lightworks is another great free video editing software, available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Lightworks is one of the more powerful video editors on the list. It’s absolutely packed with useful features. The free version should be more than enough for most users. The pro version costs around $25 a month.
This video editor includes the following in the free version:
- High precision video trimming.
- Multicam support.
- Export to 720p for YouTube.
- A wide range of video formats supported.
While most features are included, 4K video support for YouTube and Vimeo is only included in the paid version of the software. Compared to Blender, for example, Lightworks has many great video tutorials which can make it quicker to get up and running. Check out this feature comparison to make sure the free version has what you need.
Pros: Very powerful video editor with many advanced features.
Cons: 4K video support only in paid version. Some users may find Lightworks too advanced.
Best for: All round desktop video editing.
3. Shotcut
Shotcut is one of the best free video editing software programs available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Shotcut, like Blender, is a fully open source program. This means that after downloading it, you get access to all the features without the need for a paid upgrade.
This video editor supports a wide range of video formats and boasts a great collection of tutorial videos. While this video editing software has great features, some users may find the interface a little quirky. This software was originally designed for Linux and it definitely shows. But, under the hood, it’s still a quality video editor.
Two of the most striking features are 4K HD resolution support and its timeline editing. Not many free versions of the software include 4K resolution support. Shotcut also doesn’t require you to import your video into the editor: this can be a time saver if you are dealing with large video files.
Pros: Native timeline editing and 4K resolution support.
Cons: Quirky interface may be off-putting for some users.
Best for: 4K, HD video projects.