Best free video editing software for windows 11 in 2023
The finest free video editing software provides all of the capabilities used by pros – without the need for charges or memberships.
Adobe Premiere Pro may be the greatest video editing software overall, but it may not be the ideal pick if you’re on a tight budget and want to step up your content creation game. It will require a good video editing PC to run. It is only available as part of a Creative Cloud membership. Some people believe the UI is too complicated.
As a result, it establishes a high standard in Hollywood. However, Premiere Pro isn’t the only game in town. Some of the top free video editors, such as DaVinci Resolve and Lightworks, have been seen in big-screen projects. So, whether you’re shooting movies, social media clips, or films for your YouTube channel, you can receive professional post-production polish for free.
We’ve examined the finest free video editing tools available today, regardless of your budget or skill.
We’ve tried, researched, and ranked the finest video editing software, and these professional tools are ideal for in-home or studio editing.
Adobe Premiere Pro: best video editor overall
Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-standard video editing program that’s really easy to use. And it seamlessly integrates with Adobe apps like After Effects, when you subscribe to Creative Cloud. In our 5-star review, we found it’s a stable video editing powerhouse with a huge list of features designed to help you intuitively build professional-grade projects.
CyberLink PowerDirector: the most affordable video editor
PowerDirector is a high-end video editor with lifetime and subscription price schemes. It’s a feature-rich tool for beginners, intermediates, and professionals alike. We discovered that the program allows you to make everything from a simple cut to a very complicated project full of effects, titles, sleek transitions, and effects.
Apple Final Cut Pro is the greatest video editor for the Mac.
Although it is marketed primarily at the professional market, Apple Final Cut Pro is a simple video editing software application with a ‘trackless’ timeline. Because you only pay for it once, it may be relatively economical in the long run. In our good review, we dubbed the tool an extraordinarily capable piece of video editing software.
Best free video editing software overall.
Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve is a difficult video editor to surpass as the finest free video editing software overall. Not only does it come with a plethora of features, ranging from high-end video editing capabilities to a robust node-based special effects system, extensive color correction features, and professional-level audio tools, but it is also completely free. Yes, you read that correctly. There are no conditions associated. You owe Blackmagic nothing if you download it for Mac, Linux, or Windows.
We rated the video editor best for pros and people serious about editing with 4.5 stars in our review “It’s really powerful, often updated, and, best of all, it’s free. It outperforms a lot of competitor software. The main disadvantage is that having so much power results in a complicated interface. However, if you’re serious about video editing, this shouldn’t be a problem.”
You may also purchase the more capable Resolve Studio for $295 for a perpetual license, with all future improvements included. Fusion, one of the greatest Adobe After Effects replacements for designers, is included in the package.
So, what’s holding everyone back from using it? It is, after all, a fairly complicated piece of software that may frighten newbies to this industry. However, if you’re serious about video editing, you should absolutely give this program a try. You’re not going to be sorry.
Lightworks is one of the greatest free video editing software tools, and it has a long history. You can see on their website how pleased they are of the several professional feature films that have been edited with it.
However, this is only with the Pro version. The Free option has the same UI but a more limited set of features. We included it in our review, saying, “Lightworks is an excellent free video editor with various capabilities to suit most casual video editors, but if you want more sophisticated features, you’ll have to pay for the privilege.”
Don’t be discouraged, though: most of the pro features are intended for expert users, and if you’re an amateur, enthusiast, or just getting started, you’ll have a terrific time learning the ropes with it.
Everything is quite intuitive, and the new contextual help panels successfully lead you through your first actions.
The only significant disadvantage of the free edition is that you cannot export your completed project in resolutions higher than 720p. We could understand if 4K was designated as a pro feature, but 1080p? Really?
Excellent free video editing software HitFilm is a sophisticated, professional, and multi-platform application. There are membership tiers that feature more advanced capabilities as well as access to a large media collection.
However, you can train yourself to ignore all of the red ‘upgrade’ buttons scattered across the UI and get on with making films.
If you’re new to video editing software, you’ll love all of the training available directly from one of the top free video editor programs. Existing users will find most of their favorite tools, although in a different UI (and a new name – gone is HitFilm Express, simply replaced with HitFilm).
The main drawback we notice with the most recent version (2022.1) is that there don’t appear to be many new features, or at least few new ones that don’t aim to convince you to upgrade to one of the subscription levels.
However, this does not diminish the existing excellent capabilities, which you can use to produce basic or amazing films for free. That is an unbeatable bargain. The only thing to remember is that HitFilm requires a computer with some muscle and one of the more modern operating systems, whether Windows or Mac.
Shotcut is one of the top open-source and cross-platform free video editing software applications.
Many of the greatest free video editing programs might leave a lot to be desired, giving credence to the old adage that “you get what you pay for”. Shotcut, on the other hand, defies the tendency. Yes, there are a few minor flaws and design decisions, but that is true of any software, paid or free.
During our testing, we commended the program as “a formidable challenger in the video editing industry, Shotcut might not impress you with a spectacular UI, but everything you need to edit a simple film is right there for the taking.”
Shotcut is now a highly strong and dependable video editing program (it only crashed on us when trying the newest VoiceOver feature). It’s also loaded with features like markers, time remapping, and a robust usage of keyframing.
The interface is rather adaptable, enabling you to move portions about and even transform them into floating windows – in short, it will do its best to help you operate the way you want. If you’re looking for a great free video editor, this is a must-try.
However, the low entrance barrier is deceiving. Luxea is jam-packed with extensive capabilities, from stock design elements to VFX tools and color grading. And, much like the primary tool, these are super easy to apply to your film, even if you’ve never done it before. Luxea may not provide Hollywood-level capabilities – no Best Picture nominees are going to be generated here – but their inclusion and functioning are really excellent for a free video editor.
ACDSee’s service also excelled at video editing on low-end PCs and laptops. The system requirements are reasonable, and we had no problems using the program on a simple home laptop.
All of the features of the premium, paid-for upgrades (offered on a monthly/annual subscription or a lifetime license) are retained in the free version. The only drawback is that Luxea automatically inserts an intro and outro to all exported videos.
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